Purdue University Northwest > Faculty Senate > News > Senate Meeting Minutes > Faculty Senate Minutes – Friday, December 9, 2016

Faculty Senate Minutes – Friday, December 9, 2016

December 9, 2018

LSF 144, Westville Campus

Voting Members Present:

A. Angriawan, C. Boiarsky, R. Brusca-Vega, C.V. Chandramouli, B. Chen, D. Detmer, J. Duzinkiewicz, T. Elmendorf, J. Garwood, J. Hack, P. Hecht, G. Jin, A. Kokalov, J. Kuhn, Y. Lee, S. Mo, S. Nakayama, N. Nemeth, L. Pelter, J. Pula, V. Quinn, S. Rezak, C. Roper, P. Rose, R. Rupp, G. Schultz, K. Scipes, S. Smithson, J. Spores, J. Thomas, S. Trekles, F. Wang, E. Weber, D. Whitten, D. Wilbur.

Voting Members Absent:

M. Block, M. Fathizadeh, T. Dobrowski, E. James, N. Patel, L. Tan

Non-voting Members Present:

R. Biddings-Muro, S. Lerner, T. Keon, R. Mueller, C. Panlilio, S. Turner, T. Winders.

Others present:

D. Robinson, C. Buchmeier, J. Colwell, A. Duley, L. Goodnight, E. Hixon, B. Law, A. Lopez, M. Lynn, H. Saporiti, J. Shires, R. Stankowski, M. Watson, Z. Jakubowski.

  1. Determination of quorumA quorum was declared at 10:02 A.M.
  2. Call to OrderThe meeting was called to order by Chair D. Wilbur.
  3. Approval of the AgendaThe agenda was approved unanimously by voice vote.
  4. Approval of the Minutes of the November 11, 2016 meetingThe minutes were moved and seconded. They were approved unanimously by voice vote.
  5. Remarks by the ChairThe chair reviewed the Faculty Senate’s accomplishments during the semester and discussed the reality that it is a work in progress. He reported on the agreement that all instructors would be qualified to teach in the concurrent enrollment program by Fall 2017. The chair and vice chair met with the Institutional Research staff members in an effort to learn what data and information is needed by the Senate. He sought feedback on the possibility of suspending classes for Founders Day activities on March 6. R. Mueller indicated that the administration hopes to make the event a university-wide celebration. He said hoped attendance at the event would be enhanced because campus-wide awards will be given out on that day. The chair announced that N. Nemeth would depart as secretary of the faculty and as a voting member because of his appointment as interim associate dean of the College of Humanities, Education and Social Sciences. M. Watson, administrative assistant for the provost and vice chancellor for academic affairs in Westville, will assume the position on a temporary basis.
  6. Remarks by the Chancellor or Invited GuestsT. Keon reported on the recent activities of the faculty and staff advocate. The advocate has recently handled inquiries about the promotion and tenure process, concerns that an academic dean had not been sufficiently sensitive to a faculty member’s concern, questions by a staff member about health benefits, and search processes relating to affirmative action. The chancellor addressed rumors that the Westville campus would be closed and sold to Ivy Tech. He said S. Turner, vice chancellor for finance and administration, explained that such a plan had never been discussed or considered. Other questions addressed were the status of lecturers as clinical faculty or continuing lecturers and an Illinois student’s desire to pay in-state tuition because of student worker status.

    The chancellor urged Senate members to contact state legislators in an effort to secure funding for the Bioscience Innovation building. He noted that funding to construct the new building is third on the state’s list of priorities behind two projects on the West Lafayette campus. He cited the success of the University of Southern Indiana as an independent institution as having an advantage over PNW as a part of a comprehensive university system. He said PNW should receive support that it is due as a major university in the second most populous area of the state.

  7. Unfinished BusinessNone.
  8. New Business
    1. Curriculum Document ApprovalNo documents.
    2. Senate Documents For ActionFSD 16-02, Intercollegiate Athletics Committee (Executive Committee)

      G. Schultz asked that the document be tabled because of pending further discussions with the chancellor and athletic director. C. Boiarsky motioned and N. Nemeth seconded to table the document. The document was tabled by voice vote.

      FSD 16-03, PNW Attendance Policy (Student Affairs)

      T. Elmendorf introduced the document and moved it for adoption with second from F. Wang. No changes had been suggested since the document was introduced for discussion at the November meeting. T. Elmendorf moved to approve the document with a second from F. Wang. The provost said the document had been discussed with the Senior Leadership Team at length and that he appreciated the sentiment of the document. He said the provost’s office was unable to maintain a detailed list of sanctioned events; there were simply too many events that were subject to change. He said the decision on approving absences should rest with the individual faculty member. T. Elmendorf said the policy would ensure the sponsor of the event would be informed of the faculty member’s decision, which should be in writing. The document was approved unanimously by voice vote.

    3. Senate Documents For DiscussionFSD 16-04: First-Year Experience Guidelines for PNW (General Education)

      P. Hecht introduced the document and described the First-Year Experience program, including its core components and the summer workshops conducted during the past two years. The major goal is to unify the GNS 103 and GNS 191 courses being taught on the two campuses into a single course. C. Boiarsky requested that the concept of self-responsibility by students be added to the document. After additional discussion, T. Elmendorf made a friendly amendment to add the concept of self-responsibility with a second by R. Rupp. P. Hecht asked to move the document to action so the merger of the two courses could be accomplished during spring semester. R. Rupp seconded. The document was approved unanimously as amended by voice vote.

      FSD 16-05: General Education Learning Outcomes for PNW (PDF) (General Education)

      P. Hecht introduced the document, which calls for acceptance of the principles created as part of the Liberal Education and America’s Promise program, which is a multi-state initiative. Questions were raised about the state of Indiana’s position on the LEAP initiative. J. Duzinkiewicz said the North Central Senate had endorsed the program and that he found the more detailed rubrics very useful. The document will be scheduled “for action” at the January meeting.

      FSD 16-06: PNW Student Grade Appeals Policy (Student Affairs)

      T. Elmendorf introduced the document for discussion. He explained that the university has no policy for handling grade appeals since becoming PNW. A committee chaired by F. Wang worked on the grade appeals and academic integrity policies last summer. The new policy eliminates conflicts present in the previous policies and places a single faculty member in charge of both processes. In response to a question, C. Panlilio said that a number of grade appeals cases are pending, so Senate action on the document was needed. T. Elmendorf moved the document to action with a second from G. Schultz. No further discussion ensued. The document was approved unanimously by voice vote.

      FSD 16-07: PNW Academic Integrity Policy (Student Affairs)

      T. Elmendorf introduced the document for discussion. F. Wang discussed the desire to identify students who have recurring problems with academic dishonesty but noted that such a list cannot be created. L. Goodnight said that federal law prohibits the disclosure of student disciplinary records to anyone. J. Pula discussed the possibility of creating a transcript notation that includes failure of a course because of academic dishonesty. F. Wang said any such designation would have to be approved by the University Senate in West Lafayette. F. Wang emphasized that the burden of proof is on the instructor to prove that a student violated the academic integrity policy, whereas the student bears the burden of proof in grade appeals cases. Further discussion included the desire to have specific recommendations for discussing academic integrity in course syllabi and the role of the Dean of Students office in the process. The document will be scheduled “for action” at the January meeting.

      FSD 16-08: Revision of Faculty Senate Bylaws (Educational Policy)

      F. Wang introduced the document for discussion. He indicated that the change in the bylaws was needed to create the membership of the Honors College Subcommittee, which reports to the Educational Policy Committee. J. Hack moved the document to action with a second from F. Wang. P. Hecht wanted to know the reason for the change in the bylaws and was told the subcommittee could not be populated without the change. F. Wang moved the document for adoption and seconded by J. Hack. The document was unanimously approved by voice vote.

      FSD 16-09: Creation of an Ad Hoc Committee on Experiential Learning (Executive Committee)

      D. Whitten introduced the document for discussion. The hope was that the committee would study and survey the faculty on their views on Experiential Learning. J. Hack discussed the origination of the document in the Educational Policy Committee before it was decided to move it to the Executive Committee. She provided details on the adoption of Experiential Learning on the Hammond campus in 2006, including the decision to have input from the chancellor, provost, student achievement, and instructional excellence segments of the campus. She urged that the proposed ad hoc committee include these stakeholders. She indicated that the academic schools had not been included in the document offered for discussion and that ways to accommodate the current structure of the university needed to be included. The document will be scheduled “for action” on the January agenda.

      FSD 16-10: Revision to Promotion and Tenure Criteria, Guidelines and Procedures (Faculty Affairs)

      J. Pula introduced the document for discussion. The new document incorporates language from the West Lafayette document that was not available when the PUC and PNC Senates approved the current policy in the spring. The new document also makes typographical changes. Various editing changes were suggested by Senate members. R. Mueller expressed the hope that the changes could be finished by mid-spring so they can be implemented when the process begins next fall. The document will be revised and scheduled “for action” at the January meeting.

      FSD 16-11: Addendum to Promotion and Tenure Criteria, Guidelines and Procedures (Faculty Affairs)

      J. Pula presented the document for discussion. Changes were suggested to the document to clarify the deadlines, the obligations of the dean to meet with the area committee or chair of the committee, and the expectation that the dean would provide the result of committee voting. The document will be revised and scheduled “for action” at the January meeting.

  9. Documents and Reports for Information

    None.

  10. Remarks by the Representative(s) of the Student Government(s)Anna Duley, vice president of the Hammond SGA, discussed recent activities the association has sponsored: topics and treats program, Native American Heritage Month, and discussion of post-traumatic stress disorder. The association is now preparing to hold elections in the spring. Duley and Westville President Z. Jakubowski discussed the possibility of restructuring the association to include only one president starting in the fall of 2017. Z. Jakubowski reported on legislative efforts by the West Lafayette SGA to have the firefly designated as the state insect.
  11. Remarks by the University Senate/Intercampus Faculty Council Representative(s)In his University Senate report, F. Wang discussed the approval of a resolution that reduces PNW’s representation to one senator. The University Senate also approved a floor resolution which asserts that a breach of the concept of shared governance in the decisions occurred concerning the restructuring of Indiana University-Purdue University at Fort Wayne. The resolution requests that the University and IPFW senates have sufficient time to exercise their advisory rights. The Intercampus Faculty Council approved a resolution that requests that the University Senate exercise its advisory rights regarding the restructuring of IPFW and that efforts to reform the concurrent enrollment/dual credit program comply with the guidelines of the Higher Learning Commission.
  12. Open DiscussionS. Lerner discussed the desire to create a resolution of appreciation for departing secretary N. Nemeth. C. Boiarsky offered to draft the resolution.

    V. Quinn reported that the Faculty Research Day in Hammond is scheduled for March 23. Student Research Day will take place on March 28 in Westville and March 29 in Hammond.

    K. Scipes discussed news coverage of the forum concerning climate change and the environment held on the Westville campus on December 6.

  13. AdjournmentMeeting adjourned at 12:15 P.M.