Abstract of Oct. 24, 2011, Faculty Senate meeting

[ Editor's note: This story has been corrected to reflect the proper print quota for this academic year. ]

Karen Stout, Western Washington University Faculty Senate president, called the meeting of the 2011-2012 Faculty Senate to order at 4:04 p.m.

Senators accepted the revised minutes of Oct. 10, 2011, along with the standing committee minutes.

President Stout led the Faculty Senate in a moment of silence in memory of state Sen. Scott White, a Western alumnus, who passed away unexpectedly this week.

President Stout presented revised Sections 7 and 8 of the Code of Faculty Ethics, which were developed by a committee of faculty along with Sue Guenter-Schlesinger, the vice provost for Equal Opportunity. Guenter-Schlesinger was present to explain that the revisions sought to better define the parameters of student/faculty and faculty/employee relationships.

Rich Van Den Hul, vice president for Business and Financial Affairs, explained a contract Western has signed with Higher One, a banking entity through which Western conducts its student refunds. Van Den Hul and Anna Ellermeier, Associated Students president, are conducting a review of Higher One in light of concerns related to fees that may take advantage of students. While the Higher One option is available to students who do not qualify for other kinds of bank accounts, using it effectively may require some training.

John Lawson, vice provost for Information Technology, explained the new across-the-board print quota for students, which allows $1.25 credit (25 pages, double-sided) per student this academic year and pay-as-you-go beginning summer 2012. Lawson reported that other Washington schools charge students higher rates than Western. Faculty suggested that some fields require less printing, and an equity argument is particularly worrisome in the humanities, where pedagogy may require students to develop multiple and extensive drafts, undergo peer review and receive handwritten commentary on papers from their instructors.

Steve Garfinkle, United Faculty of Western Washington president, referred senators to http://www.ufww.org for minutes from the Oct. 12 campus meeting as well as lists of department stewards. Garfinkle then addressed faculty’s three highlighted issues -- compensation, workload and healthcare -- as the union bargains the contract that will go into effect Sept. 15, 2012.

Fabiola Arvizu, AS vice president for academic affairs, sent the senate a memo about the AS Legislative Affairs council, whose lobbying efforts this year will focus on sustainable tuition increases, maintenance of financial aid and the preservation of higher education funding by the state.

Senators heard Earl Gibbons, vice provost for Extended Education, describe his effort to create a transparent and better understood Extended Education program embedded in the university’s mission of serving students and the people of the state. Gibbons responded to senators’ concerns about maintaining quality, faculty oversight, vetting existing programs, funding incentives and the effect on pedagogy. Gibbons emphasized Western’s need to increase its presence in Seattle, which is the source of 36 percent to 38 percent of Western students. Gibbons also discussed the legislative mandate currently offered to WSU in Everett and the fact that an online presence is actually only a small part of EE. Faculty expressed concern about compensation for workload and concurred that the responsibility lies with the colleges to maintain oversight over their own programs through ACC as ultimate arbiter.

MOTION from Executive Council (passed unanimously by the senate in a second vote): The Faculty Senate approves minor edits to the Bylaws of the Constitution of the Faculty Handbook. The revisions will be made to the online version of the handbook.

Senators moved to a faculty caucus at 5:51 p.m. prior to adjournment at 6:15 p.m.

Appointments and Elections: Jackie Caplan-Auerbach, 2011-12 Officer

Elected to the Faculty Senate replacing Bradley Howard, Area C: Sandra Alfers, MCL, through 2012.

Appointments to other committees: 

• To Access Control Task Force (2 faculty through 2012): Lorrie Brilla, Derrick Mears, PEHR
• To Task Force on Student Course Evaluations: Shawn Knabb, Economics; Jim Graham, Psychology
• Vacancies: Senators to serve on the Senate Library Committee and Academic Technology Committee