December 16, 2020
FACULTY SENATE MINUTES
December 16, 2020
Zoom Meeting
Present: Henri Akono, David Barrett, David Batuski, Donald Beith, Susan Bennett-Armistead, Amy Booth, Debbie Bouchard, Alice Bruce, Stephanie Burnett, Sandra Butler, Nuri Emanetoglu, Mauricio da Cunha, Phil Dunn, Allison Gardner, Michael Grillo, Mark Haggerty, Emily Haigh, Sam Hanes, Andre Khlil, Amanda Klemmer, Sara Lello, Margo Lukens, Natalie Machamer, Dmitri Markovitch, Derek Michaud, Sid Mitchell, William Nichols, Harlan Onsrud, Anil Raj Kizha, Robert Rice, Deborah Rogers, Deborah Saber, Michael Scott, Mary “MJ” Sedlock, Asli Sezen-Barrie, Kathryn Slott, David Townsend, Peter Van Walsum, Mark Wells, Todd Zoroya, President Joan Ferrini-Mundy, John Volin Provost, VP Research Kody Varahramyan, Robert Dana, Jeff St. John, Jen Bonnet (PEAC), Peter Altmann (CEAC), Karina Iskandaro (Grad Rep)
Absent: Erik Blomberg (sabbatical), Kristina Cammen, Per Garder, Jacquelyn Gill, Heather Hamlin, Colt Knight, Ivan Manev, Renae Moran, Elizabeth Payne, Holly Schreiber, Mohsen Shahinpoor, Sean Smith, Andrew Thomas, Ken Ralph, Chris Lindstrom, Kylie Trawick (Undergrad Rep)
I. Welcome, Announcements and Comments
No announcements.
II. Approval of Minutes
November 18, 2020
Approved
III. Announcements and Updates from the Administration
Provost Volin said there were not many announcements “yet things haven’t slowed down much.” Meetings will start soon regarding benchmarks; work will be conducted across the UMaine System. Yesterday there were discussions about vaccines but “there’s really no information at this time.” President Ferrini-Mundy stated the Chancellor is starting a Vaccine Task Force, she will be chair. The group will stay up to date on information regarding vaccines and state guidelines. She said, listening to Dr. Shah, a vaccine won’t mean masks and distancing stop. Looking to next fall at the university, many things in place now will still be in place.
Comment: With the priority of a vaccine, daycare providers will hopefully be looked at for early vaccinations.
Q. Following Covid protocol in the fall, rumor is that there will be no online options, no social distancing in classrooms, etc. Can you clarify?
A. President Ferrini-Mundy said it’s a guess. Students want normalcy so there’s an optimistic view to be as close to normal as possible but a lot has been learned from all this. Being optimistic may still mean having a plan B.
Provost Volin said an email was sent setting fall courses as pre pandemic but more will be known as the time approaches.
Q. Who makes the decision, UMaine System or campus?
A. It’s a campus decision.
There will be reading days on the spring calendar, possibly Tuesday or Wednesday, the decision will be made soon. Days are being set so people aren’t traveling during a time Covid is on the rise in the state.
Q. Our department has a course that has been switched to a methods course. It used to be offered in the evening but we thought it would be offered online once a year. Is it fair to say it can continue online?
A. Provost Volin said the way it was just stated, yes.
Q. Some faculty have asked about the vaccine and what about those with severe allergies?
A. President Ferrini-Mundy said questions and topics are being accumulated, that question will be added.
IV. Questions of the Administration
Q. What is the status of Navigate?
A. The next progress report has been delayed amid Covid and the workload of faculty. Navigate will be implemented in the spring; Kim Stewart will be coordinating it.
Q. Is there up to date retention data?
A. Retention is down about 5% but it’s hard to compare because the number is always moving. After Thanksgiving it was higher but the numbers change daily.
President Ferrini-Mundy announced that as work begins on the FY22 budget a new process of hearings will be implemented. It’s a way to start a transparent and collaborative budget process across campus.
Q. Will FIPC be included in the budget process?
A. Yes, FIPC will be included but the hearings will be focused on unit planning. How that information is distributed or shared with FIPC will be different.
President Ferrini-Mundy said there used to be a list of suggestions/priorities from FIPC when she first came to UMaine. Could that work be done again? Mauricio said yes, meetings are scheduled with the Provost and VPR this week. The committee hopes to have biennial meetings and get a letter from the Provost to request another survey that will collect updated data.
Q. Discussing student retention, is housing looking better or worse than retention numbers?
A. Numbers are down this semester and may be down next semester. Some students doing online classes say they may not come back to the dorms. Looking to reduce costs in auxiliary areas to manage that reduction.
Q. Dee said, during the Executive Committee meeting, it was mentioned to the Provost and President that a couple senators have interest in the Carbon Neutral Emissions Commitment. The Provost stated, at that meeting, that there was a report being worked on. Can you give us an idea when that may be completed so it can be shared with Faculty Senate?
A. Provost Volin said he doesn’t have an update.
The Provost stated he has asked Peter Schilling and Monique LaRocque for updates for CITL. Beginning January 4, 2021 there will be daily trainings for Brightspace and, as necessary, weekly trainings on educational technology. Provost Volin said people should check the CITL schedule.
V. New Business
No report.
VI. Committee Reports
BOT – Harlan Onsrud
No report.
Academic Affairs – Michael Grillo
There will be no motion for P/F and Withdrawal based on conversations in committee meetings. More information will be needed for any motion on Withdrawal. The committee will be discussing Fresh Start and also post Covid traditional classrooms and distance learning.
Comments: Dave Townsend said during an America East Faculty Athletic Representatives meeting he asked how many schools planned a P/F policy for spring. None of the ten schools have a policy for spring and only one had P/F in the fall that was limited to one class.
Q. The definitions of teaching online, are you working with the Faculty Union on those?
A. Michael Grillo said it’s a can of worms on the contract end. It needs to be looked at as a campus relating to faculty workloads etc. since there’s a lot more work involved in a multi teaching modality. Provost Volin asked if Michael saw the benchmark work done by his office. Michael did not see it, Dee said he saw it and responded asking when the spring withdrawal date was.
Michael did see the April 7, 2021 withdrawal and the earlier date, February, for withdrawal with no record. The April date seemed consistent with other universities listed in the email.
Gen Ed – Subcommittee of Academic Affairs – Sam Hanes
Sam thanked Heather and Committee on Committees for soliciting people interested in the Gen Ed Recommendations Committee being put together. Assessments will take place in January. The committee is inviting those that teach Cultural Diversity and International Perspectives courses to be part of the assessment. He wasn’t sure they’ll get enough volunteers with Covid; it may need to be postponed.
Constitution & Bylaws – Debbie Saber & Kathryn Slott
No report, working on a survey.
Dee mentioned, as revisions are being made, to have the Faculty Governance Council membership mentioned. We may want to include past presidents on that council as well. PCRRC should also mention the Faculty Governance Council, especially since shared campus processes have steps that should include that council. For example, PCRRC gets proposals but if it involves multiple campuses it should also go to the council for review. Decisions will still be made at the campus level.
Research & Scholarship – Sean Smith & Nuri Emanetoglu
Dee let the committee know their draft survey was sent to the Faculty Senate Executive Committee. Nuri reported that the Research and Scholarship survey is being finalized and will be distributed in January. Asli mentioned needing feedback on research and scholarship productivity and need to make sure all departments are inclusive across the university.
Finance & Institutional Planning – Mauricio da Cunha & Mike Scott
There was a meeting with the Provost regarding yearly faculty input on budgets. At one of two additional meetings scheduled the committee will bring faculty input from the survey.
Mike commented that the Define Tomorrow Committee has met three times to look at proposals. There are two additional meetings set up.
University Environment – Erik Blomberg & Amanda Klemmer
There have been discussions with the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Ad Hoc Committee and with Provost Volin regarding Rising Tide services being restored. There are some things going on, reorganization in the Provost office, which hopefully leads to some leadership positions restoring some of the Rising Tide Center services.
Provost Volin said Kimberly Whitehead and Susan McKay are co-chairs of the President’s Council on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. They are working on a climate survey for the university with a pilot coming first.
Service & Outreach – Colt Knight
No report.
Committee on Committees – Heather Hamlin
No report.
Program Creation & Reorganization Review – Margo Lukens
No report except that the UMaine System Policy Manual has been updated.
Dee stated that he shared the UMaine PCRRC documents with the Faculty Governance Council. They appreciated seeing it since they are now working on theirs.
Library Committee – Deborah Rogers & Robert Rice
No report.
Faculty Information Technology Committee – Todd Zoroya & Michael Scott
Peter Schilling and his group are working on a website for faculty resources. Peter is also working on guidance for webcams; it should come to Faculty Senate later.
Comments: Mauricio mentioned that Orono Middle School has interactive televisions in classrooms making remote teaching a new experience and interactive, like active blackboard. It was stated that there are a few on campus.
Ad Hoc System Shared Governance – Renae Moran
No report.
Ad Hoc Diversity, Equity and Inclusion – Margo Lukens
Margo thanked Amanda Klemmer (University Environment Committee) as both committees talk to Provost Volin regarding plans for restoring Rising Tide services. Margo would like this Ad Hoc committee to become a standing committee due to continued needs going forward.
Reports of Faculty Members on Committees of the Administration – Heather Hamlin
No report.
Comments: Deborah Saber mentioned, hearing Margo mention Ad Hoc Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and what is anticipated with changes to Constitution and Bylaws, that there will be text for each committee.
Provost Volin stated that four searches are being worked on and will probably begin in January. These include Graduate School of Business, College of Education and Human Development, NSFA and Honors College.
VII. Old Business
No report.
Adjourned 4:07 pm
Respectfully submitted,
Kathryn Slott
Prepared by Kim Junkins