October, 18, 2017 Minutes

Faculty Senate Minutes

October 18, 2017

3:10 – 4:30 pm

SUB Ballroom C

1)    Call to Order

•     Meeting called to order by Chairman Babcock at 3:11

2)    Approval of October 4th, 2017 meeting minutes

No objections to approval of the minutes

3)    Announcements- Chair Babcock

•     Budget update- any budget adjustments will not impact current searches, raises, or college
plans.

•     BOR Nov 16th, highlights two Regent Professor being announced.

•     One MSU Nov 1-2 encouraged faculty to participate. Deadline to RSVP 25th of October.

4)    New Courses and Programs- Chair-Elect Richards

•     The following courses presented at October 4th meeting were approved by steering committee:
HSTR 483: Africa: Colonial Through Modern Era

WGSS 120: Why Diversity Matters

ESOF 423: Software Engineering Applications CULA 161: Meats and Vegetables

CULA 270: Purchasing and Cost Control ITS 163: A+ Operating System

ITS 170: Microsoft Windows Server ITS 218: Network Security

ITS 224: Introduction to Linux

•     The Following proposed courses presented and will be posted on the website. ETEC 245: Digital
Electronics

PLTT 202: Laser Systems and Applications PLTT 298: Internship/Cooperative Education SOCI 420:
Violence in America

MSSE 506: Crime Scene Investigators: Forensic Science for Teachers PSPP 547: Biomimicry for
Teachers

If no concerns are communicated by senators, these courses will be considered for approval by
Faculty Senate steering committee next week.

5)    ENVE-BS: Environmental Engineering- Chair-Elect Richards

•     First read of Bachelor’s degree occurred at October 4th meeting Motion – Move to approve

Second – Scott Creel Discussion

Senator Rob Larson –What will happen to students already enrolled? Chair Elect Richards - – 140
students, can adopt new program or keep current program.

Call for vote

No opposed, no abstentions Motion Passed

Proposal will be discussed in Dean’s Council, vote – then BOR, scheduled January or March (most
likely March) meeting

•      Upcoming Center proposal – College of Ag. – CRAEA – first reading Nov. 1st. Will be posted

6)     Workload Policy Development- Process Overview Chair Babcock

•     Policy approval process was reviewed:

o  Policies are developed in JAGS – draft policies are then to Faculty Affairs

o  Faculty Senate – Dean’s Council – may go back to JAGS from either group

o  Once approved, proposal will be sent to Provost, then President.

o  If approved, policy will be posted on the Web site

•     Workload Policy Development –

o  Currently in JAGS.

7)     Bobcat 4X4 Summer Program- Information- Chair Babcock

•     Summary of how program was developed –

o  August 2017 – Pres. C presented to Leadership Team

o  Creation of Steering Committees and Working groups

o  Lots of moving parts- residents hall, registrar, etc. Going to happen.

o  12 week, graduate and online courses are exempt.

o  Faculty are NOT required to teach in the summer

o  Can it be done? Yes. U of M system already offering them successfully.

•     Faculty had open discussion regarding the summer program

•     ECE – Kevin Repaskey–Concerned students won’t have time to become proficient in the topic
being taught. Concerns with effectiveness of the labs, hours per credit hours students will have to
put in daily. Department wants to make sure doing right by students. Create 8 week overlay that
would address concerns? wants to know statistics on efficacy of these types of classes. Offering
classes that help students catch up in summer – negative effects on students if they don’t have
time to absorb information. Concerns filtered through FS to Provost. (CFE will be available to
offer help in adapting current classes to 4x4). Can some departments come up with 8 week overlay?

•     Cell Biology & Neuroscience - Crista Merzdorf  – concerns – mostly it will be gateway courses
taught in summer. No time for topics to sink in for students.

•     History and Phil. -  Jim Meyer –– colleagues have similar concerns. 16 days of class is not
enough time. Haven’t heard much positive, mostly negative. Most negative comments are about it
being forced onto faculty. Dig heels in because they weren’t brought on board in the decision
making process. Inflexibility bothers people.

•     Math Sciences - Tomas Gedeon - Math  faculty also have concerns. Concerns that students won’t
have time to prepare for next courses. Advising – would like to see 4 week, 8 week and 12 weeks
classes so they can advise students which style is better for specific students.

•     Ecology  - Scott Creel – He has heard mixed reviews at department level. Ecology seems
positive in general. See that it can work at peer Universities. It can work. 12 weeks courses will
be exempt.

•     Education - Michael Brody –  can work for some courses. Fundamental courses, four weeks may
be too short. Takes time for students to absorb. What students are coming to MSU during summer that
have the time to devote to classes?

•     NAS - Matt Herman –  discussion on impact of on-line courses? Has anyone looked at that? On-
line courses are exempt. Concerns – lots of reading for students in their courses, how can they get
all that reading

•     Gallatin College-Teresa Slyte –  lots of non-traditional students. Concerns that their
non-trad students are not going to find time while raising families, working etc.

•     English - Amy Thomas –Faculty feel as if it’s being forced on them. Many people impacted, and
limited chance for those people to give feedback.

•     Psychology - Jessie Smith –– Timeline feels fast for something so important. Questions. Can
FS offer picture of Assessment and perhaps propose some changes? Can they be more involved in the
Assessment process?

•     Political Science - Eric Austin–– every comment is about pedagogies, not scheduling. It
should have come to FS, regardless of their realm of governance

•     Art Dept - Melissa Ragain -– Good idea and works well with visiting artists/workshops.

•     Music Dept - Laurel Yost - Some courses just won’t work. Piano courses can’t be taught in
four weeks.

Comments from Provost Mokwa –

•     Recognize model may not work for every course and every department. Examples out there from
very successful Universities that offer courses in this format. Research focused on compressed
immersed learning. (One topic to focus on intently). Will it work for all? Maybe not. Assessment
process being developed. It is a trial. Building on knowledge base. Welcome input from all
departments as assessment being developed.

•     Classification of credit hours – discussion about conversion to workload for four week class
– actually comes in as less hours in this format. Advising will be very important.  This style of
course will not work for some students.

•     Ask faculty to reach out to peers teaching in this format to look for success. Go to dept
head and dean and put together a plan that may work better for you and present that plan. We don’t
want to force. Will assess, and make some recommendations on how to make change work.

•     Hope to alleviate problems like room overcrowding, students who work, etc.–

▪     Chairman Babcock thanked senators for input. Contact Provost if department really can’t do
it. Provost will take those concerns seriously.

8)     Other Comments- Provost Mokwa commented on accreditation and thanked faculty.

9)    Public Comments- None

Meeting adjourned at 4:14.  Next Faculty senate meeting is on Nov 1st in AB building.

A printable PDF of this information can be found here.