Minutes
FAC Meeting
Oct. 11, 2007 KEL 3010
Present: Betsy Read, Soheila Jorjani, Carmen Nava, Lance Newman, Ann Fiegen, Cathy James, Janet McDaniel, Mary Elizabeth Stivers
I. Agenda approved.
II. Minutes approved as amended.
III. Chair’s Report
A. Statewide Senate Chairs meeting discussed faculty workload, readiness of students, ratio of tenure-track to temporary faculty ratio, autonomy of individual campuses. The Provost discussed research as a component of excellence and technology a means to increase access and improve remediation, as well as request from Extended Studies to change name to Extended Learning and be designated a college.
B. The system-wide task force on best practices in the administration of student evaluations includes Glen Brodowsky.
C. Textbook Accessibility Statement was discussed at EC. As an interim solution, John Segoria will notify individual faculty members who will have visually impaired in their classes. In the meantime, the policy will be further refined and aligned with other processes on campus.
D. The policy regarding the President’s Award for Outstanding Contribution to Student Success was amended to add an appointed academic administrator to the selection committee.
IV. Old Business
A. Sabbatical leave policy revision tabled to await results of Stivers’ research.
B. Review of Student Evaluation Forms. Two documents were distributed: Academic Senate Minutes for 5/5/04 and a list of “Things to Consider Regarding the Review of Student Course Evaluations.” It was proposed that an adhoc task force be formed to conduct a survey regarding the effectiveness of the current survey instrument. FAC would then consider the task force’s report in the Spring. There was substantial discussion of the size and composition of the task force, as well as of its charge. There was general agreement that the task force should be small and should include representatives of all three colleges. FAC is empowered to appoint a subcommittee without the involvement of NEAC. Several individuals were suggested as possible nominees.
C. There are 13 UPD grant applications so far and another 7 or so on the way. It was agreed that FAC will appoint an adhoc committee of former FAC members to review the applications, which may include the following: Tracey Brown, Kathy Hayden, Janet McDaniel, Hua Yi, and Beverlee Anderson. Several back-up nominees were mentioned.
D. There was an introductory discussion of the CoBA RTP policy, focusing mainly on the numerical requirements for items of scholarship and whether they were too rigid.