Minutes for February 7, 2011

2. Technology A.A.S.
   Reduce the total number of credit hours from 64 to 60. In the Digital Imaging Design option, drop CSC 160, TEC 190 and NET 303, and add GBU 204 and GCM 318. In the Computer Aided Drafting option, drop AEM 192 and CON 303 and add AEM 338 (4) and CON 294.
3. Technical Agriculture A.A.S.
   Allow a broader array of courses in the humanities area. Revise Supporting Course requirements from "three hours of general education humanities" to "three hours from General Education block IIIA, IIIB or IIIA/B*".
4. Associate of General Studies Concentration in Broadcasting and Electronic Media
   Establish a Concentration in Broadcasting & Electronic Media for the Associate of General Studies degree program.
5. General Dietetics B.S.
   1. incorporate course revisions to NFA 325 Quantity Food Production and NFA 326 Field Experiences in Quantity Food Production (increase hrs from 2 to 3 for both courses)
   2. add supporting courses BIO 171 Human Anatomy, EHS 380 Food Hygiene, and  EMC 105  Survey of Medical Terminology
   3. delete major courses NFA 321 Meal Management and NFA 415 Seminar in the Dietetics Profession
   4. delete supporting course BIO 273 Clinical Microbiology
6. Community Nutrition M.S.
   Clarify the difference between Option 1 and Option 2 for the MS in Community Nutrition. Remove subscripts from all course numbers listed, as suggested by the Grad Council.
7. Health Education B.S.
   Change name of major from Health Education to Public Health. Correct a number in Worksite Health Promotion Option from HEA 360 to HEA 460. That course number was changed last year but was missed in the revised catalog.
8. Master of Public Health
   Add HEA 856 to MPH program electives for Health Education.
9. Occupational Therapy M.S.
   Add the revised text "or OTS 855S" to reflect the creation of service-learning courses within the program.
10. Correctional/Juvenile Justice Studies M.S.
    Revise the existing Correctional/Juvenile Justice Graduate Studies Program into the Adult& Juvenile & Community Corrections Leadership Graduate Program, revise the Certificate in Adult/Juvenile Correctional Leadership, and revise/create/delete courses.

Action Items:

The Council approved the following item in the December 16, 2010 CAA meeting. This item was reviewed as information in the January Faculty Senate meeting:

11. Declaring a Program of Study/Change of Major

The Council approved the following item in the January 20, 2011 meeting. This item was reviewed as information in the January Faculty Senate meeting.

12. Academic Integrity, Policy Revision

Senator Richardson moved approval of item 1, seconded by Senator DeBolt. Motion carried.

Senator Vice moved approval of items 2-10, seconded by Senator Wade. Motion carried.

Senator Vice moved approval of item 11, seconded by Senator May. Motion carried.

Senator Vice moved approval of item 12, seconded by Senator Noblitt. Motion carried.

GENERAL & STANDING COMMITTEE REPORTS

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE REPORT: Senator Taylor

The Faculty Senate Executive Committee met on January 24th and agreed to list changing the time of midterm grades and the last day to drop as an informational item for today's agenda. A vote on this issue is anticipated in the Senate's April session. The Executive Committee agreed that the Academic Quality Committee should continue to review the issue of posting syllabi and bring a motion to the Senate with their recommendation.

The AAUP has responded to the EKU Promotion and Tenure draft policy. The information is very useful and notes several key areas that need attention. Below are six of the areas included in the AAUP response:

1. crediting of prior service at other institutions
2. Bona fide financial exigency" as a possible basis for termination of a tenured appointment
3. affording faculty members the opportunity for a pre-termination hearing before an elected body of peers
4. that it is not at all typical for an administrator, qua administrator, to be granted faculty tenure
5. the omission in the draft policy of any mention, as possible grounds for an appeal, based on alleged violations of academic freedom or of governing policies forbidding improper discrimination
6. limited sharing of the final report with anyone other than the president

Senator Taylor thanked Senators Nancy McKenney and Jerry Palmer and their committees for their work on promotion and tenure.

During the January 21st Financial Planning Council meeting the FPC discussed the Mid Year Financial Update, 2011-2012 Fixed Cost Projections (pay raises were included under this area), Graduate Tuition Recommendations, Tuition Models and Enrollment Management Implications, Capital Funding Requests and Fund Availability, and the Spring 2011 Budget Timeline. Included on the agenda for Future Discussion: the Drop Fee, Course Repeat Fee, Online Depository of Course Syllabi, and Revenue Sharing of online tuition.

REPORT FROM FACULTY REGENT:  Senator Frisbie

The Board met on January 26, 2011 for a regular quarterly meeting.

The Board approved the following:

1. Fifty curriculum items involving program revisions, creation of concentrations within the Associate of General Studies degree program, and certificate programs.
2. Policies governing the use and care of animals in research and human subjects
3. Addition of veterans to the list of student populations eligible for early registration
4. Eleven sabbatical leave proposals
5. Seven Retirement Transition Program proposals beginning in the fall
6. Authorization of Crowe-Horwath to carry out the University's audit in FY11.

On the financial front, VP Newsom reported that the University is on track, when compared to last year at this time, with regard to both revenue and expenditures. Tuition revenue is running ahead of budget by approximately $3 million. This is largely due to changes in fees for online instruction combined with growth in online credits produced.

The Board heard a report delivered by Sarah Coen, VP with Noel-Levitz. EKU has engaged Noel-Levitz as consultants on enrollment management. Ms. Coen explained that Noel-Levitz is analyzing data and creating predictive models in three areas: 1) student recruitment, 2) "bang for our bucks", and 3) retention.

The Board also heard a presentation about the Financial and Strategic Planning processes and progress. The draft strategic plan is in a second public comment phase. The President shared with the Board a draft of the CPE's Strategic Agenda for postsecondary education in Kentucky. It looks as though EKU’s strategic plan will mesh fairly neatly into the Strategic Agenda, which is organized into four headings: college readiness; student success; research, economic and community development; and efficiency and innovation.

The Board received two feasibility assessments. The first concerns the advisability of the University seeking to become the Fixed Base Operator for the Madison County Airport. The benefits from becoming the FBO accrue to the University in the potential to grow and strengthen the aviation program and in increasing regional stewardship. The Board passed a motion of support for submission of a proposal to the Airport board. The second feasibility study concerns the potential viability of a hotel/conference center to accompany the soon-to-be-completed performing arts center. The analysis suggests that such an endeavor has the potential to be financially successful and to allow the University to expand the impact of many of its resources, including the performing arts center, planetarium, athletic facilities, and academic expertise. The University's involvement in this venture would entail offering favorable land lease terms. An outside party would undertake construction and operation of the facility. The University intends to issue a request for proposals.

The President advised the Board that Executive VP Moberly retired on December 31, and announced that James Street has been appointed as Acting Executive VP for Administrative Affairs. Mr. Street continues also to serve in the role of Associate VP for Capital Planning and Facilities Management.

The Board will next convene in April, 2011 for a regular quarterly meeting.

REPORT FROM COSFL:  Senator McKenney

Senator McKenney shared two resolutions that were written based on discussions from the November COSFL meeting. She presented the resolution dealing with university tuition rates at the February 3rd CPE meeting. The resolution stated:

“… any policy developed for the purpose of setting tuition rates for the universities within the oversight of the CPE be sufficiently flexible to allow adjustments of tuition rates to meet individual institutional roles including unfunded mandates such as higher graduation rates and research expectation, that only fees directly related to academic performance be considered in any formulation and that extreme caution be urged when defining performance metrics as the individual schools are already outcome driven but resource limited.”

The second resolution was developed to encourage the CPE, the Kentucky Department of Education and the Kentucky Virtual Library to find a way to continue to provide electronic databases to all K-12 libraries in the Commonwealth of Kentucky, regardless of their ability to pay. This resolution is still in the draft stage.

PROVOST REPORT: Senator Vice

On Thursday, February 3, the CPE Council approved its 2011-2015 Strategic Agenda. On behalf of the other presidents, President Whitlock spoke to the Council in support of the new Agenda. He noted how well EKU’s new Strategic Plan aligns with their Agenda.

The General Education Committee has agreed to lead in a review of EKU’s General Education Program. Provost Vice has asked the Committee to pursue this charge in a way that:

1. Builds on the success of EKU’s current General Education Program.
2. Follows an aggressive timeline. (The most substantive modifications must be in place by Fall 2012.)
3. Follows a process that is transparent, inclusive, and unifies rather than divides the academic community.
4. Engages faculty, staff, students, the academic leadership (chairs, associate/assistant deans, deans, and other administrators), and other stakeholders as needed.

EKU is participating with the Higher Education Research Institute (HERI) at UCLA in the HERI Faculty Survey. The results of this survey will be helpful in providing a faculty perspective on planning and policy analysis, enhancing faculty development, and improving student learning. Participation is voluntary. The invitation to participate will be emailed on February 8.

The Fall 2010 Report for the Noel Studio for Academic Creativity will be sent to Faculty Senate members electronically along with the February Provost report. The inaugural semester was very successful. The academic programming has been well received by students, faculty, and staff —enhancing written and oral communication skills and research methodology.

Faculty Senators are invited to lunch on the Wednesday following each Faculty Senate meeting to continue discussion from the Senate or open new topics to discuss. This month's luncheon will be on Wednesday, February 9, 11:45 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. across from the Faculty Dining Room, Powell Building. Please sign in with either cashier.

STUDENT GOVERNMENT ASSOCIATION: Caleb Armbrust

Mr. Armbrust shared the following in his written report to the Senate.

1. Planning for the Rally for Higher Education is going well (March 1st).
2. The service challenge is taking place up until the game against Morehead on the 16th. Students can turn service hours in to Bryan Perry.
3. Student Senate is preparing for the appropriations meeting to take place on February 22nd.
4. A dozen students plan to attend a leadership conference at NKU.
5. RLC has received a bid to host a conference.
6. SAC is planning for the upcoming spring concert on May 1st.
7. Current officers are ensuring that transition this spring will be smooth and that the incoming officers will be able to proceed on issues as soon as the fall semester begins.

STRATEGIC PLANNING COUNCIL: Senator Noblitt

Senator Noblitt announced that there are a number of resources available on the Institutional Effectiveness website which will help with the departmental strategic plan development process. There are also sample plans available for review.

STANDING COMMITTEE REPORTS:

Academic Quality Committee. Senator Shordike asked for additional feedback on the issue of posting faculty syllabi. Please send comments to her or to Senator Schmelzer.

Committee on Committees. Senator Butler reported that the committee will be sending out the memo for self-nominating for university committee vacancies later this month.

Elections Committee. Senator Nelson reported that the committee is looking at the process of faculty regent elections at benchmark universities. The committee plans to meet jointly with the Rules Committee in the near future to discuss this issue further.

Rules Committee. Senator McKenney reported that the committee met on Monday, January 31. Committee members shared information gathered on the faculty regent election policies of sister institutions in Kentucky and also examined several Kentucky Attorney General decisions with attention to the matter of who is legally eligible to vote for faculty regent.

The Committee's findings and recommendation will be shared with the Committee on Elections so that a joint report can be made at the March Faculty Senate meeting.

The Committee also discussed the need for an election to be held to replace committee member Ann Chapman, who retired at the end of last semester.