December 2006

December 8, 2006

 

Attendance: Bob Durham, Ron Fitz, Pamela Shockley, Glenda Reimer,Tom Zwirlein, Ceil Malek, Tom Napierkowski, Dick Discenza, Jim Henderson, Pam Carter, Jim Null, Kelli Klebe, Jackie Berning, Peg Bacon, Jenenne Nelson, Judith Rice-Jones, Valerie Brodar, Sue Byerley, Leslie Manning

 

Call to Order / Approval of Minutes:

 

Motion to approve the minutes from November 2006 by Jim Null

Seconded by Jackie Berning

 

Reports of Visitors:

 

Peg Bacon:

The academic strategic master plan goals were presented to the Board of Regents. They will vote on them in Januaryattached). EPUS has approved the goals. The goals were developed around three questions:

 

1) What new academic programs and initiatives should UCCS create and why?

2) What existing academic programs could be enhanced or redirected to better meet regional, state and national needs?

3) What ways can university community partnerships be strengthened and enhanced?

 

We are in the beginning stages of looking at strategies and tactics. There is an effort underway to bring all the planning activities on campus (Facilities, Sustainability, Diversity, Student Success Plan) together to present to the campus this spring.

 

Kee Warner would like your input on the Diversity Strategic Plan. Kee is planning to talk about the plan in January.

 

Some new degree proposals have gone forth. Two new degrees have been approved: a bachelor of innovation and a bachelor in criminal justice. A Ph.D in educational leadership was recently approved by the Board of Regents. LAS will be getting a BA in Women?s and Ethnic Studies in the spring and a Ph.D. in applied science and math.

 

The Faculty retreat, Seasons of Academic Life, is scheduled for Friday, January 26 from 8:00 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the Lodge.

 

Jim Henderson:

UCCS was awarded $100,000 in Daniels Opportunity Fund grant money for returning military students.

Jackie Berning has set up meetings between UCCS science faculty and the science department at Manitou High School to discuss how high school students can prepare to succeed in college. The University is interested in developing similar collaborations with other high schools.

 

The new Student Multi-Cultural Affairs office is now in the University Center in the old TV lounge area.

 

The latest retention data on first year students now includes where these students went. Our retention rate dropped from 67% to 63%. Forty percent of the students who do not come back are not listed as going to other academic institutions.

 

The focus on retention here at UCCS is not about reduced expectations for academic performance. Our goal is make sure students are prepared for college classes.

Pam Shockley:

The regents will be on our campus for a forum next semester. Regent Steve Ludwig is a UCCS alum.

 

A committee will be formed to provide input on design features and sustainability issues of the Nevada re-development project.

 

We will be starting to define the over-arching goals in the strategic plan in late January. We hope to have them vetted by Faculty assembly by the end of March.

 

The process of evaluating administrators needs to be reviewed.  There is a need for continuous valid input from faculty and staff.   EPUS will begin studying ways to make the evaluation process more constructive.

 

 

Officer Reports (system wide):

 

President's Report attached

 

Vice President's Report

No Report

 

Past President's Report

No Report

 

 

Reports From Standing Committees:

 

EPUS: Report

The committee is working on the academic strategic plans as well as the academic ethics code.

 

Finance

No Report

 

Personnel and Benefits

Minutes attached

 

Minority Affairs Committee

Minutes attached

 

Women's Committee

No Report

 

Academic Computing

No Report

 

Non Tenured Track Faculty

Minutes attached New NTTF representative to faculty assembly starting this spring, Susanne Cook. Ceil and Pam have been serving on chancellor?s salary task force and the NTTF task force.

 

Research Council

No Report

 

Library

The committee has requested that Faculty Assembly support an 8% increase of general fund money for the library to cover projected inflationary costs for materials. Dick Discenza distributed a chart showing the difference between the actual budget allocations versus the proposed budget. The library would like Faculty Assembly to recommend the 8% increase. Attached

 

Teaching Excellence Committee

No Report

 

Sustainability Committee

No report

 

Athletic Department

The men?s basketball team is having one of its best years in the history of UCCS.

The new bleachers are in the gym.

 

OLD BUSINESS

None

 

 

NEW BUSINESS

President Hank Brown has asked the Chancellors on each campus to begin a discussion on how we define academic rigor. This request grew out of a discussion about grade inflation and whether or not student transcripts should include a class ranking. Some issues that we might want to consider are:

1) Faculty qualifications including their research records and academic credentials.

2) The percentage of our students who go on to graduate school and medical school.

3) Scores on professional exams.

4) Grade inflation

5) Assessment reports

 

The Chancellor will meet with the Board of Regents this spring to report on how this campus is examining academic rigor.

 

On behalf of EPUS Kelli Klebe asked the assembly to respond to a web site (www.insidehighered.com/news/2006/11/28/idaho) where a professor asks students to sign a statement saying that they know there may be offensive material in a film course. Apparently some people have seen this as an infringement on academic freedom. After a short discussion, it was generally agreed that the Assembly does not have any issue with this method of informing students in advance.

 

Motion: Library Committee Draft Resolution to increase the Library Budget.

The UCCS Faculty Assembly requests that the Kraemer Family Library?s annual allocation for materials acquisitions receive an inflationary increase of 8% annually beginning in FY 07-08 for the next five years, without negative impact on the remainder of the library?s increases. This 8% will cover projected inflationary costs for materials from major publishers and provide some catch-up for previously unfunded inflationary costs. This is a high priority for the faculty for the next five years.

Motion approved unanimously

 

EPUS moves that the draft proposal of the Academic Strategic Plan be forwarded to the Faculty Assembly for discussion and approval.

Academic Strategic Plan attached

It was suggested a program to foster global understanding be added the plan.

Motion approved unanimously

 

 

Adjournment:

 

Motion to adjourn the Faculty Assembly Meeting

Motion passed unanimously.

Meeting adjourned at 2.00 pm.