The Arts and Sciences Council, March 17, 2016, 3:30-5:00, UMC 247
Meeting Minutes
Representatives present:Â Julio Baena, SPAN; Daniel Barth, PSYC; Paul Beale, PHYS; Giulia Bernardini, HUMN; Janice Brown, ALC; Cathy Comstock, RAPS; Kim Dickey, AAH; Erica Ellingson, APS; Robert Ferry, HIST; Rebecca Flowers, GEOL; Holly Gayley, RLST; Gerardo Gutierrez, ANTH; Ruth Heisler, IPHY; Leslie Irvine, SOCY; Alison Jaggar, WGST; Najeeb Jan, GEOG; Daniel Kaffine, ECON; Moonhawk Kim, PSCI; E. Christian Kopff, HNRS; Carl Koval, CHEM; Catherine Labio, ENGL; Lonni Pearce, PWR; Cora Randall, ATOC; Rob Rupert, PHIL; Neeraja Sadagopan, SLHS; Kelly Sears, FILM; Ted Stark, THDN; David Stock, EBIO; Beverly Weber, GSLL; Bianca Williams, ETHN; Ding Xue, MCDB
Representatives not present:Â Michela Ardizzoni, FRIT; Andrew Cain, CLAS; Vanja Dukic, APPM; Mans Hulden, LING
Also in attendance:Â Robert Boswell; Valerio Ferme, Janice Jeffryes
Robert Rupert called the meeting to order at 3:34 PM.
In the next academic year the Arts and Sciences Council will meet on Tuesdays, 3:30-5:00.
Dean’s remarks, Valerio Ferme, Associate Dean, Arts and Humanities
An offer has been made to a candidate for the new position, Associate Dean for Undergraduate Education; details are still being worked out.
Theresa Hernández is in charge of the search for a new Associate Dean for the Natural Sciences.
Dean Steven Leigh and Associate Dean Ferme met recently with Continuing Education to discuss the “shadow curriculum” that they offer; there are degree completion courses that often the departments aren’t aware exist. It was agreed that courses in Continuing Ed will be brought more frequently to the Curriculum Committee for review and that approvals are shared more regularly with department faculty.
Continuing Ed has also been paying salaries to faculty who, in the spring, develop courses that will be taught in the summer. The Associate Deans are often receiving these requests too late to assess a course overload.
Chair’s remarks, Robert Rupert
The vote on the ASC bylaw change has been sent to all voting faculty in Arts and Sciences. Professor Rupert encouraged all ASC representatives to vote and to encourage their departments to vote as well by the end of the month. Participation of 25 percent of the voting faculty is needed for a quorum.
The proposal on the revision of the Core Curriculum has been sent out to the departments for discussion and feedback. An ASC vote is expected at the April 21st meeting with a faculty vote in the fall. If the revision is approved, the changes would be effective in fall 2017.
The Colorado Commission of Higher Education mandated accepting “3’s” on AP tests as acceptable for college credit. Professor Rupert asked the representatives to consider ways to mitigate the possible negative effects of this decision. In some cases, this grade will not prepare a student adequately for the next course in a sequence. Placement tests may be a solution. There remains ongoing conversation in administration on how the University will be able to handle this situation and the ASC will be updated.
The Council of Deans has voted to add a third rank of instructor: Teaching Professor. The standards and compensation for this title are still being discussed.
Professor Rupert’s first, one year term as chair of the ASC is ending; he is offering to serve a second term. Christian Kopff is administering the election for the 2016-2017 term and will be asking for nominations; the election will be during the April meeting.
Visit from Robert Boswell, Vice Chancellor for Diversity, Equity and Community Engagement (ODECE)
Vice Chancellor Boswell began by outlining the main programs in the Office of Diversity, Equity and Community Engagement:
The budget for ODECE is approximately $3,000,000.
ODECE is currently working on the Initiative for Inclusive Excellence; the office is going through the plans submitted, looking for commonalities, recommendations and how the campus can align. ODECE will then develop a campus-wide definition of Inclusive Excellence. This will be an ongoing process.
The representatives discussed the work of ODECE and Vice Chancellor Boswell answered questions. Departmental, divisional and campus differences will be taken into account. In response to the motions from the ASC and BFA, the Inclusive Excellence Steering Committee will add non-administrative faculty members.
The Emeritus Group, the consulting group working with the Inclusive Excellence Initiative, will be engaged with the University of Colorado for two years. The administration interviewed 6 different consulting groups and chose Emeritus, in part, because they didn’t have a pre-conceived definition of Inclusive Excellence and were willing to work with CU to understand its culture. They have worked with many AAU universities, private universities and well as NASA to develop diversity plans. The Emeritus Group is charging $60,000 a year to develop a strategic plan and other programs to support faculty and Inclusive Excellence efforts.
In response to questions about the recent climate survey, Vice Chancellor Boswell briefly discussed the efforts of Student Affairs to provide better training, especially for residence hall personnel.
The OIT website as well as the Disability Services website provides information for accessibility compliance in response to changes in federal law.
ODECE is involved with the First Year Experience pilot program; it currently isn’t clear that this program will further the Inclusive Excellence Initiative.
Professor Rupert thanked Vice Chancellor Boswell for attending. Follow-up questions should be sent through the Inclusive Excellence website.
Representatives were concerned that students aren’t being heard in this process; that students should be in the forefront when it comes to creating an atmosphere where they can thrive.
Jeff Cox will meet with any departments who want the results of the climate survey in their area.
Role of faculty in the origination of, and decisions about, curriculum- and teaching-related policy
Prior to the meeting, Professor Rupert asked the representatives to review Laws of the Regents section 5.E.5., most importantly:
The faculty takes the lead in decisions concerning selection of faculty, educational policy related to teaching, curriculum, research, academic ethics, and other academic matters. The administration takes the lead in matters of internal operations and external relations of the university.
The faculty shall have the principal role for originating academic policy and standards, including initial authorization and direction of all courses, curricula, and degrees offered, admissions criteria, regulation of student academic conduct and activities, and determination of candidates for degrees.
The representatives discussed the often diminished role faculty has in areas that they are to take the lead in according to the Laws of the Regents. Of major concern is the perceived push by administration for more online courses and professional degrees. Are online courses vetted the same way traditional courses are through the Curriculum Committee? Practical matters can prevent faculty from becoming too involved in curriculum development.
Several years ago, the ASC submitted a 5-point set of recommendations concerning online courses that was largely seen as ignored. Among the recommendations was that online courses be labeled as such; some campus constituencies have indicated that it a best practice not to do so.
The representative questioned why the CCHE best practices should be governing how the faculty thinks about curriculum when it is the faculty’s duty and privilege to control the curriculum. Does the AAUP have language that is being used to clarify faculty control of curriculum?
Action alternatives were discussed to show the faculty’s disapproval of the CCHE and the Regents acting as the originators of, and taking the lead with respect to, curricular policy. It was also noted that information about the CCHE’s make-up and mission might illuminate the discussion.
The meeting was adjourned at 4:58PM.
Minutes submitted by Janice Jeffryes