Please note: These minutes are still going to the 99/00 senate
members only who are on the senate distribution list. I will have a
new distribution list by the next meeting. Please share this
information with your senate replacements until I get things fixed.
Of note: the summer meeting time (July 11, 3:30 tentative). Sarah
Faculty Senate Meeting Minutes
Tuesday, May 23, 2000
Columbia Room, Werner University Center
1.0 Call to Order
2.0 Call of the Roll:
There were three substitutions: Bryan Dutton
for Irja Galvan, Mark Perlman for Dean Bethea, and Hamid
Behmard for Mike Ward. Several new-term senators were present
but I didn't put new nametags out for them so there was no formal
roll for them. The following old-term senators were absent: Brian
Bonnlander, Meredith Brodsky, Brian Caster, Tina Fuchs,
Wangeshi Gatimu, Rebecca Marsh-McCannell, lMing Chi-Own,
Darryl Thomas, and Stephanie Tunison were absent.
3.0. Corrections to and approval of the minutes from the previous
senate meeting/Agenda Adjustments. Minutes approved. There
were no agenda adjustments.
4.0. Reports of the Presidents
4.1 Senate President
Joel thanked the senate for an "active year," and the faculty who
have joined the Scholars' Network. He hopes to be an active
advisor for the Executive Committee next year.
4.2 President of Western Oregon University
President Youngblood was not present.
4.21 Budget:
Provost Minahan gave an extensive budget
presentation and, along with Dean Chadney, answered a variety of
questions. To accompany his presentations, Provost Minahan
distributed three hand-outs: (1) the budget report (to all senators);
(2) the Legislative Fiscal Office's memorandum on the impact of
the pending Sizemore initiative (to all senators); and (3) a
summary of reports about academic ownership/intellectual property
rights (limited copies; Joel has master copies).
Only the budget report was extensively reviewed. Key points:
freshman are presently up 6.1%; transfers up 12.0%, and
graduates down 43.8%. Total: up 5.4%. The Provost stressed
that these figures typically decrease and we should view next year
as potentially "flat" and "tender." The Provost also explained that
we will be giving back $781,560 based on not exceeding annual
projections. All these figures are in the handout provided.
Initial comments from the Provost included the following:
(a) Given the completion of the library, a larger push to build
Foundation funds for scholarships will be made next year as it
seems that other state universities are using small scholarships to
most effectively recruit students.
(b) He predicts a 3.5% tuition increase that will defray costs next
year. He said that the state could mandate up to 5% tuition
increases. Nevertheless, given recent negotiations, an increase of
200 FTE students needs to be met next year even with projected
tuition increases.
(c) New lab fees for courses in the Natural Sciences Division
will, in part, supplement the existing science budget.
(d) A breakdown of where there have been specific gains and
losses in students in particular programs will be available soon.
(e) Certain programs may be cut (the Japanese minor was
specifically mentioned) or altered. For example, the Provost and
the Dean expressed interest in expanding the current MAT to
students who have recently completed specific BA/BS degrees
when asked about this topic (given the fact that the current MAT is
competitive and fully enrolled).
(f) Both the Dean and the Provost stated that faculty positions
may also be altered given retirements (it was not stated whether
this would be limited to Divisions or not). For example, a retiring
member of "X" could be replaced by a "Y" (I wasn't about to specify
programs - and neither was anyone else).
(g) The Provost hopes to make budget reports a quarterly event.
4.3 Student Body President
The new Student Body President, Andy High, introduced himself
and his new platform, which includes educating students about the
impact of the Sizemore initiative, improving the student weight
training facilities, and developing a women's center on campus.
5.0 Consideration of Old Business
5.1 On-Line Course Routing Form: Joel is still waiting for more
input on these drafts.
5.2 WRC ad-hoc committee.
The motion to form a committee to
investigate membership in the WRC was unanimously approved.
Peter Callero will head this committee and faculty interested in
working with Peter should contact him.
6.0 Consideration of New Business
6.1 Elections.
The following nominees were elected:
John Leadley (President) - all but one (John Leadley) approved
Janeanne Rockwell-Kincanon (V. President) - unanimous
Sarah Boomer (Secretary) - unanimous
David Hargreaves - (EC member at large) - unanimous
7.0 Reports of Interinstitutional Faculty Senators: None
8.0 Reports
8.1 Academic Requirements:
Joel read a report from Solveig
Holmquist, Chair of the ARC, that summarized the primary item of
the committee - evaluation of writing course requirements at
Western. Copies were not distributed and will be maintained in my
(secretary) file. Major conclusions:
(a) Many Western students are weak writers but, unfortunately,
skip taking WR115, a basic writing course, because it does not
fulfill the LACC; WR115 is not a formal pre-requisite for WR135, an
analytical/argument-based expository writing course (and LACC).
There are presently not enough faculty to teach WR115 to the
numbers of students estimated to need it. Students are given a
writing "entrance/evaluation exam" as part of SOAR but, at
present, decisions about placement are not required (only
advised) using results.
(b) Writing Intensive Courses are poorly designated and
standardized. Their effectiveness is not well understood. Some
programs offer no WI courses.
Discussion of these issues, both by ARC and Faculty Senate,
yielded the following recommendations:
(a) Put more resources into faculty to teach 115 and 135
(b) Require/enforce that every major offer at least one WI course
(c) Improve listing WI in schedule; specifically, make a separate
"WI class" listing within each schedule. Put this information on the
web as well.
(d) Make SOAR writing evaluations into true placement tests and
use them for placing students into either 115 or 135.
(e) The Senate briefly courted the motion of requiring that a C in
WR135 be mandatory for passing; after discussion, however, it
was decided that this be discussed further as "new business" at
the next meeting (July 11, 3:30, pending further notice).
(f) Develop improved mechanisms for evaluating WI courses; this
was recommended by ARC but no specific ideas were generated at
Faculty Senate.
8.2 Curriculum Committee: None
8.3 Graduate Study Committee: None
8.4 Honors Committee:
Marjorie summarized this years' activities,
including moving thesis timeline earlier, Pastega Award recipients,
the Ashland excursion, and the development of an Honors Center
in the Old Library.
8.5 International Education/Services Committee:
John
summarized this years' activities. In sum, 246 liberal arts/sciences
majors and 94 education majors participated in study abroad
programs in, in descending order of popularity, Europe, Americas,
Asia, and Africa. Programs included national, local, and campus-
based trips for 1-3 months. He encouraged faculty to consider
teaching abroad as well, and discussed examples from faculty
here. He emphasized that, while students and faculty participating
in overseas experiences is not a big money-maker for campus, it
should be supported and encouraged in the context of our liberal
arts philosophy and education values. He discussed the impact of
international students on campus (primarily Japanese students at
present), emphasizing their cultural and financial impact on
campus. He also asked that faculty be sensitive to the special
needs of these students. The proposed cutting of the Japanese
minor was discussed in light of all of these issues.
8.6 Academic Information Committee: None
8.7 Jenson Lectureship Committee: Janeann is now taking
suggestions for next years' speakers.
8.8 Honor Code Committee: None.
The Meeting was adjourned.
Corrections:
Faculty Senate:
Carol Harding made three important corrections, the first of which
has bearing on the upcoming July meeting.
(1) Relevent for New Business/Writing Courses: The grade of C-
(not a C, as stated incorrectly in the minutes) is the proposed
passing grade for WR135 (the LACC requirement).
(2) The SOAR writing test will be a pilot program beginning this
year; it has not been implemented before.
(3) Mike Ward was also elected to Executive Committee.
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