Minutes of the Faculty Senate
for February 19, 2002
PSF 13/01-02

The Senate was called to order at 3:35 in D137 MOLN by its Chair, Professor Feldt. Other Senators present were Baylor, Castor, Duetsch, Elechi, Evans, Gellott, Greenfield, Hansen, James, Keating, Kinchen, Kummings, Lenard, Lyter, McNair, Mayer, Monardi, New, Rosenberg, Ruffolo, St. Jean, Schmidt, Sunstrom, Walasek, Walter, Wood, Wright, Zaibert, and Zanowski. Also present were S. Akindes, D. Cress, M. Eigenberger, E. Goodman, J. McKeever, R. Moore, D. Nice, and H. Rosenberg.

APPROVAL OF MINUTES

The Minutes of the Senate for November 27, 2001, were approved without objection.

REPORT OF THE UNIVERSITY COMMITTEE CHAIR

Professor James said the comments generated recently in regard to the feasibility of creating an institutional statement of values were appreciated by the University Committee. Given those comments, the Committee decided not to recommend that the faculty take steps to create such a statement at this time. She noted that although some comments suggested that no acceptable statement could be developed, a number of common values seemed to emerge during the exchange (e.g., values associated with questioning, excitement of discovery, academic freedom, individualism vs. engagement, and sifting/winnowing). Professor Gellott
asked whether the Senate could be expected to have input if others pursue the development of a 'values' statement, and Professor James assured her that it would.

REPORT OF THE CHANCELLOR

Chancellor Keating began by saying that the University Planning Council had recommended that an institutional 'values' statement be drafted to supplement our mission statement. If one is drafted, it will be expected to undergo Senate review.

In regard to the current budgetary situation, the Chancellor noted that our recent enrollment growth has brought little new funding. The State's economic stimulus package was expected to help, but has been reduced by proposed budget cuts. Still, the Governor's proposed cuts treat the University relatively well and we will simply have to proceed with whatever economic stimulus package we get. The Chancellor said that at present there is no reason to expect any UW-P employees to be terminated. He described the political situation as unsettled and said he had no choice but to suspend all tenure-track searches until our budget is known.

In response to a written question concerning the role of the Teacher Education program in working with the grant our campus recently received to develop an innovative teacher certification program, Chancellor Keating said that he has appointed the department chair to the Committee that will create a plan for greater involvement of the content areas in the credentialing process. Professor New asked the Chancellor for clarification concerning the extent to which the teacher education department as a whole would be involved in the planning process and said that she sensed a lack of good will toward her department on the part of
the Chancellor.

In response to a written question concerning the involvement of our campus in offering classes at a privately developed retail shopping mall in Waukegan (and the role faculty governance will play in the decision-making process regarding this initiative), Chancellor Keating said the leadership certificate had been chosen for this experimental initiative and the low enrollment to date is likely to end the initiative.

NEW BUSINESS

NEW CERTIFICATE PROGRAM AUTHORIZATION

The Committee on Academic Planning (CAP) recommended the following:

Be it RESOLVED that the request from the Sociology/Anthropology Department for authorization to implement a Certificate Program in Gerontology is approved, as described in Agenda Document 2.

Professor Wood introduced the proposal, saying that it incorporated suggestions made by CAP and required only modest adjunct funding. Professor H. Rosenberg said an adjunct would be needed for the required biology course. Professor Mayer asked whether the program would be housed in the Sociology/Anthropology department and was told that it would.

Professor R. Rosenberg asked what number of students the program was expected to attract. Professor H. Rosenberg said this was difficult to foresee but that community support for the proposal had been strong. Professor Walter noted that the demand for the (ongoing) courses that are required has been strong for some time.

The MOTION was APPROVED on a voice vote without objection.

COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE: DISCUSSION OF THE IMPLEMENTATION OF PSF 11/95-96 - FACULTY WORKLOAD PRINCIPLES

Professor Gellott MOVED that the Senate convene in a Committee of the Whole for the purpose of this discussion (seconded by Professor New). MOTION APPROVED on a voice vote without objection. Professor James chaired the Committee of the Whole.

Professor James began by saying that rising adjunct costs have led to a longer-term discussion of faculty workloads. To address the long-term issues, the University Committee recently appointed a representative Working Group to examine faculty workloads and make recommendations.

Professor McKeever, chair of the Working Group, reported that the group has begun to collect departmental workload policies and recent workload data. Professor Lyter, a member of the Working Group, noted that it is not yet clear that a workload problem exists.

Professor Gellott supported creation of the Working Group and urged the Group to give careful attention the workload of junior faculty members and to examine all course releases senior colleagues now hold.

Professor Lenard asked what workload data is being examined and Professor McKeever cited two types of data. He said the Working Group is trying to assess current teaching loads by employing the same methodology that was used to assess teaching loads when the workload policy was approved in 1995-96. He also said the Working Group is investigating differences in the instructional delivery systems employed across campus. Professor Lyter added that there have been indications that teaching loads have declined since 1995-96 and the Group is trying ascertain the validity of that.

Professor New asked what measures of teaching load are being examined and Professor Mayer pointed out that PSF11/95-96 cites several measures that have been (and probably should be) examined. Professor Ruffolo expressed concern that, in regard to teaching loads, "one size does not fit all." Professor James said we still need to examine the fit, even though it may make people uncomfortable.

Chancellor Keating said he is pleased the faculty has taken this initiative and added that if teaching loads have declined we would need to show a corresponding increase in research/service outputs.

Professor Wood said that guidelines may need to be established for the justification of course releases. Professor Mayer agreed, noting that UW-P teaching loads did not differ much from the other university cluster institutions in 1995 and indications are that they do now.

Interim Provost Greenfield echoed the Chancellor, saying that it is appropriate to justify reductions in teaching loads by citing other
activities that advance important institutional goals/objectives. Chancellor Keating added that this undertaking will promote more equitable treatment of faculty.

Professor Ruffolo suggested that the Working Group survey department chairs. Dean Cress reiterated the importance of maintaining sensitivity to the concerns of untenured faculty. Professor Wood rhetoricaly asked how class size should be weighed in assessing teaching loads.

With adjournment at hand, Professor James proposed that the Committee of the Whole rise without report. No objection was heard and the meeting was adjourned at 4:55.