Meeting of the TLU Faculty Association

Tuesday, September 9, 2014

9:30 AM, Dunne Conference Center

  1. Steve & Beth – Truthy Lutheran Update (TLU)
  2. Approval of the minutes of the 08/22/2014 faculty association meeting.
  3. VPAA’s report
  4. fairness and transparency in VPAA’s report
  5. Action: Vote on motion from General Education Committee regarding committee’s composition (discussed at 8/20 association meeting)
  6. Unanimously approved.
  7. Action: Vote on motion from Academic Council regarding Aviation Program (discussed at 8/20 association meeting)
  8. Unanimously approved.
  9. Discussion: Faculty Athletic Representative (Bob Jonas)
  10. 2 roles:

i.Take faculty concerns to athletic department

ii.Field concerns athletic department has in terms of academic issues

iii.Awareness of some athletes being punished for missing class due to a competition even though class absence policy says absences are excused.

  1. Discussion: Motions from General Education Committee
  2. The General Education Committee moves to eliminate the tracking and requirement of the Creative Thinking competency in Compass for all students.
  3. The General Education Committee moves to eliminate the tracking and requirement of the Oral Communication competency in Compass for all students.
  4. The General Education Committee moves to eliminate the tracking and requirement of the non-foundation Written Communication competency in Compass for all students.
  5. Will the departments who are not covering oral communication be notified?
  6. 75% of departments have oral communication
  7. Need a stronger voice to ensure that it happens in all departments; need a commitment across the board
  8. Not assessing it doesn't mean they are not getting it
  9. we won't know who is and who is getting it
  10. if we had commitment , we will change how we do it, could put it in supporting courses, not comfortable of eliminating unless we can commit 100%
  11. That would need to come from a different committee other than the general education committee
  12. courses are not full and students are avoiding competences
  13. 2 to 1 because not enough demand for courses
  14. Isn’t there a capstone for everyone?
  15. Students are not getting it in first 2 years
  16. Creative thinking is goal; difficult to convey what we are supposed to do
  17. Creative thinking is a different category
  18. It is weird to me that we are eliminating 2 of the strongest for employment. Can we have a competency only through departments?
  19. We have 16 competencies.
  1. We could handle the general education side by teaching an oral communication class.
  2. We could require and integrate from experts into our courses.
  3. Should be embedded in multiple classes across curriculum; General education is the first 2 years.
  4. Would be a strong QEP instead of general education.
  5. Are all learning basic writing in Comp 1 and 2?
  6. Will vote in a month.
  1. Announcements
  2. celebrating Hispanic heritage drumming with Nina and Puerto Rican folkloric dance on Wednesday, September 17th and Sunday, September 28th.
  3. turn off after you use projectors
  4. Pot luck for Sodexo Tuesday after fall break
  5. Oct 3 band concert
  6. repair fair in ASC on Wednesday, September 17th
  7. symposium Friday, September 19 at 5 p.m.
  8. check e-mail about a brown bag discussion on September 30th in TH 131 on incorporating oral skills into courses.
  9. Adjournment
  10. Next meeting: Tuesday, October 14th, 9:30 a.m., Dunne Conference Center

Submitted by Casi Helbig