September 23, 2020
FACULTY SENATE MINUTES
September 23, 2020
Zoom Meeting
Present: Henri Akono, David Barrett, David Batuski, Donald Beith, Amy Booth, Debbie Bouchard, Alice Bruce, Stephanie Burnett, Sandra Butler, Kristina Cammen, Mauricio da Cunha, Phil Dunn, Nuri Emanetoglu, Per Garder, Michael Grillo, Mark Haggerty, Emily Haigh, Heather Hamlin, Sam Hanes, Andre Khlil, Amanda Klemmer, Colt Knight, Sara Lello, Margo Lukens, Natalie Machamer, Ivan Manev, Dmitri Markovitch, Derek Michaud, Renae Moran, William Nichols, Harlan Onsrud, Elizabeth Payne, Deborah Rogers, Deborah Saber, Holly Schreiber, Michael Scott, Mary “MJ” Sedlock, Asli Sezen-Barrie, Kathryn Slott, Sean Smith, David Townsend, Peter Van Walsum, Mark Wells, Todd Zoroya, President Joan Ferrini-Mundy, John Volin Provost, VP Research Kody Varahramyan, Claire Strickland CBO, Robert Dana, Ken Ralph, Kimberly Whitehead Chief of Staff, Jeff St. John, Chris Lindstrom, Jen Bonnet (PEAC),
Absent: Erik Blomberg (sabbatical), Robert Rice, MJ Sedlock, Howard Segal, Mohsen Shahinpoor, Andrew Thomas, Peter Altmann (CEAC), (Grad Stud Gov), (Undergrad Rep)
I. Welcome, Announcements and Comments
Dee would like to invite the Chair of the Envisioning 2020-2021 Communication and Concepts Taskforce to the next elected members meeting for a 10 minute presentation. He also commented about the workload this year with hybrid and online teaching. He feels the amount of screen time seems exhausting and thinks other faculty are probably feeling the same stresses. This goes for students also with the stresses and trying to keep up.
Student Evaluations are not being required this year. Jeff St. John stated AFUM is looking to have evaluations treated the same as spring semester. Michael Grillo stated this has contract implications. It was mentioned that it’s a good idea to check with students to see how they’re doing, feeling anxiety, etc. Provost Volin said mid-semester checking is a good idea. Chris Lindstrom said there have been discussions with AFUM: Student Evaluations will occur but not required to be in personnel records. Kylie (Undergraduate Student Rep) stated, students are struggling with online or in person classes. She said it’s not the work load but the mental aspect.
II. Approval of Minutes
May 6, 2020
Approved
There was discussion regarding Ombudsman being mentioned in the May minutes with Rising Tide, Ombudsman was not in the job description.
III. Committee Reports
BOT – Harlan Onsrud
Harlan attended Board of Trustees Zoom meetings for the Finance, Facilities and Technology Committee and Academic and Student Affairs. The May meeting discussed three new Bachelor Degrees and approval of:
BS Computer Science UMPI
BS Health Administration UMPI
Environmental GIS at UM Machias
The BOT discussed Board Policy 310 on tenure to be held over until fall to accommodate operations under Unified Accreditation. The meetings included presentations and President Ferrini-Mundy did an R1 status presentation.
The July meeting had revisions to Board Policy 314, Academic Integrity Policy, which replaces the Student Conduct Code system wide.
Unified Accreditation; NECHE voted to accredit the UM System as of July 1, 2020. This pulls accreditations from all campuses in to one system wide accreditation. A self study with information from all campuses is expected in fall 2020.
The Finance Committee discussed uses of Coburn and Holmes Halls in the future. There were several Capital and Bonds Projects; 22 projects total, eight at UMaine. Engineering with $72 million, Advanced Structures Center $10.4 million are the largest, there’s a $6 million project at USM. Classes for the Future has $1.6 million at UMaine and $1.3 million at USM.
The Academic and Student Affairs Committee discussed three new Bachelors and one Masters Degree. UMaine has the MS in Data Science and Engineering.
There were many congratulations for faculty at UMaine, and all campuses, for rising to student needs and challenges when campuses shutdown in March.
Q. Under Unified Accreditation, are students now able to move between campuses or is the old rule for transfer credits still in place?
A. Harlan guessed they’d be listed as transfer credit unless enrolled in a UMaine program. Jeff St. John stated the degree grantor and transfer rules have not changed.
Q. NECHE wants a self study; UMaine just did one, is this in addition to the recent one?
A. Jeff St. John stated NECHE wants the UMaine System to demonstrate success of the new model under one umbrella.
Q. Will this be the same process as before, internally?
A. The work will be distributed between all campuses not just UMaine.
Academic Affairs – Michael Grillo
The committee is looking for four additional members; NSFA, MBS and Honors. The committee is working with the Ad Hoc Committee on Equity, Diversity and Inclusion to look at curricular. Also, looking at single accreditation and how to work collaboratively and issues of Gen Ed assessments. The first committee meeting will be in a week. Any suggestions from faculty on items for Academic Affairs, please forward them to Michael Grillo.
Gen Ed – Subcommittee of Academic Affairs – Sam Hanes
The committee will be meeting a week from today.
Q. What happened with the Gen Ed in Research?
A. Nothing at this time due to the shutdown. The first step will be to see how many students already get a research experience. President Ferrini-Mundy said she’s interested in talking about this, especially for the 1st year student experience.
Comment: It’s an important topic and the senate committees will collaborate to get exposure to students. Kylie (Undergraduate Rep) asked what this was and how students were involved. She was invited to be part of the committee but told it was basically looking to reform Gen Ed to include research.
Constitution & Bylaws – Debbie Saber & Kathryn Slott
The committee met with Grant Miles to see where last year’s committee left off and to move forward with those changes. The committee will work on a strategy to move changes forward, present to Faculty Senate and then faculty campus-wide.
Research & Scholarship – Sean Smith & Nuri Emanetoglu
There is a meeting set up with the Vice President for Research (VPR) for the first Tuesday of each month. There will be a survey regarding Covid 19 impacts on faculty and graduate students. Also, continued discussion on how to increase graduate student support for enrollment.
Q. What is the ability to reach R1 with Covid 19?
A. Kody Varahramyan (VPR) said Covid did have some negative impact but the research community has kept up productivity. There are a good number of proposals, twice the number as last year. There are challenges but trying to be positive.
Q. For R1, is there a timeframe and how long will it take?
A. Carnegie does the next determination for R1. There are seven parameters; three research and four graduate studies. The three research parameters are total number of science and engineering research expenditures, non-science research expenditures and total doctoral staff; total number of doctoral science and engineering graduates, humanities, and social sciences doctoral graduates.
Classification is done every three years; reports are done through NSF, GSS surveys and IPEZ. The next classification comes in late November into December and January, announcements are made early in 2021 for R1 and R2. UMaine is trying to increase numbers in all classifications. Over the last three years UMaine was better able to determine numbers and the seven parameters. With the UMaine numbers released earlier, there’s a good chance to get R1. If the surveys are released late it may mean three more years. Kody is looking at steps to take to make sure the most recent numbers are used for the survey.
Q. What of the seven parameters is UMaine good and what needs improvements
A. A move on all seven areas but need to improve in non science and engineering doctoral degrees. We don’t need to be perfect on all seven but good in at least half to obtain R1.
Q. If we’re on the cusp and granted R1, can we lose it if numbers drop due to Covid?
A. We’re cautiously optimistic that with enough projects, Research Centers and Institutes, if one area falls off the Research Centers and Institutes will balance those out. There’s also three years to work on maintaining it.
Finance & Institutional Planning – Mauricio da Cunha & Mike Scott
There are six members on the committee but more are needed. The first meeting is scheduled for next Wednesday. Meetings are already scheduled with the Provost, CFO and VPR. Mike Scott mentioned there is also a meeting on Friday with President Ferrini-Mundy to discuss the budget model from last year.
University Environment – Erik Blomberg & Amanda Klemmer
The committee met yesterday and discussed services lost by the Rising Tide Center and how to replace those services. The Provost Advisory Council on Equity hasn’t started back up. Discussions moving forward will be the University Policy for Promotion of Instructional Faculty and structure to institute faculty partner accommodations and childcare at UMaine. The Childcare Center issues have only increased with Covid 19. Also, items to be discussed will be how classrooms are set up for hybrid teaching. There seem to be inequities with some colleges pushing online or hybrid teaching, all colleges are different. Dee asked that the committee collaborate with the Academic Affairs Committee regarding online, hybrid and in person teaching.
The Provost stated this is the first time he’s heard of the differences but willing to look into it, what the differences are and why. Mike suggested working with the Academic Affairs Committee on the academic side and FIPC on classroom issue.
Service & Outreach – Colt Knight
The committee only has three members, more are needed. They’re in the process of scheduling a meeting.
Committee on Committees – Heather Hamlin
There are nine committees across campus that need to be filled. Heather has brief descriptions for senators to bring to departments across campus. Dee requested senators share the information within units.
Q. Is there a comprehensive list and where can it be found?
A. There is a Google Doc folder called Faculty Senators and everyone should have access to the folder.
Program Creation & Reorganization Review – Margo Lukens
There is a meeting a week from today to consider the BS in Sports Management. The committee has representation from each college with two of the seven not currently elected senators. Dee said it’s a good time for Constitutions & Bylaws to address that issue to include non-elected members on committees.
Q. What colleges aren’t represented by senators?
A. One person is from NSFA/UMCE and the other from Engineering.
Library Committee – Howard Segal & Robert Rice
The committee will be meeting next week but could use more members.
Q. There was a message from the Library that search engines for Engineering have been cancelled. We were told to use Web of Science but that doesn’t replace the other search engines. This issue needs to be addressed. Mauricio would be happy to share some the emails he’s been involved in.
A. The committee will discuss that when they meet.
Faculty Information Technology Committee – Todd Zoroya & Michael Scott
Mike said some issues coming up, mentioned by other committees today, will be discussed at their meeting.
Ad Hoc System Shared Governance – Renae Moran
No report.
Ad Hoc Diversity, Equity and Inclusion – Margo Lukens
That committee will be meeting soon. They’ll be looking at Bylaws on each committee and where committees have influence on equity issues.
Reports of Faculty Members on Committees of the Administration – Heather Hamlin
No report.
IV. Announcements and Updates from the Administration
President Ferrini-Mundy thanked faculty for everything they’ve been doing since March. UMaine has come through an emergency shutdown and come back to continue teaching and research. Enrollment is at 11,776, 2% above last year. Undergraduate is up 1%, Graduate up 8%, the first year class is down. The President’s Council on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion has started.
Q. Has the President’s Council started up yet?
A. Mike Scott is the Faculty Senate rep and he can give updates. Kimberly Whitehead is co-chair. The first meeting was September 11. They’ve looked at preliminary data and will meet again in October.
Q. Does the Vision for Tomorrow Committee include discussions of facilities, buildings, etc?
A. That committee looks at this year, communication and image. There is a committee, UMaine 2025, looking at how to shape going forward. President Ferrini-Mundy said there is a draft people can read and give comments. She also said it’s not strong on buildings but that’s a good idea.
Comments: It seems important for R1 status.
Q. Is this a Planning Committee and if so can FIPC be included?
A. Yes, that’s a good idea.
V. Questions of the Administration
Q. We hear concerns about using technology effectively or consistently. How can we assure the ability to deliver remote courses with no shortfalls of technology, is there a way to communicate to faculty before they discover it on their own?
A. The Provost said they sometimes learn from faculty when an issue presents itself. There is a phone number that answers within five minutes but the message wasn’t clear so that is being addressed, trying to be responsive.
Q. With remote teaching, students feel a lot of stress with a lack of access at home. This will be true after Thanksgiving. One faculty member got a hotel to allow access but some students don’t have a car. Has there been a survey, or will one be done, to deal with issues of those that don’t have access?
A. We’re doing surveys with students every week. We’re trying to take action to address the issues. Equity of access is taken very seriously. We’re currently talking with Extension Offices and the UMaine Augusta regional centers to see about opening them up so students don’t have to sit in their cars, if they have one. Also looking to provide hotspots but those don’t always work either. Unlike March when everything shut down, there are areas that are now open, areas with Wi-Fi.
Q. Last spring 250+/- faculty gave input to Define Tomorrow. Communication came out that 69 subcommittees would look at the different areas. Can we know what the 250 suggestions were, what the 69 areas are, can those be listed as well? Can we have a list of survey responses and the 69 areas? There’s a concern no faculty input will be taken.
A. Yes. There were 250 submissions reviewed. We’re currently expanding the Define Tomorrow Steering Committee, adding two Deans and would like a couple Faculty Senators to be on the committee. We would like to explore work from the summer. The Provost stated he’d like more faculty representation.
Q. The first round of flu shots were offered last Saturday, on a major Jewish Holiday. Will there be more offered and when?
A. There are no new dates listed yet but there will be more scheduled.
Dee noticed a question but he will let Amanda, University Environment, work with Provost Volin to look into advancing women faculty, looking at the Rising Tide Center and PACE. The Provost said these have come up in several meetings recently. A PACE meeting has not happened yet but they’ll try to get it scheduled in early October.
There will be meetings in October offering an Academic Leadership series for Associate Deans, Department Heads, and Directors. The meetings will take place four to six times per academic year. There will also be orientation for new Deans and Department Heads.
VI. Old Business
No old business.
VII. New Business
No new business.
Adjourned 4:55 pm
Respectfully submitted,
Kathryn Slott
Prepared by Kim Junkins