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 The Arts and Sciences Council, April 21, 2016, 3:30-5:00, UMC 247

Meeting Minutes

Representatives present: Sabahat Adil, ALC; Julio Baena, SPAN; Paul Beale, PHYS; Giulia Bernardini, HUMN; Elisabeth Bloomfield(for Michela Ardizzoni), FRIT; Andrew Cain, CLAS; Cathy Comstock, RAPS; Ann Dougherty (Vanja Dukic), APPM; Kim Dickey, AAH; Erica Ellingson, APS; Lil Fenn(Scott Bruce), HIST; Rebecca Flowers, GEOL; Gerardo Gutierrez, ANTH; Ruth Heisler, IPHY; Mans Hulden, LING; Leslie Irvine, SOCY; Najeeb Jan, GEOG; Alison Jaggar, WGST; Daniel Kaffine, ECON; Moonhawk Kim, PSCI; E. Christian Kopff, HNRS;  Carl Koval, CHEM; Catherine Labio, ENGL; Lonni Pearce, PWR; Cora Randall (Weiqing Han), ATOC; Rob Rupert, PHIL; Neeraja Sadagopan, SLHS; Ann Schmiesing (Beverly Weber), GSLL; Kelly Sears, FILM; Ted Stark, THDN; David Stock, EBIO; Rob Tubbs, MATH; Bianca Williams, ETHN; Ding Xue, MCDB

Representatives not present: Daniel Barth, PSYC; Holly Gayley, RLST;

Also in attendance: David Boonin, PHIL; Robert Buffington, WGST; Graeme Forbes, PHIL; Chris Heathwood, PHIL; Janice Jeffryes, ADMIN; Steven Leigh, ADMIN, ANTH; Graham Oddie, PHIL

Robert Rupert called the meeting to order at 3:30 PM.

Dean’s remarks, Steven Leigh, Dean

Dean Leigh thanked Robert Rupert and the ASC representatives for their service to the College of Arts and Sciences and to the University.

The college is waiting for some clarity on the merit raises and will inform the departments as soon as possible.

Dean Leigh encourages all faculty to attend the campus commencement on May 7.

ASC representative Gerardo Gutierrez (ANTH) was recently , highlighting his work in using new technology in Weld County.

Hiring proposals came in March 30; the college is expecting to make about 20 new tenure track hires. This figure is slightly lower than in the past due to successful retention efforts, comprehensive reviews, promotion and tenure reviews and very few failed searches and retirements. Each tenure track hire costs the college about $100,000.

The Arts and Sciences Dean’s Office restructure is almost complete. Theresa Hernández (PSYC) has accepted the position of Associate Dean for Research; Kyle McJunkin has recently accepted the position of Associate Dean for Undergraduate Education. Dean Leigh thanked Senior Associate Dean Mary Kraus for her work in the college; she is moving to the position of Vice Provost of Undergraduate Education. The search for her replacement in A&S is being finalized.

 Chair’s remarks, Robert Rupert

The ASC bylaws revisions have been voted on and approved by the Faculty of Arts and Sciences (FAS); the new by-laws have been distributed to Chairs and Directors. Two of the major changes are: faculty with 50 percent or more appointments will now have voting rights as the FAS and a new standing committee has been approved, the Online Education and Information Technology Committee.

Next academic year the ASC meetings will be on Tuesday. Professor Rupert asked the representatives to let Janice Jeffryes know if they are leaving the ASC. During the summer, Professor Rupert and Dean Leigh will be working to complete the Personnel Committee and full professors on the ASC are encouraged to accept if asked to join.

 Election of the next year’s chair, E. Christian Kopff

Professor Rupert has been nominated to run for re-election to a second, one-year term. He discussed the work he has been involved in during the last year and the issues he hopes the ASC will take up or continue. The ASC and Professor Rupert have increased faculty involvement in in the Inclusive Excellence (IE) Initiative, online education decisions, hiring of administrators and decisions on the curriculum. Changes in the bylaws, which were initiated by the past ASC chair Catherine Labio and the Executive Committee, have recently been approved by the FAS. Professor Rupert intends to continue to emphasize shared governance; specifically with issues of online education, the core curriculum, the IE Initiative and issues of diversity. Next year, if re-elected, Professor Rupert will encourage the ASC’s involvement with the many campus-wide issues that are coming up: grad program funding, GPTI fees and stipends, 1st year seminars, the formation of schools and the changing RAP’s.

Professor Rupert left the room. There were no additional nominations for chair prior to or during the meeting; Professor Kopff closed the nomination process. With agreement from the representatives, a voice vote was held. Robert Rupert was re-elected unanimously by acclamation.

Committee Reports

Diversity Committee, Erica Ellingson

The Diversity Committee has been working with the BFA Diversity Committee and the IE Steering Committee to coordinate diversity efforts on campus.

Budget Committee, Paul Beale

The Budget Committee has been looking at the undergraduate enrollment budget; there is an approximately 2 million dollar increase in revenue from students coming from other colleges taking classes in A&S. Also, approximately 2 million dollars that came to A&S on a temporary basis from Engineering is expected to become part of the permanent budget. The Budget Committee will be working with the BFA Budget Committee on subjects of mutual interest.

Curriculum Committee, Leslie Irvine

The Curriculum Committee acts on behalf of the faculty as a decision making body on many undergraduate curricular matters. They review proposals for new courses nominated for inclusion on the core, they review existing courses, changes in course numbering, major and minors, certificate programs, the Honors Program as well as small academic programs. This year the committee has reviewed 40 courses, 10 proposals for major/minor revisions, 6 certificate programs and other miscellaneous issues. Professor Irvine encourages interested faculty to join the committee. Two major issues the committee is dealing with: Continuing Education wants to lift the cap of 30 credit hours for courses taken for a degree online and working with courses from outside the college that are used for an A&S degree.

Grievance Committee, E. Christian Kopff

The Grievance Committee acts in an advisory capacity to the dean on career salary and non-salary grievances. The Committee is about to meet to discuss its 4th grievance of the academic year.

Online Education and Technology Committee, Rob Rupert

After a short period of being unable to meet, the committee has met four times recently as a group and with other people on campus who have an interest in online education. The committee has been working to gather information on the current efforts to construct an online degree and has also been asked to weigh in on workload issues for tenure track faculty teaching online courses. The committee is compiling information that it will present next academic year.

Personnel Committee, Rob Rupert for Andrew Martin

This year the Personnel Committee reviewed three comprehensive review/promotion to associate with tenure files; seven comprehensive reviews; 30 promotion to associate with tenure; 13 promotion to full; six hires with tenure; two instructor non-renewals and one Professor of Distinction nomination for a total of 62 cases.

Planning Committee, David Stock

The Planning Committee focused on two main topics: the first year seminar and potential teaching awards to be awarded by the college. The first year seminar pilot program, developed to help with student retention, begins in the fall of 2017. These seminars are intended to be challenging, academic programs taught by full-time rostered faculty. The committee is also looking at faculty awards with the goal of recognizing faculty other awards miss. The committee has decided to target non-tenured tenure track faculty; they will be making that recommendation to the Executive Committee.

The Core Revision Proposal, Cora Randall, Ann Schmiesing

A year and a half ago, the ASC put together a group of 17 people from across the college who could formulate a proposal to revise the core curriculum. Professors Randall and Schmiesing agreed to chair. The proposed core revision was briefly outlined as well as the difficulties of the previous core and the benefits of the revision. The Core Revision Committee developed this document through town hall meetings, meetings with academic units, advisors, students, alums and other stakeholders, and the document was widely distributed in the college.

Professor Rupert stated the implied motion: to put the proposed core revision to a vote of the ASC. The meeting was opened to discussion on the proposal. Some of the claims made and worries raised:

• The exclusion of the ideals and values and arts & literature categories from the diversity requirement which are included in the current core. This change appears to some as skewing the diversity requirement toward the sociological and historical and away from the artistic, literary and ideals and values.
• The revision does not explicitly include critical thinking as a requirement.
• Concern was expressed about vetting existing classes. Professor Schmiesing said the Curriculum Committee would review courses as they do now.
• The word “generally” was used to show the Revision Committee acknowledged that they could not think of every possible course that might fit the diversity requirement.
• A shift in the diversity requirement to a focus on marginalized groups was noted; this emphasis was made in response to feedback from the town hall meetings. Courses that are in the global context but do not focus on marginalization will probably not be accepted.
• The definition of global perspective removes the study of ancient cultures.
• Issues of power, equity and marginalization need to be included or it doesn’t satisfy the intent of diversity.
• Coming up with new language at this meeting would be difficult; a motion to table the proposal was made.

A motion was proposed and seconded to table the proposal. The vote was 14 for and 16 against.

It was noted that if the proposal is accepted, the Curriculum Committee can make minor changes with the ASC approval.

The representatives voted by paper ballot:

On the motion that the Core Revision Committee’s proposed changes to the Core Curriculum of the College of Arts and Sciences, dated March 14, 2016, be put to the Faculty of Arts and Sciences for a vote. 24-yes 8-no

The vote will go out to the Faculty of Arts and Sciences by Qualtrics and the voting period will run through September 30, 2016. Concerns were expressed that the Qualtrics vote on the bylaws didn’t go well and that issues with the ballot will be corrected; a technical issue with the submit button has been corrected. 

The meeting was adjourned at 5:15PM.

Minutes submitted by Janice Jeffryes