University of North Carolina at Asheville

FACULTY SENATE MEETING

Minutes, August 25, 20053:15pm

 

Senate

Members:          L. Atkinson, G. Boudreaux, B. Butler, K. Cole, L. Cornett, B. Hook, P. Downes,

H. Holt, S. Judson, B. Larson, D. Lisnerski, C. McKenzie, S. Mills, G. Nallan,

P. Nickless, M. Ruiz, S. Walters, J. Wood; M. Padilla.

 

Visitors:            J. Cone, D. Eggers, D. Forbes, L. Friedenberg, T. Glenn, A. Gravely, E. Katz,

A. Ponder, D. Race, A. Shope, B. Spellman, K. Whatley.

 

 

 

I.          Call to Order

Pamela Nickless called the meeting to order at 3:17pm and welcomed new and returning Senators and guests.  She introduced Chancellor-elect Anne Ponder.

 

II.         Comments from Chancellor-elect Anne Ponder

Dr. Ponder highlighted her experience as a teacher, scholar, and administrator. 

Borrowing from Bill Friday’s definition of an administrator, she stated that it would be her responsibility to provide the environment where other people get to do great work.  She noted that these are tough times for higher education, not just UNCA.  She brings experience in both managing scarce resources and strategic planning so can help us dedicate our scarce resources to the things that mean the most.  She is very interested in philanthropy and the power that it offers when it is put to right purposes.  She calls this organized generosity; from time to time she may ask for faculty assistance in this.

Dr. Ponder asked that in her first few months here she receive information on work that has already been done – such as the work on enrollment growth and size for the university as well as strategic planning processes and elements of strategic planning that are underway.  In addition to receiving the written reports, she would like to meet with the groups that did the work, to receive the information in conversation.

            Senators introduced themselves and the duties of the Faculty Senate committees were outlined.  The Institutional Development Committee (IDC) is concerned with planning and institutional effectiveness, and historically has been engaged in strategic planning as well.  The Academic Policies Committee is concerned with academic policy and curricular development.  The Faculty Welfare and Development Committee is the committee on committees and deals with policies effecting faculty.   

            Dr. Ponder explained that Christine Riley is an Assistant to the Chancellor and Director of Internal Operations.  Her position gives us an opportunity to update the staffing in the Chancellor’s Office in ways that private education does, to include some of the functions that the other branches of the university now do.  Ms. Riley’s expertise will give us the opportunity to bring people and planning closer to the Chancellor’s Office.   

            Dr. Ponder described her administrative style as highly collaborative and consultative at the strategic planning level, so we decide the general aims and have a mutual understanding for where we are taking the university.  She would like to spend a lot of time together discerning the strategic intent, and then for us to trust each other to carry out that intent.  There will be times when, despite our desire to consult, a topic will be too fast or too hot to do in that particular way.  But we will have built together an understanding of what we intend to do, so that decisions which might overwise seem abrupt can be made quickly.    

            Dr. Ponder supports the Faculty Senate’s role in mutual decision making.  As a representative body, part of the Senate’s role would be to help decide -- when we are consulting – whether this group is a sufficient and appropriate body for that or whether the consultation needs to be more extensive. 

            She described the liberal arts as not only the best education, but also the most practical education.  By the liberal arts she means the ability to think deeply and well, to acquire a multiple set of skills and perspectives.  For people who are liberally educated, the world must be substantially more inclusive and substantially more global than the liberal arts might have been a few decades ago.  Students need, in addition to a true sense of intellectual and academic encouragement, to be able to understand and belong to an academic community, to live with and among ideas.  And to live with and among each other, to develop in a very intentional way a sense of first, an on-campus and then, a more extended community.  The latter is something that UNCA can do better than any other branch of the university because of our small size. 

            Dr. Ponder highlighted areas of success at Colby-Sawyer of which she is particularly proud and that will be pertinent to UNCA:  1) the improved quality of academic offerings and experience on campus; 2) financial support obtained that provided endowments, new facilities, and scholarships for students; and 3) the opportunity to be an influential figure in the quality of life and the development of the region.    

 

III.        Approval of minutes

            The minutes of April 7, 2005, April 28, 2005 (3:15pm) and April 28, 2005 (5:20pm) were approved as written.  Dr. Nickless thanked Dr. Mary Alm for her willingness to proofread the minutes.

 

IV.        Administrative Report 

            Director of Athletics

            Janet Cone, Director of Athletics, reminded senators that last year she made a commitment to the faculty that our student-athletes would be students first and athletes second.  This has been a great year and she came today to thank the faculty for their support.  The faculty and staff are the team behind the teams. 

            In addition to discussing the student-athletic code of conduct, Ms. Cone highlighted the academic achievements of our student athletes:

·         UNCA received 970 out of 1000 points in the new NCAA academic progress rate.

·         Student athlete graduation rate is nearly 98%.

·         85 student athletes received the Presidential Honor Roll award from the Big South Conference.

·         82 student athletes maintained a 3.0 GPA and received an additional $400 scholarship from the Athletic Director Club. 

 

PROVOST

Dr. Padilla looked forward to working with the Senate and to an effective and hardworking year as we tackle this university’s most important issues.  Handouts were distributed for informational purposes:

Highlights of Academic Affairs Funding in 2004-05

·         $32,000 increase to initial operating budgets for academic departments and programs.

·         $40,000 awarded to faculty through faculty development programs to support travel, research and curricular enhancements.

·         $86,000 awarded to faculty for participation in ILS faculty development workshops.

·         $40,800 in mid-year education and technology fee allocations to academic departments and programs.

·         $60,000 in allocations from AVC reserve funds to academic departments and programs.

·         $140,500 for academic department and program purchases through computer refresh program.

·         $15,000 for summer stipends to department chairs and program directors.

·         $82,200 for faculty-student summer research partnerships.

·         $84,000 to purchase classroom and common area furniture for new building to replace Carmichael Hall.

·         Distributed campus based tuition increase to faculty base salaries; resulting raises averaged 9%.

 

Academic Affairs Goals for 2005-06

Enhancing Community and Communication

·        Targeted faculty development workshops (e.g., UNC/UNCA 101, ILS).

·        Use of web for improved communication.

·        “First Fridays" celebrations of faculty accomplishments.

Increasing Flexible Streams of Revenue

·        Grants and sponsored program research.

·        Summer programming initiatives.

·        Summer school.

 Focusing Institutional Priorities

·        Enrollment Management Task Force

- Admissions

- Retention

Exploration of the Learning Paradigm

- CTL

- Faculty Forum

            Implications for strategic planning

- Mission objectives

- Learning/outcome goals

            Response to Spring 2005 Faculty Salary Equity Review.

 

            Budget

            The budgets for all schools in the UNC system will be reduced by 1.72 percent this year.  This is the fifth straight year of budget cuts.  The administration will do its best to mitigate the impact on the classroom and on the work of faculty.  We need to find streams of revenue besides state funds.  The administration is working to develop the grant infrastructure for faculty, departments, and centers to work with to provide minimal support.  There is interest in offering faculty workshops to help understand the budget process, how we are funded, and how to promote the system and the funding formula.

 

            Summer Programming and Budget

            Dr. Padilla complimented Bill Spellman and other members of the Summer Programming Committee, such as Peg Downes, on summer programming initiatives.  Asheville is a destination city in the summer, and we can bring more programs to campus that involve faculty and students in ways that relate to our mission.  Summer school has been a good source of revenue.  Next year there will be a budget cut (in addition to the 1.72%) that reduces the support at the legislative level for summer school. 

            Salary Increases

            The administration is awaiting instructions on how to apply the $850 or two percent salary increases.  If there is a merit component, it will dovetail into our merit process. 

 

            Enrollment and Retention

            An Enrollment Management Task Force is needed to help us better craft our classes and meet our enrollment targets.  Enrollment projections are made biennially and the census day is the tenth day of classes.  We exceeded our enrollment target last year and it appears that we will have fewer students than projected this year.  As of yesterday, the difference between projected and actual enrollment was 171 students.  UNCA instituted a new admissions process last year, from rolling to deadline-based admissions.   

Dr. Padilla expressed concern over retention.  Preliminary numbers suggest that retention from freshmen to sophomores has decreased 2.1% from last year.  The University is investing heavily in an ILS program with freshman seminars that are designed to improve retention.  He welcomes faculty participation and help in better understanding why students chose to come here, what kinds of students are likely to most benefit from our mission, and how we can retain students. 

 

            Exploration of the learning paradigm

            The Center for Teaching and Learning is studying the learning paradigm that refocuses higher education on learning versus teaching.

 

            Spring 2005 Faculty Salary Equity Review

            Dr. Padilla thanked members of the Task Force to Study Faculty Salary Distribution that produced the report.  He is currently concentrating on the salary inequities that have been identified for the category of non-white and non-black faculty members.  The report revealed that this group – the other minority group – had the largest number of inequities and suggested that immediate attention be given to that group of faculty.  He will be addressing that inequity very quickly; it is a top priority for him.  He will also be talking with the Chairs about a model of compensation that does not use base salary but rather a stipend salary so there is more funding to address the inequities in the budget over time.  He will also be looking at the recommendation to track the salaries of faculty who are released for administrative duties so that when they return to faculty they are at a salary position that is fair to them and fair to their peers.

 

            Economic Development

            Dr. Padilla referred to a draft document, a white paper, written by the Office of the President on The Role of University in Community and Economic Development.  He was given a copy by a fellow administrator and preferred not to share it as it had not yet been formally presented to the Provost.  He anticipated receiving the document at the Chief Academic Officers meeting in mid-September.  He recommended that Senators talk to their Faculty Assembly representatives, as that body will likely be the conduit to begin looking at and commenting on this document.  There is discussion of new metrics for evaluating campuses on their impact on economic development.  Whether the new metrics turn into a new funding formula is unknown.

UNCA is involved with an economic development planning process called HUB, a community collaborative project that was commissioned by Buncombe County.  HUB has been meeting for several years, and UNCA has two seats on the commission.  The plan will likely to go to the county and city for adoption this fall.  If adopted, it will become a major economic development plan for the city, county, and surrounding region.   One immediate aspect of HUB is that UNCA and ABTech will agree to collaborate to help understand how the plan might be implemented.  ABTech and UNCA have met to discuss how our combined curricula might support the plan.  There might be some very large dollars associated with the implementation of the plan through federal sources, should it be adopted as the region’s major plan.  He is going to invite faculty governance to participate in these meetings.  He will be asking AVCs, some faculty members, and the Chair of IDC to join him at the next meeting on September 15th.

 

V.         Executive Committee Report

            Pamela Nickless gave the Executive Committee Report.

            Board of Trustees Meeting

            Dr. Nickless reported that as the Chair of the Faculty Senate, she attends the Board of Trustees meetings as an observer.  The last two years, she has been struck by our Trustees’ passion for UNCA and how they understand the liberal arts and are committed to diversity and other goals that we have as faculty.

            Standing Rules and Rules of Order

            Dr. Nickless explained that UNCA’s new constitution calls for Standing Rules and Rules of Order (SRRO).  The draft document was distributed and an editorial correction was made.  This year the Senate will adopt the SRRO at its September meeting; in subsequent years it will be adopted at the first Senate meeting.  Senators were asked to review the document carefully to make sure they understand it and to ensure that it reflects the practices we developed last year. 

            Dr. Nickless noted that this document calls for the Institutional Development Committee to fulfill the functions of the University Planning Council.  The University Planning Council still exists but it has not functioned for at least a year.  The Faculty Senate needs to address how we do planning.  This will be an opportunity to work out a new strategic planning procedure with the new Chancellor. 

 

            Academic Progress Rate of the Student-Athlete as measured by the NCAA

            As faculty representative to the NCAA, Dr. Nallan explained the new NCAA academic measurement for team sports known as the Academic Progress Rate (APR).  About five years ago the presidents and chancellors of the member institutions mandated academic reform to improve both graduation rates and how we treat student-athletes – particularly in football, men’s basketball, and a few other sports.  Dr. Nallan explained how the APR is calculated and distributed UNCA’s APR for one academic year.  Eventually, the APR data will be for a sliding four-year period. 

 

VI.        Student Government Association Report

Due to another commitment, Mr. Tarik Glenn submitted a written report to the Senate. 

·         SGA will host 4-6 lunch forums where students may openly discuss their ideas/concerns.

·         Student Government Council will serve as a foundation and resource for every student club/organization.  Each month student leaders will convene to coordinate and discuss future plans and events and receive vital information.

·         SGA will work with Yuri Koslen and others in the transportation department to provide a means for students, especially freshmen, to get off campus safely and efficiently.  During breaks, SGA hopes to assist on-campus students in finding rides home.

·         Many students have wondered or questioned the role and impact of Student Governments.  This year SGA will become a more visible and respectable organization, where students address their concerns and SGA will act upon them. 

·         The Student Government website was redesigned in Spring 2005.

·         Student Organization Wing – to allow for a more welcoming environment

·         Leaving the main suite doors open

·         Providing two calendars in the suite, one for planning events and the second to serve as a master calendar for scheduled events

·         Analyze the usage of cubicle space, internet and telephone jacks in the suite

·         Placing a “Student Organization Suite” sign above the main doors

·         Placing a mural in the suite

·         Office Hours:  Monday-Friday, 9:00am-5:00pm.

 

VII.       Institutional Development Committee Report

            Bruce Larson reported for the Institutional Development Committee. 

            Dr. Larson distributed IDC’s preliminary meeting schedule and membership.   Members are: 

Brian Butler, Peg Downes, Herman Holt, Scott Walters, John Wood, and Bruce Larson.

            Early in the semester IDC will familiarize itself with what have been the planning documents for UNCA -- mission and vision statements, goals, and guiding concepts – to understand the history of IDC, the University Planning Council, and the Institutional Effectiveness Committee.  The real opportunity we have this year is to re-establish strategic planning at UNCA and for it to have broad participation.  Chancellor-elect Ponder described herself as a “highly collaborative and consultative leader” – so we will have opportunities for strategic planning which we simply have not had in recent years.  This is the area where wonderful things can happen for the university. 

            Dr. Larson highlighted four areas that IDC could work on this year: 

1)  Institutional Effectiveness is arguably the part of the SACS assessment process which could lead an institution into serious difficulties.  It is something we want to be good at because it will allow us to get what we want to have as an institution;

2)  The Report of the Task Force to Study Enrollment Growth and University Size.  Some of its recommendations point directly to activities that IDC has engaged in during the past;

3) Learning Outcomes is a very important issue in relation to Institutional Effectiveness, but it is important enough to stand on its own.  This connects back to John Tagg’s book The Learning Paradigm College.  UNCA has no specified learning outcomes for the university as a whole.   When we have our next SACS review this is something we definitely want to have; and

4) Strategic Planning.  Chancellor-elect Ponder is recognized as an expert in strategic planning and we have now learned that she works along with her assistant Christine Riley.  This is an opportunity to re-establish strategic planning and for it to have broad participation.

            Finally, there is the interesting task of integrating these items – how do all of these items hang together?  This can be exciting for us and help us to get want we want to have as an institution – and specifically for our students. 

 

VIII.      Faculty Welfare and Development Committee Report 

            Don Lisnerski reported for the Faculty Welfare and Development Committee. 

            Next week FWDC will meet and begin working on carry-over business from last year.  There are still committees that appear in the Faculty Handbook that do not have supporting Faculty Senate documentation.  FWDC will also work with the University Service Council to fill positions due to resignations from committees late last year.  It will also review the new procedure for committee assignments.   

 

IX.        Academic Policies Committee Report

            Gary Nallan reported for the Academic Policies Committee.

            APC Procedure Changes

            Last week APC met and considered proposed changes in APC’s document approval process that Jeff Konz initiated last year as APC Chair.  The APC is proposing changes that will become part of the Senate’s Standing Rules for this year.  We can change this next year if we decide it has not worked as anticipated. 

            Dr. Nallan explained that the most important change is that the Chair of APC will determine whether proposals are minor or major.  All proposals will go to the members of the APC and any member can ask the committee to discuss a document.  But if the Chair determines a proposal is minor – and no APC member wants it to be discussed – it becomes policy.  It will be reported to the Faculty Senate but no formal Senate action will be taken.   Dr. Nallan distributed the proposal and asked Senators to read it carefully before the next meeting. 

 

            Alternate Course Schedule – “Late Start”

            Dr. Nickless explained that in 1996, the Faculty Senate approved a policy that created our Alternate Schedule – also known as “late start”.  The schedule needs to be revised to match our new course time schedule.  AVC McClellan asked the Senate to look at how our current late-start policy is working.  Dr. Nickless emailed faculty and asked if they preferred an alternate schedule that: 1) shortens all classes or 2) cancels one or two classes.  The faculty overwhelming supported shortening all classes. 

 

X.         Old Business

            Dr. Nickless introduced Alicia Shope, Debbie Race, and new Senators. 

 

XI.        New Business

            There was no New Business.

 

XII.       Adjourn

            Dr. Nickless adjourned the meeting at 4:58pm.

 

Respectfully submitted by:         Sandra Gravely

                                                Don Lisnerski