University of North Carolina at Asheville

FACULTY SENATE MEETING

Minutes, November 10, 2005 – 3:15pm

 

Senate

Members:          L. Atkinson, G. Boudreaux, B. Butler, 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.

 

Excused:          K. Cole.

 

Visitors:            M. Alm, S. Byrd, D. Eggers, D. Forbes, L. Friedenberg, E. Katz, E. Little, A. Shope,

B. Spellman, K. Whatley.

 

 

I.          Call to Order

Pamela Nickless called the meeting to order at 3:20pm and welcomed Senators and guests.

 

II.         Approval of minutes

The minutes of October 20, 2005, were approved as written.

 

The agenda was modified.

IV.        Executive Committee Report

            Asheville Graduate Center

            Sandra Byrd, Associate Director of the Asheville Graduate Center, distributed two handouts.  Dr. Byrd reported that the Asheville Graduate Center (AGC), established on the UNCA campus and operated by the Office of the President since 1984, is now being administered by UNCA’s Office of the Provost.  UNCA has the primary responsibility for selecting and facilitating the availability of graduate programs at the AGC.  This will allow the Center to be more responsive to the unique educational and economics needs of western NC. 

            For the 2005-06 academic year, the AGC will continue to offer a Master’s program in Social Work from UNC-CH and five tracks in NCSU’s Master’s program in Engineering.  WCU will continue to offer graduate programs out of its four colleges (Applied Sciences, Art and Sciences, Business, and Education and Allied Professions).  Graduate enrollment for WCU’s classes held on the UNCA campus has decreased for two consecutive years, primarily due to the number of courses offered online.  Administration of UNCA’s Masters of Liberal Arts is being reorganized.

            The NCSU Adult Education doctoral program has discontinued offering the degree in Asheville and has moved the next cohort to UNCC.  The eight students who began their studies at UNCA are completing their degree on the NCSU campus.

            UNCG decided to discontinue offering the Master’s program in Library Science and Information Studies in Asheville in August 2005.  After negotiations and assessment of needs, UNCG will resume the program in 2006-07.

            The 2005-06 academic year is one of planning and implementation.  One of the first steps is to survey Asheville and the region to determine how well current programs are serving the need for graduate education, and whether to continue and/or expand offerings to support such needs.  Next, the AGC will conduct needs assessments to identify new programs that should be offered within the context of regional economic development and the liberal arts mission of UNCA.  These programs may be developed by the UNCA academic and administrative community or may be offered by sister institutions on our campus.  New programs will go through the established program approval process.  The recommendations of the Task Force on Enrollment Growth will also guide future growth of the AGC. 

            Programs currently under development or consideration include the following:

• MFA (UNCA)
• Mass Communication Masters (UNCA)
• Environmental/Atmospheric Science (NCSU)
• Computer Science (either UNCA or another university system school)
• Professional Certifications (UNCA Continuing Education)
• Distance Education:  Education class for lateral entries; Teacher Cadet class for Cherokee.

 

UNCA’s chief financial officers have worked to resolve the fiscal inequities that existed prior to the administration of the Center being shifted to UNCA.  In particular, Bill Styres has worked to ensure a more

equitable funding agreement with WCU. 

Dr. Byrd attended a meeting of the Professional Science Masters Sloan Advisory Committee in Chapel Hills this week on behalf of AVC Kathy Whatley, who is a member of this group that serves as a BOG for the Sloan Grant.  According to the Committee’s report, the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation has chosen The University of North Carolina (over California, New York, and other university systems) for a grant award of $329,000 to help in the development and implementation of professional science master’s degree programs (PSMs).  PSMs are two year degree programs that deepen the knowledge of the student in natural sciences or mathematics at the same time integrating training in management, law, information technology, and other professional skills.  The rational for this degree is to provide the student with alternative career pathways in science and mathematics that lead to jobs outside academia while providing knowledge based industries with an interdisciplinary trained workforce.  PSM programs are proactive in addressing forthcoming legislation that will mandate that UNC more closely align education with needs of industry.  Rather than having legislation determining curriculum, the PSM initiative places decision-making in the hands of universities.  Students who are currently enrolled in PSM programs enter from a BS/BA in the sciences, with some students also having been in the industry workforce for 2+ years.  The website is: UNC Systemwide PSM Program

A query raised at the meeting was whether UNCA and Atmospheric Sciences would be interested in a PSM (National Climatic Data Center, BAMS, HUB Project Cluster of Technology).  The HUB project, recently passed by the Buncombe County Commissions, has a technology focus.  Asheville is the center for the National Climatic Center and other industries may be interested in coming to Asheville if we have advanced degrees in atmospheric sciences and the environment.  However, Dr. Byrd reported that Alex Huang is not interested in pursuing a PSM at this time.   

Dr. Byrd stated that the MLA was part of the AGC until she became associated with the Center on August 1, 2005.  The Provost advised her that AVC Spellman is taking charge of the MLA.  It may come back to the AGC but it is currently no longer part of AGC’s purview.   

 

III.        Administrative Report 

            AVC Bill Spellman reported in Dr. Padilla’s absence.

      Update on MLA

Bill Spellman reminded Senators that this spring Ted Uldricks finished a 17-year tenure as Director of the MLA program and Christie Aull finished a 17-year tenure as the Administrative Assistant for the MLA program.  Melissa Burchard was appointed the new Director of MLA to serve a three year term.  Dr. Burchard had family leave in the spring and was on off-campus scholarly assignment in the fall.  Dr. Padilla asked him to serve in an interim capacity until Dr. Burchard’s return in January. 

Dr. Spellman has taken this time to review and have a fresh look at the MLA.  A two-day retreat was held in June with members of the Graduate Council and faculty members who were available and had taught in the MLA.  Three principle challenges emerged from the retreat:  length of time to graduate, faculty workload, and the preponderance of cross-listed courses.  These issues are addressed in APC 3 and APC 4 distributed for first reading today.  The substantive changes follow:

• Reduces the total credit hours from 36 hours to 30 hours.
• Reduces the time to complete the MLA degree to no more than seven years. 
• Streamlines the curriculum by eliminating three of the 600 level series courses.
• Reduces the proliferation of tutorials to insure that students participate in seminar experiences with other MLA students.  Students may take two tutorials.
• Changes capstone requirements by eliminating the thesis option and adding a six-hour, one-year senior capstone seminar. 
• In the fall, students take MLA 670 which will focus on the development of a capstone project in consultation with fellow students. 
• The capstone project, MLA 680, will be completed the following spring semester; thus a cohort of students will pass through a two semester senior experience.  MLA 680 will require close cooperation between individual project directors and the instructor of the MLA 680 seminar.  Students completing the MLA program will be required to complete this project instead of choosing either a traditional project or thesis.  Students should complete their capstone project as part of a wider scholarly community.  The seminar format will create this community, allowing for peer critiques and feedback from three faculty members.

 

Dr. Spellman noted that one criticism has been that if students do not finish the project capstone seminar with a satisfactory (grading is S/U), there are no in-progress grades, no continuations.  Students must return to the project seminar the following spring semester.  He acknowledged that this might be a flaw in the proposal.

 

             - Proposed summer residential MLA Program

            Dr. Spellman explained that former Chancellor Mullen, and Arch Montgomery, head of the Asheville School, worked closely to find a way to better partner.  After working with colleagues at the Asheville School, the MLA Graduate Council has proposed to develop a summer residential MLA program.  The program would be available to our currently matriculating students, but the target audience would be young men and women teaching at private secondary schools in the southeast.  The State Office of Public Instruction does not recognize the MLA in terms of the salary step between the baccalaureate degree and the master degree but the private schools do not care – they want their faculty to have master degrees. 

 

            - Bread Loaf School of English at UNCA         

Middlebury College, a selective private liberal arts college in Vermont, will open a regional campus of their summer “Bread Loaf School of English” at UNCA in late June 2006.  Founded in 1920, Bread Loaf offers the M.A. in English over the course of five summers.  In addition to the main campus in the Green Mountains of Vermont, Bread Loaf has established campuses at St. John’s College in Santa Fe, NM; University of Alaska Southeast in Juneau, Alaska; Lincoln College, Oxford; and now UNCA. There will be between 50-70 students and six faculty at the Asheville campus between 26 June and 2 August.  Rick Chess has been hired to teach in their program next summer. 

 

III.        Return to Executive Committee Report.

            New Affirmative Action Officer

            Dr. Nickless reported that Don Locke, who is the Director of Diversity and Multicultural Affairs, is the new affirmative action officer for the university.  In the past the Director of Human Resources has served in this capacity.  This change was announced at the Board of Trustees meeting this week. 

            Chancellor Ponder

            Chancellor Ponder is going to speak to the Faculty Senate on December 1, 2005.  She will be first on the agenda.  More specific information will be on the agenda. 

 

V.         Student Government Association Report

Erica Little reported for the Student Government Association.

            As reported previously, the SGA passed a resolution concerning textbooks. They are requesting that departments use paperback books whenever possible to reduce financial strain on students and to bring in more students to the Bookstore in order to increase scholarship funds for in-coming Freshmen.  Members of the SGA are talking to Department Chairs with the goal of implementing this change by Fall 2006. 

            SGA is also researching the feasibility of a complementary bill for a rental policy on textbooks where students would rent books required by each department. 

            SGA attended an AASG meeting last weekend with representatives from all 16 universities in the UNC system.  The meeting generated a lot of good ideas, such as a leadership program for Freshmen. 

 

VI.        Institutional Development Committee Report

            Bruce Larson reported for the Institutional Development Committee. 

            Discussion on Master Programs

            IDC met once since the last Faculty Senate meeting and devoted the entire meeting to general discussions about master programs at UNCA, specifically on becoming clear about how we want to proceed.  IDC will engage in information-gathering processes this semester.  IDC will ask for input on some guided questions via email which will be consolidated to structure the discussion somewhat.  A campus-wide forum will then be held to talk about the input collected and to gather additional information.  The objective is to create a set of questions that will be helpful in guiding our thinking about the establishment of master programs at UNCA.  IDC has received two proposals that it will look at early next spring. 

 

VII.       Faculty Welfare and Development Committee Report 

            Don Lisnerski reported for the Faculty Welfare and Development Committee. 

            First Reading:

            The following documents were distributed for First Reading:

FWDC 4:  Proposal to Revise the Africana Studies Advisory Council

                            (revision of SD1794S; Faculty Handbook 10.4.27).

            FWDC 5:  Proposal to Change Membership on Teaching Fellows Advisory Council

                            (revision of SD8303S; Faculty Handbook 10.4.30).

            Second Reading:

            The following document was considered for Second Reading:

            FWDC 2:  Proposal to Revise Membership on the International Programs Advisory Committee

   (revision of SD6803S; Handbook 10.4.12).

            FWDC 2 passed unanimously and became Senate Document 0305F.

 

VIII.      Academic Policies Committee

            Gary Nallan reported for the Academic Policies Committee.

            APC met twice since the October 20^th Senate meeting.

First Reading:  [Approved Unanimously by APC]

The following documents were distributed for First Reading:

APC  1:   Change of Program Requirements for Reading Licensure (K-12).

APC  2:   Change course number of EDUC 342 to 389.  Change prerequisites for PSYC 328.

APC  3:   Changes to MLA 610, 670 and 680.  Deletion of MLA 620, 640, 660, 681, 690, 691.

            APC  4:    Changes to the degree requirements for MLA. Change to the process by which students

                           select a project. Change to the length of time allowed for completion of    the degree.

APC 11:  Addition of Policy on Failure of LSIC 179/379; Addition of Policy on Grade

               Replacement for LSIC 179/379.

 

[Passed APC with a 2-1-3 vote]

APC  9:   Change in Requirements for Declaring a Management Major.

APC 10:  Editorial Change in Major Requirements for Management.

 

APC Proposals Approved as Minor:

[Senators review these documents via links on the agenda emailed campus-wide.]

            Dr. Nickless noted that this is the first APC report on minor proposals.  She asked Senators to review the documents to make sure the changes are editorial and minor.  Senators may ask to discuss the proposals on the Senate floor.  

 

APC 5:   Addition of MCOM 327, 329, 351 and 353. 

APC 5 became Senate Document 0405F.

 

APC 6:   Delete MCOM 343 and 345.  Delete Prerequisite for MCOM 482. 

APC 6 became Senate Document 0505F.

 

APC 7:   Change of ENVR 105 from a 5-credit hour course to a 4-credit hour course. 

APC 7 became Senate Document 0605F.

 

APC 8:   Editorial Changes Resulting from Reducing ENVR 105 to a 4-credit hour course.  APC 8 became Senate Document 0705F.

 

APC 12:  Change title for PSCY 308; Change prerequisite for PSYC 344; Change title, description and prerequisites for PSYC 345; Change course number for PSYC 469. 

APC 12 became Senate Document 0805F.

 

Academic Dishonesty/Cheating/Plagiarism

            APC has begun discussing academic dishonesty, cheating, and plagiarism with AVC Pat McClellan.  Ms. McClellan has been handling the procedures for tracking students who have been judged guilty of

academic dishonesty with a view toward tracking repeat offenders.  The consequences are that the Provost can impose suspensions or dismissals for repeat offenders.

At the same meeting, Keith Krumpe described the honor code at Allegheny College and implored the APC to explore having a similar code at UNCA.     

 

IX.        Old Business

            There was no Old Business.

 

X.         New Business

There was no New Business.

 

XI.        Adjourn

            Dr. Nickless adjourned the meeting at 4:15pm.

 

Respectfully submitted by:          Sandra Gravely

                                                Don Lisnerski