Draft to be approved 11/14/12

    Metropolitan State University of Denver

 Faculty Senate

Wednesday, October 31st, 2012

3:20pm – 4:50pm

Tivoli 320 A, B & C

 

MINUTES

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Attendees:  Akacem, Badwan, Bagwell, Bahl, Bernhardt, Beery, Bisio, Bonham, Butler, Butnor, Carnes, Collette, Cook, Corash, Davinroy, Davis, DelCastillo, Denn, Dormer, Ethier, Flemon, Gatlin, Gibson, Glatz, Grady-Willis, Gurley, Haga, Hasley, Hill, Hoffman, Holloway, Hutto, Izurieta, Jackson, Jacobs, Jayasanker, Jiang, Johnson, Karris, King, Klimek, Krugman, Liu, Londen, Louden, Lubinski, Matthews, McKenna, McKenzie, Monico, Mowder, Ortiz, Pantos, Pleis, Preuhs, Pytlinski, Reimer, Rivas, Rogers, Ropp, Rucki, Sahami, Schatz, Seeley, Shopp, Sidelko, Simpson, Svonkin, Tollefson, Toubia, Wagner, Wanberg, Weber, Zajdowicz, Zeiler, Zhang, Zhu   Guests:  Ansburg, Ayesse, Golich, Helm, Lutes

 

 

I.                    Call to Order 

 

II.                 Approval of Previous Meetings Minutes (at Senate Website), VOTE.

 

 A Vote was called to approve the minutes of 10/17/12.

 The Minutes were approved.

 

III.               Announcements/Updates

-           President Sahami welcomed Senators Butner (Category II Faculty), Beery, Hill, and Toubia (Affiliate Faculty).

-           There is a vacancy on the General Studies Committee (EC Appointment). Please contact President Sahami, if interested in serving.

-           The SCoB and LAS have vacancies on several Senate Committees; please contact Caucus Chairs, if interested in serving.

-           Two appointments are needed on the ASA Policy Committee. Please contact President Sahami, if interested in serving.

 

IV.              Committee Report:

 

- FS Curriculum Committee  – Sen. R. Hernandez-Julian http://www.msudenver.edu/senate/assets/pdf/FSCC/2012/fscc103112.pdf

 

   Senator Ptylinski gave an overview of the report.

 

 President Sahami opened the floor for discussion. There was none.

Curriculum approved unanimously by the Faculty Senate Curriculum Committee is automatically approved by the Senate unless there is a question posed by a Senator on the Senate floor.

 

 President Sahami accepted the report on behalf of the Senate.

 

V.                 PRESENTATION, DISCUSSION and VOTE:  New Non-Substantive Curriculum Change Form – Sen. R. Hernandez-Julian http://www.msudenver.edu/senate/assets/pdf/2012/103112/non-substan-chgform.pdf

 

 Senator Wagner reiterated the description of the change form and the rationale for the changes.

 President Sahami asked if there was any discussion. There was none.

 The vote was called to approve the Non-substantive Change Form.

 The vote was approved: 56 to 2.

 

VI.              PRESENTATION, DISCUSSION and VOTE:  Should the Undergraduate Research Program have awards for student presentations? - GUESTS: Dr. P. Ansburg, URP Faculty Associate and Mr. S. Ayesse, SGA Liaison http://www.msudenver.edu/senate/assets/pdf/2012/103112/sga-ltr.pdf

 

 Simon Ayesse, SGA Liaison, read a letter into the record from the Student Government Assembly to reflect their unanimous vote regarding the question of offering awards at the 2013 Undergraduate Research Program:

 

 SGA Liaison Ayesse made comments about the SGA’s vote and decision.

 

 President Sahami opened the floor for discussion. President Sahami commented on the advisory committee’s major concerns regarding the competitive aspect of awards working against the collaborative spirit. There was no discussion.

 

 A poll was called to survey senators’/departments’ opinion of whether the Undergraduate Research Conference Planning Committee should continue to present university-wide presentation awards.

 

 The polling outcome was:            38 Yes

22 No

  6 Had no preference

 

VII.           PRESENTATION and DISCUSSION: MSU Denver Apps Update and Faculty Survey- VP L. Ortiz

 Vice President Ortiz gave an overview of the composition of the New Media Advisory Group and its charge by Drs. Zerkovich and Lutes to advise the university on the evaluation, planning, and implementation of the mobile app, digital signs, and kiosks on campus. She explained that the current mobile app is student-centric. An email will be sent out to all faculty (should take about five minutes to complete) asking what kind of content and functions to faculty want on a mobile solution.

 

 President Sahami called for discussion. There was none. The Senate was asked to let their faculty know to look for the upcoming survey.

 

VIII.        PRESENTATION and DISCUSSION: ModernThink Student Survey Results and Input Solicitation - GUEST: Dr. M. Anderson, President's Associate for Diversity.

 

 Dr. Anderson spoke about the data from the survey, recapped some of the quick action items, and the uses of it as an integral part of the strategic plan.

 

Actions he touched on that were launched in response to this data:

ü    Provided an overview of climate issues at Metro State

ü    The development and implementation of the supervisor’s training program (approx. 350 supervisors completed training)

ü    The inclusion of cultural competence training for supervisors

ü    The approved funding of an Ombudsperson position to serve as a mediator in regards to workforce disputes

ü    Provided information for the discussions on faculty and staff raises

ü    Informed the decision to revise the employee evaluation system to now include a 360 evaluation element

 

He introduced Dr. Rich Boyer (on conference call) as the next presenter.

 

 Dr. Boyer, ModernThink, took the Senate through the findings of the survey.

http://www.msudenver.edu/senate/assets/pdf/2012/103112/2011_Metro_Student Survey_mra110112F2.pdf

 

 President Sahami thanked them for their report, requested a copy of the information so that he could forward it to the Senate to be shared, and opened the floor for discussion. President Sahami had seen the presentation earlier at the ASA meeting and commented on how remarkably close the correlation was to the faculty survey results, with one notable exception. One slide reported how a large margin of students felt they had the resources and information they needed to get a good education was then compared to the counterpoint faculty survey question “did faculty have the resources and information to do their job” that received a low  measurement response. In discussion after the meeting, the explanation of the incongruent responses was credited to the additional value faculty bring to their classrooms that has translated into student confidence.

  

IX.              Adjournment

 The vote was called for adjournment.

 The Senate was adjourned.