EAST CAROLINA UNIVERSITY
2006-2007 FACULTY SENATE
The eighth regular meeting of the 2006/2007
FULL AGENDA
This is the last meeting of the year for the 2006/2007
Newly
elected Faculty Senators and Alternates will begin their service
on Tuesday,
April 24, 2007, with the organizational meeting and election of Faculty
Officers.
I. Call
to Order
II. Approval
of Minutes
III. Special
Order of the Day
A. Roll Call
B. Announcements
C. Steve Ballard, Chancellor
D. Jim Smith, Provost and
Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs Report
is withdrawn
Draft Faculty
Applicant Verification of Continued Interest & Fitness (attachment 1)
E. Deirdre
Mageean, Vice Chancellor for Research and Graduate Studies
Draft
Division of Research and Graduate Studies Strategic Plan (attachment 2)
F. Mark Taggart, Chair of the Faculty
G. Ken
Wilson, Faculty Assembly Delegate
Report on the Faculty
Assembly Meeting of March 23, 2007.
H. Question Period
A. Academic Standards Committee, Linda Wolfe
1. Proposed
Policy on Disruptive Academic Behavior (attachment 3).
2. Review of Procedures and Instruments
for Peer Review of Teaching
(attachment
4).
A Survey
of Peer Review Implementation for 2006/07 is available online.
3. Courses
Approved for Foundation Credit (for information only)
a. The following courses were passed to receive Social Science
Foundation
credit: POLS 3042, SOCI 3219, SOCI 3025, SOCI 4300,
SOCI 4400.
b. The following courses were
passed to receive Math Foundation credit:
MATH 2151, MATH 2152, MATH
2153.
c. The following curses were
passed to receive Humanities credit:
MRST 2400, MRST 2500, CLAS
2600, CLAS 3600, ENGL 3660,
ENGL 3670, ENGL 4370, GRK
4001, GRK 4002.
B. Faculty Welfare Committee, David Lawrence
Proposed Revision to the ECU Faculty Manual, Part VI.I.I.2.a.(8)
Reference Parking for
Retired Faculty (attachment
5).
C. Libraries Committee, Marianna Walker
1. Joyner Library and Laupus Library Operating Budgets (for
information only)
2. Institutional Repository and
Rising Costs of Electronic Journals/Databases.
(for information only)
D. Unit
Code Screening Committee, Garris Conner – Report is withdrawn
1. Approval
of the new Department of Hospitality Management’s Unit Code of Operation.
2. Approval
of the new Department of Nutrition and Dietetics’ Unit Code of
Operation.
E. University Athletics Committee,
Steve Estes
Report on ECU and Intercollegiate Athletics
(attachment 6).
F. University
Curriculum Committee, David Long
Curriculum matters contained in the minutes of the April
12, 2007, Committee Meeting.
G. University Environment Committee, Charles
Hodson
1. Revised
Report on the Area Near the Softball Field and Frisbee Golf (attachment 7).
2. Revised
Report on Campus Green Space (attachment 8).
April 17, 2007
Provost Jim Smith, Reporting
Attachment 1.
Faculty Applicant Verification of
Continued Interest & Fitness
A recent review of selected
articles from the Chronicle of Higher Education indicates that universities are
moving towards increased applicant verification and/or criminal background
checks. As an added precaution in the
hiring process, there is a national trend in higher education to require more
stringent applicant verification of all employees including faculty. A number of universities that are conducting
applicant verification are opting for criminal background checks of potential
hires.
A survey of the University
of North Carolina campuses indicates varied practices throughout the different
universities. Most of the University of
North Carolina campuses are conducting criminal background checks on some
employees before finalizing their hire.
Legal advice from UNC-GA is
that (at this time) there will not be a system policy on conducting criminal
background checks on prospective hires but each campus should create consistent
guidelines or policies. UNC-GA also
states that if a campus does criminal background checks on prospective hires,
and any group is exempt from the checks, there should be clear reasons for the
exemptions.
At ECU, criminal background
checks are conducted on all prospective SPA, CSS, and non-teaching EPA hires,
but criminal background checks are not routinely conducted on prospective
faculty hires. Certain faculty, such as
clinical faculty, undergo a more extensive background check than the routine
criminal background check.
We are recommending that
finalist for faculty positions complete the Faculty
Applicant Verification Form of Continued Interest and Fitness Form (See
attachment). If the applicant answers “yes”
to any of the questions or provides any questionable responses:
a. additional information will be requested
b. criminal background check may be requested if
necessary.
Additional information would
be shared with personnel committees (where permissible / legal) for further
deliberation and recommendations.
This practice parallels the
student process for criminal background checks, gives us better data than
requiring criminal background checks on all potential faculty hires, gives us a
signed statement that all relevant information has been disclosed, and includes
all employs in a systematic review.
We also recommend that this Faculty Applicant Verification Form of
Continued Interest and Fitness Form be appropriately modified for SPA, CSS,
and non-teaching EPA prospective hires so that similar forms are completed by
all prospective employees at ECU.
DRAFT
East Carolina University
letter relating to the applicant verification of
continued interest & Fitness
Date
Name
Address 1
Address 2
Re:
Faculty Applicant Verification of Continued Interest & Fitness Form
Dear [ ]:
This notifies you that [insert unit
name] has identified you as one of the finalists for the faculty position
of [insert title of position].
The University requires that, before [insert unit name] may
further consider your application, you must fully and accurately complete the
enclosed Applicant Verification of Continued Interest & Fitness Form
("Form"), and submit it to me on or before [insert date]. The Form will be considered part of your
application for this faculty position.
Please note that your failure to timely submit to me a completed Form
will result in the [insert unit name] taking no further action on your
application.
Thank you for your interest
in the position of [insert title of position] in ECU’s [insert unit
name].
Sincerely,
[ ]
Enclosure
cc: Applicant’s File
DRAFT
East Carolina University
Applicant verification of continued interest &
Fitness
Please complete this form and return in
the enclosed envelope.
___________________________________________
Applicant
name (please print)
___________________________________________
Faculty
position for which an application was submitted
1.
Do you remain interested in being considered for this faculty position?
_______Yes
________No
(If the answer is “no,” no further responses are
required. Please sign and return this
form.)
2. Have
you submitted a complete and accurate history of all employment?
_______Yes ________No
(If the answer
is “no,” please provide a full work history and return it with this form.)
3. For the purpose of the following three (3)
questions, "crime" or "criminal charge" refers to any crime
or charge other than a traffic-related misdemeanor or infraction. Please include alcohol or drug offenses
whether or not they are traffic related:
a. Do you have
any criminal charges currently pending against you?
_____Yes _____No
(If the
answer is "yes," please provide a complete explanation on a separate
sheet of paper and return it with this form.)
b. Have you
entered a plea of guilty, a plea of no contest, a plea of nolo contendere, or an Alford plea; or have you received a
deferred prosecution or prayer for judgment
continued to a criminal charge; or, have you otherwise accepted responsibility for the commission of a
crime? _____Yes _____No
(If the
answer is "yes," please provide a complete explanation on a separate
sheet of paper and return it with this form.)
c. Have you
been convicted of a crime? _____ Yes
______No
(If the
answer is "yes," please provide a complete explanation on a separate
sheet of paper and return it with this form.)
4. Have you ever been found to have made or procured
any false or misleading statement or omission of relevant information
including, but not limited to, any false or misleading statement or omission on
an application for employment, admission to a college or university or
professional school, or a professional licensing entity (e.g., State Medical
Licensing Board)?
_______Yes
________No
(If the
answer is “yes,” please provide a complete explanation on a separate sheet of
paper and return it with this form.)
5. Have allegations ever been brought against you or
have you ever been disciplined for or been found to have engaged in: academic
misconduct; misconduct in employment; acts involving dishonesty, fraud, deceit
or misrepresentation, neglect of professional obligations; or military
misconduct (including, but not limited to, any discharge other than honorable)?
_______Yes
________No
(If the
answer is “yes,” please provide a complete explanation on a separate sheet of
paper and return it with this form.)
6. Have you ever been denied admission to or had your
relevant professional license suspended, revoked, or limited in any way by the
applicable professional licensing organizations or associations on the grounds
of character and/or fitness?
______Yes
________No
(If the
answer is “yes,” please provide a complete explanation on a separate sheet of
paper and return it with this form.)
7. Have you ever been
accused of inappropriate conduct in your relationships with students?
______Yes
________No
(If the
answer is “yes,” please provide a complete explanation on a separate sheet of
paper and return it with this form.)
I
certify that the above responses are complete, true and correct. I further acknowledge that any offer of
employment made incident to my application for the above faculty position is
conditioned upon my disclosure of any and all information that may be relevant
to my ability to serve in the position including, but not limited to, the
information contained in the Form and my possessing legal authorization to work
in the United States as of the date I begin my employment.
North
Carolina law requires notice to every applicant for State employment that
willfully providing false or misleading information or failing to disclose
relevant information shall be grounds for rejection of an application, later
disciplinary action, and/or criminal prosecution. Dismissal from employment shall be mandatory
in any case in which a false or misleading representation is made in order to
meet position qualifications. ECU is
required by law to verify an applicant’s representations about credentials and
other qualifications relevant to employment.
By signing this Form, you authorize the release to ECU of any document
or information within the possession of any third party, such as an educational
institution or licensure board, that may serve to verify any representations
made by you in your submission for employment (including, but not limited to,
this Form).
__________________________ ________________________
Faculty applicant signature Date
Faculty Senate Agenda
April 17, 2007
Vice Chancellor Deirdre Mageean Reporting
Attachment 2.
Vision,
4-4-07 version
Explore, Create, Engage…
Double
ECU’s research productivity over the next five years.
II.
The Division of Research and Graduate Studies leads
research and creative endeavors, education, economic development, and community
engagement by promoting scholarship, ethics, and service, in an evolving,
dynamic environment.
III. Division of Research and Graduate Studies
Strategic Plan
ECU will increase scholarship and creative activity
over the next five years by:
1.
Enhancing computing,
physical and financial resources for research and graduate education
2.
Improving
administrative infrastructure for research and graduate education
3.
Expanding
research and education opportunities for faculty and students
4.
Encouraging
applications of research to benefit society and promote sustainable economic
development
5.
Stimulating
interdisciplinary/collaborative research and community engagement
Ambitious
goals for
Research is
transforming the world’s economy through the generation and application of
knowledge. In order to help eastern NC
to participate actively in this transformation, ECU will grow its research
enterprise to $80 M by 2012, creating a stimulating environment for research,
innovation, and community engagement.
This bold and ambitious plan for growth will require significantly more
faculty members, graduate students, and undergraduate students engaged in
research, creating significant pressure on utilization of research space and
financial resources to support research activities.
Creating a Stimulating Environment for Research,
Innovation and Entrepreneurship
In today’s
global knowledge economy, new discoveries drive the development of innovative,
new technologies and opportunities for social and economic growth. The knowledge based economy is fueled by
high-speed global telecommunications; however, a region cannot fully
participate by simply being plugged into the world’s telecommunication
network. Local competencies and clustering
of human capital is required to create a critical mass of highly skilled
innovators, entrepreneurs, investors, and corporations to exploit basic and
applied research and development. ECU
will stimulate research and knowledge generation in eastern NC by building a
critical mass of faculty, staff, and students; by recruiting world-class
faculty; by developing nationally and internationally recognized research
centers and institutes; by investing financial resources necessary to create
physical facilities for research; by maintaining cutting-edge computer and
communication networks; by creating a network of angel investors through its
entrepreneurial initiative; by licensing and developing its intellectual
property for the betterment of humankind; and by engaging community leadership
to address regional issues responsibly.
We recognize the value of basic and translational research in our
efforts.
Outcomes
Our success will
be measured by the outcomes of our efforts.
Over the next five year period ending in 2012, we expect to double the rate
of our scholarship (peer reviewed publications and other measurable forms of
creative and scholarly work), double enrollment in PhD programs, double our
international population of graduate students, create three new research
centers or institutes, develop five spin-off companies and licensed products,
and double our research space to accommodate this level of growth. Significant financial resources will be
needed to achieve these goals which will come from a combination of internal
and external funds.
Areas of
research focus
The University
will continue its investments in the following established strategic
priorities:
·
Metabolic
disorders, obesity, diabetes, and bioenergetics
·
Cardiovascular
disease
·
Coastal science
and policy
·
Agromedicine
research
·
Cancer research
The University
has identified the following new strategic opportunities for future investment
and development:
·
Health
disparities and public health
·
Sustainable
tourism
The University
will also retain reserve capacity to invest in emerging research opportunities
as they present themselves.
Goal #1 – Enhancing computing, physical, and
financial resources for research and graduate education
Compared to our
peer institutions, ECU’s level of research productivity lags
significantly. In order to increase
ECU’s level of research activity, we will need more space and greater financial
resources (both internal and external) to sustain our research enterprise. Universities of comparable size and quality
with medical schools have $80 million to $120 million in external grants and
contracts. Information technology plays
an ever increasing role in research, and in order to continue our development,
ECU must stay at the cutting edge of IT services.
Objectives for Goal #1
1.
Increase
external funding (research, contracts, and endowments) to $80+ million by 2012
(about 15% increase per year)
a. Increase faculty training workshops
b. Increase the number and quality of faculty research
mentoring activities
c. Embrace the concept of differential teaching loads to
provide increased released time for research productive faculty
d. Establish a faculty research leave program
e. Increase unit focus and participation in endowment
activities
2.
Provide more
physical space for ECU’s research enterprise
a. By 2008, complete the design and up-fitting of empty
research space in the Science and
b. By 2008, complete plans for the renovation of
research space in the Brody School of Medicine (labs are 30 years old)
c. In 2007-2008, begin advanced planning for the
construction of two new research buildings (45,000 ft2) with an
emphasis on promoting interdisciplinary research
d. Develop plans for an adjacent research incubator /
research park
3.
Provide
strategic institutional investments for scholarship and creative activities to
leverage external resources
a. Earmark internal funding for research and creative
activities in the arts and humanities (estimated cost: $150,000)
b. Create university graduate fellowships, including an
assistantship, tuition remission and health care coverage to recruit the very
best students into our graduate programs.
(5 masters’ students, $125,000/yr, and 10 PhD students, $300,000/yr
initially, increasing to a total of $1.0 million by 2012)
4.
Increase
financial and physical resources for graduate educational experiences and
graduate professional development opportunities
a. Create a
b. Provide a
5. Increase
financial support for graduate assistantships, in-state and out-of-state
tuition remissions
a. Using
a combination of internal and external funds, double the average amount of a
graduate assistant stipend by 2012 (estimated cost: $9M / yr)
b. Double
the number of in-state and out-of-state tuition remissions by 2012 (estimated
cost: $0.4m / yr and $1.9 M / yr)
Goal #2 – Improving administrative infrastructure for
research and graduate education
Limitations in
ECU’s research infrastructure make it difficult to manage and spend research
funds, ensure compliance with state and federal guidelines, hire research
personnel, and purchase research equipment and supplies. As our research productivity grows, these
services will be improved so faculty, staff and students can more effectively
devote their time and effort towards research and scholarly activity.
Objectives
for Goal #2
1. Improve
the quality of pre-award, post-award, and clinical trial services
a.
Implement an
electronic research administration system during FY 2007-08
b.
Add a database
support person in OSP during FY 2007-08
c.
Add a grants and
contracts specialist for clinical trial negotiations by the end of FY 2006-07
d.
Add an
administrative support position to support the Division of Health Sciences
grant and contract specialist by the end of FY 2006-07
e.
Add an
additional grants and contracts specialist for the Division of Health Sciences
during FY 2007-08
f.
Convert the
effort reporting period for grants and contracts from monthly to quarterly
2. Build
research administration capabilities at the college level
a. Recruit at
least one grants and contracts officer for each college with significant
engagement in externally funded research
b. Develop
grants and contracts training materials and activities for college and unit
level administrators
3. Develop
“best-practice” procedures and processes to ensure compliance with applicable
guidelines, laws and regulations
a. Develop a University Research Compliance program
(estimated costs $200,000 /yr)
b. Develop a University code of conduct setting forth
legal and ethical principles upon which research should be conducted
c. Develop, facilitate and oversee the implementation of
timely educational training programs for all engaged in or supporting research
(estimated costs: $10,000/yr)
d. Increase the capacity for managing international
research activities, including recruitment of faculty, staff, and students, as
well as proper handling of research materials and data
4. Improve
institutional business practices [supporting the research enterprise and
graduate education]
Goal #3 – Expanding research and education
opportunities for faculty and students
The prestige of
a university is built upon the quality of its graduates, its outstanding
scholarship, creative activity and research productivity, as well as the
outreach services and economic development that it generates. If
Objectives for Goal #3
1. Create
critical mass of scholars, programs, centers and institutes
a. Recruit
12-15 senior scholars per year (estimated cost $350,000/yr salary, $2
million/yr start-up)
2. Communicate
grant and corporate funding opportunities to faculty and staff
3. Optimize
teaching loads to enhance research productivity
4. Identify
and engage strategic institutional and corporate partners to enhance research
and educational opportunities for staff and students
5. Create a
university faculty research leave program (estimated cost $1 million initially
for 20 to 25 one-semester faculty leaves)
Goal #4.
Encouraging application of research to benefit society and promote
sustainable economic development
As outlined in a
recent report by the Yardley Group, ECU’s future lies in developing
concentrated research excellence in areas that have immediate regional
impact. While this development should
relate to existing economic clusters, actual economic activities are shifting
away from an agricultural and manufacturing environment to one that is less
defined. To strengthen viable economic
clusters, ECU must create a climate of innovation and entrepreneurship that is
pervasive within the institution to serve as a catalyst for change throughout the
region. To accomplish this, ECU will
allocate necessary financial and human resources in a timely manner.
Objectives for Goal #4
1. Nurture
a culture of discovery and innovation that inspires academic, social, civic,
artistic and technological entrepreneurship ($100,000/yr)
a. Offer an academic
module to college freshmen to demonstrate how entrepreneurial thinking will
benefit themselves, their families and their communities
b. Offer an
interdisciplinary academic minor in entrepreneurship to all ECU students
c. Offer an
on-line certificate program in entrepreneurship to both students and
non-students
2. Create
and expand institutional programs that demonstrate the path toward
commercialization and entrepreneurship ($300,000/yr)
a. Establish
a faculty innovation fund to seed future entrepreneurial activities and
develop/implement creative program elements in entrepreneurship education and
application
b. Establish
a business plan competition of interdisciplinary teams consisting of students,
faculty and other interested individuals to develop viable business plans and
compete for valuable prizes and services to be provided by supporters of
innovation and economic development
c. Establish
a commercialization and entrepreneurship speaker series
3. Engage
and develop partnerships, public and private, to advance and fund university
research/intellectual capital
a. Establish
the Innov8r Series, an eight session, monthly program designed to provide
entrepreneurs with the skills and resources needed to take initial steps in
developing a concept into a commercialization plan (self-funded through
sponsorships and registration fees)
b. Facilitate
continuing activities of the local investor network
4. Develop
collaborative relationships with regional communities to identify and address
issues, problems, assets, opportunities, and best practices that can result in
sustainable social and economic development
a. Generate
reports for planning, funding, and impact of community and economic programs
b. Facilitate
programs on strategic planning and leadership development in the region
Goal #5 – Stimulating interdisciplinary/collaborative
research and community engagement
Interdisciplinary
and multi-institutional research is now the focus of many research universities
and granting agencies, and these collaborative endeavors are essential for
addressing human interventions with the natural environment and community
development. The analysis of very
complex problems in the region and world and the development of solutions for
solving them are frequently only possible through application of research using
modern technology and collaborative contributions from a diverse set of
disciplines from the natural, social and economic sciences and the humanities.
Objectives for Goal #5
1. Provide
infrastructure, program support, and a recognition reward system for faculty
and student engagement with regional communities
a. Provide
release time and other incentives to 50 faculty for developing
multi-institutional and interdisciplinary research grant projects with their
collaborators (estimated cost: $250,000)
2. Identify
external strategic funding sources to support community based research
engagement.
a. Develop workshops
(2 per year initially, expanding to 4 per year in 2012) to help faculty
identify and apply for community based research and development grants
(estimated cost: $10,000 initially, increasing in later years). Metrics:
Measurable increase in service grant submissions and awards
b. Develop
mentoring activities (2 per year initially, expanding to 3 per year) to help
train faculty to successfully compete for and execute externally funded
community research and engagement activities (estimated cost: $10,000
initially, increasing in later years).
3. Identify
and publicize best practices to internal and external constituencies.
a. Translate
the outcomes of community-based research with participation from stakeholders,
to disseminate and apply best practice outcomes to develop outreach programs in
15 communities in the region (estimated $2 million dollars)
b. Broaden
the scope of ECU’s community engagement infrastructure to involve more faculty
members in outreach activities
4. Create
teams of social and natural scientists to address community socioeconomic and
environmental issues
a. Establish
and support 3 new research centers and/or institutes which address research
questions and issues that require the collaboration of researchers from the
social and natural sciences and the humanities
(estimated cost: $2 million/yr).
April 17, 2007
Attachment 3.
ACADEMIC STANDARDS COMMITTEE
REPORT
Proposed Policy on Disruptive Academic Behavior
1. The Committee proposes to add the following
text to Section 5 (Academic Regulations) of the Undergraduate Catalog. The text would appear immediately after the
“Class Attendance and Participation Regulations” subsection.
Policy on Disruptive Academic Behavior
East Carolina University is committed to providing
each student with a rich, distinctive educational experience. To this end,
students who do not follow reasonable standards of behavior in the classroom or
other academic setting may be removed from the course by the instructor
following appropriate notice. Students removed from a course under this policy
will receive a grade of WP or WF according to university policy and are
eligible for tuition refund as specified in the current tuition refund policy.
2. The Committee proposes the add the following
text to the Faculty Manual, Part V, Section I (Recommended as item Y. The subsequent items in Section I would be
renumbered.):
Y. Disruptive
Academic Behavior: East Carolina University is committed to providing each
student with a rich, distinctive educational experience. To this end, students
who do not follow reasonable standards of behavior in the classroom or other
academic setting may be removed from the course by the instructor following
appropriate notice. Students removed from a course under this policy will
receive a grade of WP or WF according to university policy and are eligible for
tuition refund as specified in the current tuition refund policy.
Disruptive academic behavior is any behavior likely
to substantially or repeatedly interfere with the normal conduct of
instructional activities, including meetings with instructors outside of class.
Examples of such behavior include, but are not limited to, making loud or
distracting noises; using cell phones and other electronic devices without
prior approval; repeatedly speaking without being recognized; frequently
arriving late to class; and making threats or personal insults. A verbal
expression of a disagreement with the instructor or other students on an
academic subject matter discussed within the course, during times when the
instructor permits discussion, is not in itself disruptive academic behavior.
The course instructor has original purview over
his/her class and may deny a student who is unduly disruptive the right to
attend the class. A student who does not follow reasonable standards of
academic decorum should receive a private verbal warning from the faculty
member. The instructor should describe the behavior of concern to the student,
explain that it is inappropriate, and ask the student to stop the behavior. If
the behavior continues, the instructor should give the student a written
warning indicating that the student will be removed from the course if the
behavior does not cease. If the behavior persists, the instructor should
discuss the situation with his/her department chair. If it is decided to remove
the student from the course then the instructor should schedule a meeting with
his/her department chair and the student to inform the student that s/he is
being removed from the course. This decision must be communicated in writing to
the student with a copy promptly forwarded to the Office of Student Rights and
Responsibilities. The department chair must promptly communicate the decision
in writing to the Office of the Registrar so that the student’s schedule will
be adjusted accordingly.
If the behavior is threatening in nature or is likely
to result in immediate harm, the faculty member should contact the East
Carolina University Police Department for assistance.
The student may appeal the decision of the instructor
and department chair to the academic dean of the college in which the course is
located. The appeal must be received by the dean, in writing, within three
working days of the date of the decision to remove the student from the course.
The dean or dean’s designee will review the appeal and the documentation and
can affirm, reverse or modify the decision made by the instructor and
department chair. The student, instructor and department chair will be notified
of the appeal decision no later than three working days after receiving the
appeal. The dean will provide written notification of the appeal decision to
the Office of Student Rights and Responsibilities, and also, if the original
decision is overturned, to the Registrar’s Office. If the decision is made that
the student is to return to the course then the student will be allowed to
immediately return to the classroom without academic penalty and the chair will
work with the student and instructor to facilitate the completion of any missed
work. The dean’s decision is final.
This policy does not restrict the instructor’s
prerogative to ask a disruptive student to leave an individual class session
where appropriate or to refer the student to the Office of Student Rights and
Responsibilities for violation of the Student Code of Conduct.
April 17, 2007
Attachment 4.
ACADEMIC STANDARDS COMMITTEE
REPORT
Review of Procedures
and Instruments for Peer Review of Teaching
Task
The
Faculty Senate in 19931 implemented the Peer Review of Teaching
process. As part of the implementation of this
process
it was recommended that the Chancellor appoint a committee to carry out 3-year
reviews of the peer review process.
Mark
Taggart, chair of the faculty, charged the Academic Standards Committee (ASC)
in the fall of 2006 with recommending
policies
and procedures to improve teaching and learning, which can include the Peer
Observation process. The ASC
continues
to believe that peer review of teaching is important in that it provides useful
information for faculty about faculty
performance
and because these observations become part of the faculty record considered
during personnel actions such
as
reappointment, tenure, and promotion.
Review
The
ASC committee has worked closely with Drs. Dorothy Clayton and Dorothy Muller,
co-directors
of
the Center for Faculty Excellence. The Center for Faculty Excellence conducts
training for the Peer Observation
process
and is the administrative office that has facilitated the process. At the
request of
the
committee Drs. Clayton and Muller collected a variety of data that relate to
the use of the Peer Observation
process
by the colleges, schools and departments at ECU. The attached document
“Survey
of Peer Review Implementation 2006-2007” provides considerable information as
to the
current
status of the process. This document was discussed at some length in ASC
meetings with
Drs.
Clayton and Muller. Although the document doesn’t have information for 100% of
the units
who
should be using the system, the ASC deems that the information is sufficiently
complete to
provide
the committee with relevant information from which to draw conclusions about
the process.
The
committee also reviewed a study of the “Faculty Senate Peer Classroom
Observations
Procedures” conducted in 2005 by the Academic
Standards Committee. At that time it was concluded
that “The committee does not find inconsistencies
in ECU peer review procedures or support
documents. The committee believes in a need for
flexibility at the unit level in the implementation
of
ECU’s general personnel procedures, including procedures for peer review.” The ASC continues
to agree the flexibility provided by the
current peer review policies is a valuable aspect of the
procedures
in that a unit may use either the Faculty Senate peer review forms to provide
peer
reviews
of probationary faculty or create their own and obtain the vice-chancellor’s
approval.
Conclusions
Recommendations
The committee offers the following
recommendations that may enhance the Peer Observation Process:
1 Dr. Dorothy Clayton, Co-Director
of the Center for Faculty Excellence, reports that the peer
observation procedures and instrument were created as Faculty Senate Resolution
#93-44. The
Faculty Senate approved the document December 7, 1993 and the Chancellor
approved it
February 8, 1994. She started training faculty members fall 1994. The most
recent revisions to the instrument are
Faculty
Senate Resolution #05-03. It was approved by the Faculty Senate January 25, 2005 and approved by the
Chancellor February 7, 2005.
Dr. Clayton also reports that the Center for Faculty Excellence will conduct a survey of
recently tenured faculty members
(past three years) regarding their experiences with the peer observation
process. They will also be asked for any suggestions
they have regarding the process. This will be conducted as a Perseus survey and
will be submitted to the IRB for approval. This
survey is being conducted for the purpose of evaluating and documenting the
Center's training
role in the peer observation process. Aggregated information will be shared
with interested parties.
Please
note that a Survey
of Peer Review Implementation for 2006/07 is available online.
April 17, 2007
Attachment 4.
FACULTY WALFARE COMMITTEE REPORT
Proposed Revisions to the ECU Faculty Manual, Part VI.I.I.2.a.(8)
Reference to Parking for
Retired Faculty
In 2005, the Faculty Senate endorsed a proposed
revision to the privileges for retired faculty to include a “free campus
parking permit with ‘A’ zone privileges (without a waiting list)” (Faculty Senate Resolution #05-23). However, the
Chancellor’s approval of this resolution is still pending a use study by
retired faculty.
Earlier this year, Bill Koch
(Director of Environmental Health and Safety) met with the President of the ECU
Retired Faculty Association and discussed retired faculty members’ needs. He
reported to members of the Faculty Welfare Committee that his office is
reviewing their needs and feels that, since the current policy “8) Free campus parking decal, valid in all staff and
University registered locations, with the exception of private parking lots.” is no longer
valid, the proposed revision to the section will please all involved.
Therefore,
the Faculty Welfare Committee proposes the following revision to the ECU Faculty Manual, Part VI.I.I.2.a.(8) to read as follows:
“8) Fully retired faculty may request a free
B parking permit and may also park in spaces
designated "Retired Faculty." Faculty in
phased retirement and retired faculty who are
re-employed by the university may request a free B
parking permit and may upgrade the
B permit to an A permit (by paying the price
difference between an A and a B permit)
while bypassing the wait-list, but may not park in
spaces designated "Retired Faculty.”
This
proposed revision would then cancel Faculty Senate Resolution #05-23.
Faculty Senate Agenda
April 17, 2007
Attachment 5.
UNIVERSITY ATHLETICES COMMITTEE
REPORT
Report on ECU and Intercollegiate
Athletics
The University Athletics
Committee reports to the Faculty Senate regarding
recommendations concerning academic policies that impact the academic integrity
of the athletic programs. During the
2006/2007 academic year the committee met to discuss the following items, and
made the following observations and recommendations:
·
the timely
completion of a study that applies standardized measures to determine the
extent of the missed class problem,
·
establishing
specific policies that result in a 25% reduction in missed class days over a
two-year period,
·
eliminating
scheduling of mid-week conference contests whenever practical, and
·
creating
conference tournament schedules that do not conflict with the primary academic
mission of the conference members.
·
Most recently
the University of Houston Faculty Senate voted on this resolution.
·
Missed
school days for athletic participation report distributed. It was noted that volleyball had 10 missed
class days, and women’s soccer had 9 missed class days, in Fall 2006. A lot of these missed class days were due to
the tournament; this is related to AD Holland’s proposal by volleyball to
coordinate travel schedules (below).
·
ECU's Athletic
Department is aggressively working toward a policy that will limit missed class
time by improved scheduling. ECU
Athletics is to be commended with is efforts to take a leadership role on this
issue, especially Athletic Director Terry Holland, Executive Associate Director
of Athletics Nick Floyd, and Faculty Athletic Representative David Dosser.
If the "sense of the
UAC" can be summarized in one sentence, it would be:
"While the existence of
intercollegiate athletics is problematic in the eyes of many faculty both at
ECU and nationally, the ECU UAC reports that ECU Athletics continues to operate
with integrity with respect to the academic mission of East Carolina
University."
Faculty Senate Agenda
April 17, 2007
Attachment 6.
UNIVERSITY ENVIRONMENT COMMITTEE
REPORT
Revised Report on the Area Near the
Softball Field and Frisbee Golf
The University Environment
Committee met with representatives of the athletic program to discuss use of
the area adjacent to the softball field and Frisbee golf area.
Some important measures to
improve the area have already been implemented. For example, the lawn by the
softball field has been aerated, reseeded, and fertilized to improve the grass.
Athletics has also suspended
parking and tailgating on the grassy area by the softball field during baseball
season, because there were too many games to allow car traffic on the grass. It
was evident that the grass had been damaged by tailgating during the past
baseball season.
The University Environment
Committee thinks that using the area for football tailgating, the Pigskin
Pig-Out, and approved other outdoor events is appropriate. The committee also
agreed that the area was suitable for the carnival associated with the Pigskin
Pig-Out. The ECU Athletics Department assured the Environment Committee that
the site would be maintained by Athletics and Grounds and that any damage would
be repaired.
Those in attendance agreed to the following points of
discussion:
1. The University Environment Committee recommends that the green space by the softball field and Frisbee golf course be maintained as a park-like area, because it serves as an appealing entrance to the University and enhances the value of the surrounding residential neighborhoods.
2. The Committee recommends that the area adjacent to the softball stadium and Frisbee golf course be used for events that fit its park-like nature, provided that suitable precautions are taken to preserve the lawn, trees, and shrubs. The Athletic Department shares these concerns.
3. The Athletic Department agrees to approve the scheduling of events for the area and to coordinate these events with the Grounds Department to ensure that the lawn, trees, shrubs and grass are not damaged.
4. The Grounds Department will have representatives check to see that parking areas will not damage trees or shrubs.
5. In addition, the Grounds Department will send representatives to ensure that no damage is done to utilities such as underground irrigation systems, drainage, and electrical lines.
6. A procedure will be developed between the Grounds Department and the Athletic Department for notification of upcoming events and to ensure protection of the area.
Faculty Senate Agenda
April 17, 2007
Attachment 7.
UNIVERSITY ENVIRONMENT COMMITTEE
REPORT
Revised Report on Campus Green Space
Considerable improvements
have been made in the landscaping and appearance of the East Campus of East
Carolina University. Chancellor Eakin
and Jo Eakin deserve a great deal of credit for having led efforts to restore
and enhance the appearance of campus when they came to
Campus Mall
Fifth Street Green Spaces
Tenth Street Green Spaces
Band Practice Field and College Hill Area
Frisbee Golf Course and