University of North Carolina at Asheville

FACULTY SENATE MEETING

Minutes, February 13, 2003

Excused: M. Alm, I. Rossell.

I. Call to Order

Dr. Jeff Rackham called the meeting to order at 3:27 pm and welcomed senators and guests.

II. Announcements

There were no Announcements.

III. Administrative Report

Dr. Mark Padilla expressed his gratitude to the Faculty Senate and its Task Force for their work on the administrative reorganization in Academic Affairs.

The first Chief Academic Officers' meeting of the semester will be held in Chapel Hill next week.

IV. Executive Committee Report

Dr. Jeff Rackham gave the Executive Committee Report.

Revising the Faculty Senate Constitution

Next month the Executive Committee will distribute a first reading proposal to revise the Faculty Senate Constitution. If approved in April, a Task Force will be established to work on this next year. The constitution is nearly twenty years old and no longer speaks to the type of university we now are. Dr. Rackham encouraged senators to email comments on areas needing revision and suggestions regarding the composition of the task force.

First Reading:

The following document was distributed for First Reading:

EC 6: Revision of UNCA Athletic Department Mission Statement (Revision of SD0602F)

Dr. Rackham explained that the Athletic Department's Mission Statement did not include "sexual identity or choices" and this revision corrects this omission.

Dr. Patch moved to waive the Comer Rule to consider the document for Second Reading. Dr. Konz seconded the motion, which passed unanimously. EC 6 passed unanimously and became Senate Document 3203S.

V. Student Government Association Report

Mr. Brian Cain introduced sophomore senator Caroline Zidaroff.

He thanked the Senate for its work this year, particularly the reorganization of Academic Affairs. He expressed his support for the Career Center for Career Counseling and Student-Community Partnerships initiative.

SGA elections will be held next month.

VI. Academic Policies Committee Report

Dr. Melissa Burchard gave the Academic Policies Committee Report.

First Reading:

The following documents were distributed for First Reading:

Approved by APC Unanimously

APC 47: Demonstration of Computer Competency in Literature and Language

APC 48: Changes to Title/Description of Lang 497: Senior Seminar in Creative Writing

APC 49: Change to Declaration of Humanities Minor

APC 50: Requirements for the German Major and Teacher Licensure

APC 51: Computer Competency for French

APC 52: Prerequisite changes in Psychology

APC 53: Addition of a statement of computer competency to Chemistry degree programs

APC 54: Prerequisite changes for Department of Chemistry courses

APC 56: Curriculum changes in Spanish affecting the mission statement and requirements for the major and minor; changes to course descriptions for SPAN 310, 320, 330, 332; deletion of SPAN 325, 340, 415, 425, 435, 445, 480, 485; addition of SPAN 300, 400, 410, 482, 495.

APC 57: Computer Competency in Mathematics; Changes to Math Licensure Requirements; Elimination of MATH 163 and 164 and the resulting editorial changes; Changes to times offered and prerequisites for MATH 211/212, 215/216, 332; Delete MATH 158 with resulting changes to K-6 licensure

APC 58: Multimedia Arts and Sciences Catalog Changes

APC 59: Changes in Prerequisites for BIOL 210, 211

APC 60: Changes to requirements for Ecology and Environmental Biology

Approved by APC (3-2 Vote)

APC 55: Addition of Chemistry of the Environment Concentration to the BS Degree in Chemistry.

Dr. Burchard reported on the split vote of APC 55. APC always considers the number of hours that students are required to take for any given major, including the concentrations within the major. Policies have been set that normally 60 hours be required in any major or concentration. APC discussed whether this particular concentration was needed and questions about its interdisciplinarity were raised. APC discussed whether the name (Environmental Chemistry) indicated a more interdisciplinary approach to study than what the Chemistry Department had in mind. APC suggested changing the name to "Chemistry of the Environment Concentration" and Dr. Holmes was amenable to the change. The discussion raised issues with regard to the way that interdisciplinarity is understood more broadly. APC would like to begin a discussion about setting policy to guide APC in discussions and decision-making. Interdisciplinarity is part of UNCA's mission and it is important to have a clear understanding of its meaning to use in decision-making.

Dr. Burchard reported that APC voted down a document from the Chemistry Department that raised similar issues. The Chemistry Department asked that its name be changed to the "Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry." Concerns about the meaning of interdisciplinarity were again a feature of APC's concern with regard to the name change. These issues contributed to APC concerns for needing a policy to serve as a guide for APC's discussions about interdisciplinarity.

Diversity

Earlier, APC reported that one of its goals was to review departmental mission statements with regard to how the departments handle diversity or attempt to include diversity in their curricula. Next week Dr. Burchard will send a request to department chairs and program directors, asking them to send their mission statements to APC.

Second Reading:

Approved by APC Unanimously

APC 27: Computer Competency for History Majors

APC 27 passed unanimously and became Senate Document 3503S.

APC 28: Deletion of ATMS 115 and 303

APC 28 passed unanimously and became Senate Document 3603S.

APC 29 passed unanimously and became Senate Document 3703S.

APC 30 passed unanimously and became Senate Document 3803S.

APC 32 passed unanimously and became Senate Document 3903S.

APC 33 passed unanimously and became Senate Document 4003S.

APC 34 passed unanimously and became Senate Document 4103S.

APC 35 passed unanimously and became Senate Document 4203S.

APC 36 passed unanimously and became Senate Document 4303S.

APC 38 passed unanimously and became Senate Document 4403S.

APC 39 passed unanimously and became Senate Document 4503S.

APC 40 passed unanimously and became Senate Document 4603S.

APC 41 passed unanimously and became Senate Document 4703S.

APC 42 passed unanimously and became Senate Document 4803S.

APC 43 passed unanimously and became Senate Document 4903S.

APC 44 passed unanimously and became Senate Document 5003S.

APC 45 passed unanimously and became Senate Document 5103S.

APC 46: Changes in Drama Declaration and Prerequisites

APC 46 passed unanimously and became Senate Document 5203S.

Approved by APC (5-0-1 Vote)

APC 31: Change to Bachelor of Fine Arts Narrative

APC 31 passed unanimously and became Senate Document 3303S.

Approved by APC (4-0-2 Vote)

APC 37: Change to Middle School Licensure Requirements

APC 37 passed unanimously and became Senate Document 3403S.

VII. Institutional Development Committee/University Planning Council Report

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

Diversity

UPC is focusing on enhancing diversity in the campus community and in the curriculum. One approach is to create a map of the groups, offices, & units which have worked on enhancing diversity over the past few years or are working on enhancing diversity at this time. The map can be found at: [http://www.unca.edu/~kuhlman/diversity_map.htm].

Engineering Presentation

UPC will give a presentation to Dr. Mabe (Office of the President) on the feasibility of an engineering program at UNCA. The legislature has required that the Office of the President assess the feasibility of having engineering programs at UNCA and at WCU.

VIII. Faculty Welfare and Development Committee

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

FWDC is working with committees on campus who lack enabling documentation from the Faculty Senate to be a standing committee.

Faculty will receive their committee preference form later this month.

Faculty elections are underway. FWDC will consider the issue of voter eligibility during the revision of the Faculty Senate Constitution. As faculty divide their workload between teaching and administrative duties, questions of voter eligibility have been raised.

FWDC is working on a document brought to them about a spousal hiring policy for the UNCA campus. They are also advising on a disability policy from the UNC Faculty Assembly.

IX. Old Business

Expenditures of Campus Based Tuition Increases

Mr. Steve Honeycutt, university budget officer, reported that the Campus Based Tuition Increase was divided in the following manner:

- 33% Hold Harmless

- 44% Academic Affairs/Academic Support

- 23% Student Affairs/Enrollment Services

The "Hold Harmless" category covers those students on need-based financial aid who would be adversely impacted by an increase in tuition. The total dollars were about $825,000 in 2001-02 and another $825,000 in 2002-03. The May 3, 2002 spending freeze by the Governor had an impact on the spending of these funds. (Dr. Padilla reported on the funds Academic Affairs received last month.)

After several follow-up questions, Dr. Dee James suggested that the Executive Committee pursue clarification of the expenditures. As representatives of the faculty, senators are expected to know and understand the process -- how funds were allocated and used. Senators agreed and passed the following Sense of the Senate: "The Executive Committee will pursue in more detail how funds have been spent over the last two years."

X. New Business

There was no New Business.

XI. Adjourn

Dr. Rackham adjourned the meeting at 4:18 pm.

Respectfully submitted by:    Sandra Gravely
                                           Mary Lynn Manns