Chairs’ and Directors’ Assembly Meeting Minutes

October 22, 2014

In attendance:

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Abaidoo, Samuel

Alexander, Michael

Berwald, Olaf

Bessette, Harriet (for D. Gregory)

Bradbury, J.C.

Buddie, Amy (for M. DiPietro)

Carte, Traci

Casey, Rebecca

Cheramie, Robin

Cope, Jim

DeMaio, Joe

Epps, Kathryn

Gainey, Barbara

Goldfine, Ruth

Henley, Amy (Asst Chair, MGT-Ent)

Hoganson, Ken

Johnston, Linda

Katzman, Brett

Lieberman, Robbie

Love, Keisha

Matson, Ron

McGarey, Don

Mitchell, Mark

Nelms, Tommie

Pate, Alice

Porter, Kandice

Pulinkala, Ivan

Pusateri, Tom

Redish, Traci

Rice, Bill

Robinson, Karen

Sharpe, Chris (for L. Golian-Lui)

Sipp, Geo

Smith, Susan

Stallings, Lynn

Swint, Kerwin

Guests:

Britt, Maria (AVPO)

Devine, Flora (General Counsel)

Maschke, Kathy (Financial Services)

McGee, Mary Ellen Salter (EEO & Title IX Admin)

Ndiritu, Stephen (Env. Health and Safety)

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Review and approval of minutesLynn Stallings, Chair

Minutes of the 24 September 2014 CDA meeting were approved.

Grade Appeals Policy (second reading)Maureen McCarthy, FacAsst to the President

M. McCarthy noted that the Grade Appeals Policy was updated to remove reference to the Ombuds.S. Smith made a motion to approve; M. Mitchell seconded that motion.The CDA voted to approve the revised Grade Appeals Policy.

Revisions to AwardsMaureen McCarthy, FacAsst to the President

M.McCarthy presented the revisions to the KSU Awards.These revisions went through OWG #21 as part of the Consolidation.In this revised awards structure, there will no longer be a publication award.Eight awards for Outstanding Research or Creative Activity are now available in the following categories:

  • Artistic and Creative Pursuits
  • Sciences
  • Engineering Applications
  • Humanities
  • Applied Learning and Education
  • Health and Behavioral Sciences
  • Business and Industry Applications
  • Interdisciplinary Research

S. Smith noted that faculty in Geography and Anthropology do not believe there is an award for which they can apply.Others CDA members raised concerns about which category would apply to their particular disciplines.M. McCarthy indicated that the intent was to get away from college awards since faculty in smaller colleges had an unfair advantage in that they possessed a greater likelihood of winning an award than those faculty in larger colleges.K. Love asked that the category Social Sciences be added.M. McCarthy indicated that limited funding did not allow for the addition of another category.B. Gainey noted that faculty in Communication would feel more comfortable applying for a Social Sciences award since their discipline does not fall under Humanities.M. McCarthyproposed changing the Humanities category to Humanities and Social Sciences.She agreed to take this request back to those developing the award structure.M. McCarthy further noted that individual faculty members would choose the category to which they would apply.

Public Health AdvisoryMaria Britt, AVP for Operations / Flora Devine, General Counsel

A committee was formed to develop a strategy for KSU’s management of public health concerns.A website is now available at to provide information and guidance on issues of public health.The site includes numerous links to the CDC website.A KSU Physician’s Risk Assessment form is also available at this site.Members of the KSU community who have returned from travels to areas in which there is an Ebola outbreak must see a physician and complete the form.For those individuals under voluntary quarantine for 21 days, supervisors and faculty are asked to make accommodations to allow them to telecommute and/or make arrangements to finish their coursework remotely.

If a student indicates to a faculty member that he/she may be at risk for Ebola or other infectious diseases, the faculty member should act immediately by contacting the department chair, who will in turn call the KSU health clinic or (after hours) public safety.The health clinic will contact the student for a health assessment.All action must be taken in such a way as to protect the privacy of the student.Faculty members who are unable to reach their department chair immediately should contact the health clinic or public safety directly.The committee is working to develop a protocol to respond to an active public health threats on campus.

M. Britt noted that faculty should not cancel classes indiscriminately if a health threat has not been confirmed.However, she did state that should a student be actively ill in theclassroom (e.g., vomiting), the faculty member should use common sense and either cancel the class or isolate the students in the classroom until health officials can be contacted and the faculty member receives guidance on how to proceed.

Members of the CDA expressed concern that the KSU Public Health Advisory website is difficult to find from the KSU homepage and recommended that a link to the Advisory site be added to the KSU homepage.M. Britt indicated that the committee had discussed this possibility but did not want to heighten fear and concern over Ebola.Members of the CDA suggested that the Advisory website be broadened to address other pertinent health concerns such as flu and meningitis.M. Britt indicated that this is under discussion.

Hotline ComplaintFlora Devine, General Counsel

F. Devine updated the CDA on a situation on campus wherein a male student accosted faculty in GWST with views radically different than his and engaged them in confrontational conversations that he secretly taped and posted on the Internet.This student has also gone into women’s restrooms at night and posted stickers from the national organization, Voice for Men (VFM).Two faculty members filed complaints through the USG/KSU Hotline; one complaint was anonymous, but in the other instance the faculty member provided his or her name.When F. Devine contacted the student to inform him that he should not go into the spaces of the faculty members who made the complaint, she attached the hotline complaints, which included the names of the faculty members who did not submit anonymously, to the letter.The student retaliated by posting the names of the faculty members, their contact information, and their Hotline complaints on the VFM website.

F. Devine indicated that it was necessary to submit the hotline complaints along with the letter so that the student would be aware of which faculty he needed to keep away from.Additionally, she noted that information from the Hotline is available under Georgia’s Open Records Act.There is no protection/guarantee of confidentiality for USG employees who use the Hotline.For a Hotline complaint to be confidential, the individual would have to submit the complaint anonymously and ensure the complaint does not include identifying details.F. Devine’s office is an Office of Notice, so do not go to her with concerns you want to remain confidential.Campus Ombuds do not keep records in order to ensure confidentiality, but even they can be subpoenaed and required to testify in court about conversations you have had with them.

F. Devine indicated that while she cannot maintain confidentiality, she will provide advance notice to individuals when records involving them are being shared/released.She also noted that the KSU website will be changed to alert Hotline users that their complaints are subject to the Open Records Act and cannot be kept confidential.KSU is approaching the USG asking that they post a similar message.Additionally, F. Devine stated that email messages (even in personal email accounts) and text messages are subject to the Open Records Act if they contain information pertaining to university business.

A member of the CDA noted that VFM is on the Southern Poverty Law Center’s list of hate groups and encouraged faculty to visit the VFM site to see for themselves.F. Devine commented that we must balance the first amendment right to free speech with the issues/concerns that surround hate speech.She noted that it is legally permissible for someone’s speech to be offensive; however, it becomes a problem when another person fears they will be harmed.

Policy Process CouncilMaria Britt, AVP for Operations / Flora Devine, General Counsel

The Environmental and Occupational Safety Policy was presented for a second reading.Barbara Gainey made a motion to approve the policy; Kandice Porter seconded the motion.The CDA voted to approve this policy.

The Sexual Misconduct Policy was presented for a second reading.F. Devine stated that the policy was updated to include students, faculty, and staff.The categories covered by the policy were also broadened to include domestic violence, dating violence, and stalking.A member of the CDA asked if the policy included a reporting process wherein a victim could be assured of confidentiality.F. Devine said that she will include a statement indicating that victims can go to the health clinic or the Center for Psychological Services to ensure confidentiality.Crimes reported by other means would not be ensured confidentiality.It was further noted that the policy covers the behavior of students over breaks IF the student is registered for the term following the break; furthermore, the policy applies to KSU students both on and off campus during the time they are registered at KSU.Faculty and staff are covered by the policy only when involved in activities related to the university.A. Pate asked that a vote on the policy be delayed until the CDA could review the revised policy with the inclusion of the confidentiality clause.The CDA agreed and will vote on the policy at a future meeting.

F. Devine concluded by announcing that Amy Block Joy will be speaking on Nov 17 on the KSU and SPSU campuses.She is the author of Retaliation and Whistleblower.

Definitions/PolicesRon Matson, AVP for Faculty

R. Matson presented three new faculty position categories that he has been working to create at KSU.All are positions recognized by the BOR and are non-tenure track positions.These positions currently require terminal degrees, but he is working with the BOR to see if we can hire candidates with Master’s degrees into these positions.

Administrative Faculty positions were established to clarify which faculty are administrators and which are teaching faculty.

Teaching Faculty / Administrative Faculty
Contract / 9-12 months / 12 months
Paygroup / 43F / 43Y / 43A
Stipend / No (can get overload) / Yes (amended to contract)
Post Tenure Review / Yes / Stopped
Serve on Faculty Senate / Yes / No
Serve on Senate Committees / As teaching faculty / As administrative faculty
Receive Awards / Yes / No

Academic Professionals are included in the BOR manual.These individuals devote 50% or less of their time to teaching.The duties and responsibilities are academic in nature but are devoted to efforts outside the classroom.The definition for this position (as provided in the meeting documents) was taken from the BOR Guidelines.

Research Facultyareessentially those faculty who were previously called Clinical Faculty.The primary job of these faculty is notteaching or working with students.These faculty typically work in labs, libraries, perform research/scholarship, and so forth.

R. Matson noted thatthough these positions are not tenure track, they do not have a two-year limitation like temporary faculty lines.Department guidelines regarding these positions can be more stringent but they cannot be more relaxed than those established by the university.

A concern was raised that these positions could artificially decrease the student/faculty ratio.R. Matson indicated that he was investigating this.He is also investigating the possibility of converting current lecturer lines to one of these new positions in those instances where a lecturer is currently performing duties and responsibilities in keeping with those typical of those newly created positions.A CDA member also raised concerns over adding more non-tenure-track lines versus tenure-track lines.

A. Buddie voiced concern that it might be difficult to attract CETL faculty fellows if those faculty become administrative faculty when their duties are 50% in CETL.

Regarding part-time faculty payroll, R. Matson stated that the goal of Academic Affairs is for departments to complete PTI assignments as soon as possible so that PTI teaching agreements/contracts can be sent out and signed/returned by PTIs well in advance of the start of the next semester.This will greatly facilitate the payroll process and ensure all involved parties are aware of and have agreed to the specifics of the appointment (e.g., salary, etc.).

Update on Shared Governance Under ConsolidationLynn Stallings, Chair

L. Stallings updated the CDA on the recommendations of OWGs #68 (Administrators Governance), #69 (Faculty Governance), and #70 (Staff Governance) related to the role of the CDA in shared governance. She said that the three groups were meeting to come up with a common recommendation. As of the previous Friday, Randy Stuart said that there’s no recommendation from the combined groups.M. McCarthy noted that she is part of OWG #69 and asked for clarification regarding the CDA’s concern.She indicated that it was not her understanding that the recommendations of OWG #69 were intended to exclude the CDA from the shared governance process. Lynn mentioned that in the April or May 2014 CDA meeting, Ken White (Co-chair, OWG #69) had met with the CDA to discuss their recommendation that the CDA be viewed as part of the administration, rather than part of the shared governance process.

Liaison ReportsCDA Members as Noted Below

KSU Distance Learning Executive Committee (B.Gainey):D2L is now Bright Space by D2L.Though the name has been officially changed, it still shows as D2L on the KSU campus.

KSU Policy Process Council (L. Stallings):KSU policies are to be reviewed on a regular schedule.A calendar has been created that indicates this schedule of review.L. Stallings will send CDA members this link so that we will have access to it.

Faculty Senate (T. Pusateri for A. Pate):Dr. Papp has expressed concern about KSU’s relationship with Mr. Guttenberg, a member of the advisory board for the newly created TRENDS Center in the College of the Humanities and Social Sciences.Mr. Guttenberg was found to have plagiarized more than half of his dissertation and has been stripped of his PhD and forced to resign his position as German Defence Minister.

A. Pate stated that faculty in her department have drafted and plan to send to Dean Dorff a resolution asking KSU to disassociate with Guttenberg.She further noted that Guttenberg holds a clinical faculty position in the Graduate College at KSU.Members of the CDA voiced concerns about how he was named to this position, given that it appears he did not undergo the traditional hiring process.R. Matson indicated that Academic Affairs was reviewing Guttenberg’s hiringas faculty at KSU.A. Pateencouraged members of the CDA to learn more about Guttenberg by Googling “Guttenberg” and “BBC.”

Members of the CDA voiced dismay that the TRENDS Center came into being without prior knowledge by the KSU community.Most members of the College of Humanities and Social Sciences’ CFC were not aware of the Center’s existence until they received an invitation to its opening.A question was voiced regarding the purpose and mission of the TRENDS Center.A CDA member familiar with the TRENDS Center indicated that the goal of the Center is to bring people together for the purpose of research.

President’s Budget Planning and Advisory Council(Lynn Stallings) The PPBAC has not met yet in the 2014-2015 academic year.

University Council (Keisha Love) At the most recent University Council meeting, the KSU PETA group raised concerns about the use of a live owl as a mascot.The University has ethical procedures in place to protect the owl and will work with an owl handler well-versed in the use of ethical practices in dealing with animals.The Council decided to proceed with the use of the live owl mascot.

Concerns were voiced about the use of eCore.KSU’s administration made clear that eCore is a USG mandate, not a KSU requirement.A. Pate noted that we can choose not to affiliate with eCore, but we will be required to award credit to students for courses completed in eCore.These courses will show up in Banner and will be designated as eCore courses.A.Pate further noted that if we choose not to affiliate with eCore, we will have no say in the administration of eCore classes.A CDA member noted that other institutions have included eCore options among their course offerings but have not made these courses particularly prominent.

Other BusinessRon Matson, AVP for Faculty

R. Matson indicated that department chairs will be receiving an email from him shortly asking them to look at SACS justifications for all teaching faculty.Some justifications are not very strong and will need to be rewritten.

Respectfully submitted by Ruth Goldfine.

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