Faculty Policies Committee Minutes, April 26, 2004

Present: Michelle Benedict, Tom Crute, Marc Miller, Jeff Heck (secretary), Bill Reese (chair), Katherine Sweeney, Wendy Turner, Donna Wear, Janice Whiting, Sabina Widner

New Members: Peggy Geren, Pam Hayward, Jana Sandarg, Bruce Saul, Barry Thompson

Guests: Cathy Barner, Assistant Director for Support Services for Information Technology Services, and Kathy Schofe, Director of Public Relations and Publications

Minutes from April 19, 2004 were approved as corrected

Special Topic –

Kathy Schofe, Director of Public Relations and Publications, requested time prior to the meeting to poll FPC members about a publication detailing recent faculty publishing efforts. The consensus of the group was for the distribution of the publication to be reduced to one copy per department rather than one copy per faculty member.

Introductions –

New and current members of the FPC were asked to introduce themselves.

OLD BUSINESS

1. ITS Projects (Faculty Mentoring CD / EForms / Committee Reports Web Site) –

Cathy Barner, Assistant Director for Support Services in Information Technology Services(ITS), provided a demonstration of the main pages of a mentoring CD for new faculty, currently under construction. Mediator version 7 has been used to create an interactive menu, into which content provided by Marc Miller will be linked. The CD is scheduled for completion before Fall semester. A letter from Dr. Bloodworth has been received for inclusion, and Richard House soon should have a recording ready.

ITS personnel will have to perform all future maintenance and updates on the CD, as changes are labor intensive and the software requires some familiarity.

The final product will be largely self-contained; only Adobe Acrobat will need to be available in addition to the content of the CD. The product can include sound, video, PDF files and connections to web pages, if the user is connected to the Internet.

Barner also reported that progress is being made toward an ability to route forms that require electronic signature collection on campus. The goal is to have this available for Fall.

A Web site is prepared for the publication of committee reports; the only remaining step is creation of a front page for the collection. The site will be protected; users will be required to log in using their Jagnet (regular network login) username and password.

2. Committee on Committees –

A message has been sent that asks faculty to indicate their preferences for committee assignments for 2004-5. A link in the message takes faculty to the Faculty Policies Committee Web site, at the bottom of which is a link to the form that needs to be filled out. A note also has been sent to department chairs for faculty who less often read their email. The forms are due by May 3.

Katherine Sweeney and Wendy Turner, this year’s continuing Committee on Committees members, will be joined by two new members selected from the 2004-5 FPC.

3. EForms –

The FPC discussed the wording of a proposed message to faculty about EForms. The message explains the current status of EForms, when to use and not to use them, and instructions on loading Adobe Acrobat, full version, the software by which the forms can be created, published, saved, and filled in. Documents requiring a signature trail must still be printed and routed.

A motion to make electronic submission of forms mandatory in stages passed unanimously. The FPC will work to define these stages.

4. Remaining Old Business –

Gordon Eisenman provided to the FPC a proposal calling for changes in the composition of the Promotion and Tenure Committee. The proposal will be turned over to the next year’s FPC. The other remaining items of old business, teaching abroad, new program proposals, marketing and costs of books, and course evaluation will also be handed to the new committee. Michelle Benedict, who rotates off the FPC this semester, offered her assistance in future work on the latter two topics.

Following this item, members rotating off the FPC left the room.

NEW BUSINESS

1. Election of FPC Chair for 2004-5 –

Chair Bill Reese opened the floor for nominations. Wendy Turner nominated Marc Miller; the nomination was accepted and seconded, nominations closed, and the nomination was approved unanimously.

Following this item, Bill Reese left the room

Business conducted following election of the new Chair

NEW BUSINESS

1. Election of FPC Secretary for 2004-5 –

Chair Marc Miller opened the floor for nominations for Secretary. Wendy Turner nominated Katherine Sweeney; the nomination was accepted and seconded, nominations closed, and the nomination was approved unanimously.

Following this item, Jeff Heck left the room

2. Timing of Grades –

Katherine Sweeney confirmed for the FPC that grades will be available for viewing by students at 8 a.m. on May 12, the time at which grades are due. The FPC will further review the timing and process of grade releases later this year.

3. Meeting Time/Place –

The FPC will resume regular meetings August 23, 2004, probably in the College of Business Administration. Meetings will begin at 3 p.m. each Monday.

4. Committee on Committee Representatives –

Peggy Geren and Barry Thompson volunteered to join the Committee on Committees. They will learn the process this Summer and Fall, then lead the process during next year’s committee work.

5. Agenda Development –

Marc Miller requested that any additional old agenda items be forwarded to him.

6. Committee Methodology –

Next year’s committee will work through a password-protected Web site. Meetings will be held to one hour if at all possible.

7. New Faculty Luncheon –

Bruce Saul will assist with the New Faculty Luncheon offered this Fall.

Adjourned at 4:00 p.m.

Minutes submitted by Jeff Heck and Katherine Sweeney

Next Meeting: August 23, 2004, 3 p.m.

Location to be determined