Faculty
Senate Annual Report 2007-2008
ECOS Members:
Louis Hayes, Political Science, Chair (2008)
Andrew Ware, Physics & Astronomy, Chair-elect(2009)
Jean Luckowski, Curriculum & Instruction (2008)
Steve McCann, Mansfield Library (2009)
Michael Monsos, Drama (2008) Resigned
Jean Carter, Pharmacy Practice (2008) Replacement
John Eglin, History (2009)
Libby Knott, Math (2009)
Goals of the Faculty Senate
Focus on Communication, coordination and cooperation
·
Facilitate
revisions to general education program
The revised General Education framework was approved at the 10/11/07 meeting.
Criteria and Learning goals were presented at the 4/10/08 meeting. There was an open forum on 4/16/08. There were many concerns expressed regarding
Ethics and Human Values Perspective- revisions were made. Procedures for next
year’s review of courses were discussed.
·
Facilitate
improvements to the writing program
The Writing Committee improved the Writing Course Guidelines document and
drafted catalog language. These
documents should be ready to go to the Senate early next fall.
·
Review
Unit Standards Committee procedures
ECOS met with the Chair of the Unit
Standards Committee. Procedures were an information item at the 3/13/08 Faculty
Senate meeting. (Document appended-#1)
·
Review
adequacy of oversight procedures with respect to Centers and similar entities
The Center Policy was amended – http://www.umt.edu/facultysenate/FSDocuments/FSDocs07-08/CentersAmend11-07.html
Centers reviewed and approved included:
Bureau of Business
and Economic Research- recommendation
Center for Riverine Science and Stream Re-naturalization
Montana Cooperative
Wildlife Research Unit
Montana Geriatric Education
Center
Stella Duncan
Memorial Research Institute
Montana Forest and
Conservation Experimental Station
The Flathead Biological station review is still pending because a budget form
was not submitted.
·
Invite
committees under Senate oversight, and others engaged in activities of concern
to the faculty, to meet with ECOS
ECOS requested written reports and suggested meeting if there was information
that needed clarification.
·
Welcome
new Provost and establish communication, coordination and cooperation
The Provost co-hosted the Faculty Senate Social after the first meeting, met
with ECOS several times and communicated regularly at the Faculty Senate
·
Active
involvement in the search for a graduate school dean
Two members from Graduate Council were on the search
committee for the new associate provost of graduate studies. The Council as a whole met with each
candidate.
·
Review
status and progress of all new academic programs
Three-year interim assessment guidelines and procedures were approved on
4/10/08. (Document appended #2)
·
Assess the
effectiveness of the procedures for the evaluations of the administration
Evaluation conducted using select survey.
There was a 20% response rate. Comments from faculty indicate that two
additional administrators ( Ray Ford, Chief
Information Officer, and Associate Provost Walker-Andrews) should be added to
the evaluation in 2010.
·
Review the
ratio of upper-division and lower-division credits for graduation
ASCRC surveyed departments and researched the issue. It drafted a report that was
presented to the Faculty Senate 5/1/08.
·
Develop
online course guidelines and best practices
Principles for Quality Online Courses were approved 2/14/08 (Document appended
#3)
ECOS
met with ASCRC and the new Director of Online Education, Keith Lynip regarding
the document. The Director also provided
ECOS with a draft Online Course Development Policy and Process Recommendation
for input. The Online Committee will be
working with the new director to develop best practices.
·
Review
efforts of the joint Ethics Committee
ECOS
considered the recommendations of the Joint Ethics Committee and proposed
revisions to the statement (revised draft below)–
information item at the 4/10/08 meeting.
Statement of Ethical Principles
As members of the University of
Montana Community, we aspire to:
o
Respect the dignity and rights of all
persons.
o
Practice honesty, trustworthiness, and
academic integrity.
o
Promote justice, learning, individual
success, and service.
o
Be good stewards of institutional
resources.
o
Respect the natural environment.
·
Review
repeat fee issue
Resolution was passed at the Faculty Senate at the 2/14/08 meeting. (Document appended #4) The way repeat course
grades are calculated in the GPA was removed from the resolution and the Senate
directed ASCRC to address the issue. ECOS met with the Provost to discuss the fee. The administration will not support the
removal of the fee, but would like to come up with a solution that does not
involve a loss in revenue. Most likely there will be a fee charged to all students
repeating a course, not just those removing the first grade from their GPA
calculation.
·
Review
possibility of transitioning to departmental representation on the Senate
Several options were presented at
the 4/10/08 Faculty Senate meeting.
Additional Business Items:
·
Committee nominations
·
Curriculum review and related items from
ASCRC and Graduate Council
·
Service Award – Jeff Green, Political
Science
·
Sabbatical/Leave Bylaw Amendment – approved 10/11/07
(Document appended #5)
·
New Academic Policy: Work Life and Spousal
Employment – approved 10/11/07 (http://www.umt.edu/Policies/academic/work_life.htm)
·
International Baccalaureate (Document
appended #6)
Provost Engstrom proposed that the University grant sophomore standing to students
who received an International Baccalaureate diploma. The Senate amended the language to allow for
a maximum of 30 credits and changed the accepted scores from four to five. It also eliminated the specific general
education equivalences.
·
Honorary Degree Candidates – approved at
the 2/14/08 meeting
·
Advanced Placement – approved 4/10/08 (Document
appended #7)
The Senate requested that ECOS review the Advanced Placement Policy. Many faculty are
concerned that even high scores on AP exam don’t necessarily indicate
proficiency in the subject matter of the courses.
·
Resolution from the Faculty Library
Committee – approved 4/10/08 (Document appended #8)
·
ECOS met with College of Arts and
Sciences Dean canddiates
·
Chair and Chair-Elect attended Board of
Regents, Executive Planning Council and Strategic Budgeting and Planning Committee
meetings
·
Last year’s Chair Ametsbichler and
Administrative Associate made a goodwill visit to the newly created Faculty
Senate at the Helena College of Technology.
Communication Items:
·
Suicide Prevention Program
ECOS was updated on the new suicide prevention program from Directors of the
Curry Health Center and Counseling and Psychological services.
·
Common Course Numbering
ECOS members attended a joint
meeting with ASCRC, and representatives from the Commissioner’s Office and two
Regents on 2/12/08. The 2007
Legislature appropriated $1.5 million to the MUS to “fix” the transferability
problem. The Commissioner’s Office is
moving forward with a common course numbering initiative. Courses that are
significantly similar based on content and breadth, will receive identical
prefix, course number, and title.
Faculty Councils or discipline committees will decide which courses are
significantly similar. The Councils will
review course content, breadth, and expected outcomes. How professors meet
course outcomes is still flexible (academic freedom). Common course numbers,
titles, and outcomes should be established for 22 disciplines by September 8th.
·
Recruitment
ECOS met with VP Branch and Jed Liston.
Student Affairs would like faculty to assist in recruitment by reaching
out to prospective students.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Appended Document #1
University Standards Committee Operational
Procedures
and Guidelines for Unit Standards Review
The role of the University Standards
Committee (heretofore USC) is to assure that unit standards are clear and at a
minimum meet the standards outlined in the Collective Bargaining Agreement
(CBA). USC must approve any proposed changes in accordance with the CBA. A copy
of the approved standards and any communications to the unit should be filed in
the Faculty Senate Office. The process outlined below is to be understood jointly
with the CBA. Units are requested to keep unit standards concise and limit
description of procedural details in the unit standards document.
Timeline:
|
Sept. 15 |
Provost informs units (dept. chairs)
that the unit’s standards will be reviewed during the academic year. |
Unit standards are up for review
every five years (CBA 10.250). |
|
Nov. 30 |
The unit sends an electronic and a
paper copy of unit standards that need to be reviewed to the Provost. The
paper copy has to be signed by the department chair and the dean. |
The Provost promptly sends the
electronic copy to the Faculty Senate Office for distribution to members of
the USC. The Provost may send comments to the USC. Unit standards received
after this deadline will be reviewed in the following academic year. |
|
Feb. 15 |
USC reviews and
signs unit standards and/or informs unit, dean and Provost of changes to be
made to the document. The Faculty Senate Office maintains files of
communications to units. |
If suggested changes are substantial,
USC may inform the unit that the department chair and dean should again sign
the revised unit standards document |
|
March 15 |
Unit forwards adjusted standards
document to Provost. |
In the adjusted document submitted to
the Provost, units are required to underline changes made to the document
based on USC requests. |
|
April 1 |
Provost approves unit standards
and/or informs unit, dean and USC of changes to be made to the document. The
effective date of reviewed unit standards is usually 12 months after the
approval by the Provost (CBA 10.250). Approved standards are posted to the
Academic Affairs website. |
If suggested changes are substantial,
as deemed by the chair of the USC, USC may request to having to approve and
sign the revised document |
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Appended Document #2
Three-Year Interim
Assessment of New Academic Programs
The review for new
programs should adhere to the following outline:
Procedure:
·
This applies to new programs
including free standing minors/certificates (Level II proposals)
o
If the program is in a department
that is scheduled for review within three years of approval, interim assessment
is not necessary.
·
Academic Affairs will request the
documentation and submit to ECOS (parallel time-line to current program review
process)
·
ECOS will review the documentation
and determine whether to follow-up with program representatives and/or involve
ASCRC or Graduate Council.
·
Feedback will be provided to the
program and Academic Affairs as necessary.
·
The Faculty Senate Chair will report
the results of the assessment to the Faculty Senate
Programs and free-standing minors
identified for assessment:
|
Senate
Approval Date |
Program |
Assessment |
Program
Review |
Comments |
|
|
Asian
Studies Minor |
2009-2010 |
|
|
|
|
Russian
Studies Minor |
2009-2010 |
|
|
|
1998 |
Women
and Gender Studies Minor |
2009-2010 |
|
|
|
11/8/01 |
African
American Studies Minor |
2009-2010 |
|
|
|
12/9/04 |
Military
Studies Minor |
2009-2010 |
|
|
|
11/18/04-2/10/05 |
MA
Public Health |
2010-2011 |
|
|
|
4/14/05 |
Minor
Central and Southwest Asian Studies |
|
Anthropology |
Assessment
not necessary |
|
11/10/05 |
BA
Media Arts |
|
2010-2011 |
Assessment
not necessary |
|
12/7/06 |
Communicative
Science and Disorders |
2010-2011 |
2012-2013 |
|
|
2/7/06 |