COMMITTEE:           Committee on Committees

 MEETING DATE:    Tuesday, November 16, 2010, 3:00 PM

 PERSON PRESIDING:      Catherine Rigsby

REGULAR MEMBERS IN ATTENDANCE:     Margaret Bauer, Enrique Reyes, Catherine Rigsby, Wendy Sharer

EX-OFFICIO MEMBERS IN ATTENDANCE:    Mark Taggart, Marianna Walker

 OTHERS IN ATTENDANCE:   Lori Lee

ACTIONS OF MEETING

Agenda Item 1: Discussion of the charge and roster for the Continuing and Career Education Committee

Rigsby reported that she’d met with the Continuing and Career Education Committee and that they requested no changes to their charge other than the deletion of references to the Weekend University, which no longer exists.

Walker also reported that she’d met with the Continuing and Career Education Committee and that they’d expressed concern regarding their level of involvement in determining DE assessment measures/standards. The committee wondered to what degree it should involved with DE. Some committee members also questioned if there should be a clearer distinction between the CCEC and the Academic Standards Committee.

Action Taken: None. The issues raised by Walker will be taken up in more detail in future meetings

Agenda Item 2: Discussion of the charge and roster of the Student Scholarships, Fellowships, and Financial Aid Committee.

Rigsby reported that, at her visit to this committee, she learned that the committee has been asked to assist Enrollment Management and Financial Aid by developing a standard timeline for the awarding of financial aid across the university. She also reported that there was some confusion about exactly what the committee’s responsibilities are in terms of publicizing information about scholarships and fellowships.

Action Taken: Rigsby moved that the charge of the committee be revised to say that it “reviews and monitors information on scholarships and fellowships available to students” rather than “keeps up-to-date information on scholarships and fellowships available to students” so that the committee isn’t the body responsible for finding and updating the information, a job that is better suited for the Financial Aid Office and other administrative units on campus. Taggart seconded. Motion passed.

Bauer moved that the Roster for the SSFFAC include “one member of the Academic Council” rather than “Rep of VC for Academic and Student Affairs.” Reyes seconded. Motion passed

Agenda Item 3: Discussion of concerns regarding the role and influence of administrative resource people on Senate Committees’ work.

Rigsby explained that Chairs of Senate Committees need to ensure that administrative resource people do not become too involved in the work of the elected and appointed members of the committees.

Reyes proposed orientation meetings specifically for Chairs of Senate committees so that those Chairs know what they need to do, particularly in terms of the participation of administrative resource people.

Action Taken: NA

Agenda Item 4: Discussion of the charge and roster of the Faculty Governance Committee.

Taggart reported that he had received a recommendation that the Faculty Governance Committee be comprised of faculty from professional schools and the liberal arts, and from East and West Campus, rather than of faculty from across departments/disciplines due to the different governance concerns encountered by faculty on East and West Campus.

The committee discussed the possibility adding a requirement to the charge of the Faculty Governance Committee that, due to the nature of the policies the committee addresses, committee members be tenured.

Action Taken: Bauer moved revising the roster of the Faculty Governance Committee to say “7 elected tenured faculty members.” Rigsby seconded. Motion passed.

Rigsby moved that the Committee on Committees be reminded in putting together Faculty Governance nominees that a balance should be maintained between East and West Campus representatives. Taggart seconded. Motion passed.

Agenda Item 5: Announcements of Changes in Academic Affairs

Walker reported that the University Writing Program, and the Writing Across the Curriculum Committee that is part of it, is going to be housed in the English Department starting January 1, 2011. The Service Learning Center is moving out of Academic Affairs as well, along with the Service Learning Committee that is part of it.

Discussion ensued about the possibility of the Writing Across the Curriculum Committee and the Service Learning Committee possibly becoming Faculty Senate Committees.

Action Taken: NA

Additional Duties Assigned: Walker will follow up with the Service Learning Committee to find out about their concerns about becoming a Faculty Senate Committee

Sharer will follow up with the Interim Director of the University Writing Program to find out about his concerns regarding the possibility of the Writing Across the Curriculum Committee becoming a Faculty Senate Committee.

Meeting adjourned at 3:58 PM.

Respectfully submitted: Wendy Sharer, November 21, 2010