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FACULTY SENATE MINUTES, February 6, 2015
3:00-4:45 P.M., Lynett Boardroom
Senators present: Dhanapati Adhikari, Jen Barna, Sr. Gail Cabral, Bill Conlogue, Frank DeMatteo, John DePoe, Chris Fryer, Lynn Hutchings, Sarah Kenehan, Tom Kent, Sr. Angela Kim, Maggie McManus, Chris Medley, David Palmiter, Michelle Sitko, Charles Truitt, Stephanie Wise, Shelby Yeager
Others present: Lisa Antoniacci, Amanda Avery, Lauren Burrows, Estelle Campenni, Brooke Cannon, Jay Clymer, Ed Crawley, Annette Fisher, Craig Johnson, Zaixin Lu, Ed O’Brien, Lindsey Wotanis, Mary Ann Zimmer
Minutes submitted by: Bill Conlogue
TOPIC / DISCUSSION / ACTIONREVIEW OF MINUTES FROM January 16, 2015 MEETING / The sentence “The Strategic Issues Task Force was not mentioned” was cut from item #3 in the “Executive Council updates” section of the 16 January 2015 minutes. / Minutes were approved as revised.
Kathleen Ruthkosky, Associate Vice President for Planning and Institutional Effectiveness
Proposals from Committee on Rank and Tenure
Faculty Morale Survey report
Academic Council report
AAUP update
Executive Council update
Academic Computing Advisory Committee proposal
Other updates / Kathleen Ruthkosky, Associate Vice President for Planning and Institutional Effectiveness, updated Faculty Senate on electronic course evaluations, the Hanover report, and the Middle States self-study.
1) The Office of Planning and Institutional Effectiveness (OPIE) is working on solving problems related to the switch to electronic course evaluations. Senators discussed questions related to confidentiality, availability of necessary technology, distribution of evaluations to students, and reporting results to faculty members. It was stressed that electronic course evaluations are to be completed in the classroom. Compared to last year, OPIE received 2,000 fewer evaluations in the fall; the reason is unknown. Rates of return in traditional class formats were approximately 75%. Response rates of hybrid classes were lower.
2) Planning and Institutional Effectiveness received on February 6 the results of the Hanover surveys of administration, faculty, staff, and students. The report, which has been posted to the Marywood portal, reveals that communication is an issue on campus, as is lack of transparency in the budgetary process.
3) Progress on the Middle States self-study was delayed by the late arrival of the Hanover report. Subcommittee reports are now due to the Middle States Steering Committee on March 1. The Steering Committee will bring the subcommittee reports together in a single document that will be available in fall 2015 for review through a series of focus groups. The Middle States site visit is scheduled for spring 2016.
Senators discussed eight proposals submitted by the Committee on Rank and Tenure. The Senate added a proposal to the list, which is to be forwarded to the Rank and Tenure Committee for its consideration.
Another set of proposals from the Committee on Rank and Tenure will be discussed at a future Senate meeting.
Tom Kent offered an overview of the Faculty Morale Survey report, which confirms that morale among faculty is very low. The survey had a 60% response rate.
The report reveals that the faculty has serious concerns about issues related to shared governance, institutional planning, and financial decision making. The report also revealed that faculty members value their relationships with their colleagues.
The sense of the Senate was that the report should be discussed further after it receives the report of the Ad Hoc Committee on Shared Governance. (See “Announcements,” #3, below.)
Bill Conlogue offered a report about the January 22 Academic Council meeting. The university recently saved $100,000 when it cancelled courses that enrolled fewer than ten students. Part of the savings has been placed in the Faculty Development fund, which is now $3,000 in arrears. The Council also discussed processes related to CASE awards. The Council heard that recent Open House numbers are up and that the number of applications has increased. When asked by Council to share concerns from the faculty, Bill Conlogue pointed to the following: shared governance, institutional planning, cost of the Learning Commons, the cut to retirement, and the cut of half-year sabbaticals.
Brooke Cannon offered an update of the activities of the Marywood chapter of AAUP. The chapter’s Facebook page is active. Other colleges in the area have chapters; collaborations are possible. The chapter has requested from the administration access to the faculty listserv and the use of campus space. The chapter and Faculty Senate continue to explore the relationship between the two bodies.
At the Executive Council meeting on February 2, the president announced that at its most recent meeting the Association of Catholic Colleges and Universities celebrated Marywood and its centennial.
Mike Mirabito, chair of the Academic Computing Advisory Committee, will meet on February 9 with several senators to discuss the feasibility of requiring students to bring to campus a laptop or tablet. The senators: Lisa Antoniacci, Bill Conlogue, Jim Frutchey, Frank DeMatteo, Chris Medley, and Shelby Yeager.
Faculty Senate heard and discussed updates from various committees and faculty members.
1) Amanda Avery, chair of the Learning Commons Committee, updated Senate on the committee’s recent forum about the Learning Commons. An attendee of the forum noted that many of the 25 people who gathered at the meeting work in the library or in the Communication Arts Department. She encouraged faculty members from other departments to attend future forums. A senator pointed out that the forums are all scheduled for Thursday, which prohibits faculty members who teach on Thursday from attending. The Learning Commons Committee will discuss holding future forums on different days.
2) TIAA-CREF financial planning meetings continue to fill. A faculty member noted that it is possible to telephone TIAA-CREF to discuss matters with a representative. A senator pointed out that the cut to retirement hurts some faculty members disproportionately, especially those nearing retirement. The cut has damaged the financial situation of people who cannot afford to make up losses that they absorbed due to the cut.
3) Craig Johnson, chair of the Negotiations Team, announced that his committee met with the administration on January 27. The next meeting is scheduled for March 3. / The vote to approve the proposals of the Committee on Rank and Tenure as revised: 16 in favor; none opposed; two abstentions.
The Senate tabled discussion of the report.
Announcements / Bill Conlogue announced the following:
1) Alex Dawoody, Vice President of Senate, is away from campus this semester. Tom Kent will serve as interim Vice President for the remainder of the academic year. Sr. Gail Cabral will serve as interim at-large Senator for the remainder of the academic year. The position of second alternate for at-large senators is vacant.
2) The Committee on Justice and Peace (Dhanapati Adhikari, Marie Bonavoglia, and Patrick Martin) met to discuss ways that the university could be more proactive in engaging students in meaningful conversations about justice and peace as responses to the violence happening in the nation and around the world. The committee will offer a report to Senate at the April 10 meeting.
3) Faculty Senate may hold an extra meeting, on February 27, to discuss the report of the Ad Hoc Committee on Shared Governance.
ADJOURNMENT / Adjournment: 4:45 p.m.