Faculty Policies Committee Minutes

September 29, 2008

Members present: Ted Atkinson, Rob Bledsoe, Tom Crute, Wally Evans, Wayne Mixon, Jana Sandarg, Bruce Saul, Mike Searles, Robert Smalley, Steve Weis.

1) Tom called the FPC Committee to order at 2:35pm.

2) Minutes from 22September were approved with no corrections. They will be posted soon.

3) Tom distributed a template for an updated flow-chart version of the ASU Grievance Policy. Discussion topics included: the number and costs of grievances each year, mediated settlements, progressive path of a grievance and who(m) to include, training for “grievance” committee members, and inclusion of an ombudsperson as an integral part of the process. Much work will be needed over the course of the academic year.

4) The FPC subcommittee (Rob, Ted, Steve) charged with adding “intellectual diversity” to the ASU Grievance Policy presented their recommended version. The FPC unanimously recommended accepting their version. Discussion will continue as the final draft is prepared.

5) Tom led a discussion about the efforts of the Board of Regents to alter the current core curriculum. Topics included: the composition of the BOR Core Curriculum Revision Committee, the paucity of “faculty” involved in making recommendations, the necessity to determine a way (possibly web based) for all USG faculty to communicate ideas, and the importance of the USG Faculty Council in voicing faculty opinions. More discussions will occur next week.

6) The next item reviewed was how to track changes made to the Faculty Manual. The method recommended (and used) by Jeff Heck, Faculty Secretary, was accepted as a very good system and recommendations were made to “hyperlink” to the appropriate updated section.

7) The FPC had a brief discussion about the current Faculty Evaluation Instrument and whether or not a review will occur this year. This was deferred to a later date.

8) Tom asked that we consider adding verbiage to our Faculty Manual that will address the rank of Lecturer. This will occur in a later meeting.

9) Academic dishonesty issues will be forthcoming at the next scheduled FPC meeting.

10) Course procedure documents were shared among the FPC members and a brief discussion followed. This topic will be revisited next week.

11) Several other important issues were tabled until the next FPC meeting.

The next meeting will be on 29September.

Adjourned at 3:55pm.

Respectfully submitted,

Bruce Saul