The meeting was called to order at 4:10 p.m. All departments were in attendance.
I. Minutes of previous meeting
II. Report of the Faculty Senate Chairperson
III. Report of the Student Senate President
IV. Report of the Graduate Student Association
V. Report of the Administrative Officers
Provost Prabhu reminded faculty that attendance at commencement reflects our support for students. He noted that budget forums have been well attended and reports are being made to school councils. Additional dates for forums are posted on the Finance and Administration website. Dr. Prabhu indicated that a spring faculty convocation will address the Rediscover Millersville Middle States Study and classroom technology
Associate Provost for Academic Administration
Associate Provost Burns reminded faculty that self-study bins are due December 4, 2009 and that the site visit team will be on campus February 28 - March 3, 2010.
VI. Reports of the Faculty Senate Standing Committees
First Readings
(1) NEW UNDERGRADUATE COURSE
WELL240: Health, Safety, and Nutrition for the Developing Child, 3 credits. Proposal for a course addressing the essential components of children’s wellness that is to count as a WELL175 equivalent for the Dual Special Education PreK-8 and PreK-4 grades certification and is to be considered equivalent to WSSD352 for the registration system.
(2) CHANGE IN UNDERGRADUATE COURSE
ESCI221: Structural Geology, 3 credits, W. Proposal to change prerequisites, change course description, and remove designation as a W course.
VII. Reports of the Faculty Senate Special Committees
VIII. Proposed Courses and Programs
(1) NEW GRADUATE COURSE
RDED626: Literacy Leadership, 3 credits. Proposal for a course focused on the role of the reading specialist as a literacy leader was approved without dissent.
(2) NEW GRADUATE COURSE
RDED798: Advanced Theoretical Pedagogy of Reading, 3 credits. Proposal for a course focused on advanced theoretical pedagogy of reading and the supervision of literacy instruction was approved without dissent.
(3) CHANGE IN GRADUATE CURRICULM
ELED, Reading Specialist certificate. Proposal to include the new RDED626 course into the program to fulfill NCATE/IRA standards was approved without dissent.
(4) CHANGE IN GRADUATE CURRICULM
ELED, Reading Supervisor certificate. Proposal to include the new RDED798 course into the program to fulfill NCATE/IRA standards was approved without dissent.
Senator Edeh Herr commended Dr. Barbara Marinak for her work on these courses to meet new NCATE requirements.
(5) CHANGE IN POLICY
The amended proposal to implement a trial of an electronic add/drop registration system for the Winter 2010 session only was approved with one dissenting vote.
A concern was raised about policies proposed initially as a trial/pilot that become standard practice without appropriate review and approval for long-term implementation. The importance of feedback and review before further implementation was stressed. A Bookmiller/Mowrey motion to clarify the Electronic Drop/Add proposal as a one-term trial by adding “only” to the specification of winter 2010 semester was approved without dissent. Other comments included that faculty would not be able to enforce the order of a waiting list, that faculty should receive notice of changes to class rosters, and that an electronic approval by faculty could be used instead of drop/add cards. The administration noted that faculty availability for electronic approval might not be rapid enough to meet the need either. It was noted that currently faculty have insufficient access to waitlist information for their classes.
IX. Transfer Articulation
X. Faculty Emeritus
XI. Other/New Business
Meeting was adjourned at 5:16 p.m.
Respectfully Submitted,
Aimee L. Miller
Secretary of the Senate