back                                                                                                                                  Exhibit A  Amended  approved 10/25/04

WESTERN WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY

FACULTY SENATE MINUTES

Regular Meeting

October 11, 2004

Jim Stewart, 2004-2005 Senate President, called the  Senate to order at 4:02 pm and welcomed Senators.  Twenty-nine (29) people were present including twenty-four (24) Senators, one (1) recorder, one (1) guest and three (3) ex officio members.  (See attached roster).

Approval of Minutes of September 27, 2004.

Senators amended and approved the minutes of September 27, 2004.  The major amendment contained the following motion, which the Senate passed, that “charged the Salary and Welfare Committee to investigate the possibilities and implications of increasing the summer pay.”  Copies of amended minutes will be forwarded to Senators and Senate list via campus mail.

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Items from the Chair

¨    President Stewart explained the creation and use of constituent groups and encouraged Senators to forward information to their constituents.  Stewart suggested fostering communication by asking constituents “what issues do you have?” or “what is your opinion on this issue?”

¨    Stewart reported that he expected to bring forward updated language on Tenure and Promotion.  Stewart asked Senators to spend some time before the next meeting considering the language in the documents they will receive in order to proceed with a productive discussion. 

¨    Stewart reported on the letter to the campus from Trustee John Warner regarding the efforts and excellent accomplishments of President Morse.  Stewart mentioned that he was very pleased with that letter, and appreciative of the effort to keep the faculty informed of what is taking place with regard to this type of review.

Items from the Administration

University President Karen Morse thanked faculty who had participated in her review, and suggested that if anyone had any questions they were to please contact her. 

¨    WATERFRONT:  President Morse welcomed Dean Kleinknecht (College of Humanities and Social Sciences) who is chairing a committee to investigate a possible Western presence on the waterfront.  After Morse updated the Senate on the activities of various interest groups such as the Waterfront Futures Group and the Port of Bellingham, Kleinknecht iterated  about 12 initial guidelines formulated to date by the Western committee that could guide further discussion.  The draft guidelines suggest that any programs envisioned for the waterfront ought to:   

o        Add value to  our students over and above what they receive at Western;

o        Be driven by academic initiatives, or enhance programs on main campus;

o        Be faculty driven programs;

o        Allow for a futuristic vision for 50 to 100 years from now; not be shortsighted; 

o        Provide and maintain a quality physical environment, aesthetics, and not just be a storefront operation;

o        Contribute to larger Bellingham community or the State; bridge the connection between; give and take with downtown community;

o        Incorporate presences or themes that reflect international programs and presences;

o        Make logistical sense, avoid faculty and students having to run back and forth between classes;

o        Promote access through parking, remaining well connected to main campus;

o        Encourage inclusiveness and integration with upper campus, not “elite”;

o        Find programs that make most sense, perhaps self-sustaining or grant programs initially;

o        Programs phase off campus development;

¨    Kleinknecht said that Phase 1 will start very shortly and asked for feedback.  He is particularly interested in one or two page conceptual ideas of plans or suggestions on how a program might fit into this waterfront context.  Review of proposals will lead to selection leading to more detailed proposals, etc. 

¨    Senators asked about funding sources and heard there are 3 basic categories where we might get money, including 1)  State funding, if we are able to take more FTE that could be accommodated through use of a waterfront facility; 2) Self-sustaining funds through appropriate sources; 3)  Federal funding, perhaps through the City, the Port, Federal grants for certain types of projects, and working with the Port.

¨    One Senator expressed a concern about encouraging interdisciplinarity.

¨    Morse indicated that the total amount of the land available is larger than our entire campus; only a very small part would be ours, yet we are key to making it the kind of atmosphere that we want to create there.

¨    Students could be involved in a number of creative ways; perhaps an idea such as “A quarter at the Waterfront”, as an example of “thinking outside the box” which is encouraged by both Kleinknecht and Morse.

¨    What would the faculty and campus think appropriate?

TENURE POSITIONS.  Provost Andrew Bodman distributed a list of 14 authorized new tenure track positions for which searches will be conducted in 04-05. 

¨    Bodman’s summary stated that during the 2003-04 budget cycle the University Budget Advisory Council had recommended a total of $396,000 be set aside for new tenure track  positions for faculty, a request approved by President Morse.  The new positions  will total 13.0 FTE. 

¨    Bodman noted that the deans have been extremely creative in bringing forward proposals that will meet the strategic objectives of enhancing the complement of full-time positions, while reducing reliance on part-time faculty.  Bodman indicated that the positions will do little to improve student/faculty ratio.

¨    Searches will be conducted during 2004-05 in the following:  Dance, Art, Environmental Journalism, Economics, Management, History, Communication, Spanish/Linguistics, Geology, School Administration, Elementary Education and two others yet to be determined allocated to CHSS.

Year-End Report to BOT

James Loucky, Past President, drew Senators attention to his letter on shared governance to President Morse and his year-end report to the Board of Trustees.   Jim Stewart reported he hoped to continue the annual letters.  Loucky added that the Deans had been extremely helpful in various discussions held by the Senate President last year.

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

       Academic Coordinating Commission Technology Committee, 5/25/04 - Accepted

       University Planning Council, 6/2/04 - Accepted.  

Stewart pointed out that at the OCTOBER 27^th meeting of the UPC there will be guests to coordinate a discussion on how buildings are designed and classroom size determined, along with reflection on how to improve the process.  Senators are encouraged to send a note to  constituents on the issue of classroom planning and concerns over recent decisions.  We need stronger faculty input on design and usage, and this meeting will provide an opportunity to meet with decision-makers.

A.  Appointments and Elections, Jeff Newcomer, Officer – The Senate approved the following:

To Faculty Senate –  Matthew Liao-Troth, 1 yr term

To Academic Technology Committee - Gary Bornzin, Fairhaven; Christopher Daley, Chemistry; Michael Grimes, Anthropology;  Bruce Hamilton, Music, 2-yr terms

To Grievance Committee – Kristen Parris, Political Science, 3-year term

Committee Chairs:  Senate Library:  Sara Singleton, Political Science

Grievance:  Lorraine Kasprisin, Chair; Dan Warner, Vice Chair

VACANCIES:  Grievance (one 3-yr term)

ACTION ITEMS – Handbook Revisions

EXECUTIVE COUNCIL MOTION 1 - PASSED

Result of all-faculty vote to amend the Constitution (Handbook, page 67), Article V.1 to include the Chair of the Academic Coordinating Commission and the University Planning  Council as non-voting members of the Executive Council.  The vote was conducted via email and with returns of 150 in favor, 6 opposed the motion passed.  The revision will go forward to the Board of Trustees in December.

EXECUTIVE COUNCIL MOTION 2 – PASSED

The Senate voted a second time and passed its previous amendment to Bylaw 7.2 (Handbook, p. 70) which eliminates the Senate Legislative committee, and allows the Senate Executive Council to carry out the committee’s duties and elects that the Senate appoint the Senate Legislative Liaison to Olympia. 

Forum on Collective Bargaining

Senators moved to a committee of the whole at 5:07 to discuss procedures by which an unbiased Senate could disseminate information from both sides on collective bargaining issues, particularly in response to faculty questions and concerns. 

Committee rose to report at 5:45.  Senators continued discussion and Jim Stewart agreed to incorporate Senate suggestions.

Adjournment

Senators moved to adjourn at 6:07 p.m.

Written by Rose Marie Norton-Nader, Recorder,  10/11/04

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                                                                                                            Lorraine Kasprisin, Secretary

Faculty Senate Roster 2004-2005