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WESTERN WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY

FACULTY SENATE MINUTES

Regular Meeting

May 3, 2004

James Loucky, Senate President, called the Senate meeting to order at 4:07 pm.  Thirty-six (36) people were present including twenty-nine (29) Senators, one (1) recorder, and three (3) guests.  (See attached roster).

Approval of Senate Minutes

§       The Senate approved the minutes of April 21, 2004 as written.

Items from the Chair

¨      President Loucky reminded the Senate that all Senators are to attend the May 17^th meeting, at the close of which new Senators will be seated.  Senators interested in serving on the 2004-05 Executive Council should contact him as soon as possible.

¨      Loucky reported substantial attendance at the General Faculty Assembly on collective bargaining, and conveyed the Executive Council's concern that material (FAQs) developed by Administration intervenes in key faculty issues, and raises concerns about objectivity and neutrality and did not involve the Senate.

¨      Loucky invited faculty response to the recent report of campus planning and parking issues from the Vice President of Business and Finance.

¨      Loucky expressed the commitment of the Senate to continued collaboration with the Associated Students and its newly elected officers.

¨      Loucky reported that by the end of Fall Quarter the Senate Library committee will be joined by faculty from colleges not currently represented as well as ex officio members in order to take up the issue of Library acquisitions.

¨      Loucky reported on a painting by a well-known Bellingham artist presented to the University and offered for consideration the idea of a “hall of fame” for faculty. 

Items from the Administration

·        President Morse reported  that a committee has been formed with nine faculty (including four Senators), three administrators and a student. The committee is to brainstorm ideas and be advisory to the University on enrollment strategy and on possible waterfront expansion—its effect on campus, the meaning to students coming to Western, and whether it is what we want.  Should we have programs where students commute between this campus and the waterfront; what are the pros and cons?  Should we just have distance education, small business development, retirement committee, Huxley?  Morse added that next year a committee formed from the preliminary committee will be looking at the strategic plan in detail from a faculty-centered point of view.  Changes in the plan ultimately are approved by the Board of Trustees.

·       Morse reported on her service on the national Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA).  Morse suggested there are individuals who would like to take away the autonomy of universities and dissociate accreditation from federal support, so that schools would not have to meet standards in order to qualify for federal funds.  CHEA has been diligently working with Congress to explain the values of accreditation to preserve institutional autonomy.  To throw it out and allow the federal government to take over means that we would no longer have peer review for accreditation.

·       Morse serves on the presidents’ council of NCAA-II and emphasizes the educational experience of athletes as primary.  Morse would like more schools to have athletic programs with philosophies similar to Western.  Morse had a voice in insisting on a strategic plan which sets expectations for graduation, on progress towards degree, and on the educational experience as the primary purpose of attending college.  Morse reiterated that we have to work hard not to develop the problems that have occurred in Division I. 

Reading of Standing Committee Minutes (The following Standing Committee minutes were accepted):

Academic Coordinating Commission, 4/13/04

1.     Thomas Downing, Chair of the Academic Coordinating Commission, reported on the GUR program approved by ACC on April 27 (copies available on the Senate website).  Senators asked about examination of FIGs, the First Year Experience, and the mechanism for identifying courses for inclusion in the GUR.

University Planning Council, 4/7/04

Academic Technology Committee, 4/7/04

ACTION ITEMS:

Appointments and Elections, Kristen Parris, Officer.  

Appointed to Senate Standing Committees (2-year terms, from Areas): 

o      Academic Coordinating Commission:  Thomas Downing, Philosophy, C; Robert Thorndike, Psychology, B; Linda Kimball, Anthropology, At-Large, Jeff Purdue, Library, I; Marie Eaton, Fairhaven  04-05).

o      University Planning Council:  Barbara Mathers-Schmidt, CommSci&Dis. B.

o      Senate Library Committee:  Donna Packer, Library

2005-2006 University Planning Council Contingency Plan

Senators approved the University Planning Council’s 2005-2006 Contingency Plan.  Tom Read, Senate representative to UPC reported on the Council’s intent to take a serious look at the plan in Fall Quarter.

REVISIONS TO THE FACULTY HANDBOOK

Motions from the Executive Council

The Faculty Senate passed the following motion from the Executive Council to adopt the following new language to the Constitution (Faculty Handbook, Bylaw 7.6.1):  A second vote of the Senate will be taken following publication in FAST.

Chairs of Standing Committees

BL.7.  Committees, Councils, and Commissions ((unchanged).  Add paragraph:

“Chairs of Committees, Councils and Commissions of the Faculty Senate shall be members of the faculty of Western Washington University, unless approved by motion of the Executive Council.  Chairs shall be invited to the Executive Council on a quarterly basis and as circumstances require.”

The Ombuds

Senators discussed establishing the Ombuds position and reflected that this had been in the works since 1997.  Senators agreed that the person should not be a member of the Executive Council, and that the position required that a “designated neutral practitioner be established who provides a means of protecting against improper treatment and unfairness.  This person is not an advocate for any party, but an advocate for fairness,”   Following the discussion, Senators passed the following handbook language unanimously, with one abstention:

Bylaw 7.6.1: The Ombuds. 

“The Ombuds shall be a member of the faculty or an emeritus faculty recommended by the Executive Council and ratified by a majority of the Faculty Senate.  This appointment will be for a three-year term.  The Ombuds cannot be a member of the Standing Committee on Grievances and Sanctions.  The Ombuds is responsible for providing information about rights and procedures on all matters affecting faculty affairs and for providing assistance to the faculty in the resolution of complaints regarding tenure and promotion and those that could lead to a grievance.

“The Ombuds will receive training relevant to her/his responsibilities.  The Ombuds will receive released time of .333 FTEF or equivalent release time from other duties to carry out the responsibilities of his/her office.  The Ombuds shall maintain the confidentiality of the complainant, respondent(s), and the specifics of all cases. The Ombuds shall provide a written report to the Faculty Senate on the number and outcome of cases he/she hears per quarter as well as on other activities undertaken. 

“In the event that the Ombuds has a conflict of interest or has more than two concurrent grievances, the Faculty Senate Executive Council may appoint a deputy Ombuds to handle those cases. The deputy Ombuds will receive training relevant to his/her responsibilities.”

Motion from the Executive Council:  Tenure and Promotion (Faculty Handbook pages 3 through 11).

Vice President Jim Stewart reviewed Faculty Handbook language revisions on tenure and promotion and the appeals process for Senators.  Providing flexibility and options is the key as well as trust in faculty judgment, with sufficient checks and balances through the deans, presidents and provost.  The changes eliminate passages about the timing of tenure consideration being included in the initial contract.  Discussion followed.

Thomas Downing called the question which as a matter of procedure required a vote to pass the handbook language motion without further debate.   The motion was passed unanimously, with one abstention, and with the proviso that language be amended following review by the Attorney General  (See attached CHART for language revisions and comparsions to present handbook language).

Adjournment

Senators moved to adjourn at 5:47 p.m.

Written by Rose Marie Norton-Nader, Recorder, 5/3/04

                      _______________________________

                                                                                                                          Thomas Read, Secretary

Faculty `Senate Roster 2004

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)