Academic Policy Committee Report – Annual Report 2015-16

Membership: Jim Beets, Chair; Erik Cleveland, CAFNRM; Jeanie Flood, Nursing; Chris Frueh, Psychology; Kirsten Mollegaard, English

The Academic Policy Committee completed several tasks during the academic year, including review, discussion, action/input on referred motions. The following motions were referred by Faculty Congress to APC, which action/input returned to Faculty Congress for approval:

-Motion for Forming an Ad Hoc Committee to Review the Guidelines for Contract Renewal, Promotion, and Tenure and Update Relative to the 2015-2017 Agreement – Sept 18, 2016

In review of the 2015-17 UHPA Contract, no changes were noted in the text related to tenure and promotion in the new contract compared to the 2009-15 UHPA Contract. No changes to the Guidelines are recommended.

-Motion to have the APC develop a classroom recording policy – Sept 19, 2016

The APC identified the following items:

1) The option of recording lectures in the classroom is required under the 1973 Rehabilitation Act and the Americans With Disabilities Act. The student request form is available online:

2) The 2015-17 UHPA contract provides the following information on recording lectures.

ARTICLE XI, INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY, PATENTS AND COPYRIGHTS

  1. CLASSROOM LECTURES AND THE RECORDING OF PRESENTATIONS

Faculty Members shall own all rights to materials prepared on their own initiative for classroom, educational or professional purposes, and shall be exclusively entitled to the benefit of any royalties derived therefrom. For personal educational purposes, students may record classroom lectures or other presentations, using tape recorders or other electronic or mechanical devices, unless the Faculty Member denies permission for such recording. Permission shall not be denied when the student requires such devices as the result of a physical disability.

The following Classroom Recording Policy was created and presented at the Feb 2016 meeting. This policy can be copied and modified for addition to faculty syllabi, as needed.

Students may record using various media during class for their own study purposes provided they have obtained permission from the instructor prior to recording in class. The recordings may not be shared and may not be posted on-line, e.g., YouTube, or on other social media.

-Motion for Faculty Congress Charter change to provide for a non-voting Graduate Council Faculty Congress Representative – Reviewed and provided modifications. Passed Oct 16, 2015

-Motion to revise the Graduate Programs Curriculum Pathway Flowchart notes to include written acknowledgement by any relevant Units –Reviewed and provided modifications. Passed Nov 20, 2015

-Motion for creation of a Campus-wide Task Force to Study the Reorganization of Academic Units at UH Hilo – Nov 20, 2015

The APC conducted a search for policies or guidelines for reorganization. The following UH System Policy was identified and forwarded to the VCAA and Task Force.

-Administrative Procedure A3.101 - University of Hawai‘i Organizational and Functional Changes

-Motion to change the Faculty Congress Charter to allow for a single voting representative from UHHSA to Faculty Congress. Reviewed and recommended changes. PassedDec 18, 2015

-Four Motions from the Advising Task Force

Reviewed the four motions and recommended modifications. Motions (4) passed Dec 18, 2015

-Motion for Faculty Development Standing Committee (Change in Faculty Congress Bylaws)

Reviewed motion and Bylaws change; recommended additional modification. Passed April 15, 2016

Additional activities of the APC during the academic year:

- Outline of Robert’s Rules of Order – Motions Adopted by Faculty Congress Nov 2015

Doug Mikkelson and Jim Beets drafted and provided an outline of ‘Robert’s Rule of Order – Motions’ to Faculty Congress, which was adopted and was to be linked to the FC website for future use.

- Review of UHH College Senate Bylaws alignment and recommendations.

The APC initiated significant effort duringthis academic year andreceived copies of all Bylaws from all UHH College Senates for review. This effort was suspended when UHH Reorganization Process was established and the Reorganization Task Force was initiated. Following the conclusion of the Reorganization Process, it is recommended that this effort be re-activated.