MSU-BOZEMAN FACULTY COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES
January 16, 2002
PRESENT: Young, Sherwood, Engel/McDermott, Kommers, Leech, Benham,
Howard, Stewart, Larsen, Jones/Lewandowski, Ross, Nehrir,
Amend for McClure, Locke, Lansverk, Bogar, Jelinski,
Idzerda, Lynch, Fisher, Lynes-Hayes, Butterfield, Kempcke.
ABSENT: Hatfield, Morrill, White, Anderson, Peed, Linker, Mooney,
Lefcort, Weaver, Levy, Henson, Pratt, Griffith, Carlstrom.
The meeting was called to order by Chair John Sherwood at 4:10 PM. A
quorum was present. The minutes of the December 5, 2001, meeting were
approved as distributed.
Chair's report - John Sherwood.
- The MSU-Bozeman FY03 Strategic Priorities (attached to agenda)
were approved by the Strategic Planning Committee. They focus on
recruitment, retention, and quality enhancements. They will be
used for the coming fiscal year, allowing time to develop
longer-range priorities.
- The 10-month pay period for AY faculty will go into effect with
the 2002-2003 academic year.
- The 10-month pay period will be the default for AY
faculty. Faculty with summer salaries may choose a 9-month
pay option for the academic year by requesting it through
the faculty's academic department.
- Proposed information technology policies for the Montana
University System will be discussed at this week's Board of
Regents meeting. (The policies may be viewed at
http://www.montana.edu/itpolicy/.)
- Generally, comments received by Chair Sherwood have
mentioned the policies are overly-restrictive for a
university.
- The message to be taken to the Board of Regents meeting is
that employee and student groups at MSU are not happy with
the proposed policies.
- Rufus Cone, a member of the committee that developed the
policies, has some IT policies from other universities that
appear to be better suited to the MUS.
- University Governance Council Steering Committee will meet with
the President's Executive Council January 31.
- Issues the President wants to discuss include university
planning, financial health of MSU, preparation for the next
legislative session, and integration among the four MSU
campuses.
- Faculty and professionals have some agenda items they
would like to bring to the meeting, also.
Discussion with Marilyn Wessel, Dean and Director of the Museum of the
Rockies (MOR).
- The Museum of the Rockies was founded in 1957 by Dr. Merrill
Burlingame and Dr. Caroline McGill. It began as a museum of
western history.
- In 1965, a Board of Trustees was established. The board
includes students, faculty, two deans, and community members.
- All MOR employees are employees of the State of Montana. The
present building, dating back to 1972, is owned by the state and
leased to the Museum for $300,000/year.
- The Museum's operating budget for 2002 is $2.7 million. The
university contributes a little less than one-third of the total,
and the remainder comes from memberships, entry fees and Museum
store sales, endowments and contributions.
- The Museum of the Rockies is the only university museum in
Montana, although there are about 9,000 of them nationwide. The
MOR is the largest of the four fully-accredited museums in
Montana.
- The purpose of any museum, including the MOR, is to present
information, much as a library does, but to present it in
three-dimensional form.
- About 3,000 MSU students per year are assigned work in the MOR.
- Students at MSU may receive a minor in Museum Studies. It is a
collaboration between the Museum, the Department of History and
Philosophy, and other departments. The current cost of the minor
is less than $10,000/year.
- Curatorial staff at the Museum teach in several departments.
Support for graduate students is available, especially in
Paleontology. Last year, the five curators published eight
articles in juried journals and one book. The Museum is involved
in joint grant proposals with departments.
- Looking ahead, a substantial expansion of the paleontology
exhibit is anticipated. Greater emphasis on showing the public
how research is conducted is planned.
- The Museum is looking for sponsorship so MSU students would not
have to pay an admission fee to visit.
- The goal for admissions is 150,000 - 170,000 each year. The
number of admissions was down somewhat in 2001, probably
indicating the downturn in the economy.
- The MOR works with the American Computer Museum and the Pioneer
Museum, borrowing and loaning items for various exhibits.
- New exhibits are developed during the year to provide new
information for visitors.
- The possibility of a paleontology graduate program at MSU is in
early discussion.
- The Museum views itself as the front door to the university and
as an important recruiting tool for MSU.
Faculty Affairs Committee report - Ron Larsen.
- Sabbatical applications have been reviewed, and recommendations
have been forwarded to the Provost. Final decisions are expected
by the end of January.
Proposed Change to the Course Drop Policy - Vice Provost Joe Fedock.
- A recommendation to allow students to drop a course on-line or
in person at the Registrar's Office was made by the Recruitment
and Retention Task Force. The change would ease the amount of
paperwork to be done early in the semester by not requiring the
instructor or advisor's signature.
- As written, the change would allow the dropping of courses
during the first 10 instructional days of the semester. Course
adds will still require the signature of the instructor and the
advisor.
- The instructor will have to check the class list on-line
regularly during the first two weeks of class to know when
openings in the class occur. Would there be a way to notify the
instructor when a student drops the course?
- It was pointed out that a "wait list" feature appears on
Banner, and activating it would help instructors keep track of
vacancies in classes.
- It was pointed out that when students make unilateral decisions
about dropping courses, the decision can have serious
consequences, including delaying graduation by a year. Input
from the instructor and advisor are important to students.
- The issue of misconduct by a student with no consequences was
discussed by the Recruitment and Retention Task Force. Any
significant misconduct would most likely occur later in the
semester.
- A number of instructional days other than 10 can be considered,
if it seems appropriate.
- If there are significant concerns for the proposed change,
please contact Provost Fedock or Faculty Council Chair Sherwood.
- It was pointed out that currently, if a student does not attend
the first three class periods in a class, the instructor has the
option of dropping the student to make space for students on a
waiting list.
As there was no further business, the meeting adjourned at 5:10 PM.
Joann Amend, Secretary John Sherwood, Chair