Faculty Policies Committee Minutes, February
10, 2003, 3 p.m.
Present:
Michelle Benedict, Barbara Coleman, Bill Dodd, Gordon Eisenman, Cliff Gardiner,
Jim Garvey, Andy Hauger (chair), Jeff Heck (secretary), Donna Hobbs, Bill
Reese, Jana Sandarg, Sabina Widner
Guest: Jim
Benedict
Minutes of
Agenda items: Old Business
1. Promotion and Tenure Recommendations
The committee discussed two letters
from Promotion and Tenure Committees (PTC) recommending editorial and policy
changes to the promotion and tenure process. The editorial changes were
approved and will be sent to Dr. Sullivan for addition to his documents.
Additional
recommendations:
“Records
of the candidate’s grade-distribution should be included along with student
evaluations.” The recommendation to have raw grade distribution data sent
to the PTC concerned some FPC members, who felt they would be used out of
context. There are variables that only department heads can factor into
evaluation of the data. Discussion of the appropriate point in the process and
person to use the raw data will continue with the next meeting.
“When
an academic unit has generated standards for promotion or tenure (or both) in
addition to, and consistent with, the standards stated in the Faculty Manual,
those criteria should be included with a candidate’s application.” This is
already in place as an option. The word “optional” will be deleted from the
Faculty Manual.
“…librarians
are treated as faculty as opposed to staff at ASU. … their
mission differs from that of regular teaching faculty. Does it differ to a
large enough degree that guidance should be put in the faculty manual….” Bill Dodd produced a copy of an activities list
developed by the library and approved earlier that seemed to satisfy the
request. Andy Hauger will request that Charles Jenks insert the text of this
list into the 910 section; it is already printed in the 421 section but needs
to be in both.
“Is
it possible for departments with disciplines where the doctorate is not
available … to provide any greater specificity as to just what should
constitute the equivalent to a doctorate degree?” Each department will be
asked to add this to the role model.
“Are
the requirements for tenure commensurate with rank?” It was felt this
section on page 46 of the online manual had been made clearer with recent
changes, but an incident this semester suggests even better wording could be
found. Bill Reese will work on rewording the section.
“We
would like the following items to be specifically included in the candidate’s
packet and we would like each of these items to appear on the cover sheet for
their inclusion to be checked off.
1.
The last three chair evaluations” This will be done
“2. Student evaluations for all classes
over the last four years.” This will be done, though it was noted
that sometimes losses of evaluations occur through no fault of the faculty
member.
“3.
Student evaluation questions, if used, for items 36-50 and/or for any noninstitutional evaluations.” These usually should be omitted, as the Scantron process used to generate the results would not be
able to distinguish among the different questions and scales used by each
department. These numbers are for information only. Only items 1-32 will be
part of what is submitted to the PTC. If the candidate wants numbers beyond
that included, they must include it themselves.
“Moreover,
we would like membership of the Promotion and Tenure Committee to be limited to
one member per unit.” Broader representation will result in more fair
treatment for each candidate. This is already in place, though the effort is
sometimes defeated because valuable potential committee members are diverted
into other committees or activities and thereby excused from the PTC. Hauger
will check the statute.
2. Faculty Recognition
There was only one candidate
nominated for Outstanding Faculty member this year. The committee accepting these
nominations will attempt to better advertise.
3. Parking
A letter from a faculty member
decries the lack of available faculty parking in front of Fanning Hall, and it
mentions a need for stronger enforcement of the policy. Public Safety indicates
it is trying to hire an additional student ticket writer, and that it will have
signs available by the end of the month to more clearly mark the area.
4. Sabbaticals
One faculty member asked about
sabbaticals and how departments handle them. The FPC members mentioned that
departments are welcome to arrange creatively for faculty members to take them,
but that there is no money available to support sabbaticals.
Other Agenda Items
Agenda items 6, 7, and 8 were
carried over to the next meeting.
Adjourned
Next meeting: