Faculty Senate Minutes

September 21, 2007

Members present: Harry Heuston, Mo Cuevas, Frank Landram, Darlene Pulliam, Bonnie Pendleton, Mark Riney, Syed Anwar, Gerald Chen, Bill Ambrose, Mike Meyers, Helen Reyes, Keith Price, Perry Crafton, Jessica Mallard, Mary Jarvis, Amy Newman, Jeannette Embrey, Nagalapura Viswanath, Robert Hansen, Sandy Babitzke,

Member absent: Duane Rosa

I. President O’Brien

1. spoke on the job searches for the campus: VP for Institutional Advancement to be filled by Jan 2; Director of Alumni Relations—function of job will change from working through Alum Assn to increase outreach to alums.
2. commented on higher level of accountability expected by the system Board of Regents, the chancellor, the state legislature, the Higher Education Coordinating Board, and federal government. Demands are for quantitative measures of success. particularly graduation rates, student persistence/retention rates. At the Federal level, the Spellings Commission is working on measures for higher education, including setting standards for accreditation. WT needs to focus on freshman to sophomore retention rate of 60-65%, 4-year grad rate 0f 17%.We'll use NSSE and CAAP as assessment tools. Increased role for assessments at beginning, intermediate, and completion levels intended to lead constant improvement of the university.

II. Presentation by Russell Lowery-Hart, Brian Chapman, and Gary Kelly on NSSE.

WT’s use plan is modeled on Indiana University/Purdue University at Indianapolis. The assessment process will become central to future funding processes. The power point presentation is available on the senate website. Administration of NSSE will require coming into classes. Faculty will need to be supportive in communicating the importance of the survey to students, particularly for graduating seniors. NSSE process begins in the fall for the following spring. Communication of assessment to students goes through go account email addresses: faculty needs to encourage students to use those accounts.

Action item: Minutes from September 7, 2007: Moved by Mallard, second by Crafton, passed.

Action item: Minutes from May 3, 2007: Moved by Price, second by Reyes, passed.

Action Item: President Hueston appointed Senate Committee on CEIQ: Jessica Mallard, chair; Mo Cuevas, Jeannette Embrey, Helen Reyes, Sandy Babitzke.

Senate approved committee appointments from the College Of Business for standing committees. Names will be forwarded to Barbara Petty.

Hansen: Report on amendment to Senate Constitution: As of the voting deadline of September 17, 55 reported in favor, 2 opposed, rest non-voting. History and Geography department was informed and nominated Jean Stuntz. Her election is pending approval by the college faculty. Several senators had results that were not communicated by the deadline, indicating further opposition to the change. The issue needs further action, but will be considered at a later date.

A request to from Dr. Sue Taylor for non-voting senate representation on Faculty Senate for Information Technology and Academic Services was deferred to a future date.

Hueston asked for a volunteer to go to Austin October 19-20 for Texas Counsel of Faculty Senates .

President Hueston’s closing remarks: Encourage senators to have Russell Lowery-Hart present the NSSE to faculty, which he offered to that in partnership with the faculty senator for each department. He emphasized the critical importance of the assessments: they can’t be brushed off by faculty. Call for agenda items to be emailed to Harry.

Meeting adjourned at 2:10.

Respectfully submitted,

Robert Hansen, secretary