Abstract of Jan. 10, 2011, Faculty Senate meeting

Western Today staff

January 11, 2011

Scott Pearce, Faculty Senate president, called the 2010-2011 Faculty Senate to order at 4:03 p.m. Senators accepted senate minutes of Nov. 22, 2010, and standing committee minutes.

Senators voted to eliminate delivery of senate packets and will print their own agenda, minutes and exhibits, which will be e-mailed to them as a PDF. Those who still with to receive a packet may request one.

Pearce reported:

  • A General Faculty Assembly on the International White Papers will be held Jan. 11 and 13 in SL Room 150 from 3 to 4 p.m.
  • John Lawson is invited to report on Blackboard (Bb).
  • Rich Van Den Hul and Nancy Philips quickly responded to problems with building access buttons.
  • Senators will discuss priority registration for athletes when more data is available.
  • Attendance policies will be reviewed, including proof of medical illness when students miss class or exams.
  • The provost is exploring ways of paying for Scantrons and seeking to clarify administrative titles, such as assistant dean, in the colleges.

Senators approved a resolution proposed by David Meyer that publicly thanks President Bruce Shepard and Provost  Catherine Riordan for their commitment to the practice of collaborative shared governance as exemplified by their elegant solution to preserving the Music Library.

President Shepard reported that cuts to Western’s operating budget may reach 5 to 7 percent. Shepard pointed out that state support had dropped below 30 percent to only $2,900 per student. Shepard supports the University Planning and Resource Council's processes in budget discussions. Shepard noted that differentiation among the baccalaureates is one of the strengths in this state, and bureaucratic attempts to make every school the same are damaging.

Provost Riordan reported:

  • Francis Halle has acoustically improved three classrooms in the Academic Instructional Center
  • If faculty members are disturbed by outside work while teaching, the number to call is (360) 650-3420; faculty with additional concerns should e-mail space.administration@wwu.edu.
  • Riordan is conducting deans’ searches for Woodring College of Education and the College of Sciences and Technology with senate help in recruiting faculty.

Steve Garfinkle, United Faculty of Western Washington president, drew attention to http://www.ufws.org/blog, which points out that it costs $14,000 to graduate a student in 2011, just as it did in 1991. However, cuts in state funding place a much greater burden on parents. The state of Washington system, among the most efficient in the country, is under assault as the state disinvests.

Ramon Rinonos-Diaz, Associated Students vice president for academics, reminded senators that 55 students will travel to Olympia on Monday for lobby day to meet with legislators; Green fee applications will be sent out on Jan. 18 and student employees will assist faculty and staff with proposals and advertising projects.

Presentation: Marie Raney, university webmaster, presented the process for delivering a new WWU website this fall that will include themes as a first point of attraction to the university. A second stage will develop an intranet or portal for specialized internal information, and departments will later be able to redefine their sites. The platform will use Drupal, a content management system. Raney requests feedback through surveys and e-mail as the yearlong task proceeds.

Constituent concerns included the following:

  • Is there a plan for students with marginal GPAs who are forced into General Studies to graduate as the budget shrinks seats, particularly in Chemistry?
  • Is there a way to force students with 200 or more credits (and priority registration) to graduate now and make room for sophomores and juniors who need access?

Code of Faculty Ethics: Sue Guenter-Schlesinger, vice provost for the Equal Employment Office, encouraged senators to clarify Western’s policy surrounding consensual romantic relationships between professors and students, which presently prohibits supervising a person involved. Some universities prohibit such relationships completely lest a sexual harassment case develop. Faculty should send recommendations on the policy to Scott Pearce.

Guidelines on Faculty Governance in Colleges: Improved guidelines suggest that colleges may be happy with things as they are, but should send minutes to the executive and post them on the college website.

Senators adjourned at 6:04 p.m.

Appointments and Elections: Chuck Lambert, Officer

Senators appointed the following:

  • To Academic Coordinating Commission: Timothy Fitzpatrick, Music, for Mark Kuntz (Wtr & Spr)
  • To Academic Technology Committee: Phil Nelson, CS, for Geoffrey Matthews (Wtr)

Senators reviewed the 2011 Election Schedule and will vote to approve it at the next meeting.

Faculty are sought for the following:

  • 1 faculty representative for University Web Committee (working with Steve Swan)
  • 4 faculty to serve on E-Catalog committee (Charge approved by ACC 1-4-2011)