COMMITTEE:                        Academic Standards Committee     

MEETING DATE:                  September 21, 2009

PERSON PRESIDING:        Linda Wolfe 

REGULAR MEMBERS PRESENT:

Michael Albers, Michael Brown, Nancy Spalding, Mark Sprague, Karen Voytecki, and Linda Wolfe

EX-OFFICIO MEMBERS PRESENT:  George Bailey, Linner Griffin, Jan Tovey, Steve Kresch

OTHERS IN ATTENDANCE: Marianna Walker, Lori Lee

CALLED TO ORDER:          2:00 PM

ACTIONS OF MEETING:

Agenda Item:             Discussion of Agenda with Chair of Faculty

Discussion:                Review of Faculty Manual section by section; discussion of committee charge

Agenda Item:             Election of Officers

Chair, Linda Wolfe; Vice Chair, Mike Brown; Secretary, Nancy Spalding; Jan Tovey appointed representative to the Athletic Committee

Agenda Item:             Mike Brown presented an urgent proposal from (what committee?) concerning SOIS 

Academic Standards Recommendation re: SOIS

Any change in instrument or revision of the existing student survey instrument will take time if it is to be done well.  In the interim, the committee proposes that the university continue with the current SOIS while the process is under review but with the following recommendations:
1.     Administer the current SOIS instrument without item 19.
2.     The Provost’s Office should ensure that new unit administrators receive training prior to the annual evaluation of faculty in the use of multiple methods of evaluating teaching effectiveness.
3.     The Provost’s Office should ensure that current unit administrators receive training prior to the annual evaluation of faculty in the use of multiple methods of evaluating teaching effectiveness.
4.     IPAR utilize a variety of methods to enhance the rate of student participation. This could include simplifying access to the instrument, such as adding a direct link from Blackboard courseware to the SOIS survey, utilizing campus plasma TVs to increase awareness of completing the survey, and other appropriate means of encouraging students’ participation.

Discussion:    In order for the proposal to be considered by the Faculty Senate in a timely manner, the proposal was discussed, extensively. The committee was especially interested in a link from Blackboard to the SOIS.

Action                                     Voted to send to the Faculty Senate as amended.

Amended Proposal passed:

Academic Standards Recommendation re: SOIS

Any change in instrument or revision of the existing student survey instrument will take time if it is to be done well.  In the interim, the committee proposes that the university continue with the current SOIS while the process is under review but with the following recommendations:

1.      Administer the current SOIS instrument without item 19.

2.      The Provost’s Office should ensure that unit administrators receive training prior to the annual evaluation of faculty in the use of multiple methods of evaluating teaching effectiveness.

3.      IPAR utilize a variety of methods to enhance the rate of student participation. This could include simplifying access to the instrument, such as adding a direct link from Blackboard courseware to the SOIS survey, utilizing campus plasma TVs to increase awareness of completing the survey, and other appropriate means of encouraging students’ participation.

ADJOURNED: 4:40 p.m.

 

Respectfully submitted, Nancy Spalding