Minutes of the Wichita State University Faculty Senate
Monday, 3:30 pm, April 22, 2013; CH 126
Members Present: Baker, Barut, Bergman, Besthorn, Brooks, Bryant, Celestin, Close, Decker, deSilva,
Driessen, Hamdeh, Jacobs, Johnson, Kagdi, Klunder, Lewis, Liu, Ju, Miller, Mosack,
Oare, Pulaski, Rillema, Rokosz, Ross, Smith, Solomey, Yildirim
Members Absent: Alexander, Anderson, Kreinath, Moore-Jansen, Mukeerjee, Toops,
Members Excused: Horn, Hull, Matveyeva, Yeager
Summary of Action
1. Accepted the proposed revisions from the General Education Committee
I. Call to Order
President Bob Ross called the meeting to order at 3:30 pm. Remarks from President
Bardo moved to the beginning of the meeting.
II. Remarks from President Bardo
1) President Bardo shared Governor Brownback's intention for no cut in Budget. Brownback
has a visit to campus today.
2) Strategic planning is coming to close. It will be wrapped this semester and move
to the next step in planning. Everyone is invited for the town hall meeting on Thursday,
April 25th, for feedback.
3) President Bardo will propose significant increase in student tuitions. Governor
is planning for 2-year budget and as University we are planning for 2-year tuition
plan as well.
4) Master plan is ready. Master plan includes what buildings and where they will
be located. Currently, working with the city for infrastructure. Federal funding might
help. Shuttle system for parking is considered.
5) So many people have hand in enrollment. Instead of having large committee for
the enrollment issues, it will be break down into four subcommittees. Adult learning
enrollment will have priority.
6) Scholarship money will be used more effectively and efficiently. Packaging scholarship
is considered.
7) Effectiveness and efficiencies analysis is going to be slow and span over two
years, deploying two-step strategy that will involve a group of people who will investigate
and understand the process and identify problems; and subsequently inviting experts
to provide solutions. Admission is the first unit going under this process.
8) President Bardo acknowledged and is supportive to the Honor College concept that
Faculty Senate had positive sense towards it.
9) President Bardo applauds our athletes for their success to the Final Four and
he believes that if similar success continues next year and the following the impact
might be long lasting. The focus is how we can position our athletics program around
the quality the students are experiencing. We do not want to overwhelm our athletes
in generating donations.
10) As the University grows, we may be using some portion of the golf course land.
Cessna Stadium will eventually go. The area might be considered for the Business Building
or parking.
III. Informal Statements and Proposals: None
III. Approval of the Minutes: – Motion to approve the Minutes of the Faculty Senate meeting on April 8, 2013 was moved by Senator Mehmet Barut and seconded by Senator Victoria Mosack. The motion is approved as is.
IV. President's Report: President Ross reported on the following recent activities:
1) Governor Brownback is for level budget for higher education. What we can do as
faculty, if we have contact with legislators, is to talk to them and act like an engine
to better our education.
2) At the last KBOR meeting, the concern for budgeting issues continues. If the proposed
cut is carried, we could go back to year 2002.
3) Post tenure, administrators review policy, and other shared governance issues
are postponed until VPAA arrives to campus.
4) Strategic Planning town home meeting will be held on April 25th between 3:30 and
5:30 pm at Hubbard Hall 208.
5) Parking on campus after June 1st might be hectic due to the start of the dorm
project. Perimeter Road on North of Morrison Hall will no longer be used.
6) Faculty Senate is called for special meeting on Monday, the May 6th to discuss
double dipping issue, sense of Senate for campus smoking policy, sense of Senate for
the completion of background fundamental courses within the first 24 hours, as well
as other issues that may arise.
7) Election meeting will be held on May 13th.
V. Committee Reports: None
VI. Old Business:
1) Proposed Revision to 5.06 Resolution of Internal Dispute is presented by Senator Victoria Mosak for information of the Faculty Senate. It wil
now read -- The a Grievance Board will consisting of 50 or more tenured faculty members to act
as potential Review Committee members. will be selected at random from the eligible
faculty in proportion to their numbers in each rank, race/ethnicity and sex. None
of the Grievance Board members may be members of the Rules Committee. Persons who
serve on a grievance review committee are exempt from serving on another grievance
for a 3 year period. Persons selected for serving on the grievance board must petition
the Provost to be excused.
2) Paul Rillema, chair of the General Education committee presented the proposed revision to General Education. The revision mainly
consists of three changes to the current:
a. The name for the Tier 1 Courses change from “basic Skills” to “Fundamental Courses”
to be consistent with the language used by KBOR in the Foresight 2020 document
b. Tier 2 now allows approved general education courses to count as introductory
courses in order to reflect current practice and provide flexibility for students.
c. Tier 3 now uncouples the connection between introductory courses and advanced
studies (formally Further Studies) courses in the same discipline. Department has
the discretion to place prerequisites on advanced courses that can be enforced in
Banner.
Senator Solomey raised a discussion point if proposed changes in Tier 3 are design
related issues and whether they can be solved at the departmental level. The proposal
is developed to compromise different constituencies such as students, advisors, and
departments. Senator Pulaski had a concern that compromising to uncouple the connection
may hinder the underlying problem. The reaction to this was that the proposal still
keeps the depth while it uncouples the connection. Senator Rillema called the motion
for further discussion questions and seconded by Senator Lewis. There was no further
discussion. Motion to accept the changes as written by the General Education Committee
was moved by Senator Brooks and seconded by Senator Lewis. The Faculty Senate passed
by a vote of 21 to 1 the General Education Committee's recommendations to (1) change
the name of courses in Tier 1 from Basic Skills to Foundation Courses, (2) allow advanced
general education courses (ones labeled further studies and issues and perspective
courses) to count as introductory courses in Tier 2 and (3) uncouple the connection
between introductory courses and further study courses in the same discipline but
maintaining the divisional requirement in Tier 3.
VII. New Business: None.
VIII. As May Arise – None
IX. Adjournment - The meeting of the Faculty Senate was adjourned at 4:55 pm.
Submitted by Mehmet Barut, in replacement of Walter Horn, Secretary of the Faculty
Senate