ACADEMIC SENATE MINUTES

DATE: November 4, 2004

PRESENT: Alan Davis Lorrie Steerey

Sandie Rietz Audrey ConnerRosberg

Mary Susan Fishbaugh Keith Edgerton

Randall Gloege Bruce Brumley

Noreen Lee Connie Landis

Matt Redinger

Tasneem Khaleel (ex-officio) Janie Park (ex-officio)

Emily Valenzuela (ex-officio) Amanda Mears (ex-officio)

ABSENT: Mark Hardt – excused Paul Bauer – excused

Carl Hanson (ex-officio) Joe Michels (ex-officio)

George White (ex-officio) Randy Rhine (ex-officio)

John Cech (ex-officio) Terrie Iverson (ex-officio)

Curt Kochner (ex-officio)

GUESTS: Loyd Knudsen

PRESIDING: Keith Edgerton, Chair

Keith Edgerton called the meeting to order at 3:36 p.m. in the Missouri room of the SUB.

The minutes of October 28 were accepted as presented.

I. Sabbatical Committee

It was noted that all tenured faculty should be added to the list of Sabbatical nominees sent to the Provost.

II. ITEMS FOR INFORMATION

Item 25 COMT 425 Media Criticism. Change number and course description.

Item 25.a COMT 322 Performance for the Camera. Delete course.

Item 25.b COMT 322 Principles of Public Relations. New course.

Item 25.c COMT 421/521 Communicating Through the Internet. New course.

Item 25.d COMT 422/522 Public Relations. Delete course.

Item 25.e COMT 422/522 Issues in Public Relations. New course.

Item 25.f COMT 480/580 Health Communication. New course.

Item 30 COMT 150 Introduction to Theatre. Change title and course description.

Item 30.a COMT 160 Introduction to Intercultural Communication. New course.

Item 30.b COMT 230 Advanced Public Speaking. Change prerequisites.

Item 30.c COMT 254 Development of the Speaking Voice. Delete course.

Item 30.d COMT 256 Visual Elements of Performance. Change title and course description.

Item 30.f COMT 322 Performance for the Camera. Change course number to 340.

Item 30.g COMT 340 Theatre Therapy. Delete course.

Item 30.h COMT 350 Advanced Acting. Delete course.

Item 30.i COMT 350 Performance Theory and Criticism. New course.

Item 30.j COMT 355 Theatre History. Delete course.

Item 30.k COMT 440 Performance Skills for Professionals. Delete course.

Item 30.L COMT 450 Advanced Performance Skills. New course.

Item 30.n Minor in Communication Arts Theatre Therapy Option. Delete program.

Item 30.o Minor in Communication Arts Mass Communication Option. Modification of an existing program.

Item 30.p BA Major in Communication Arts Mass Communication Option. Modification of an existing program.

Item 30.Q BA Major in Communication Arts Organizational Communication Option. Modification of an existing program.

Item 30.r BA Major in Communication Arts Theatre Option. Modification of an existing program.

Item 30.s Minor in Communication Arts Theatre Option. Modification of an existing program.

Item 30.u BS in Public Relations. Modification of an existing program.

Item 12 BA Degree in Environmental Studies. Modification of an existing program.

Item 12.a EVST/GEOG 301 Principles of Geographic Information Systems. Change prerequisites.

Item 12.b EVST/HON 352 Environmental Law. New course.

Item 12.c EVST 492 Seminar. Change course description and prerequisites.

Item 12.d EVST 495 Environmental Studies Research. New course.

Item 12.e EVST 496 Cooperative Education/Internship. Change credit hours.

Item 12.f EVST 498 Capstone Seminar. Change credit hours and prerequisites.

Item 7 BA Degree Major in History. Modification of an existing program.

Item 7.a HIST 106 Honors: History of Western Civilization to 1648. Change title and course description.

Item 7.b HIST 107 Honors: History of Western Civilization since 1648. Change title and course description.

Item 7.c HIST 312 Colonial and Revolutionary America, to 1787. Change title and course description.

Item 7.d HIST 314 The New Nation, 1787-1828. Change title and course description.

Item 7.e HIST 315 Antebellum America (1828-1860). Delete course.

Item 7.f HIST 316 Civil War and Reconstruction. Change title and course description.

Item 7.g HIST 321 The American West. Change course number to 421.

Item 7.h HIST 323 Montana History. Change course number to 423.

Item 7.i HIST 325 The American Military Experience. Delete course.

Item 7.j HIST 336 The Renaissance and Reformation. Change title and course description.

Item 7.k HIST 343 The World in the Atomic Age. Delete course.

Item 7.L HIST 347 The Holocaust in Nazi Occupied Europe. Change course number to 447.

Item 7.m HIST 351 History of Islamic Civilization. Change course number to 451.

Item 7.n HIST 353 The Middle East in the Twentieth Century. Change course number to 453.

Item 7.o HIST 358 Latin American History. Change title and course description.

Item 7.p HIST 359 History of Mexico. Change course number to 459.

Item 7.Q HIST 366 Modern Russia. Delete course.

Item 7.r HIST 373 American Environmental History. Change course number to 470.

Item 7.s HIST 400 Historical Methodology. Change course number to 499.

Item 7.t HIST 309 Creating Empire and Identity in the Atlantic World 1492-1763. New course.

Item 7.u HIST 337 Reformation Europe 1517-1648. New course.

Item 7.v HIST 338 Baroque Culture, Absolute Monarchy, the Enlightenment, and the French Revolution in Europe 1648-1815. New course.

Item 7.w HIST 340 Industrialization, Nationalism, and Liberalism in Europe 1815-1918. New course.

Item 7.x HIST 342 Twentieth-Century Europe 1918-2001. New course.

Item 7.y HIST 445 Everyday Life and Popular Culture in Late Medieval and Early Modern Europe. New course.

Item 7.z HIST 448 War and Diplomacy in Europe 1648-1945. New course.

Item 7.aa HIST 357 Pre-Columbian and Colonial Latin America. New course.

Item 7.bb HIST 461 The History of Germany since 1517. New course.

Item 7.cc HIST 463 History of Southern Asia since 1750. New course.

Item 7.dd HIST 471 Colonial and Independent Africa 1884-present. New course.

Item 7.ee HIST/HON 420 Archaeology of the Classical World. New course.

Item 7.ff HIST 425 Historical Archaeology in the Americas. New course.

Item 7.gg HIST/HON 460 The 1960s. New course.

Item 7.hh HIST 310 History of the British Isles (Survey) 55 B.C.-1688 A.D. Delete course.

Item 7.ii HIST 311 British and Irish History 1688-20th Century. Delete Course.

Item 7.jj HIST 428 History of American Presidential Assassinations. Delete course.

Item 11.a HIST 342 Europe in the Age of the Dictators. Delete course.

Item 11.b Minor in History. Modification of an existing program.

Item 18 MATH 105 Algebra for College Students. Change course description.

Item 22 COMP 200 Advanced Topics in Computer Programming. Change credits and course description.

It was noted that the changes in History are getting rid of courses taught by retiring faculty and adding new courses to update the program and include a new faculty member. Also, History only had one 400-level course, so these changes will move some thematic 300-level courses up to the 400 level.

Loyd Knudsen noted that the changes for Communication and Theatre are moving from a theatre emphasis to a performance emphasis, i.e., from on the stage to in front of the camera.

It was noted that there are several changes involving one course (COMT 322). A different number should be used to avoid confusion on transcripts.

Þ Motion by Lorrie Steerey, seconded by Bruce Brumley to accept all Items listed above, with the exception of Items 25.b, 30.f, and 30.i.

Þ Motion carried.

Items 25.b, 30.f, and 30.i will be sent back to the UCC for further review.

III. DISCUSSION/ACTION ITEMS

A. Dr. Park: Recruitment and Retention

Dr. Park stated that we need to be in a constant growth pattern because of the University System funding model, which does not account for the increased cost of delivering programs from year to year. We were up on FTE last year, but this year we are down and unfortunately the Legislature will use this year’s numbers to allocate funding. What can we do to combat this problem? Three things: (1) get new students, (2) retain the students we have, and (3) encourage current students to take more credits.

Recruiters across the country have low pay and high turnover. Aside from better training for recruiters, there are things that Academic Affairs can do to recruit and retain students. Bozeman does “MSU-Bozeman for a Day,” where President Gamble and some faculty members get on a bus and travel Montana for a week or so visiting high schools. The faculty teach a class so high school students can see what college is really like. Here at MSU-Billings, the Deans have contacted students who are currently enrolled in spring semester and talked to them about why they haven’t registered for fall. They try to help with any issues the students may have.

It was cited that the College of Business has had some faculty volunteers to go to local high schools, but they mainly recruit for Business, not the entire University. The COB has also developed a freshmen/sophomore advising night.

It was noted that the Advising Center is scaring students away, because many students start here and then transfer. The Advising Center tells them many of their general education courses won’t transfer, so the students are literally scared into going to school elsewhere. There are two entirely different worlds between faculty advising and advisors in the Advising Center.

It was noted that many courses close because they are full, and students that need them can’t get them. More course availability is needed.

It was observed that we could use the enrollment reserve to “buy” some FTE by offering tuition waivers. Dr. Park noted there is a limitation on the percentage of general funds that can be used for tuition waivers, but we also used most of the enrollment reserve making up for the low enrollments this semester.

It was cited that if faculty had reassigned time to hire some part-time faculty, the faculty would have time to do recruiting—perhaps a “recruiting director” type position.

B. Response from Mary Susan Fishbaugh

Dr. Fishbaugh noted that we really need to change the way we do business. If we could convince the Board of Regents to fund us on smaller FTE than Bozeman or Missoula, that could help. Since our students are mainly part-time non-traditional students, our funding might work better if 12 or 9 credits was considered full-time, instead of 15 credits. MSU-Billings also needs to stop concentrating on traditional 18 to 20 year olds. We could recruit older people who are starting new careers and retirees who want to try something new. We could also improve our website and hire more web coordinators to respond online to prospective student questions. We can even use the romance of the Rocky Mountains to draw some “flat land” students in.

It was stated that we could have students write down why they came here and why they like it here, and we can use that kind of personal testimonial to show interested students.

It was cited that we have many people with master’s degrees who come here to maintain their certification, or just to take a course on something new. The problem is, we never have anything new to offer them and they end up taking something online from another school. Regularly offering one-time courses with new curriculum would be a huge draw for these people. MSU-B could also take these courses to the Teacher Conferences in October and have one-day seminars at the conferences. Another source of students are the many retired people in Billings who are just interested in taking courses for fun. If these people were arranged in cohorts, the program could be tremendously successful.

It was noted that it’s easy to find kids in high school. The problem is finding a way to reach these other groups, such as people five years out of high school. There is no list of those people.

It was cited that we could be serving the area teachers better as well. Offering graduate courses for teachers will bring many to MSU-B. The schools are required to send their teachers for training, and they have funding for that training. Building partnerships with the local schools would be advantageous for both the schools and MSU-B.

It was noted that MSU-Billings has an I.T. Club, who could be tapped for ideas on how to revamp with website. There is also a Marketing Club, whose members are surely full of ideas. Both these clubs would give needed information, and it would free, or maybe cost a few pizzas. Students could even respond to hits on the website.

C. Emeritus Policy – COT Faculty

Lorrie Steerey noted that the Emeritus Policy is an Academic Senate policy and should include the College of Technology faculty.

Þ Motion by Lorrie Steerey, seconded by Sandie Rietz to amend the Emeritus Policy to include Level III and IV Instructors at the College of Technology.

Þ Motion carried unanimously.

D. Academic Foundations: Continued Discussion

Amanda Mears, student member of the Academic Foundations Committee, stated that the Academic Senate took away the voting rights of the students on the Academic Foundations Committee. Students have valuable input, as shown at this meeting, and should be given a voice.

Þ Motion by Randall Gloege, seconded by Lorrie Steerey to give the two students on the Academic Foundations Committee their voting rights.

Þ Motion carried unanimously.

The meeting adjourned at 5:00 p.m.

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