March 2017
March 2017
FACULTY REPRESENTATIVE ASSEMBLY MEETING
March 10, 2017
Attendance: Venkat Reddy, Susan Szpyrka, David Moon, Heather Albanesi, Maja Krakowiak, Monique French, Norah Mazel, Andrea Hutchins, Tom Zwirlein, Rhonda Glazier, Jay Dawes, Jill Bradley-Geist, Matt Metzger, Pam Carter, Jugal Kalita, Michelle Dorne, Suzanne Cook, Greg Oman, Stephen Carter, Leilani Feliciano, Monica Yoo, Jeff Montez de Oca, Catherine Grandorff, Dave Anderson, Jackie Berning
Call to Order / Approval of Minutes:
Motion to approve the minutes from February 10, 2017 meeting by Pam Carter
Seconded by Rhonda Glazier
Motion passed unanimously with 15 in favor, 0 opposed and 0 abstentions
Reports of Visitors:
Venkat Reddy, Interim Chancellor:
Lots of exciting things are happening around campus, especially given the fact that he's following a chancellor who was in that role for 15 years and who picked up the momentum from the start and it continues on. Some of the focus items are: 1) continue to expand online programs - 14% of our SCH are online classes; 2) construction projects - ENT Center is coming along fine for a February 2018 opening with move-in starting next Fall, and the start of the planning and building project of the Hybl Sports Center; 3) Cybersecurity project in the TRW building, which is a state initiative - we're the owners of the building and we will be involved in the behavioral aspects of this consortium project. The HLC accreditation report came back and we passed successfully for another ten years of accreditation. We have a new B.S./B.I. degree in Data Analytics & Systems Engineering (DASE) in the college of Engineering & Applied Science. Our baseball team won their inaugural home game. The women's Lacrosse team was victorious. The women's basketball team won their very first RMAC Championship. The CU Women's Committee Annual Summit, the CU Diversity Summit and the Sustainnovate Conference were all recently held on campus and were very successful events. Strategic planning with the Board of Regents went very well and our four Administrator Road Shows around campus were very well-received. We are not slowing down. Everyone needs to know where we're going and how we organize for success in the future. We are all inter-connected and need to treat each other with respect, compassion and an assurance of safety. We will look at faculty workloads associated with campus growth along with balanced research and teaching. We need to plan according to the dialogue of our direction and agree on our core mission.
Susan Szpyrka, Sr. Vice Chancellor for Administration & Finance:
We are doing some revisions to the fiscal year 2018 budget and reviewing what is happening with the international student component. The new budget will go to the Board of Regents in April. We are very tuition-dependent, especially since the cuts from state funding. CU Boulder is concerned about their drop in international students as well and they're opening up to more national non-resident admissions. We, in turn, are looking to a more conservative enrollment estimate for budget planning. There are three pieces of legislation we're watching to see what kinds of outcomes might happen which could affect higher ed state funding, but it is too early to tell much now.
David Moon, Senior Associate Vice Chancellor for Undergraduate Education & Academic Planning:
The faculty Assessment Summit will be held on Friday, April 7, 3pm - 5pm, in the Daniels K-12 Room (this room). The guest speaker is Dr. Karen Black, who is the Director of Assessment at the University of Northern Colorado. She will discuss the current state and future of assessment in academia and lead a broad-ranging discussion of the future of assessment at UCCS. You don't have to be an assessment enthusiast to come; we want and need feedback from faculty in order to move forward. The College of Engineering & Applied Science has completed two cycles of electronic dossiers. There is some work needed on the technology of the process, but the concept is sound. Digital Measures is launching a new module to work better with electronic documents - the Deans and colleges support it. Cybersecurity is an issue to be addressed. There is assistance for those faculty converting to electronic dossiers.
Heather Albanesi, Associate Professor/Chair of Sociology:
She would like to propose a Faculty Disability Committee be established at UCCS. CU Denver has one as well as Faculty Council. It could be either a regular standing committee or an advisory committee. The students already have representation in this area, but it is also needed for faculty and staff. Some of the committee goals could include assessing needs and having safe space, providing resources for faculty and staff, working with Human Resources/ADA coordinator and their committee in order to cover important issues and not duplicate efforts, and ensuring fairness in recruitment and retention of faculty with disabilities.
Officer Reports:
Vice-President's Report
Thank you for submitting nominations for Faculty Assembly next year; the elections will be held March 20 - March 24
Past President's Report
No report
Reports from Standing Committees:
Faculty Advisory Committee on the Budget
Faculty Minority Affairs Committee
Library:
Not present - no report
Intercollegiate Athletics:
Construction will begin in April on the new athletic facilities on North Nevada, which will have an indoor track and baseball field; our student athletes continue to hold high GPAs and have a better retention rate than our non-athlete students.
Sustainability:
Not present - no report
PRIDE:
Not present - no report
Misconduct in Research, Scholarship & Creative Activities:
Have not met yet; will be meeting in April
Reports from Representatives:
Miscellaneous items:
1. LAS lecturers are very unhappy, underpaid and over-worked.
2. The FCQ project is going forward with another pilot this semester; they are looking at customization and different administration dates; they are not sure which instrument to use; they are also looking at real-time response rates.
3. A discussion was held concerning Starfish e-mail alerts.
UNFINISHED BUSINESS:
None
NEW BUSINESS:
Motion:
The Committee on Misconduct in Research, Scholarship, and Creative Activities moves to approve its bylaws.
(Motion passed with 17 in favor, 0 opposed and 3 abstentions)
Discussion Item 1:
The topic of unauthorized filming and sharing of classes or course materials was discussed. Do we need a policy? Where should it be? We should protect copyright laws of others' material. The course syllabus should have a statement regarding regulations with consequences outlined for class violations. A policy gives more protection campus-wide. EPUS will work on this.
Discussion Item 2:
Feedback on the 2004 memo "Guidelines for Externally-Funded Changes to Faculty Work Assignments," which was supposed to be reviewed by May 31, 2008 by Faculty Assembly; please review with your college faculty and get any feedback to EPUS within 2 weeks - before Spring Break.
Discussion Item 3:
Introduction to revised draft of the Guidelines and Procedures for Research Misconduct Allegations to be discussed at the April meeting. The faculty comments on an earlier draft, gathered in 2016, are also attached. Please review with your college faculty and bring any feedback to the April Faculty Assembly meeting. Keep in mind that both regent and federal policy prohibit a lot of changes.
Adjournment:
Motion to adjourn the Faculty Assembly Meeting by Pam Carter
Seconded by Dave Anderson
Motion passed unanimously
Meeting adjourned at 2:00 p.m.