Faculty Senate Minutes, 5 December 1995

MINUTES

FACULTY SENATE MEETING

5 December 1995

Chairperson D. Eidam called the meeting to order at 4:05 p.m. in Chryst Hall, Room 210. All departmental senators attended except those from Elementary and Early Childhood Education, Foreign Languages, Music, and Political Science. Student President E. Kobeski and R. Hofmann attended for Student Senate.

Minutes

Senate approved the 21 November 1995 meeting minutes with the following correction: on page 3895, Chairperson's Report, third paragraph, third line, delete the words, "Fine Arts," and change "Social Studies" to "Social Sciences."

Reports

Chairperson's Report

Chairperson D. Eidam announced that Meet and Discuss had met and approved the Task Force on the General Education proposal (see page 3882 of the 7 November 1995 minutes). Therefore, agenda item IX, Faculty Senate Elections, would take place during today's meeting.

Eidam said that he had analyzed senators responses to his survey about making changes in senate's standard election procedures. Today's elections will follow the procedures that the majority of respondants preferred although not necessarily the majority of all senators. The procedures will not go into the Governance Manual nor in senate's bylaws. They will go into the faculty senate handbook. Senate voted to accept the election procedures. Eidam asked senate if it was appropriate not to attach the election procedures to the minutes to save paper. No senator asked to see the procedures in the minutes.

Eidam said it was not too late to sign up to attend commencement, call 3591. Graduation will be Sunday, 17 December 1995, at 2 PM weather permitting.

Hereported briefly on last night's SPARC meeting. The SSHE in Harrisburg has started an initiative regarding continous improvement (CI). Eidam read an excerpt from a document describing the initiative. " In the new operating environment of continuous improvement, the SSHE universities will challenge themselves to embrace the necessary changes that will be required in order to survive and flourish in the 21st century through the following six initiatives: (1) a move from an emphasis on autonomy to one on interdependence." The initiative continues "...the establishment of individual implementation plans by the universities..." In a timeline each university is required to develop a CI implementation plan using the Baldridge Plan as a touchstone.

SPARC also discussed the Fall Rebudget 1995-1996. Projections are for a positive balance. There was $304,000 more dollars of investment income than had been anticipated. Summer tuition was $283,000 more than has been anticipated. There were also savings in personnel and operating expenses. The grand total is $980,089.

Student Senate

Student senate president E. Kobeski said that at the last meeting of the semester, student senate discussed the level of student activity fees. Student senate voted to raise the fees. Student senate is preparing for petitioning to Federal and State representatives in the Spring semester. it will also try to get local businesses to support the SSHE.

Administrative Officers

President

President J. Caputo said that in four to five weeks we will be into January and the beginning of Pennsylvania's traditional budget season. it will be a crucial time for us. This year's budget will be the first full one from Governor T. Ridge. The SSHE has had a year to lobby the governor. it is difficult to read where we stand. The SSHE chancellor will have a private meeting with the governor to talk about the SSHE's needs.

Caputo said the continuous improvement initiative proves that the SSHE is willing to do things in a different way in order to improve its efficiency. We do not know if this will have an impact on the governor. Six months ago the governor said some favorable things about the SSHE.

Chairperson E. Eidam asked for senate's unanimous consent to recognize senator M. Margolis. margolis discussed a memo (see Attachment A) from Dr. S. Leela of the Economics Department to senate. He said that in early September, senate approved an Economics Department Course, EC327, Women and Global Economic Development. Because of the moratorium on new courses, the administration had not approved it and would only do so as a special exception. When the Economics Department asked for a special exception to release the course, the Provost suggested that the Economics Department send a written justification for the special exception through the traditional course approval process. margolis said that as requested Dr. Leela had sent a justification to all committees involved. They have now approved the special exception. margolis hoped that the administration also would approve the course. Senator C. McLeod spoke in favor of the request.

Provost F. McNairy said that Deans Council meets at the end of each month and would consider the Economics Department recommendation.

Vice-President for Academic Affairs

Provost F. McNairy had two announcements. Dr. J. Bolder, currently the associate dean for students and academic services at the University of Hawaii at Manoa, has been named MU's Associate provost for Academic Programs and Services. She comes from Ohio originally and will join us in February. Her major responsibilities will be in enrollment management, Provost Designee, etc. She will have direct supervision of programs such as Advisement, Cooperative Education, PACE and the ACT 101 program, honors, tutoring, undecided, and upward bound.

Provost McNairy made a request of the chairs. Students have asked MU to look at the Iowa system announcement for graduation in four years. MU has talked to colleagues in Iowa and understands that they have made a great deal of political mileage from the announcement. At MU most programs allow students to graduate in four years if students carry 15 hours a semester. Students can not fail a course, need to declare a major in a timely fashion, and follow their advising sheet. The Provost is requesting a joint ad hoc committee of administration, faculty, and students to examine the issue.

Chairperson D. Eidam noted a document from the Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs (see Attachment B).

Committee Reports

Undergraduate Course and Program Review Committee

Undergraduate Course and Program Review Committee chairperson, T. Woo introduced one new course under the one meeting rule.

BIOL463:

a new four credit hour course

Normally senate would approve the course in two meetings. Chairperson Woo asked that senate approve the course in one meeting. Senate Chairperson D. Eidam asked for senate's unanimous consent to do so. Senate did not object to approving the course after one meeting.

Graduate Course and Program Review Committee

Chairperson J. McCade introduced two courses:

NURS 586-587-588: 686-687-688:

Topics in Nursing, new 1-3 credit per course graduate courses.

McCade asked that the courses be on the next meeting's agenda.

General Education Review Committee

Chairperson R. Wismer said the general education preliminary report is half completed. He appreciated all the input that he received from the various departments. All submitted thoughts were considered and included in the report in one way or another. Only two or three departments have not communicated with him.

Proposed Courses

PHYS491:

Physics Research and Seminar, a one credit hour course.

PHYS492:

Physics Research and Seminar, a two credit hour course.

The courses are required of senior majoring in Physics in the Fall and Spring semesters and together they replace the current equivalent course.

Business

Faculty Senate Elections

Senate needed to elect four members of the Task Force on the General Education Curriculum (see page 3882 of the 7 November 1995 minutes). One member must come from senate and also from the General Education Committee. The remaining three members must come from senate.

Chairperson D. Eidam said the first step was to elect the General Edcuation Committee member (and senator). Senate then would elect the other three members. The new election procedures will apply: a candidate must receive a majority to be elected. Eidam opened the floor for nominations for the General Education Committee member. A C. Stameshkin/W. Dorman motion to elect R. Wismer to the task force as the General Education Committee member (and senator) passed unanimously.

Eidam opened the floor for nominations to the task force for the three remaining positions. Senators nominated C. McLeod, W. Dorman, C. Stameshkin, R. Mainzer, and J. McCade. A G. Yelagotes/M. Margolis motion to close nominations passed. Senate elected C. McLeod on the first ballot with a majority of votes. No other candidate had a majority. After a second ballot, senate elected W. Dorman and J. McCade with a majority of votes.

Eidam noted that at the next senate meeting, Tuesday, February 6, 1996, senate will conduct elections for its officers, that is, the chairperson, chairperson pro tem, and secretary.

The following senate committee positions are currently vacant:

Humanities and Fine Arts representative to the Academic Policies Committee,

Social Sciences representative to the Academic Outcomes Assessment Committee, Academic Policies Committee, and the UCPRC,

non-School representative to the General Education Review Committee, and

an Alternate to the International Selection Committee.

Academic Honesty and Dishonesty at Millersville University--Returned to the Agenda

Academic Policies Committee chairperson B. Nakhai requested that senate act on the committee's proposal (see Attachment B and C of the 7 November 1995 meeting minutes). A long discussion followed with many senators participating. When the time to end the meeting neared, a motion to postpone action until the next senate meeting passed.

Proposal for Minor Changes in a Curriculum--Returned to the Agenda

Undergraduate Course and Program Review Committee chairperson T. Woo asked that senate consider proposals for prerequisite changes in certain courses in the Mathematics Department (see Attachment A, Minor Changes in Curriculum, of the 21 November 1995 minutes). the changes asked for minimum grades of C or better. The proposed policy has been in effect in the Mathematics Department for several years. The earlier courses are prerequisites for the later courses. Chairperson D. Eidam said he would relinquish the chair when senate acts on the item.

Senate adjourned at 5:45 PM. The next meeting will be Tuesday, 6 February 1996, from 4:05-5:45 p.m. in Chryst 210.

Respectfully submitted,

Marvin Margolis, Secretary
Faculty Senate

Attachment C

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