ACADEMIC SENATE
MINUTES
DATE: April 29, 2004
PRESENT: Alan Davis Mark Hardt
Lorrie Steerey Sandie Rietz
Audrey ConnerRosberg Mary Susan Fishbaugh
Keith Edgerton Bruce Brumley
Noreen Lee Connie Landis
Matt Redinger
Tasneem Khaleel (ex-officio) George White (ex-officio)
John Cech (ex-officio) Janie Park (ex-officio)
ABSENT: Paul Bauer – excused Randall Gloege – excused
Carl Hanson (ex-officio) Joe Michels (ex-officio)
Randy Rhine (ex-officio) Terrie Iverson (ex-officio)
Curt Kochner (ex-officio) Amanda Mears (ex-officio)
Victor Sargent (ex-officio)
GUESTS: Matt McMullen Craig McKenzie
Michael Dennis Sue Barfield
PRESIDING: Keith Edgerton, Chair
Keith Edgerton called the meeting to order at 3:40 p.m. in the Chancellor’s Conference Room.
The minutes of April 22 were accepted as presented.
A. Graduate Committee Issues: Discussion with Matt McMullen, Chair of the
Graduate Committee, and George White, Director of Graduate Studies
Keith Edgerton stated that he invited Matt McMullen and Sue Barfield, Chair of the RACE Committee, to give a year-end report to the Senate for their committees.
Admissions
Dr. McMullen noted that the Graduate Committee discussed the admissions requirements for graduate students. The students themselves objected to the admissions procedures because they were inconsistent and often unfair. The Graduate Committee has attempted to clarify and standardize the admission process, including a handy flow-chart that will be included in the upcoming graduate catalog. Admission to a program will be handled by the department, not the Grad Studies Office.
GRE
Dr. McMullen also noted that the scoring system used on the GRE has changed, and it is now impossible to get a 1350, which is the standard for almost all graduate programs at MSU-B. The Graduate Committee voted to change the GRE from a minimum score to a component that is to be weighed with other factors. No specific scores are required.
Probation
Dr. McMullen cited that there were just a few students in grad programs that had low GPAs (the GPA cannot drop below 3.0 or the student cannot graduate). These students were just floating through the program, probably unaware that they could not graduate. Nothing was happening to these students, however. The Grad Committee has created a policy wherein students are sent a letter which puts them on probation the first time their GPA goes below 3.0. They are informed that if they do not bring it up again, they will not graduate. If a second drop in GPA occurs, the student can be dismissed.
Graduate Faculty Status
Dr. McMullen noted that they Graduate Committee has discussed this issue, but has taken no action because it’s a very political situation. We are still operating under a policy issued in 1972.
It was noted that Graduate Faculty status is just something to put on your resume. It’s not something to be held over other faculty.
MSU-B has also has faculty teaching graduate courses and those faculty are not on the list of Graduate Faculty. Is this a problem or not?
It was noted that application to the Graduate Faculty was mainly just to let the campus know that faculty member is teaching graduate courses. The applications should not be judged in any way, nor should there be any elitism associated with getting Graduate Faculty status. It is merely recognition.
Composition of the Graduate Committee
Dr. McMullen noted that last year the composition of the Committee was changed to 2 members from each college (one regular and one alternate), and that has not worked out well. The COE, which has the most graduate programs, should have more representation, and the Committee needs to be larger.
B.
RACE Committee Issues
Sue Barfield, Chair of the RACE Committee, noted that as in the past, $10,500 were allocated to be distributed to the faculty applicants. Twelve applications were received and Dr. Park requested that the Committee fund at least nine proposals. The notification letters should be going out very soon.
The Committee had several issues on which they would like input from the Senate. See the memo included below:
April 7, 2004
TO: MSU-B
Academic Senate
FROM: Research
and Creative Endeavor Committee (RACE)
SUBJECT: RACE
Grant Proposal Issues
The RACE Committee has finished deliberations for the
2003-2004 academic year and submitted our recommendations to Dr. Park. We concur that moving the dates for review
from spring to early fall each year would be beneficial to faculty as well as
to the business office. During our
meetings, several issues were brought up that we would like the Senate to
discuss.
1) Change
the Application Cover Sheet to include Chair and Dean notification of the
proposal but not require their authorization
2) Proposals
to be able to relate to one or more of the following: the University Strategic Plan, the Academic
Master Plan, college strategic plans, or departmental strategic plans
3) Include
a more comprehensive instruction sheet in the application so proposals can
better meet the grants’ goals and objectives
4) What
are the priorities of these grants?
a. Degree
of completion of a project (should those at the beginning of the project have
priority over projects that are already completed?)
b. Student
involvement
c. Potential
for future funding
d. Potential
for publication
e. Because
of limited funding, should priority be given to junior faculty members to
encourage and support professional development?
f.
g. Publication
fees
5) Policies
regarding selection
a. How
will those proposals that are written by RACE Committee members be evaluated?
b. Should
faculty members on sabbatical be allowed to submit proposals?
c. Should
multiple applications by different faculty members on the same project be
allowed to submit separate proposals?
6) What
is the faculty member’s responsibility to the university should he/she have
personal monetary gain from the project?
We appreciate your
consideration regarding these issues.
It was noted that more money for faculty research and travel is needed. Dr. Janie Park, Provost, noted that perhaps the UBC (University Budget Committee) should take up the subject of more faculty funding this fall.
II. ITEMS – SECOND READING
Item 28 Audit Policy – Proposal from the Academic Standards & Scholastic Standing Committee. Karen Everett, Director, Admissions and Records
Karen Everett was unable to attend
the meeting. Item 28 is tabled until
the first meeting in Fall 2004.
Item 22 Revision of General Education Program – Proposal from the Gen Ed Committee REVISED.
It was noted that bumping “stagnant” courses was mentioned last week. Who is to say what each individual instructor in Gen Ed/Academic Foundations should teach? Only that faculty member.
It was noted that once the Gen Ed Faculty is formed, they will be the ones concerned with the quality of the Gen Ed/Academic Foundations program.
It was noted that although outcomes are described in this model, there is still no assessment. An assessment tool has been the struggle of every Gen Ed Committee for the last several years. It was noted that the Gen Ed/Academic Foundations Committee can develop an assessment tool, but it is up to the faculty to assess their students. It was noted that this proposal only assesses individual courses, not the whole program. Mark Hardt, Chair of the Gen Ed Committee, noted that a program assessment tool is still in the works, but is required by Northwest.
The question was raised as to whether we are voting that the new program will go into the next undergrad catalog, or that we hope it will go into the next undergrad catalog and if it doesn’t it will be moved back two years. It was noted that the Gen Ed Committee hopes to get it into the next catalog.
It was noted that a meeting should be held in the fall to show faculty how to submit courses.
It was noted that the program can go into this fall’s catalog, but the assessment (which will not go in the catalog) can be done afterward.
It was noted that faculty need to remember that this proposal is being approved as a work in progress.
Ž
Motion by Mark Hardt, seconded by Audrey ConnerRosberg to approve Item 22 on
second reading.
Ž Motion carried: 10 for (1 by proxy), 1 against, and 1 abstention.
III. ITEMS FOR INFORMATION
Item 46 AAS Degree in Application Development. New program of study.
Item 46.a CST 110 Applied Basic Programming Concepts Using Visual Basic .NET. New course.
Item 46.b CST 111 Applied Intermediate Programming Concepts Using Visual Basic .NET. New course.
Item 46.c CST 112 Applied Microsoft SQL Server. New course.
Item 46.d CST 115 Introduction to Game Programming. New course.
Item 46.e CST 120 Applied Introduction to Java. New course.
Item 46.f CST 121 Applied Intermediate Java. New course.
Item 46.g CST 180 System Analysis and Design. Change number and prerequisites.
Item 46.h CST 210 Applied Advanced Visual Basic .NET Programming. New course.
Item 46.i CST 211 Visual Basic .NET Capstone Project. New course.
Item 46.j CST 217 Microsoft Certified Applications Developer Exam Preparation. New course.
Item 46.k CST 227 Sun Certified Java Programmer Exam Preparation. New course.
Item 46.L CST 231 Software Design and Documentation. New course.
Item 46.m CST 232 Applied Advanced Database Concepts. New course.
Lorrie Steerey stated that she met with Craig McKenzie and Victor Valgenti of the COT to discuss the duplicate courses in this program. They agreed that COT students can take some of the COB courses, and changes to cross-list and cross-number those courses will be forthcoming immediately in the fall. The COB students can also take the Cisco lab at the COT.
Ž Motion by Lorrie Steerey,
seconded by Matt Redinger to accept Items 46, 46.a, 46.b, 46.c, 46.d, 46.e,
46.f, 46.g, 46.h, 46.i, 46.j, 46.k, 46.L, and 46.m for information.
Ž Motion carried.
Failed to pass the UCC 4/14/04
Item 48 Human Resource Management Essentials Certificate. Modify and existing program.
Item 48.a AS Degree Program of Study in Human Resources – General Applied Emphasis. Modify and existing program.
Item 48.b AS
Degree Program of Study in Human Resources –
Item 48.c Human Resource Management Certificate. Modify and existing program.
Item 48.d HR 284 Field Experience. Delete course.
It was noted that these proposals have several problems, but the UCC objected to the Field Experience course being deleted from these programs in favor of a collective bargaining course.
John Cech, Dean of the COT, noted that the proposal does have some problems and needs to be re-worked before going forward.
Ž Motion by Lorrie Steerey,
seconded by Matt Redinger to remand Items 48, 48.a, 48.b, 48.c, and 48.d
back to the
Ž Motion carried.
IV. ELECTION OF OFFICERS
The following officers were elected:
Secretary: Mark Hardt
Vice Chairs: Randall Gloege
Lorrie Steerey
Audrey ConnerRosberg
V. Commendation for Rita Rabe Meduna, Academic Senate Administrative Assistant
To: Chancellor Ron Sexton
From: Keith Edgerton, Chair, Academic Senate
Dear Chancellor Sexton:
As I have done the last two years, on behalf of the
Academic Senate I would like to take the opportunity to alert you again to the
outstanding effort put forth this year by Ms. Rita Rabe Meduna, who divides her
time as the Academic Senate’s, UCC’s, and General Education Committee’s
secretary, responsibilities in your office, and the office of the Provost. Her work this year for the Academic Senate
has continued to be truly exceptional and is worthy of special commendation and
recognition.
Rita is one of the most consistently upbeat and positive
staff members I have ever been associated with, not only here at MSU-
The meeting adjourned at 5:20 p.m.
rjrm