THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA AT ASHEVILLE Faculty Senate Minutes December 14, 1978 The Faculty Senate met on Thursday, December 14, at 2:30 pm in RL1, with Dr. Browning, chairman, presiding. Senate Members present: Dr. Boland, Dr. Browning, Dr. Cole, Dr. Dorr, Dr. Gillum, Dr. Hart, Dr. Otti, Dr. Reed, Dr. Remington, Dr. Seitz, Dr. Shoaf, Dr. Squibb, Dr. Stern, Dr. Stevens, Dr. Trullinger, Mr. Wengrow, Dr. Wilson. Visitors: Mr. Bernhardt, Mrs. Cadle, Dr. Cochran, Mr. Daughton, Dr. Iovacchini, Dr. Mock, Dr. O'Donnell, Dr. A. Reed. Speaking privileges were granted to visitors. 1. Approval of Minutes The minutes of the November 9 and November 17 Senate meetings were approved as published. 2. Report of the Academic Policies Committee - Dr. Trullinger Dr. Trullinger moved adoption of APC Document #4, changes in the Physical Education curriculum. The motion, seconded by Dr. Richard Reed, passed unanimously. Dr. Trullinger moved adoption of APC Document #5, changes in the Chemistry curriculum. The motion was seconded by Dr. Stevens and passed unanimously. Dr. Trullinger presented APC Documents #6 and 7, revisions in the Humanities program and concerns regarding the staffing of the Humanities program. He explained that the reason for presenting the document in its entirely (Policy statement, guidelines, model programs, etc.) was because the Humanities program is an all-university program and APC felt the university should speak to any major changes within the program as well as to the catalog statement. APC has committed itself to reviewing the general education curriculum as a whole after catalog changes are dealt with. However, it did not feel the Humanities changes needed to wait for the general education changes but that changes in the Humanities program might generate changes in the general education requirements. Dr. Trullinger moved adoption of APC Document #6. Dr. Squibb seconded the motion. Dr. Seitz moved an amendment to the document so that all references to offering Humanities on a semester basis be removed and that it be offered on a term basis instead. Dr. Cole seconded the motion. Dr. Seitz said his reason for doing this was because it was expected that 50% of all students would be involved in the Humanities program and this would block out the 1:00 pm class hour for all other departments. At present, with Humanities on a term basis, only 25% of the students would be involved. He said he felt that to change the program to a semester basis with 50% of the students involved in it would present tremendous problems. There was general discussion. It was pointed out that this was discussed in APC, that it was a valid point, but that it seemed to be educationally more feasible to offer Humanities on a semester basis. Also, with moving the discussion sections from the morning hours to 1:00 pm and later it would open up other hours for scheduling. Concern was expressed regarding discussion sections scheduled for 2:00 pm or later conflicting with lab schedules in the sciences. It was also pointed out that the primary argument in APC for going on the semester system was to avoid overloading a student's schedule as had been done in the past. Heretofore, a student has had to take 16 s.h. of Humanities in his freshman year. Offering Humanities on a semester system would allow a student to get started in other areas sooner. The Humanities course will dominate whatever hour it is scheduled and it was felt that this was not unusual on other campus to have one hour designated for a course of this nature. Theoretically, the Humanities course will only involve freshmen and sophomores. A vote was taken on the motion to amend and it failed: opposed - 13; in favor - 1; abstaining - 1. Dr. Seitz then moved to amend the original motion in such a way that wherever the 1:00 hour was mentioned that the 8 a.m. hour be substituted. Dr. Remington seconded the motion. Several points were discussed: objection to using the Humanities program as a requirement to make students attend 8 a.m. classes; that if the time came when the 8 a.m. hour had to be used at its fullest the easiest way to bring it about with the least amount of trouble would be to make it a significant thing; the high rate of absenteeism in 8 a.m. classes; the bad weather conditions in the winter months which caused the cancellation of 8 a.m. classes; and again the fact that if Humanities was offered during the 1:00 p.m. hour it would block out that hour for all other departments. It was pointed out that there would be juniors and seniors available to take 1:00 pm. classes. Also, if Humanities were offered at 8 a.m. 50% of the students would be forced into that hour but if it is scheduled at 1 p.m. only a few of the students would be forced into 8 a.m. classes. A vote was taken on the second motion to amend and the motion failed: opposed - 12; in favor - 2; abstaining - 1. Dr. Mock said there was concern in the Education Department with the fact that Humanities 414 was to be taken in the student's senior year. Students wanting certification do their student teaching in their senior year and this would cause a conflict. Dr. Browning read a memo from Dr. Bergemann concerning the conflict in student teaching and Humanities and asking that the following motion be made: "It is expected that certain certification students will take Humanities 414 in the junior year in order to be free for teacher certification programs in the Department of Education in the senior year." Dr. Trullinger made the motion suggested by Dr. Bergemann. Dr. Richard Reed seconded the motion. Dr. Trullinger said he did not think this was really necessary because of the flexibility built into the scheduling of the courses. Humanities will be offered each year at night as well as during the summer. In the course of a calendar year each course will be offered day and night as well as the senior level course during the summer. Dr. Reed withdrew his second of the motion. The motion failed for lack of a second. Dr. Arthea Reed pointed out that student teaching was a full load and these students were not allowed to take night courses. There are approximately 70 students a year doing student teaching and if Humanities 414 is only offered twice during the spring semester there would be difficulty with these students being able to schedule the course. Dr. Richard Reed moved an amendement to the document as follows: On page 2, in the course description for Humanities 414, change the prerequisites as follows: "Prerequisites: Humanities 124, 214, 224, and completion of 75 s.h. or permission of the Chairman of the Humanities Program." Dr. Trullinger seconded the motion. Dr. Browning asked if it was also the intent of Dr. Reed to change the last sentence of the last paragraph on page one as well as the prerequisites. If so, he would suggest the following: "The final course, Humanities 414, is to be taken at some point after the accumulation of 75 s.h. or with permission of the Chairman of the Humanities Program." Dr. Reed and Dr. Trullinger agreed to the revised sentence. The question was called on the motion to amend made by Dr. Reed and it passed unanimously. Dr. Seitz asked if it was intended to offer the other three courses three or four times a year. Dr. Trullinger said the courses would be offered both day and evening in their respective semesters and over a three year period each course would be offered in the summer. He said APC had tried to make the program as flexible as possible, that it would be more flexible than any system used before. The present system had not had courses offered outside their term and this has had to be taken care of in other ways. Dr. Trullinger said he knew the new system would cause problems with WCU and also the nursing program but he did not feel this should be a factor because we should do what is best for our own students. There was further discussion concerning the conflict the change in Humanities would make in the joint preprofessional programs. A vote was taken on the original motion as amended. The motion carried 11-2. Dr. Trullinger moved that APC take up the question of the preprofessional programs before the next issue of the catalog goes to press. The motion was seconded and passed unanimously. Dr. Trullinger moved adoption of APC Document #7. Dr. Cole seconded the motion. Dr. Seitz asked what effect Dr. Trullinger felt the semester system would have as opposed to the term system in broadening the faculty in Humanities. Dr. Trullinger said he felt it would facilitate, to some extent, the broadening of the faculty. The motion passed 12-1. 3. Report of the Institutional Development Committee - Dr. Cole Dr. Cole said he had sent to the Senate a copy of a motion passed by IDC requesting that the Senate endorse the recommendation to plan for a program in gerontology. He said the draft might not be final but that it was very close to what would be sent to Chapel Hill. He moved that the Senate endorse the request for the Authorization to Plan for a Degree Program in Gerontology. Dr. Trullinger seconded the motion. There was discussion. It was felt that there was evidence that a program of this nature would produce students but that there needed to be some arrangements made with supporting institutions. Also, it was felt that with a program like this it would be necessary to have good consultants and this would need to be planned for in the budget. There were questions regarding the budget, the fact that it seemed to be too low and it should be revised before sending it to Chapel Hill. The question was called on the motion and it passed unanimously. Professors Reed, Wengrow, and Wilson left the meeting. 4. Report from Faculty Welfare Committee - Dr. Wilson Dr. Browning asked if any member of the Faculty Welfare Committee could report in the absence of Dr. Wilson. Dr. Seitz said that one of the two major problems discussed in the Faculty Welfare Committee was parking. He made a motion that the Senate recommend to the Physical Plant that tow-a-way signs be put up in the faculty-staff parking lots. The motion failed for lack of a second. Dr. Seitz then asked if a committee could be set up to review the situation. Dr. Browning said the Executive Committee would take this matter under advisement and study the problem to see what could be done. 5. Report of the ad hoc Committee on Faculty Voice - Dr. O'Donnell Dr. O'Donnell distributed copies of the report from the committee. She said the committee met and examined the various opinions of the faculty members and then came to these conclusions and suggestions. There was discussion concerning the report, the tenure document, how changes could be made to the Tenure Document, and how recommendations for promotion, reappointment, etc., were made. A question was raised concerning the suggested changes to the Tenure Document made in the spring of 1978 and it was suggested that it was appropriate to ask the Chancellor for some report as to what had been done with the recommendations. Dr. Browning said he would take care of this matter. Dr. Gillum moved that the Faculty Senate receive the report of the ad hoc committee on Faculty Voice and that the report be forwarded to the Committee of the Tenured Faculty and also the Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs for this consideration. Dr. Cole seconded the motion. Dr. Seitz asked about the nature of the report - was it a selection of suggestions or a consolidation of the suggestions made by the faculty. Dr. O'Donnell said it was the committee's generalized opinion of the comments received from faculty. She said the committee retained the materials from which the report was formed and it was available for anyone who might wish to see it. The motion to receive the report passed unanimously. 6. Old Business Dr. Browning said there had been several committees assigned, among them a Gerontology Committee and a Search Committee for Director of Computer Center. There will be other ad hoc committees announced in the Spring Semester. 7. New Business Dr. Browning stated that beginning in the Spring semester UNC-A would engage in a very concerted effort in long-range planning. He said the Chancellor would be speaking to this in the faculty meeting. The UNC-A/WCU Joint Planning Committee continues its meetings and discussions. Dr. Browning said he felt there was some progress being made toward an agreement between the two institutions. Dr. Dorr commented that there were really only two areas of duplication between the two institutions - Management and Economics/Accounting. UNC-A needs to be careful to provide all the undergraduate general education courses needed so that the WCU students can take advantage of the joint programs. He said the committee was moving more toward detailed discussions such as a common calendar, fees, etc. Dr. Browning said the Board of Governors had approved the Environmental Sciences program for planning purposes. Threee programs of this nature were requested by institutions in "the mountains" and UNC-A was the only one granted permission to plan such a program. Attention was called to the memo sent to the Senate on December 12 announcing the schedule for Senate meetings for the Spring Semester. The meeting adjourned at 5 pm.