University of North Carolina at Asheville

FACULTY SENATE MEETING

Minutes, January 30, 2003

Senate
Members: M. Alm, K. Bramlett, M. Burchard, C. James, D. James, J. Konz, J. Kuhlman, H. Lee, ML Manns, S. Patch, J. Rackham, B. Reynolds, I. Rossell, J. Wood; M. Padilla.

Excused: R. Booker

Visitors: G. Groome, E. Katz, P. McClellan, D. Millspaugh, K. Moorhead, A. Shope, K. Whatley

Dr. Jeff Rackham called the meeting to order at 3:18 pm and welcomed senators and guests.

The order of business was modified.

II. Announcements

There were no Announcements.

V. Executive Committee Report

Dr. Rackham gave the Executive Committee Report.

Update of General Education Review Task Force (GERTF)

Dr. Ed Katz reported that last semester GERTF finished and posted the analysis of the Listening Project and also conducted two student forums. It entered the design phase and split into three teams: Resource Research, Curricular Research, and Design. Members on each team are identified on the website. At each phase of the Design Team's work, documents will be first brought before the GERTF as a whole, before being brought to the faculty and staff, undergoing revision at each step. These teams have posted reports on: resource issues at UNCA, distribution of general education requirements at selected peer and COPLAC institutions, diversity programs, learning communities, and writing-intensive programs. All are available on the web, and many offer links to model programs. The Design Team finished the Institutional Principles for the Revision. These principles were shaped to express issues raised by the faculty and staff during the SACS process, the Listening Project, the APC and GERTF reviews of the general education program, and the Chancellor's Taskforces, including all recommendations issued through these efforts.

This semester the Design Team is working to generate models that satisfy the Institutional Principles discussed at the forum in the fall. The two research teams will continue to provide the Design Team with needed information. Dr. Katz anticipates having one or more models by March. GERTF has continued to engage in talks with faculty and departments to assist in the modeling process. Focus groups include: diversity; writing intensive courses; freshman and senior-capstone seminars; and special topic/topical cluster approach to general education. Other possibilities include quantitative-intensive courses, and information literacy and research intensive courses. GERTF is planning pilots for next year and will begin developing an embedded assessment process. It will also begin working on resource development and funding opportunities.

Dr. Katz will present the model at a full faculty meeting for discussion. After time for reflection, there will be another open campus meeting to discuss issues again. Afterward, Dr. Katz will bring the concept to the Faculty Senate for discussion and possibly have it approved in some way. GERTF could then begin working on documents that need to be produced. The final model will be presented to both APC and the Faculty Senate; the Executive Committee will consider the most effective way to assist in this process.

III. Approval of Minutes

The minutes of November 14, 2002 and December 10, 2002 were approved with editorial corrections.

IV. Administrative Report

Dr. Mark Padilla gave the Administrative Report.

Comments from Mr. George Groome, Board of Trustees Chair

Mr. George Groome, speaking on behalf of the Board of Trustees, expressed its appreciation for how committed our faculty are to the university and how they care for and interact with students.

He reported the Board's concern for our campus and the state-wide educational system's lack of funding. Although there are no quick fixes and tuition has been frozen, the institution, the Board, and the Chancellor must work harder to find alternative sources of funding for the needs of the campus. The Board recognizes that one of those needs is to make sure that employees who put forth their effort on this campus, are compensated at the most competitive level.

Preliminary Enrollment update

Dr. Padilla distributed a Spring 2003 Preliminary Enrollment Report. Census Day, scheduled for January 29th, was moved to January 31st due to snow days.

Dr. Padilla reported that there has been a small surge in transfer students this spring and we appear to be on the way to meeting comfortably our published targets. Fall enrollment projections are currently on par with the numbers of applications received last year, but the number of acceptances are up. This means that the office of admissions is fulfilling its promise of greater efficiency and attention to customer service. The application numbers from the Piedmont area are up, as expected by demographic trends. We also have a greater number of applications from Eastern NC, where the demographics are flat, suggesting we are doing a better job of establishing a state-wide reputation. Interestingly, the applications from western NC are down a bit, but they provide us with the larger number of deposits. This suggests that applicants who are applying from this area are serious about us from the beginning.

Applications and acceptances from African American applicants are roughly double over last year. The other minority figures vary a bit.

In terms of total numbers for Fall 2003, we currently are projecting nearly 500 new freshmen, which is an improvement over last year and may be our traditional target for a "norm." The number of transfer students cannot be determined until the census process for this term has passed and we know how many slots are available.

Dr. Padilla hopes we can refine our enrollment planning by providing information on entering students to chairs at the beginning of the spring term. Some departments experienced some "enrollment bulges" that caused problems. This is largely a calendar issue as we do not allow incoming students to enroll until a late date. Whether this is a one-year problem or a pattern is something we need to think about.

Faculty Handbook

Dr. Padilla received a letter from the Office of the President (OP) regarding our faculty handbook changes. Last term we did a substantial amount of work revising the handbook to bring it up to UNC standards, in large part to help UNCA achieve the status of Management Flexibility. We do have that status now, but the OP is not prepared yet to recommend that the Board of Governors approve our handbook as meeting the criteria for Management Flexibility. While some further details need to be addressed in the areas we worked on, OP has also become interested in the section of the faculty handbook addressing hiring. OP has given us more time to work on the handbook, especially given that we are currently undergoing administrative reorganization which may need to be reflected in the handbook. We are under no specific timetable to submit edited materials. Dr. Padilla outlined some of OP's suggestions to simplify the handbook. Senators recommended using links in the official web version of the handbook for clarity. The new handbook will go into effect July 1, 2003.

Implementation of the four AVCAA model

Dr. Rackham explained that the Senate approved the outline for the AVCs at the last meeting. Today the Senate will respond to an internal plan that does not require a vote. Dr. Padilla thanked senators for any comments they might have which he can incorporate for presentation to the Chairs and Program Directors group on Monday.

During a lengthy discussion, Dr. Padilla clarified the stages linking the AVCs and faculty records, evaluations, and salary recommendations. Other discussions related to tenure procedures, space concerns, salary lines, AVC teaching loads, general education, and the evolution of the fourth AVC position.

Creation of a Center for Career Counseling and Student-Community Partnerships (CCC/SCP)

The proposed Center for Career Counseling and Student-Community Partnerships (CCC/SCP) would create a centralized office to facilitate communication -- between students, faculty, and staff with members of the greater Asheville community, work sites throughout the world (profit and non-profit), and post-baccalaureate health and law programs -- on opportunities for collaboration in the form of community service, internships, pre-health and pre-law field counseling, and broadly defined career information.

Dr. Padilla thanked senators for their previous feedback. The next revision will intersect with the strategic planning activities of UNCA in the recent past. He will create a task force to study this initiative, with implementation by July 1, 2003.

VI. Student Government Association Report

There was no Student Government Report.

VII. Academic Policies Committee Report

Dr. Melissa Burchard gave the Academic Policies Committee Report.

First Reading:

The following documents were distributed for First Reading:

APC 27: Computer Competency for History Majors

APC 28: Deletion of ATMS 115 and 303

APC 29: Computer competency in Atmospheric Sciences

APC 30: Computer Competency for Philosophy Majors

APC 32: Changes to required courses for the BA in Art

APC 33: Changes to prerequisites and times offered for ART 101, 213, 221, 313, 321, 322, 390

APC 34: Changes in course descriptions for ART 201, 240, 302, 340, 490-492

APC 35: Deletion of ART 262 and 362

APC 36: Computer Competency Requirement in Art

APC 38: Change to departmental statements regarding middle school licensure

APC 39: Change to course descriptions for MATH 215 and 216

APC 40: Change in Social Studies Licensure

APC 41: Elimination of LR101 from the catalog and elimination of the University requirement of successful completion of Library Research as a prerequisite for declaring a major.

APC 42: Deletions of courses in Greek

APC 43: Changes to Latin courses

APC 44: Computer competency in Classics

APC 45: Changes to Requirements in Classics Concentrations

APC 46: Changes in Drama Declaration and Prerequisites

Approved by APC (5-0-1 Vote)

APC 31: Change to Bachelor of Fine Arts Narrative

Approved by APC (4-0-2 Vote)

APC 37: Change to Middle School Licensure Requirements

Second Reading:

Editorial corrections were made to APC 8 and APC 9.

The following documents were considered for Second Reading:

Approved by APC Unanimously

APC 3: Deletion of Prerequisites for SOC 357, 410, 446.

APC 3 passed unanimously and became Senate Document 0803S.

APC 4 passed unanimously and became Senate Document 0903S.

APC 5 passed unanimously and became Senate Document 1003S.

APC 6 passed unanimously and became Senate Document 1103S.

APC 7 passed unanimously and became Senate Document 1203S.

APC 8 passed unanimously as amended and became Senate Document 1303S.

APC 9: Changes in Prerequisites for Environmental Studies.

APC 9 passed unanimously as amended and became Senate Document 1403S.

APC 10 passed unanimously and became Senate Document 1503S.

APC 11 passed unanimously and became Senate Document 1603S.

APC 12 passed unanimously and became Senate Document 1703S.

APC 13 passed unanimously and became Senate Document 1803S.

APC 14 passed unanimously and became Senate Document 1903S.

APC 15 passed unanimously and became Senate Document 2003S.

APC 16 passed unanimously and became Senate Document 2103S.

APC 17 passed unanimously and became Senate Document 2203S.

APC 18 passed unanimously and became Senate Document 2303S.

APC 19 passed unanimously and became Senate Document 2403S.

APC 20 passed unanimously and became Senate Document 2503S.

APC 21 passed unanimously and became Senate Document 2603S.

APC 22 passed unanimously and became Senate Document 2703S.

APC 23 passed unanimously and became Senate Document 2803S.

APC 24 passed unanimously and became Senate Document 2903S.

APC 25 passed unanimously and became Senate Document 3003S.

APC 26 passed unanimously and became Senate Document 3103S.

VIII. Institutional Development Committee/University Planning Council Report

Mr. Jim Kuhlman reported for the Institutional Development Committee/University Planning Council (UPC/IDC).

Diversity Study

On January 28th, the UPC agreed to the following format for proceeding with its "think tank" study of diversity during spring semester. UPC will:

1) focus its attention on the campus infrastructure for achieving diversity in both the University population and in instruction;

2) map the groups, offices, & units which have worked on enhancing diversity over the past few years or are working on enhancing diversity at this time;

3) collect printed products of these efforts (e.g., reports of Chancellor's Taskforces, Enhancement Self-Study, Gen Ed Review related to diversity, reports/recommendations of the Minority Affairs Commission) to create a centrally accessible, "living archive" in digital format;

4) seek to identify systemic, financial, or other common reasons which may have impeded the success of these many efforts and/or the implementation of promising recommendations;

5) forward specific recommendations as soon as and as often as they become evident;

6) create a summative report recommending improvements to the diversity infrastructure so as to minimize impediments to improvement.

UPC will distribute an interim report at the end of the spring semester.

Questions

UPC's charge

Dr. Alm referred to UPC's working paper distributed at the last meeting and asked how the changes UPC recommended in the Faculty Handbook would occur. UPC is retaining some of its responsibilities and adding others. Mr. Kuhlman replied that if a change is made, UPC would bring a proposal to the Senate recommending a change in its charge or the description in the Faculty Handbook.

Dr. Alm noted that what is being described in the paper does not involve UPC participating in setting university budget objectives and allocations. Mr. Kuhlman replied that UPC and the Chancellor will identify a topic for UPC to focus on. UPC's efforts will affect how resource allocations and priorities are set. UPC will influence the current strategic plan (that we expect a consultant to start helping with this spring), and will also affect the whole system of strategic planning. UPC will be a step removed -- it will not make budget allocations -- it will recommend a process to help make the allocations relate more directly to the goals of the institution and to assessing real outcomes. UPC will highlight structural or financial impediments to institutional goals.

Dr. Alm added that UPC seemed to be thinking it should not be as involved with the budget as it has been described in previous university documents. Mr. Kuhlman replied that this is a difference in interpretation; it is arguable what the previous university documents meant. The proposal in the working paper is a solution that will actually work with the way the university administration wants UPC to work.

IX. Faculty Welfare and Development Committee

Dr. Mary Lynn Manns gave the Faculty Welfare and Development Committee (FWDC) Report.

FWDC has started the "Get to know Asheville" initiative for new faculty and is working with Pat McClellan in the Center for Teaching and Learning. FWDC collected ideas from faculty and Ms. McClellan is putting them on the schedule of events for new faculty.

The faculty of color luncheon was held yesterday and was well attended. FWDC will discuss issues raised at the luncheon at its next meeting.

On-going projects include the organization of the committees. The proposals will eventually be brought to Faculty Senate.

Kitti Reynolds is responsible for running the faculty elections this year, with help from Ken Wilson, Sandra Gravely, Mark Walter, and Mary Culbertson.

FWDC is also discussing three other issues. 1) the option of eliminating the women's studies advisory committee; 2) a spousal and partner hiring policy; and 3) a serious illness and disability policy for faculty in the UNC system.

X. Old Business

Athletic Department Mission Statement

Dr. Rackham reported that a revision to the Athletic Department's Mission Statement will be coming to the Senate for consideration in February.

Request for Budget Update

Mr. Bramlett requested that the administration report on the allocations and expenditures of the tuition-based funding increases. Dr. Padilla replied that Academic Affairs received $325K and the funds were used as originally intended. Some personnel costs are included, such as the office manager in the career center. Dr. Padilla suggested that Mr. Steve Honeycutt in the Business Office give a report to the Faculty Senate.

XI. New Business

There was no New Business.

XII. Adjourn

Dr. Rackham adjourned the meeting at 5:37 pm.

Respectfully submitted by:    Sandra Gravely
                                           Mary Lynn Manns