December 12, 2003, 11:00 am, Room 211B
Present: Frank Cioch, Colin Danby, Patricia Kelley, Sandeep Krishnamurthy, Jane Van Galen, Barbara Van Sant and Linda Watts
Guests: Jane Decker, Arnie Berger, Kari Lerum, Pete Nye and Carol Zander
The EC Winter Quarter Schedule of Meetings is as follows:
Tuesdays, 8:30 am - 10:00 am
January 6 and 20, February 3 and 17 and March 2.
Discussion of Reports from GFO Committee Chairs/Representatives
Linda welcomed Vice Chancellor of Academic Affairs, Jane Decker and the GFO Committee Chairs and representatives to the Executive Council. She stated the EC's goal of keeping the GFO committee work present and vital through information sharing and maintaining a strong relationship with committees. The EC is committed to coordinating effort and energy in aligning the work of shared governance with the GFO committees.
Committee Reports:
Honors and Ceremonies - Kari Lerum, Chair
The Honors and Ceremonies Committee has reviewed the policy on Faculty Honors, the Chancellor's Medal and the President's Medal and have chosen a 2004 Commencement Speaker. The work of the committee on the criteria for Faculty Honors is ongoing and feedback from the GFO is welcome.
Faculty Honors:
The committee has deliberated on the question of faculty honors, should this honors program be reconstituted to be program specific? A new structure may produce a fairer distribution across programs. The recommendation of the committee is to award the top 10% of each program and to extend the honor to include students with prior Baccalaureate degrees.
Chancellor's Medal:
In April/May 2004 the H&C Committee will review nominations and select recipients of the Chancellor's Medal.
President's Medal:
In April/May 2004 the H&C Committee will review nominations and select one recipient of the President's Medal.
2004 Commencement Speaker:
The H&C Committee has secured Paul Loeb as the 2004 Commencement speaker. Student Speaker for 2004 Commencement:
The H&C Committee will present nominations for student speaker at the April GFO meeting.
Academic Affairs - Arnie Berger, Chair
Academic Affairs Committee is focusing on coordinating with Student Affairs to align the UWB student petition process with the UW policies for compliance to academic regulations. The other fundamental focus of the committee is on Academic Integrity. The committee will work to compile best practices on methods of maintaining academic conduct and conformity to the Student Conduct Code.
Jane Decker stated that UWB must be in full compliance with the Fair Academic and Behavioral Conduct Process by Winter Quarter 2004.
Action item: Linda Watts will distribute the Fair Academic and Behavioral Conduct Process document to the EC.
Curriculum Committee - Carol Zander, Chair
The Curriculum Committee met four times Autumn Quarter to review new course and course change applications and for policy discussion on substantive issues regarding curriculum. The committee as well as the issue of UWB moving to 100/200 level course offerings is assessing the issue of defining the criteria for 300/400 level courses. The Curriculum Committee Manual is being reviewed and Carol is making changes and revisions to the current version (1998). Carol's curriculum webpage outlines the curriculum policies and procedures and links to the UW Curriculum Office website, it is accessed on her faculty webpage. The matter of approving curriculum Summer Quarter is under consideration, the committee is writing a procedure to clarify and deal with applications submitted during the summer, when the committee does not meet. The Vice Chancellor of Academic Affairs will, if appropriate, grant a temporary approval of a course until the committee meets Autumn Quarter.
Jane Decker stated that an Executive Order exists calling for consultation between the tri-campuses when curricular changes will be proposed.
Faculty Affairs - Sandeep Krishnamurthy, member of the committee
The Faculty Affairs Committee has examined the impact of the discrepancy of faculty salaries on productivity. One issue in particular involves the toll that working summer quarter can take on research efforts for faculty and the strain low salaries can put on faculty trying to fund their own research. UW is considered our peer institution and UWB salaries have a consistently lower baseline. Another subject the committee is grappling with is the Distinguished Lecture issue. With the budget for this event cut in half, Faculty Affairs has been looking at finding a local speaker but is unclear of the overall role the GFO will play in hosting this event and will seek resolution to this.
Instructional and Research Support - Pete Nye, Chair
The Instructional and Research Support Committee has focused on research and research support issues. The committee has examined the role of research at UWB and is trying to define this role both in a programmatic and cross-programmatic context. Questions remain, what can be done to support faculty research and increase the level of commitment to research at this institution? IRS will draft a document for the Academic Strategic Action Initiatives Committee to prioritize research at UWB.
Communication at the EC meeting seemed to facilitate collaboration, Faculty Affairs and IRS found areas of interest and effort in common:
Jane Decker suggested that the faculty lead an initiative with Academic Council to look at service expectations, tenure, promotion and workload.
Linda extended thanks to Jane for her support of the EC's and GFO's efforts within the committees and service to UWB. It is appreciated. She also thanked the committee's chairs and members for their service and leadership roles with the GFO. EC members received hard copies of the Business program concentration under consideration at the next EC meeting.
Executive Council Report, December 2003
Honors and Ceremonies Committee Activities for 2003-2004
Compiled by Kari Lerum, Committee chair
Last year the Executive Council of the GFO asked the H&C committee to investigate the issue of Faculty honors. Currently, Faculty honors are given to eligible students with a GPA of at least 3.75. Given the variability of GPAs by program, this system greatly advantages nursing students and greatly disadvantages Business and Computing students. After some deliberation the H&C committee recommends that Faculty Honors be limited to the top 10% of each program (modeled after the designation of Baccalaureate honors). The committee also recommends that students with prior Baccalaureate degrees also be eligible for Faculty Honors. The criteria with an asterisk (*) signify the committee's recommended changes.
Current criteria for Faculty honors:
a) 3.75 overall GPA cutoff
b) Graduates must have at least 70 graded credits (cumulative credits from UWT, UWB, or UWS). Includes all programs except the graduates of the nursing program.
c) Nursing graduates must have 45 graded credits (cumulative credits from UWB).
d) Not eligible to receive Latin honors.
e) Students with prior Baccalaureate degrees are not eligible for Faculty Honors.
Proposed criteria for Faculty honors:
*a) GPA within top ten percent of each program. E.G., for current eligible students this
cutoff would be:
a. Interdisciplinary studies 3.77
b. Business Administration 3.58
c. Computing and Software systems 3.68
d. Nursing 3.96
b) Graduates must have at least 70 graded credits (cumulative credits from UWT, UWB, or UWS). Includes all programs except the graduates of the nursing program.
c) Nursing graduates must have 45 graded credits (cumulative credits from UWB).
d) Not eligible to receive Latin honors.
*e) Students with prior Baccalaureate degrees are eligible for Faculty Honors.
Charter:
The Academic Affairs Committee provides general guidance to faculty and administrators regarding the interpretation and administration of the academic regulations of the campus. This committee handles student petitions and has been instrumental in the creation of the academic integrity document.
(A Primer on Faculty Governance at UW, Bothell, Sandeep Krishnamurthy and Carole Kubota, November 2002)
Membership:
Suzanne Sikma, Nursing
Sandeep Krishnamurthy, Business
Bruce Burgett, IAS
Arnie Berger, CSS
Hung Dang (ex officio), Student Affairs
Barbara Van Sant: Recording Secretary
Meetings:
Generally the second Wednesday of each month from 2:00pm to 3:30pm in the Nursing Conference Room
Activities:
Arnie Berger
December 11, 2003
Academic Affairs Committee Meeting
November 5, 2003
Present:
Faculty: Arnie Berger, Chair, Suzanne Sikma, Bruce Burgett, Sandeep Krishnamurthy
Staff: Hung Dang
Guest: Jane Decker, Tana Hasart
Barbara Van Sant, Administrative Coordinator for the GFO will provide administrative support to the Academic Affairs Committee.
Jane Decker discussed the Academic Integrity Task Force, chaired by Carol Leppa (Nursing). The need for the Task Force arose because UWB's policies regarding issues of Academic Integrity were not in compliance with those of UW-Seattle. Berger, as chair of the Academic Affairs Committee, also sits on the AI task force and is a liaison between the two groups.
Sandeep and Bruce asked about the process and Jane outlined the work done so far. Jane suggested that the Disciplinary Board be formed here, rather than in Seattle.
Arnie suggested that members of the AA committee could provide role of the Hearing Officer in the new process. Tana suggested that AA committee should monitor the process.
We also discussed the disposition of student petitions. Jane suggested that we hold a workshop on how to handle petitions. The meeting adjourned at this point without any action being taken on these suggestions.
Next meeting will be Wednesday, December 10 @ 2:30pm in the Nursing Conference Room. Agenda to be announced.
Arnie Berger
