FACULTY SENATE MEETING- January 28, 2004
12:30-1:50
Biology 209
Opening:
The regular meeting of the Faculty Senate was called to order at 12:35.
Excused – Georgia Arvanitis, Art Hohmuth, Bozena Leven, Rebecca Li, Ruane Miller, Annie Nicolosi, Beth Paul, Leslie Rice, Teresa San Pedro, Barbara Strassman
Absent – Steve Klug, Ruth Palmer, Gladys Word
Introductions
Orlando Hernandez — new senator from the School of Engineering
Provost Stephen Briggs
President Barbara Gitenstein
Erin Gorr – new student secretary
A. Presentation by President Barbara Gitenstein
1. Advocacy
The proposed merger for research institutions has been dropped. The Rutgers Board was prepared to vote against it. The governor pulled it off the table. This had the potential to create a more centralized higher education system that could have had adverse effects on institutional autonomy. Unfortunately, the Governor has also taken off the table his support for the General Obligation Bond Issue for higher education construction. But the Bond Issue has considerable public and legislative support, and it may be resurrected. It is not essential to TCNJ. We are in a position to keep building. But if the state borrowed the money instead of TCNJ, it would help to hold down tuition increases.
Our main goal is to preserve base appropriations. An increase is deserved but that will not happen. We would like to preserve what we have now. We are prepared to complain about any cuts or short cuts that diminish our support from the state. We will let the public know the truth.
There are three major student financial aid programs: OSRP, TAG, and EOF. We support all three programs. It resonates well to stand up both for merit and need Although all three programs are supported by different institutions, we are distinct in supporting all three.
We welcomed the recent NY Times article showing that TCNJ had a much higher graduation rate than other state colleges.
2. Development and Fundraising and the Sesquicentennial
We are at $1.6 million in fundraising this fiscal year as compared to the $800,000 at this time last year. The Board wants fundraising to be a priority. Funds will be used to promote “faculty excellence” at the department level and student scholarships. Alumni donations are increasing. The turnout for Homecoming was up from 4500 to 6000.
The Sesquicentennial will run from September 2004 to October 2005. Our goal is to get more potential donors onto campus to hear the story of what our college is all about. Faculty can help generate these contacts. We want these visitors to meet the staff, faculty, and students. In addition to these events we will be receiving a $25,000 endowment. Janice Blayne Paul is the contact person. Pat Boatright has been trying to coordinate scheduling.
3. Comments and Questions from the Faculty Senate
Don Lovett suggested that the major dedication of the science complex be held during Sesquicentennial.
Simona Wright also suggested that the 40th year anniversary for the Frankfurt exchange program be celebrated during that time.
Jean Konzal mentioned that 2004-2005 will be the 50th anniversary for the Brown v. the Board of Education case. Several first year seminar classes will be based on this theme.
B. Election to Fill Vacancies on the Honors Advisory Council and International
Education Advisory Council
After voting twice the Senate appointed Thulsi Wickramasinghe to the International Education Advisory Council and Felicia Steele to the Honors Advisory Council.
C. Five Year Review of the “Ten Big Issues Facing TCNJ” (November 1998)
This semester the Senate will assess the progress of the college in addressing the ten big issues identified at the time President Gitenstein was appointed. We will recreate ten subcommittees as was done in 1998. Each subcommittee will consist of approximately four Senators. Each group will issue a report by Monday, April 5. Each group should also identify new facets to the topics under review, and call attention to any other matters that require attention.
Steve Briggs mentioned that this review will be very useful in preparing for Middle States. He further encouraged individual faculty members and departments to evaluate their progress in meeting objectives. Ideas should also be put together of what needs to be accomplished over the next five years. We also need to see if there are things that don’t fall under the ten headings.
D. Schedule Grids
The Senate Executive Board submitted for discussion a draft resolution regarding Schedule Grids. It recognized that the Provost might need to implement a plan, noted that any such plan might well be in place for two academic years, and called for assessment of the interim plan and adoption of a more permanent plan through Governance.
Gerry Miller posed the point that fair number of faculty members wished to have the fourth hour while others felt no use for it.
Ed Conjura mentioned that if the fourth hour is not available, the new curriculum will be undermined.
Ralph Edelbach questioned where the fourth hour would be placed. Dan Crofts noted that the “modified Omega” gave each class period a detached fourth hour and a contiguous two hour bloc.
Steve Briggs suggested that those interested in the subject attend the second open forum on the Schedule Grid, sponsored by CPP and scheduled for next Wednesday, February 4, at 3:30 in Forcina Hall room 134. We do need a Schedule Grid by February 11.
Tom Hagedorn asked whether other classes would be able to meet on Wednesday mornings, when many “fourth hours” would be scheduled. David Venturo responded affirmatively: we hope to run “fourth hours” and upper level classes that meet for three hours on Wednesday mornings. Cindy Curtis added to this by agreeing that it made good sense to hold classes that only meet once a week on Wednesday mornings.
Don Lovett cautioned that many juniors and seniors still needed to complete courses with a “fourth hour” that would conflict with upper level classes offered on Wednesday mornings.
John Karsnitz said that Schedule Grids should go back into Governance after a year or two. David Venturo agreed.
John Karsnitz moved to amend the Senate Executive Board recommendation so that it would read as follows:
“The Provost may have to devise some interim plan on Schedule Grids for Fall 2004, as he has already indicated that he will do.
1. The Senate recognizes that the long lead time required for scheduling
means that the Provost’s interim Schedule Grid may well have to remain
in effect for two years, from August 2004 through May 2006, in order to
have time to assess the schedule’s actual effects.
2. Assessments of the interim Schedule Grid should be made through
Governance, taking into account its actual operation.
3. The Schedule Grid that goes into effect in August 2006 should be
approved through Governance.”
This was approved unanimously by voice vote, with no discernable opposition or abstention.
Adjournment:
The meeting was adjourned at 2:00.
The next general meeting will be at 12:30 on February 25th in Biology Building Room 209.
THE TEN SUBCOMMITTEES
1) Decision Making- John Karsnitz
Rick Kamber, Ralph Edelbach, Georgia Arvanitis [ONE MORE NEEDED]
2) Governance- Marcia O’Connell
Romulo Ochoa, Bob McMahan, Beth Paul [ONE MORE NEEDED]
3) Strategic Planning- David Venturo
Joyce Vincelette [THREE MORE NEEDED]
4) Learning- Cindy Curtis
Don Lovett, Jo Carney, Anita Allyn [ONE MORE NEEDED]
5) Scholarship- Ruth Palmer
Orlando Hernandez, Shri Rao [TWO MORE NEEDED]
6) Library and Information Technology- Bill Behre
Tom Hagedorn, Maureen Gorman, Consuelo Preti [ONE MORE NEEDED]
7) Adjunct Faculty- Don Vandegrift
Ed Conjura, Gerry Miller [TWO MORE NEEDED]
8 & 10) Student Growth and Development & Affordability- Dan Crofts
Simona Wright, Pam Kravitz, Stuart Carroll, Yiqiang Wu
9) Diversity in a Global Context- Brenda Leake and Michael Robertson
Monica Ross-Miller, Jean Konzal, Adam Knobler