Present: Deborah Baird, John Balden, David Brandt, Joe Buchman, Elaine Byrd, Ernie Carey, Max Christofferson, Malcolm Crawford, Kathie Debenham, Jeanille Gooch, Eldon Greenhalgh, Ron Hammond, Jill Jasperson, Chris Jones, Stephanie Larsen, Dave Manning, Doug Miller, Duane Miller, Tom Perkins, Kirk Rasmussen, Liliana Riboldi, Grant Richards, Pres. Kerry Romesburg, Keith Snedegar, Dr. Lucille T. Stoddard, K.D. Taylor, Jon Turner, Lynn Turnquist, Cristine Veit, Forrest Williams, Don Wilson, Laurie Wood

Absent: Damon Bahr, Eddy Cadet, Jeanette Hall, Chester Heath,, Gary Noll, LouAnn Provost, Merlin Smith

Excused:

Guests: Debbi Abbott, Jeff Bulgar, Bobbi Gren, Karl Holm, Lisa Lambert, Karl Worthington

Grant Richards, Faculty Senate President, called the meeting to order at 4:05 p.m.

ACTION: Duane Miller made a motion to accept the minutes as written for September 22, 1998. Elaine Byrd seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously.

1. Policy E-6.2 - Student rights and responsibilities

The Academic Policy Committee looked over the policy and made some changes. The major change is in section XVI. This section discusses certain grievance procedures. The committee felt those issues discussed should actually go under the appeals procedures section. The committee feels that the word grievance should be changed to the word appeal. Jill explained that any comments or suggestions regarding this policy must be submitted on or before November 3, 1998.

K.D. Taylor commented that a grievance is something generated by the student that indicates a complaint. An appeal is something they are requesting to be changed such as an exception. They are two different issues. Jill agreed and explained that all the items under the grievance procedures were actually appeals.

The policy will be on the web with the committee's proposed changes. Senators should be prepared to vote on the policy changes at the next meeting.

2. Election for committee replacement

Laurie Wood explained that Jill Jasperson needs a replacement to serve on her Academic Policy Committee. Laurie asked the two alternates from the election last year if they would be willing to serve. Kim Bartholomew from CSIS and Lorriel Thorn from Nursing were the alternates and they both were willing to serve on the committee. It was noticed that Kim does not have tenure, but Lorriel does. Laurie gave the Senators a ballot and asked them to mark their vote.

Grant mentioned that he has talked with Laurie about the Election Committee doing some polling for other committees. Forrest Williams and Ron Hammond would support and appreciate the Election Committee doing some polling for their committees. If committees didn't have to take the time to poll individuals for information, they would be able to concentrate on other important matters.

Laurie announced the election results later in the meeting. Kim Bartholomew from CSIS is the new Academic Policy Committee member.

1. Utah Accountability Task Force

President Romesburg explained that the Task Force has decided that each institution would develop a proposal to conduct a pilot study utilizing the College Assessment of Academic Proficiency (CAAP). They would like some kind of evidence that demonstrates we have some impact on students after they have been here a couple of years. The Regents would like to find some kind of test that is taken nationally after students have completed their general education courses. Possible after two years, which would be at the end of an associates degree. For four-year students, the test could be taken anytime after the first two years.

President Romesburg explained that the test would be administered to all students and then they would look at the value added. Did the students performance change from when they entered the institution to when they left the institution? That is what the regents are looking for.

We have more history than anyone in administering these tests. We have also demonstrated that it is almost impossible to do. President Romesburg felt the tests are a valid measure and they do work. How to get students to take it and then to take it seriously are the two problems that have not been solved.

This test is in no way meant to be a measure of faculty or departmental teaching abilities. This test is also not meant to compare institutions across the system or serve as a junior rising test.

2. UVSC Task Forces

Dr. Stoddard addressed the issue of Academic Task Forces. These task forces will be consistently reaching out to take care of certain arising issues. She gave everyone a handout listing all the Academic Task Forces. She mentioned each of the committees. She explained that the Computer Services Task Force needs faculty representation, as does the Scheduling Task Force. She told the Senators to mention to faculty that memberships for the different task forces are open if anyone is interested in serving.

3. Web Site Issues (policies link, committee reports)

Ernie announced that he has the capability to publish progress reports or additional items for committees on the web. He asked that any material sent to him be sent electronically. He commented that the policies link was changed. Now there is a link to the policies web site for all different groups to look at.

4. Report on the trustee meeting

President Romesburg announced that the Trustees have decided that UVSC is going to grow here instead of building several off campus facilities. The Trustees have stated that they don't believe UVSC can truly offer the education and experience through a branch.

President Romesburg explained that UVSC was gifted some land just west of the elementary school on 800 south. We are going to turn that land into parking. The campus road will run up and around that parking lot, making the campus bigger. This will not accommodate all of our parking needs. Shuttles will run students to and from buildings.

President Romesburg also announced there are going to be more buildings added to the north of our campus. This campus is going to end up being the home for about 40,000 students. We will need more buildings for offices and classrooms. We can't have surface parking the way we do now. We will have parking towers on campus to handle the growth. Fees will go up because we won't be funded for the parking.

It will be a few years to make all the changes happen. That is the plan to take to the Board of Regents. This is a big change, eliminating the plan for satellite campuses, and the Trustees strongly recommend it.

The Information Sciences Building should be funded this year. Sixth on the state priority list is a large general classroom building. The student center expansion will still be next year, since that expansion is not funded with state money. It is funded with student fees.

President Romesburg stated that we will not get into the business of student dorms and student housing. There is also no plan for additional playing fields, but all current fields will remain. The Utah County Journal building is being negotiated on right now.

5. Gil Cook's Report on Space

Grant gave all the Senators a handout taken from the Board of Regents Data Handbook. Everyone's enrollment is down with the exception of UVSC. Semester conversion was being blamed for the falling numbers. Building project priorities and the capital priority lists were also listed on the handout. Grant urged Senators to voice their opinions to the Board of Regents. Grant felt that UVSC is not being dealt with fairly.

Budget Committee

Ron Hammond attended an EMIA meeting. UVSC's contract with EMIA is ending this year. The insurance industry is looking at a 10% to 14% increase. EMIA is doing quite a bit to lower the cost and still provide the benefits we are currently getting. EMIA is a non-profit mutual insurance agency.

Karla Holm explained that our past experience is not good. We have had transplants and cancer patients here at the college. Now that our contract with EMIA is up, Karla is very concerned. We all need to be aware that we are not going to get a wonderful plan.

The Benefits Committee will present an open bid in January. The faculty survey sent out by the Budget Committee regarding salary issues will be looked at by the Benefits Committee when considering different options. Ron explained that currently we are at a 62% response rate to the survey.

Karla introduced the new benefits manager, Debbi Abbott. Debbi is interested in everyone's opinions and she is committed to try to get very best benefit package for the college.

President Romesburg explained that this will be a tough year. When we get funded from the legislature with our usual 3% increase, and with insurance rates going up as much as 15%, the higher rates will come off the top. There may not be enough money to cover the column advancements or step increases. He stated that we have a very rich benefit plan on campus and this may be the year we have to step back and ask ourselves if we really want to keep the kind of benefit package we currently have. He stated that some colleges have gone to a cafeteria style of benefits.

Ad Hoc Committee: Merit Pay

Jeff Bulger explained that his committee is currently going through the education process. They are looking at all the angles of merit increases and salary points. There are many different options. They have not come up with a solid plan. Possibly within the next couple of weeks the committee will be prepared with a proposal. Jeff asked the Senators to make contact with their faculty about the merit issues. He would appreciate any feedback from Senators and faculty.

Academic Standards Committee

Dave Manning stated that 95% of his committee's work is dealing with students who have attended a class all semester and were never added to the class roll. His committee has proposed a new $5.00 add card. With the new add card the student will fill in the proper information regarding to the class that he/she wishes to add. Then they will obtain the instructor's signature and the department approval. The student will then pay the $5 add fee at the Cashier's window and obtain a Cashier's validation. The student will then present the card at the Registration office and obtain a registration validation. The final step for the student will be to present the validated card to their instructor as proof of official registration. Once the instructor first signs the add card, the student has seven calendar days to get the card validated and returned to the instructor.

Ernie Carey felt that this issue should not be a problem. If students are not on the official class rolls the instructor receives about three times during the semester, the instructor should tell the students not to attend class until they can show proof of their registration.

Dave asked the Senators to take the information to their departments and be ready to vote on the new add card during the next Senate meeting.

Faculty Merit Evaluation Committee

Duane Miller announced that his committee is getting caught up on merit bonuses. There are a few that are requiring additional discussion.

Faculty Development Committee

Forrest Williams announced that he has met with Stephanie Larsen and discussed having student evaluations of teachers published on the Internet. The students at the University of Utah have done that and feel it has been successful.

Stephanie explained that students want to see evaluations. The ASUVSC web site will make their own evaluation form. The questions would be along the line of rating the instructors on a scale of 1 to 10. They are checking to see if a CSIS student would want to develop the program as one of their final projects.

K.D. Taylor stated that every teacher on campus has had good and bad student reports. She felt that ramifications may happen that are not in the best interest of the college. UVSC's interest is in retaining all the good teachers. She is a little uneasy about students finding out which teachers are the most popular. Stephanie explained that this is not a popularity contest, it is about learning. After a student is able to look at other student's evaluations, that student should then be able to decide for themselves if that is someone they want to learn from. Chris Jones thought the legal ramifications should be looked into. Slander and defamation of character were a couple of issues that he was concerned about.

Many Senators felt that there needs to be a way to verify that a student has actually taken the class they are evaluating. Senators also felt that the student's grade should be posted for other students to see. Grant explained that there are models where faculty and students have worked together on this issue and have been very successful. Forrest and Stephanie can work out something that can be of mutual agreement. ASUVSC is willing to work with the faculty. Forrest stated that the faculty need to work with them because they will do this with or without the help of the faculty.