Faculty Senate Meeting

2:00PM, October 29, 2004, Stafford 104

Approved Faculty Senate Meeting Minutes

 

I.          CALL TO ORDER AND ESTABLISH QUORUM:

The October 29, 2004 meeting of the Faculty Senate was called to order at 2:00 PM in Stafford 104 with FS President James South presiding.  The following members were present:  Fred Alsberg, Melody Ashenfelter, Arden Aspedon, Madeline Baugher, David Bessinger, Nancy Penner, Dayna Coker, Tom Davis, Michael Dougherty, Barry Gales, Terry Goforth, John Hayden, Todd Helton, Robin Jones, Chad Kinder, Kelley Logan, Joseph Maness, Andrew Marvick, Nina Morris,  Gus Ortega, Les Ramos, Jeff Short, James South, Bill Swartwood, Mark Tippin, Karen Travis, Don Wilson, and Jon Woltz.

 

II.        CERTIFICATION OF SUBSTITUTES:  None

 

III.       PRESENTATION OF VISITORS:  None.

 

IV.       APPROVAL OF MINUTES:  Minutes of September 24, 2004 were approved.

 

V.        ANNOUNCEMENTS:

A.  FS President South:           

1.   Nursing has selected Mattie Tolley as their senator.  Welcome, Ms. Tolley!

2.   Administrative Council 10/25 – a) With the reduction of many degree programs to 120 hours and in order to be consistent with the practice at many other universities, SWOSU has changed (effective immediately) the number of hours required for each classification.   New requirements are 30/60/90 hours for soph/jun/sen status, respectively. b) Institutional Research is surveying selected students who applied (and were admitted) to SWOSU, but never enrolled.  Results will aid in our marketing effort. c) Paraphrased quote from VP Fagan about budget:  We have weathered the current crisis through aggressive tuition increases and enrollment increases, neither of which is sustainable in the long term.  d) This year’s Fact Book is out; 40% fewer hard copies were printed.  It will soon be available on the website. e) Construction updates:  Student Union asbestos removal begins Dec. 9.  Wellness Center is on schedule and may actually be finished by April.  University Bookstore opens in Rogers/Jefferson in the first week of December.  f)  Dr. Rice will retire effective 1/01/2005.  Dr. Foust has been appointed interim Provost until a search can be completed.

From Provost Becker:

1.   Nametags may not be in our desired format, due to space limitations.

2.   (Motion 2004-09-02) Sayre will probably continue to be included in our P/T process.  The administration feels confident that future FUTPRCs will be cognizant of the differences between the Sayre and Weatherford missions and teaching loads.

3.   (Motion 2004-09-03) Deans will look at our motion on written policy for summer teaching and submit their opinion to the Provost for a decision.  (Motion 2004-09-04) Dr. Rice will submit an alternative policy to us regarding date of contract for summer teaching.

4.   (Motion 2004-09-07) Definition of “early finals:”  Faculty are free to administer finals to individual students at their discretion as long as the final is given during finals week.  No finals may be given before finals week.

5.   (Motion 2004-09-10) Dr. Rice will ask that the policy for making loans to cover expected financial aid be publicized in the “administrative drop” letter.  She does not think it prudent (or legal) to tell students that they may attend class if dropped.

 

 

 

B.  FS Secretary/Treasurer Dr. Johnson:  Report was made my Nancy Penner for Jason Johnson:

1.  Roll Sheet and Roster. Signed

                        2.  Treasurer’s Report. BancFirst Checking Account Balance: $1,691.48

                             University Account Balance: $211.46

                              Grand Total: $1,902.94

 

            C.  FS President Dr. Logan: No report

 

            D.  FS Past President Hayden:  No report

 

E.      FS Student Government Representative Justin Ohl: Absent

 

VI.       REPORTS FROM STANDING AND AD HOC COMMITTEES:

A.     University Policies (Issues sent to committee: final exam schedule, final enrollment date issue, campus reorganization)

FS Motion 2004-10-01

It was moved and seconded to accept the Spring 2005 Finals Schedule as presented.

Rotation of Finals Schedule (including multi-sections that begin prior to 6:30p.m.) will be as follows:

Ž    Tuesday will rotate to Thursday

Ž    The MWF final at the end of finals week for one semester moves forward to the earliest MWF time during the following semester (rotates clockwise for that time)

Ž    6:30p.m. or later scheduled exams will not rotate

Ž    Multi-sections are at off peak class times

Ž    There are 2 multi-sections for English Comp

Every finals schedule will include the semester exam policies from the Faculty and Student Handbooks.

Modify #9 of the Faculty and Student Handbooks for “Semester Exam Policies” to read

9.   NO EARLY FINALS. Early finals are any final given prior to 8:30a.m. on the Thursday of finals week. (Lab finals are scheduled prior to finals week.)

 

 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


The motion passed by voice vote.

FS Motion 2004-10-02

It was moved and seconded that the final date to enroll or add classes for each semester will be the end of the 5th day of classes from the date university class work begins. Exempt from this deadline will be self-study, continuing education, and 2nd eight-week classes. Overrides for late enrollment will required the signature of the course instructor and the chair/associate dean. This date will be published in all literature and web resources provided to current and prospective students.

 

Rationale: Faculty evidence shows a strong link between attendance and class performance. Students beginning class more than one week late have a higher failure rate that adversely affects retention. Allowing students to enroll more than one week late send a message to students that they are not missing significant work in the first week of class and supports an attitude that class attendance does not have value.

 

Proposed Implementation Date:  Fall 2005

 

 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


The motion passed by voice vote.

 

FS Motion 2004-10-03

It was moved and seconded that the University Policies Committee begin developing a survey of faculty concerning opinions and attitudes about the campus reorganization.

 

 
 

 

 

 

 

 


The motion passed by voice vote.

 

VII.     UNFINISHED BUSINESS: None

 

VIII.    NEW BUSINESS:

 

A.     Online Enrollment:

Many emails with questions have been received.  The questions were forwarded to the Provost.

From the Provost:  Enrollment is now the students’ responsibility. Grades will be recorded through Campus Connect Faculty Access.  More instructions on recording grades will be provided later.

Questions to be asked of the Provost: Could instructions for removing flags for freshman be provided? When will the degree audit function be available?

 

                  B.   Faculty Development Proposal:

FS Motion 2004-10-04

It was moved and seconded the faculty development proposal not be accepted.

Faculty Development Proposal: A presentation around February 2005 by Dr. Dee Fink, Director of the Instructional Development Program at OU. The cost is estimated at $1,500-$2,000. The topic will be on one or both of the following:

            1.   “DESIGNING COURSES FOR MORE SIGNIFICATANT STUDENT LEARNING”

o       This workshop examines the role of course design in the overall act of teaching, and then leads participants through a new way of designing courses that is the subject of his book (Creating Significant Learning Experiences, published by Jossey-Bass, February 2003)

o       Length: Half-day, and whole-day, versions are offered.

            2.   “SO, WHAT IS GOOD TEACHING AND HOW CAN WE PROMOTE MORE OF IT?”

o       This workshop is intended for campus leaders (administrators and senior faculty as well as faculty developers. It lays out a new vision of what constitutes good teaching and identifies what colleges and universities can do to promote more of it.

o       Lays a good foundation for administrator/faculty dialogue, which can be built into the workshop

o       Length: Half-day.

 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


                The Motion failed by voice vote.

 

 

 

 

The motion failed by voice vote.

 

FS Motion 2004-10-05

It was moved and seconded that Dr. Fink present the second Faculty Development Workshop, “So, What is Good Teaching and How Can We Promote More of It?”

 

 
 

 

 

 

 


The motion passed by voice vote.

 

 

 

 

 

FS Motion 2004-10-06

It was moved and seconded to designate quizzes as NOT a violation of dead days and change #10 of the Faculty and Student Finals Exam policy to

            10. Students unable to meet the regular examination schedules will may receive an “I” (Incomplete) and will have the next full semester in which they are enrolled to complete their work.

 

 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

FS Motion 2004-10-07

It was moved and seconded to table FS Motion 2004-10-06 and send it to the University Policies Committee.

 

 
 

 

 

 

 


The motion passed by voice vote.

 

Question for the Provost: Can specific Faculty Development events be made mandatory?

 

C.  Further Business

 

Ž    An Abstention Vote for the Continuance Process is considered a negative vote.

Ž    Concerning the FUTPRC and comments from lower levels in the process: The comments from each level are sent to the Committee, the Committee makes comments, and then all of the comments are sent to the Provost who summarizes them and presents them to the candidate.

 

IX.       ADJOURNMENT: 

            With no further business, the meeting adjourned at 3:06pm.

 

Next Faculty Senate meeting:  November 19, 2004, 2:00 PM  Location—Stafford 104.

 

Respectfully submitted,

 

 

 

_________________________                                  __________________________

James South, President                                             Nancy Buddy Penner for Jason Johnson, Secretary