November 14, 2012

FACULTY SENATE MINUTES

November 14, 2012

Present: Jason Bolton, Richard Borgman, Emmanuel Boss, Douglas Bousfield, Ian Bricknell, Dick Brucher, Benildo de los Reyes, Charlsye Diaz, Thane Fremouw, Michael Grillo, Robert Gundersen, Dennis King, Judy Kuhns-Hastings, Bill Livingston, James McClymer, Robert Milardo, Paul Myer, Harlan Onsrud, Jay Rasaiah, Andrew Reeve, Brian Robinson, Thomas Sandford, Michael Scott, Howard Segal, Claire Sullivan, Gail Werrbach, David Yarborough, Bob Rice, Kathryn Slott, Susan Hunter, Stuart Marrs, Melvin Johnson

Absent: John Allen, Steven Barkan, Stephen Coghlan, William Congleton, Mauricio da Cunha, Marcia Douglas, Dylan Dryer, Janet Fairman, Ramesh Gupta, Gordon Hamilton, Clarissa Henry, Steven Kimball, Dorothy Klimis-Zacas, Mary Ellin Logue, David Marcincowski, Martha Novy-Broderick, Ray Pelletier, Michael Peterson, Philip Trostel, Roy Turner, Chuck Wallace, Mark Wells, Robert Strong, Paul W Ferguson, Melvin Johnson, Jennifer Hooper (GSG), Robert Jackson Pineau (USG), Molly MacLean

The meeting was called to order at 3:22 pm

I. Welcome and Announcements:
The Executive Committee is drafting a response letter regarding Performance Based Funding.

II. Approval of September 2012 Minutes
Vote: Motion Approved

III. Committee Reports

BOT Rep – Robert Rice
The BOT met on Nov. 4 and 5 in Presque Isle. This is the meeting where enrollment reports are given. Based on full-time students, Orono has 7,804 undergrad and 1,236 graduate students; USM has 5,362 undergrads and 1,509 graduate (grad number includes certificate programs). There was a land swap with Sewall Co. which added to the forest out near Forest Avenue. In advance of bond dollars being allocated, the university has been authorized to spend $3.5 million on the AEWC project.

There were a number of initiatives from the System Office and BOT. 1) Commitment to save $24 million in 3 years with most of that coming from IT, procurement, and HR savings. 2) Credit Transfer is an ongoing initiative. 3) Performance metrics is on going, intent to align money with performance, not sure what formula will be used. There is a website but can’t input comments at this time. 4) Credit transfer performance metrics and adult learners. Recommends electronic communication tools to assist with transfer, block transfer of the general education core, major program to program articulation programs and adult and transfer completion emphasis including higher learning assessment credits. Plan should be in place by Jan. 2013. The other program that was put forth was the ABCDE (Adult Baccalaureate Completion for Distance Education Committee).

Q. If the goal is not met on performance, who decides how much money to hold back?
A. Not sure until we see the metrics, no details have come out.

Provost Hunter stated that there is a stop loss but no details at this time.

Academic Affairs –Richard Borgman & Judy Kuhns-Hastings
Met today, there are a couple items being worked on. An email request went out regarding a schedule shift from MWF to MW, most responses were in favor of the shift. The next step is to see what is possible. The committee is working on the change of grade policy; the calendars previously approved were forwarded to Provost Hunter to send on to the System Office; also discussing awarding credit for experience for military personnel while serving.

Q. Will the System Office make us revoke the previously approved calendars?
A. Not likely, they weren’t aware they’d been posted.

Constitution &Bylaws – Mick Peterson
No report.

Research &Scholarship – Robert Gundersen
No report.

Finance &Institutional Planning – James McClymer & Tom Sandford
Met on Nov. 8, working on a motion that was tabled last year, concerning revenue generated from colleges and how research directly supports students.

University Environment – Andrew Reeve & Mike Scott
Committee will be setting up a future meeting with Janet Waldron to discuss classrooms.

Library Advisory – Robert Rice & Howard Segal
No report.

Service &Outreach – Emmanuel Boss & Claire Sullivan
There’s a meeting on Wednesday with President Ferguson, Provost Hunter, and Kristin Sobolik.

Committee on Committees – Roy Turner
There are three committees still needing volunteers:
Stuart Marrs review – two faculty, one each from Business and Cooperative Ext
Campus Planning – need two faculty
Cultural Affairs – need one from NSFA

Program Creation& Reorganization Review – Mick Peterson
Committee discussed program elimination in NSFA, BS in Wood Science and Tech., BS Forest Eco Science, and BS Aquaculture. There is also a pre-proposal for a unit reorganization for School of Food and Agriculture. There are two motions under New Business.

Q. Hopefully shared governance is examined early and by Senate and Administration so no surprises arise down the road with reorganization.
A. Provost Hunter commented that the change is aligned with the USDA, which uses a Food & Agriculture title.

General Education — Harlan Onsrud, Acting
Met and drafted a procedural letter to all faculty on revising syllabi to make sure they’re responsive on student learning outcomes. Need more preparation of supplemental materials before it’s sent. Harlan met with Stuart Marrs regarding where to go and suggested we need examples of best-case practices and how others have achieved these accreditation requirements. Stuart is gathering syllabi that have incorporated student learning outcomes and how they will be measured.

Ad Hoc IT – Martha Novy-Broderick & Mike Scott
Reached out to Dick Thompson and set a meeting after break regarding IT. Report in a couple weeks

Committee of the Administration
Blue Sky Reports
Blue Sky Steering Committee – Bob Rice – Committee is responsible for getting input from the Pathways. There hasn’t been a meeting in a couple weeks.
Pathway 1 – Mick Peterson – Committee has met and would encourage anyone remotely interested in this to contact Mick. There’s a misunderstanding in the state regarding what faculty do. Grants are important, even $30,000 can pay for a graduate student.
Pathway 2 – Jim McClymer – Enrollment Management gave a good presentation regarding how to move forward on attracting more students and moving to the center of what other institutions are doing. Tuesday’s meeting will be about research and value of research.
Pathway 3 – Rick Borgman – Met Monday, this is the communications path, an important pathway, getting the word out on what we’re doing and who we are.
Pathway 4 – Judy Kuhns-Hastings – Meeting coming up. Believe there is research strengthening for involvement of graduate and undergraduate, growth of fellowships.
Pathway 5 – Doug Bousfield – Three meetings for setting goals. Committee is looking at buildings, infrastructure, historical buildings, etc, what’s involved when someone wants to donate a new building, i.e., maintaining, upkeep, etc.

IV. Open Comments from the Administration
Provost Hunter relayed regrets from the President for unexpectedly not being able to attend the meeting. The search for VP of Research formerly started last week and the Honors Dean search started this week.

Janet Waldron stated that progress has been made, with thanks for help to Harlan Onsrud, Jim McClymer, and Emmanuel Boss on revising the purchasing APL. A revised APL will be posted, hopefully today. She’s fairly confident there will be a preapproval waiver at the end of this year. Hoping to remove the < $500 approval. There will be training sessions in the future.

Human Resources has a new APL regarding background checks. There was no clear APL or process previously. The new policy will affect new hires or those changing positions on campus. Encourage everyone to read the policy and send feedback, if any.

Stuart Marrs stated, fifth year New England Accreditation of Schools and Colleges (NEASC) report is due on January 15, 2014. There are three areas of emphasis, Enrollment Management, set academic priorities consistent with missions and purposes, continue to implement a comprehensive approach in assessment of student learning. Hoping to have a draft done by the end of the academic year and would like to have faculty involvement.

Q. Do we know what NEASC wants? Are there seminars that would be advantageous?
A. NEASC doesn’t have an exact process they want followed. They want to see that improvements have been made from the last review. They did offer to come but they’re not as particular as they are for an academic department assessment.

Q. Liberal Arts and Sciences may take a $1 million cut and leave eight full-time faculty positions empty. How can we revitalize, improve student experience and raise excellence if we keep cutting faculty positions?
A. Provost Hunter stated, we wrestle with this. There’s not an exact number but wanted to be as honest and upfront with dean’s as we could be now.

Q. Is there a plan to work with the foundation to get professorships on campus?
A. Pathway 2 ties back to that issue and the research area, discussions already in progress.

Q. At the last meeting we asked about the IT Strategic Plan, what’s the status? Also, what about FirstClass elimination?
A. We’re working with the System, they’re aware of our IT Strategic Plan. There’s a meeting coming up on the 19th. The IT Plan Committee is regrouping, they’ll talk about what has been done already. Regarding FirstClass, there’s no concrete plan to eliminate it. That rumor may have come from the new portal and communities section.

Q. Regarding Pathway 1- One of the strategies is to review signature strength and emerging growth areas to be submitted in the spring of 2013. This strategy raises the issue that research areas should have equal opportunity to make a case and present arguments why their area should be viewed as a signature strength area for funding.
Where is the listing of criteria by which proposals will be assessed and when can we expect to see a call to submit proposals?
A. Provost Hunter will take the question back to the President for an answer.

V. Old Business
None

VI. New Business

Motion to Recommend Creation of the MS in Bioinformatics The Program Creation, Review, and Reorganization Committee
14 November, 2012

In accordance with the University of Maine’s Fifteen Stage Process of New Academic Program Creation, the PCRRC has held public hearings on Friday, 19 October, 2012, on the stage two, Intent to Plan Review of the proposed MS in Bioinformatics. On the basis of these hearings, in which all attendees voiced unalloyed support for the program, the PCRRC recommends the Faculty Senate support this proposed program at this stage two review through passage of this motion.
Vote: Motion Approved

Motion to Recommend Creation of the BA in Human Dimensions of Climate Change The Program Creation, Review, and Reorganization Committee
14 November, 2012

In accordance with the University of Maine’s Fifteen Stage Process of New Academic Program Creation, the PCRRC has discussed the proposed BA in Human Dimensions of Climate Change, which the Senate had approved on 19 October, 2011, to pass stage eight, as a Full Program Review, but under the original title of a proposed BS in Climate Change and Culture. Since then, the Faculty who originated the proposal have changed the name to a BA in Human Dimensions of Climate Change, altering also some program details principally in the particular balance of courses between Anthropology and the Physical Sciences. In reviewing their alterations, the PCRRC agreed that the proposal remained true in both substance and intent to its passed stages two and eight iterations, and so recommends the Senate support the continuation of this proposal at stage nine, in which the Provost’s Council considers approval of the program.

Vote: Motion Approved

Adjourned at 4:30 pm

Respectfully submitted
Kathryn Slott