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Executive Council Meeting: 10/02/2006

Executive Council Meeting

October 2, 2006, 10:00 am, UW2 327

Present: Steve Collins, Bill Erdly, Kevin Laverty, Alan Leong, Carol Leppa, Nancy Place and Mike Stiber.

Guests: Tom Bellamy

Welcome to the 2006-07 Executive Council

            Mike Stiber, Chair of the EC welcomed the EC representatives and began the academic year with an agenda format that includes information and action items.  Mike asked that EC reps submit agenda items one week prior to the meeting if possible and explained that any item requiring action will come forward as a motion.  This should focus the agenda and expedite action on all issues that come before the EC. 

EC Reference Manuals

            EC Reference Manuals were distributed to the EC.  It was noted that the revisions to the GFO Bylaws that were ratified last year should be notated in the document. 

Action item:

Barb will provide Laraine in Academic Affairs with an EC Reference Manual.

BA in Applied Computing status report

            Bill Erdly updated the EC on the status of the BA in Applied Computing.  CSS sent a "Substantive Statement on Need" to the HECB detailing the new degree program and addressing regional workforce needs.  Statewide studies, based on an industry needs survey, identified the need for an interdisciplinary approach to computing and technology.  The UWB curriculum can address those needs through a BA in Applied Computing.  The HECB approved the notification of intent, so the next step for CSS is to send the proposal through the Tri-campus Curriculum Review by the end of Autumn Quarter 2006.  This BA, if approved, would be offered Autumn Quarter 2007.  Bill will visit the programs upon request to communicate how this degree will relate to their current curriculum and benefit students in their programs.  The EC requests that the final proposal include a budget statement and detail the resources needed for infrastructure to support the program.  Will this degree program bring the CSS program to full enrollment?  Bill explained that this program should increase FTE and will attract a different type of student to CSS.  Tom stressed the importance of understanding that two separate processes are involved:

1. Approval of the curriculum
2. Approval of the budget

The EC considers both of the issues and along with Academic Council reviews resource implications in launching new programs.  Integral to any new program planning is factoring in the resources to make the program a success.  Tom also advised that program planning be aware of recruitment needs of Student Affairs, otherwise programs would have to advertised pending approval.

Overview of GFO Committee charges

Steve reviewed the GFO Committee charges with the EC for 2006-07.  The GFO By-laws assign standing charges to each committee, in addition to those charges, Steve has assigned specific charges to the committees that will address campus issues and focus committee efforts on both long and short-term planning.  The GFO committee structure will facilitate faculty governance and help the EC guide the strategic planning on campus.  A discussion of the GFO committee structure raised some points:

• Faculty leadership should be important - should a full professor chair the committees?  Ideally, a senior faculty member would chair the committee.
•  Workload and service issues at UWB have always resulted in a lack of volunteers to chair and work on committees.
• Issues that committees want to bring before the EC - what is the process for this?
• Do we need administrative ex-officios to be on all or some of the committees?
• What role should the ex-officio representative play as administrative liaison?
• The GFO committee structure should be re-visited after one year to see if it is serving its purpose.
• We still need IAS representation on the committees.

Distribution of Draft Policy on Centers and Institutes

            Tom worked with the EC and the AC to develop the Draft Policy on Centers and Institutes to establish a process to propose centers and institutes for campus.  The Student Entrepreneurship Center and Business Development Center were approved under this policy.  The EC will review the Draft Policy on Centers and Institutes. 

Action item:

Tom will send the current Draft Policy on Centers and Institutes to Mike, who will distribute to the EC.

Action item:

Mike will have a motion to approve the Draft Policy on Centers and Institutes ready for the next EC meeting.

Academic Strategic Planning process outline for the year/Revision of GFO By-laws

            Steve opened discussion on academic strategic planning for the coming year and the revision of GFO By-laws.  Steve and Kevin have been working with Donna Kerr, Secretary of the Faculty to bring UWB's By-laws and Handbook into compliance with the UW Faculty Handbook.  Donna has provided a template to use that will put the GFO By-laws into the framework of the UW Faculty Handbook, which grounds all authority in the UW Handbook.  UWB has yet to accept the template and will hold a faculty forum to discuss the matter.  Some concerns have surfaced over this issue, primarily the issue of autonomy of a campus versus a department or college.  Important key points regarding autonomy are authority over curriculum and student standards.  UWB wants to retain authority in these areas.  We may have to require legislation to clarify the language in the UW Faculty Handbook on the status of a campus.

Motion:  Authorization from EC to plan a GFO forum in November on the topic of revision of our bylaws and handbook

            The motion passed unanimously.

Action items:

Motion:  Approval of EC minutes of June 2, 2006

            The motion to accept the EC minutes of June 2, 2006 as submitted, passed, 5 in favor.  

Motion:  The Executive Council approves the plan for Academic Strategic Planning and directs the GFO Vice Chair and the GFO Planning and Budget Committee to implement the process as defined therein.

            Discussion of the motion resulted in two amendments:

• 1. Phase 5: (May-June, 2007): Formal faculty vote on the planning document at a spring quarter GFO meeting - was removed from the document.
• 2. Under Phase 1 (October - November, 2006): Brainstorming Period - "and strategies" was added (underlined) to the document - "During this period, academic programs and individual faculty will be asked to propose a set of potential majors, minors and concentrations and strategies that they see as most important for development during the next 5-7 years."

Other discussion points:

• Is this a regular process or for this year only?
• Mike - as written, it is just for this year.
• This gives a framework for any faculty member to have a say in long term planning.
• Is increasing majors the way to increase FTE?
• Institution building is very intensive, what reward structure is needed to keep faculty engaged?
• Is expanding the range of programs the way we wish to grow?
• What majors are experiencing excess demand in UW and else where.  Can we use this information to inform our decision-making?
• One of the biggest cultural issues for the EC to manage will be to honor what programs are doing and bring campus wide decision making into the process.
• Take an inventory of what programs and individuals are already doing in program planning.
• The design challenge for the EC in this program planning process will be to encourage campus wide participation and consider resources to fund proposals.

The vote on the motion as amended - 4 yes.  The motion carried.

The next EC meeting will be Monday, October 16, 2006.

Minutes submitted by Barbara Van Sant.