WESTERN WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY

FACULTY SENATE MINUTES

Regular Meeting

October 13, 2003

James Loucky, Senate President, called the Senate meeting to order at 4:02 p.m.  Twenty-eight (28) people were present including twenty-two (22) Senators, one (1) recorder, and two (2) guests.  (See attached roster). 

Approval of Senate Minutes

§         The Senate approved the minutes of September 29, 2003 as written. 

Items from the Administration

University President Karen Morse reported that the legislature passed HB2111 on university contracts with the State.

§         Morse attended a meeting in Seattle with other university trustees, regents and members of the community colleges in order to determine what more can be done for Higher Education in terms of funding sources.  They have put forward a proposal to the League of Education Voters for a $731 million initiative for support for Higher Ed.  It is hoped the governor will bring this proposal to the legislature, and eventually to the voters.  Currently a poll is being done on public perceptions and support for education, K-12 through Higher Education. After the survey is completed, it is hoped the League of Education Voters will accept the proposal.

§         Morse noted this is related to the State compacts, since universities will have to say what the money will be used for, and reiterated that the highest priority is support for faculty, but this may also include greater access.

§         Morse suggested that discussions take place on campus with faculty and deans on thinking “outside the box” on ways to keep a positive Western environment if targeted enrollment is increased in upcoming years.

§         Morse will speak with the UPC and ask for help in getting discussion going on campus, and will meet with the deans.  Morse emphasized continued meetings with the Faculty Senate President and reported she talked to the mayor and the Port on the City’s interest and cooperation to obtain federal funding.

§         In response to Senators’ questions, Morse suggested that accountability may still be on the table with the arrival of state compact discussions, in such matters as graduation rates, space utilization, and retention.  Questions have arisen with regard to the percentage of out-of-state students in the high demand areas.

§         Provost Bodman reported that fall enrollment is 11,995 (which will translate downwards to an average 11,500 over the year), with an incoming freshman class of 2218 (vs. 2230 last year).  Western admitted a slightly higher proportion of students this year, reflecting a more competitive environment within the State.  Western anticipates bringing in about 900 transfer students during the year to meet goals set with OFM.

§         Bodman reported that the average load of students appears to be down by 1/10 of a credit, a significant change equivalent to between 275 and 280 FTES.   Retention from the first to the second year is almost at the highest level ever, in excess of 83-1/2%.  Out of state enrollment is 7-1/2 to 8%.  Our response on high demand enrollments to OFM was that we anticipated that high demands would mirror distributions within the respective majors.  

Provost Bodman responded to questions from Senators:

§      Do we track students of color or students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds?  Can we get figures on students of color for retention, and figures for admission?  Who are we not retaining?  Is it the best and brightest?  That could be significant.  The Provost will provide figures to the Senate.  When calculating retention do you also note that many students come here with the intention of transferring purposefully, and intend to go into engineer or nursing at another school. 

§      Bodman replied there is no provision  for this and we need more refined indicators of how many Washington State students who go into Higher Ed actually get degrees.  The Provost reported that he is hoping to begin to track such information, but that he may not be able to track private institutions.  Bodman also made the point that retention is one of least things we should worry about, and that we have open admissions only in the two-year sectors.  We have the highest retention rate of any State in the country.

§      Bodman continued that the State is interested in retention in a straightforward way since to them the university is responsible for the student.   Poor retention might suggest the institution is not doing as much as it might.  But calculating those that come in with intention to transfer might be used as a feather in our cap.  No single accountability measure is adequate.  We are at 83-1/2%.  To achieve the state goal of 95% it would be necessary to be highly selective, admitting no at-risk students, which would not be a good policy.  We may have lost students because they did not get proper advising, or had problems with course availability.  Overall, faculty has responded well to provide the necessary courses.  .

§      Have we tracked those that graduate in 7 years?   Bodman reported that NCAA tracks 6 year graduation rate. 

§      Retention of out of state students is relatively poor; we retain about 70%.  These students cannot become instate in their second year.  If they come to the State only to obtain education, they cannot become residents.   Cost is therefore significant.  One Senator reported that Alaska is going to give scholarships and financial aid to all of their instate students.

Associated Students

Ø    Senators heard Associated Students (AS) president Paul Graves summarize the AS agenda for the coming year including online faculty evaluations, issues surrounding tuition affordability, and a revamping of the AS mission statement and structure.

Ø    Maya Tomlin, Associated Students Vice President for Academics, reported that there was little that could be done to get around Recreation Center membership fees, but that she would work with individual professors who had special programs to offer. 

Items from the Chair

§         President James Loucky urged Senators to be active in communication issues, including work groups.  Loucky would like to provide support in pairing people up. 

§         Loucky reported that Jim Stewart has offered to edit an insert in FAST which would provide a vehicle for broader faculty communication.   The question of funding came up.

Constituent Concerns

Senators brought the following concerns from their constituents:

§      Senators discussed a State Ethics Board ruling which says that professors may take free book samples and give them away, but discourages their sale.  One Senator asked if the faculty could give books to their department and if the department sold them the proceeds could benefit the department foundation account.  Another Senator reported that book solicitors are an intrusion into some faculty offices.  Another Senator reported that some book publishers apparently were paying people to adopt their books for courses, and do we have a policy on this?

§      A question on the security of library reserve materials

§      The possibility of canceling tuition for students who are called up for service in the armed forces.

§      Questions about the Center for Instructional Innovation.  How accessible is it for faculty?  Is it just for FIGS?

§      The issue of faculty voice in campus planning, and continued ignoring of same.

§      The size, scope, and mission of ATUS.  There is a new grade of Novell coming online which includes remote control of campus computers.  Someone at the Help Desk can come into your computer by remote control.  The Senator recalled that the Deans Council had specifically stated that it did not want this.  Another question is the group structure of the Novell tree on campus. 

§      ATUS cont’d.  All faculty are being herded slowly into a single group.  For some departmental groups this means they will lose all their departmental materials.  Years ago the Senator reported we said, “let’s not do that.”   The Senator reported that he thought that last year the Faculty Senate approved a resolution about ATC which suggested implementing the lowest feasible level for the broadest possible level.  The Senator asked who is making these decisions, and who gets input. Those responsible are invited to the Senate to answer questions on the topic.  This is a big resource question as well.

§      A perennial problem concerning bookstore short-ordering of student textbooks.

§      What is the role of International Programs Advisory committee, and what is the larger international program?

Reading of Standing Committee Minutes

The following Standing Committee minutes were accepted.

Academic Coordinating Commission, 5/27/03

University Planning Council, 6/4/03

Senate Library Committee, 5/16/03

Agenda Items

APPOINTMENTS AND ELECTIONS, Kristen Parris, Officer

Senators appointed the following faculty to committees by acclimation:

To the Faculty Senate:  James Hearne, Computer Science, replacing Martin Osborne, Fall Quarter

Bylaws 7.2, 7.3, 12, 13.3, and 14

Senators cast a second vote to approve revisions to Bylaws 7.2, 7.3, 12, 13.3 and 14 (see FAST, October 8) which now move to the Board of Trustees.

Motions from EXECUTIVE COUNCIL:

Senators discussed tenure and promotion motions brought by the Executive Council, and expressed the wish to see the entire language presented.  Senators therefore moved to table discussion, which passed unanimously.  Senators will send feedback to the Executive Council.

Executive Session and Adjournment

Senators moved into Executive Session at 5:45 pm and voted to adjourn at 6:30 pm.

Written by Rose Marie Norton-Nader, Recorder, 10/13/03

                      _______________________________

                                                                                                                                        Thomas Read, Secretary

Faculty Senate Roster 2002-2003

_______________________________

Article III.  Faculty Senate

The Faculty Senate is empowered to speak and act for the Faculty in University affairs with particular responsibility in the areas of curriculum, academic programs, Faculty salary, Faculty status, scholarly activities, and all matters relating to the welfare of Faculty, the education of students, and the academic mission of the University.

The Faculty Senate is limited to 30 voting members elected by the Faculty, and the President of the University, the Provost/Vice President for Academic Affairs of the University, and a college dean appointed by the Provost serving as Provost's Council representative as ex officio non-voting members.    (Faculty Handbook, page 55)