Draft to be approved 3/14/12

The Metropolitan State College of Denver

 Faculty Senate

Wednesday, February 29th, 2012

3:20pm – 4:50pm

Tivoli 320 A, B & C

 

MINUTES

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Attendees: Ahsan, Akrabova, Badwan, Bahl, Baldwin, Balogh, Bisio, Brodersen, Butler, Capps, Church, Collette, Cook, Corash, Davinroy, Davis, DelCastillo, DeMuro, Denn, Doe, Drake, Duburguet, Dyhr, Elkins, Ethier, Evans, Flemon, Forgash, Fustos, Ghosh, Giordano, Glatz, Grevstad, Hagen, Hallam, Hasley, Hathorn, Hernandez-Julian, Hill, Holloway, Hutto, Jackson, Jacobs, Johnson, Karris, Kent, Kleinfeld, Komodore, Kottenstette, Kuhlmann, Lamb, London, Louden, Lubinski, MacDonald, Matthews, McKenzie, McNeeley Cobham, McVicker, Meloche, Murphy, Odell, Ortiz, Posey, Pozzi, Preuhs, Pytlinski, Quinn, Reid, Reimer, Reyes, Rissman, Ropp, Rother, Rucki, Sahami, Saxe, Schatz, Sidelko, Snozek, Vowles, Wanberg, Weber, Worster, Yeh, Zajdowicz Guests:  Ball, Gaither, Golich, Huff, Paul, Thobani

 

I.                    Call to Order

 

II.                 * FIRST READING of MOTION and DISCUSSION: Changes to the Faculty Senate bylaws to Improve Communication– Rules Committee, Sen W. Flemon  http://www.mscd.edu/senate/assets/pdf/attachm/022912/CommunicationsRules.pdf

 Senator Flemon, Chair, Rules Committee, gave an update on the work the committee has done from Fall of 2010 to present on how to improve communications and shared governance between the Senate and Central Administration. Motions will be read to be considered by the Senate.

 

 Senator McVicker read the motions for changes to:

 

Constitutional Amendment

 

ARTICLE IV

Members

 

Section 1 Representation

 

1.5 Mutual Membership

a. The President of the College or the President’s designee, who is expected to be the Provost, shall be a nonvoting ex-officio member of the Faculty Senate. The President of the College or President’s designee shall not attend executive sessions of the Faculty Senate.

b. It is expected that the President of the Faculty Senate will be a voting ex-officio member of the Cabinet of the President of the College.

 

 

To promote good communications and mutual understanding between the President of the College and the Faculty Senate, the Senate shall amend Article IV of the Senate Bylaws as follows:

Article IV, Section 10.1

Add:

 

The President of the College or the President’s designee, who is expected to be the Provost, shall be a nonvoting ex-officio member of the Executive Committee. The President or President’s designee shall not attend executive sessions of the Senate Executive Committee.

 

Article IV, Section 10.3

The Committee shall consider such matters as fall within the jurisdiction of the

Senate. The Committee shall set Senate agendas and act for the Senate between Senate meetings. The Committee is empowered to create such subcommittees as necessary to expedite the Committee's business. They shall charge such issues as are requested to the Senate President for consideration to the appropriate committees of the Senate.

 

 

Bylaws Changes

To promote good communications and mutual understanding between the President of the College and the Faculty Senate, the Senate shall add Article VIII to the Senate Bylaws as follows:

Article VIII

Communications between the Faculty Senate and the Administration

Section I

Communications

I.1. Faculty Senate shall promptly consider formal written communications referred to it by the President of the College.

I.2. It is the expectation of the Faculty Senate that President of the College will promptly consider formal written communications referred to him/her by the President of the Senate

I.3. Whenever the College President, the Provost, or one of their designees appoints an ad hoc committee to deal with policy or planning, it is the expectation of the Faculty Senate that written lines of communication shall be promptly established with the President of the Senate and the Senate Executive Committee.

 

Section II

Responses

II.1 It is the expectation of the Faculty Senate that the President of the College or President’s designee, who is expected to be the Provost, will promptly respond in writing to formal communications from the Faculty Senate President.

II.2 The Faculty Senate President shall promptly respond in writing to formal communications of the President of the College as soon as the Senate has considered such matters.

 

 

 President Sahami called for discussion of the proposed changes.  Senator Flemon asked the Senate to take the information back to their departments for discussion.

 

 Vice-President Worster, Music, read a statement into the record of several reasons why he believes the Senate should consider these motions.

 

 Senator Hagen suggested that along with these motions there are two additions that should be added: 1) that the Faculty Senate be included on the institutional flowchart because it is currently not on it and 2) the Senate needs a voting Trustee on the Board of Trustees.

 

 David Kottenstette, Faculty Trustee, is fully in support of these motions and one of his concerns was about the exclusion of the Provost from executive session and he pointed out that Roberts Rules allows that the Provost can attend executive sessions, if invited.

 

III.              Committee Report:  - FS Curriculum Committee -with discussion of split vote on ANT 1010 (requested 5min. time certain) – Sen. R. Hernandez-Julian http://www.mscd.edu/senate/assets/pdf/attachm/022912/FSCCReportFebruary292012.pdf  http://www.mscd.edu/senate/assets/pdf/attachm/022912/ANT1010.pdf

 

 Senator Hernandez announced that it was the last Senate meeting for courses that will be General Studies to be presented to the Senate for next year so the report was lengthy. He added one more unanimous item to the report to grant General Studies designation to CHEM 1100 and 1150.

 

 An unnamed senator pointed out that on the list ANT 3390 has a General Studies designation on it that should not be there.

 

 Senator Hernandez announced had the committee had one vote that was not unanimous for course modifications for Reading 1510 and a packet will be prepared for the to Senate review for next meeting.

 

 President Sahami called for comments or questions.

 

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. 

 

 Senator Hernandez outlined the committee’s concerns regarding the non-unanimous vote for ANT 1010.

 President Sahami explained that the vote on ANT 1010 was a split vote so there would be a vote in the Senate to decide if the course will be approved. Discussion began.

 

 Senator Hernandez reminded the Senate that the course had been approved for the Natural and Physical Sciences designation; the vote is on the Global Diversity.

 

 Catherine Gaither defended ANT 1010 and commented on how it epitomizes what is intended by Global Diversity.

 

 Senator Pytlinski asked if there was an additional cultural ANT course or does this one combine those concepts.

 

 Senator Hernandez, on behalf of the Faculty Senate Curriculum Committee, moved that Global Designation be granted to ANT 1010.

 

 Vote called. A = Approve; B = Oppose.

 Motion approved.

 

 President Sahami thanked the Faculty Senate General Studies, Curriculum, School General Studies Taskforce and all School Curriculum Committees members for the largest overhaul of Metro’s curriculum since 1987.

 

IV.              * PRESENTATION and  DISCUSSION:  Revision to Purple Book Section VI AND Minor Changes in General Studies Language– Sen. Rey Hernandez-Julian and Sen. N. Grevstad  

http://www.mscd.edu/senate/assets/pdf/attachm/022912/PurpleBookSectionVI.pdf

 Senators Grevstad and Hernandez discussed the revisions proposed to Section VI of the Purple Book that deal with the General Studies program revisions.

 

 President Sahami asked Senators to take this item back to their departments for discussion.

 

 Vice-President Worster, Music, Purple Book Committee, pointed out that the Table of Contents does not yet correspond correctly with the revisions that were being proposed.

 

V.                 * PRESENTATION and  DISCUSSION:  Revision to Handbook Regarding Promotion – Faculty Evaluation Task Force, Provost V. Golich, M. Watson, K. Lollar, K. Sahami http://www.mscd.edu/senate/assets/pdf/attachm/022912/CurrentChapVVII.pdf

http://www.mscd.edu/senate/assets/pdf/attachm/022912/NewCombinedChapV.pdf

http://www.mscd.edu/senate/assets/pdf/attachm/022912/SummaryofChapVchanges.pdf

 Senator Eric Ball, Chemistry, discussed the highlights of the Handbook changes for promotion to Full Professor.

 

 President Sahami invited anyone else present that served on the committee to comments.

 

 President Sahami encouraged senators to take this issue to their departments for discussion and reminded them that these changes will go to the entire faculty for a vote.

 

VI.              Approval of Previous Meeting’s Minutes (at Senate Website), VOTE.

  Vote called.

 Motion approved.

  

VII.            Announcements/Updates

-          The Undergraduate Research Conference Faculty is a participation opportunity.

 

 Senator Davinroy, Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, announced that on Thursday, 3/1, at 12:30p in TIV 320, the first public lecture sponsored by the One World One Water Center for Urban Water Education and Sustainability will be held.  The Undergraduate Research Conference scheduled for 4/20 is an opportunity for students to showcase their work. The deadline for the Intent to Present Form (found at the Undergraduate Research program website) is 3/16. The Abstract deadline is due 4/9. Students need a faculty sponsor to present. Cash awards will be presented for the top three posters and presentations as well as an award by One World One Water.

 

 Senator Kent congratulated Senator Davinroy on the event and asked how 100 or more presenters could be accommodated in one day.

 

VIII.        PRESENTATION, DISCUSSION and VOTE:  Proposed revisions to College Grading Policy– Sen. G. Denn http://www.mscd.edu/senate/assets/pdf/2012/021512/Proposed_Grading_Policy_v1%201.docx

 Senator Denn, Physics, Chair, Academic Policies, introduced a Student Government Representative as a guest.

 

 Alia Thobani, Student Government Representative, spoke about the student support for both proposed policies for grade replacement and course repetition in the Student Government Senate. The Student Senate recommended that both grades remain on the transcript and discussed and approved the suggestion that there is a notation on the replaced grade stating that it would not be calculated into the GPA.

 

 Vice-President Worster presented research done on the 13 NCHEMS schools’ grade policies and data on repeated course occurrences at Metro in the School of Business, as an example.

 

 Discussion was called.

 

 Senator Fustos, CIS, asked if there will be discussion of each motion as they are voted on or if the discussion is for all motions.

 

 Senator Denn read Motion #1into the record: 

 

Motion #1: The committee recommends that the policy with respect to the use of the “NC” be changed as follows:

1) All mentions of the “NC” grade that currently exist in the student handbook, college catalog, and official grading policy, will be excised. Appropriate language reflecting the new policy will be substituted.

2) In the case where a student voluntarily withdraws from a course after the course census date and before the withdrawal deadline, a “W” will be assigned, indicating a “withdrawal”. No academic credit will be awarded.

3) In the case where a student is withdrawn from a course due to a student-initiated administrative appeal process, an “AW” will be recorded. No academic credit will be awarded.

4) In the case that a student retakes a course, both grades will remain on the transcript.

 

 

 Senator Fustos, CIS, asked what grades are being discussed in item #4. He asked since faculty can change an “F” to an “NC”, will faculty have the power to change an “F” to a “W”.

 

 Vote called. 

  Motion approved.

 

 Senator Denn read Motion #2 into the record:

 

Motion #2: The committee recommends that the following policy be implemented with respect to course repetition:

1) The number of times that any individual course may be taken is two. The department may approve additional repetitions. 

2) Courses that are designated as “repeatable” courses such as music ensembles and theater presentations shall have no restriction on maximum number of enrollments.

3) An Administrative Withdrawal (AW) from a course will not count as an enrollment. All other grade notations will count towards the number of attempts.

 

 Discussion called.

 

 Senator Fustos pointed out that the language used for justification and motion was controversial and commented that the purpose of this limitation being put in place was for financial aid purposes.

 

 Senator Kent confirmed his understanding of how the courses will be counted with this change as the original course plus one repetition. He believes it is too restrictive and students should, instead, be given two repetitions after the original course has been taken.

 

 Senator Fustos, CIS, asked senators to consider what the policy change will mean and he does not see an issue when the student is granted permission but that it will be a problem when a student is not granted permission.

 

 Senator Kent asked if it were possible to make an amendment. He made a Friendly Amendment to raise the total from two times total to three times total.

 

Those committee members that were present took a moment and stepped away to discuss the Friendly Amendment.

 

 The committee rejected the amendment.

   

 Discussion was called on the formal amendment. The amendment was seconded.

 

 Senator Denn gave the rationale of why they decided on the proposed limitation.

 

 Vice-President Worster, Music, reported that his department strongly supported the limitation.

 

 Senator Meloche, Biology, reported that his department is divided over the limitation and he believes that there are legal risks and wants to see clear guidelines about how to administer the policy change.

 

 Senator Hasley, CIS, commented that advising a student after a second attempt is too late for financial aid purposes. He does not see the logic.

 

 Senator Vowles, Marketing, asked which department would advise a student when they take/fail classes outside their major.

 

 Senator Preuhs, Political Science, expressed that there had been enough debate and it was time to vote this amendment down and move on to the next one.

 

 Senator Holloway, Management, commented that he would have a problem advising his senior students who have taken, for example, Calculus three times and must have it to graduate, to consider another degree plan because of the one class after completing almost all of their coursework.

 

 Senator Hernandez commented that if students knew ahead of time about the proposed limitation, they would not be inclined to fail it as often.

 

 Vote called on the Formal Amendment to change the limitations of course repetitions. A = Yes = change number to three or B = No = will not change to three.

 

 Formal Amendment failed.

 

 Vote called on the original motion.

  Motion passed.

 

 Senator Denn read Motion #3 into the record:

 

Motion #3: The committee recommends that the policy with respect to the use of the “Last Grade Stands” be changed as follows:

1) All mentions of the “Last Grade Stands” policy that currently exist in the student handbook, college catalog, and official grading policy will be changed to the term “Grade Replacement.”

2) Grade Replacement may be utilized for a maximum of 18 credit hours. Students must request that Grade Replacement be applied for an individual course.

3) The first grade will be annotated indicating that the grade does not count for academic credit or GPA calculation. The later grade will be used for GPA calculation.

4) A grade will not be changed after a degree has been conferred.

 

 Discussion called.

 Vote called. 

             Motion passed.

   

IX.             Adjournment

 Motion to adjourn was seconded.

 Senate adjourned.

 

* - Rollover item from February 15^th 2012 Agenda