University of North Carolina at Asheville
FACULTY SENATE MEETING
Minutes, April 12, 2001
Senate
Members: M. Burchard, P. Caulfield, F. Davenport, R. Dunning, C. James, K.
Krumpe, J. Kuhlman, B. Larson, H. Lee, P. McClellan, C. Mitchell, P. Nickless, J.
Rackham, D. Van Engelen, G. Wilson.
Excused: T. Cochran.
Visitors: S. Browning, B. Haas, T. Eckerd, R. Sensabaugh, J. Shaddix, A. Shope, A. Weldon.
I. Call to Order
Dr. Caulfield called the meeting to order at 3:20 pm and welcomed visitors and
senators.
II. Announcements
There were no Announcements.
III. Approval of Minutes
The minutes of February 8, 2001 were approved following an editorial correction.
The minutes of March 1, 2001 were approved as distributed.
IV. Administrative Report
There was no Administrative report. Dr. Cochran is attending the teaching awards
ceremony in Chapel Hill.
V. Executive Committee Report
Dr. Caulfield gave the Executive Committee Report.
Honor Code Task Force Report
Dr. Bill Haas thanked members of the student government association for
proposing an honor code and thanked members of the task force (Jeff Rackham,
Debbie Rountree, Eric Iovacchini, Melanie Rhodarmer, Nick Phillips, and Bill
Sabo) for fulfilling the Faculty Senate's mandate. Copies of the task force report
were distributed. The task force was charged with six tasks: 1) Examine the honor
code proposed by SGA; 2) Define the concept of "honor" broadly; 3) Survey UNCA
faculty attitudes regarding an honor code at UNCA; 4) Research what other colleges
and universities have done; 5) Explore the legal implications and ramifications of
implementing an honor code; and 6) Make recommendations on a proposed course
of action.
The report contained the proposed honor code, principles essential to implementing an honor code with an introduction to some issues that are integral to establishing a code at UNCA, and the steps necessary to complete the process. The task force determined that the honor code proposed by SGA was fundamentally sound but it was limited to narrowly defined academic activities. Following the lead of the Chancellor's Diversity Task Force, the task force expanded the notion of honor to include all aspects of a person's participation in the UNCA community. This was warranted given UNCA's liberal arts mission and the need to build a culture supporting that mission. The task force phrased the code's principles positively to emphasize the importance of assertive behavior and built the code on the basic principles of common sense and common courtesy. The intent is not to restrict thought, ideas, or beliefs, but rather to have people limit their own behavior to foster a safe and secure learning environment where controversial thoughts, ideas, and beliefs can be debated and discussed.
Dr. Rackham stated that the Senate needs to decide whether it supports the expanded version of an honor code or prefers to limit the scope to that covered by the SGA proposal. Discussion turned to the boundary between social responsibility and the exercise of individual rights, civil behavior, free speech, free press, acts of omission versus acts of commission, and the benefits of adopting an honor code. Dr. Rackham made a motion to refer the Honor Code Report to the Executive Committee to reflect on what procedures may be most efficient and reasonable to follow. Dr. Lee seconded the motion, which passed unanimously.
First Reading:
The following documents were distributed for First Reading:
EC 4: UNCA Athletic Department Mission Statement.
EC 3: Tenure Committee Task Force Recommendations
Athletic Department Mission Statement
Dr. Keith Krumpe reported that EC 4, which stems from the NCAA certification
process, was passed unanimously by the Intercollegiate Athletic Commission on
March 23, 2001. The NCAA is very concerned that athletic departments do not
function in isolation without input, analysis, and supervision from their institutions.
Reappointment, Tenure or Promotion procedures and documents
Dr. Nickless reported that the Tenure Committee Task Force was established by the
Senate Executive Committee and charged with evaluating all existing UNCA
policies and documents regarding reappointment, tenure, and promotion. During its
meetings this semester, the Task Force divided its activities into 1) revising the
description of procedures and documents for evaluation of faculty, and 2) revising
the guidelines for making reappointment, tenure, and promotion decisions in tandem
with revising UNCA's Tenure Policies and Regulations.
The first task requires only internal approval. The second task, which involves the
UNCA Tenure Policies and Regulations, requires additional approval by both the
UNCA Board of Trustees and the UNC Board of Governors. EC 3 revises the
description of the procedures and documents for evaluation of faculty, the first task
in the list. Dr. Nickless suggested that faculty review pages 34-39 of the Faculty
Handbook before reading EC 3. EC 3 does not revise, rather it seeks to codify
existing procedures. Email questions to Task Force members: Pamela Nickless, Lisa
Friedenberg, Steve Patch or Henry Stern.
VI. Student Government Association Report
Newly elected SGA President Julie Shaddix introduced herself and announced an
emergency blood drive on April 17 from 12-4 pm in front of the dining hall. Ms.
Shaddix is a junior majoring in political science.
VII. Academic Policies Committee Report
Dr. Cathy Mitchell gave the Academic Policies Committee Report.
Dr. Mitchell reported that APC is completing its two-year General Education
Review and will present their report at the May Senate meeting.
First Reading:
The following documents were distributed for First Reading:
Unanimously approved by APC
APC 25: Allowing +/- Final Grades
Approved by APC (4 to 2 vote)
APC 26: Criteria for Awarding Latin Honors
VIII. Institutional Development Committee/University Planning Council
Report
Dr. Bruce Larson gave the Institutional Development Committee/University
Planning Council Report.
Report on UPC activities
UPC has discussed faculty salaries and the vision statement.
At the last UPC meeting Dr. Chuck Bennett and Dr. Dean Brock explored the feasibility of establishing degree programs in Photonics and Computer Engineering at UNCA. In their judgment both of these major programs are very consistent with the mechatronics program and could be blended in our offerings with relatively small displacement.
First Reading:
The following document was distributed for First Reading:
IDC 3: Request for Authorization to Establish a New Degree Program in Public
Health Promotion.
IDC 4: Proposal to Modify the Composition of the University Planning Council.
IDC 5: Proposal to Modify the Composition of the Institutional Effectiveness Committee.
IX. Faculty Welfare and Development Committee Report
Faculty Salary Report
Dr. Wilson distributed a report on the competitiveness of UNCA faculty salaries.
In comparison to our Office of the President designated peers, UNCA ranks near the
bottom on average salary for all faculty ranks. Within the sixteen campus UNC
system, UNCA is last in Assistant Professor, next to last in Associate Professor, and
fifth from the bottom in Full Professor salaries. This finding is compounded by the
fact that Asheville has a higher cost of living than any other North Carolina city
with a school in the UNC system. In addition, compared to other schools in the
UNC system, UNCA students rate UNCA faculty at or near the top on critical
measures of teaching effectiveness and quality of instruction. Dr. Wilson moved
approval of the following Sense of the Senate Resolution:
1) that the FWDC give annual reports on faculty salary;
2) that the Chancellor, Vice-Chancellor for Administration and Finances, and VCAA in consultation with the Office of President develop a five year plan which would increase the rankings of UNCA's average salaries (assistant professors, associate professor and full professors);
3) that the VCAA continue to make equity adjustments to salaries, particularly to
Assistant Professors.
Senators requested more data on our competitiveness in recruiting, hiring and
retaining excellent faculty, the impact of diverting faculty salaries for administrative
duties, the historical trend in salaries, the discrepancy between the quality of
teaching and monetary rewards, the use of adjunct faculty as a percent of credit
hours, and the function of the Carnegie classification in determining average salary
allocations. FWDC was encouraged to look into these factors that impact salaries.
Dr. Mitchell seconded the motion. The Sense of the Senate Resolution passed
unanimously and became Senate Document 3501S.
Faculty Election Report
An Ad Hoc Committee composed of William Bruce, Marcia Ghidina, and Deb Van
Engelen will study the faculty election process and work with FWDC on this next
year.
Election Results:
- Faculty Senate
2001-2004: Keith Bramlett, Cynthia Ho, Dwight Mullen, Steven Patch, Alice
Weldon
2001-2002 Alternates: Mary Lynn Manns, Michael Stuart, Scott Walters
- Academic Appeals Board
2001-2003: Lothar Dohse, Laura Facciponti
2001-2002 Alternate: Ann Weber
- Committee of Tenured Faculty
2001-2003: Jeanne McGlinn, Sophie Mills, Michael Ruiz
- Faculty Committee on Hearings
2001-2003: Marcia Ghidina, Steven Patch, Tracey Rizzo
- Faculty Grievance Committee
2001-2003: Jeffrey Konz, William Sabo, Catherine Mitchell
- Post-Tenure Review Committee
2001-2003: William Bruce, Richard Chess
- UNCA Representatives to UNC System Faculty Assembly
2001-2004: Donald Lisnerski
2001-2004 Alternate: Margaret Downes
Note: Gary Nallan will replace Milton Ready as the alternate for Duane Davis in 2001-2002.
First Reading:
The following document was distributed for First Reading:
FWDC 6: Proposal to Merge the Council on Teacher Education (CTE) and the
University School Teacher Education Partnership (USTEP) Steering Committee
into USTEC: University School Teacher Education Council.
X. Old Business
There was no Old Business.
XI. New Business
VCAA Search Committee
Following deliberations, the following faculty members were elected to serve on
the Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs Search Committee:
Natural Science: Charles James, Pat McClellan
Social Science: Tracy Brown, Dwight Mullen, Pamela Nickless
Humanities: Melissa Burchard, Peg Downes
Alternates: Gregg Kormanik, Gordon Wilson
XII. Adjournment
Dr. Caulfield adjourned the meeting at 6:05 pm.
Respectfully submitted by: Sandra Gravely
Gordon Wilson