Faculty Senate Minutes, September 1998

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DRAFT MINUTES First Meeting Academic Year 1998-1999 of the Faculty Senate of Villanova University in the Radnor/St. Davids Room, Connelly Center, Monday, September 14, 1998, at 4:00 PM.

Present: Professors William J. Barnhurst, Victor Brooks, John D. Caputo, Walter E. Conn, Linda Copel, Secretary; Rick Eckstein, Vice-Chairman; Trudi Graves, Lowell Gustafson, Chairman; Edward Kresch, Kenneth Kroos, Michael Levitan, Treasurer; Howard Lurie, Beatrice Waggaman (substituting for Masako Hamada), Harry Strack, Robert Styer, Robert West, Joyce Willens, and Margaret King, (clerk).

AGENDA:

1. Announcements and Approval of Minutes

2. Welcome to Dr. Carol Weiss, Director of VITAL.

Comments and Discussion.

3. Governance

Dr. Strack update on Rules and Review Committee's progress.

4. Salary and Benefits Committee composition and charge.

5. Draft Rank and Tenure Document.

6. Current CATS policy.

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1. Announcements and Approval of Minutes

Professor Gustafson informed the members of the death of Professor Thomas R. Baker, Chemical Engineering.

The April minutes were approved as read. Professor Kresch brought up the matter of reporting attendance at meetings. It was decided to list the members who are present at the meeting only.

2. Welcome to Dr. Carol Weiss, Director of VITAL.

Professor Gustafson invited Dr. Weiss, the director of VITAL (Villanova Institute for Teaching and Learning), a newly created office on campus, to attend the meeting to introduce herself to the group and to explain the goals and services of the VITAL program.

Dr. Weiss outlined the services of VITAL as follows:

1. Individual classroom observation and consultation.

2. Informal consultations with faculty.

3. Review of departmental curricula.

4. Facilitate workshops of interest to faculty.

5. Small group instructional diagnosis.

6. Assist departmental search committees interviewing candidates.

7. Assist in creating teaching portfolios.

A small part of VITAL's operation will be giving mini-grants for worthy instructional projects.

Dr. Weis invited questions from the group. Professor West wanted to know how students are learning, and what style works for them. She replied that she has read the literature on student learning and that Villanova students are pretty typical. She will hopefully be sitting in classrooms to observe Villanova students and learn about other aspects of student existence.

Dr. Weiss assured the group that her office is always open and she appreciated meeting with the group. Professor Gustafson thanked her for the introduction to the VITAL services.

3. Governance

Professor Gustafson introduced Professor Strack, a member of the Rules and Review Committee and the Executive Committee of the University Senate, which formed a group developing a proposal for reform in governance procedures. It is hoped that the complete draft report will be ready to submit to the full Rules and Review Committee for a vote early in Spring semester 1999. It will then be submitted to the Executive Committee and most likely to the University Senate for approval. Professor Gustafson noted that the issue facing the Faculty Senate is what role should the current faculty and Faculty Senate have when the governance draft is approved by the University Senate. Should there be a faculty referendum on the new plan as was conducted in the spring of 1997? He feels we can't ignore what the Rules and Review Committee proposes, and that the faculty and the Faculty Senate should have a referendum on anything affecting faculty governance.

4. Salary and Benefits Committee

Professor Rick Epstein, Vice-chairperson, is heading up the Salary and Benefits Committee and is charged with selecting members to serve. Professor Gustafson noted the importance of this committee, which helps to collect and analyze data accurately. Professor Epstein said that there is no specific mandate in the constitution on the composition of the committee and it can be as cross representative as we would like. Five or six members are needed to volunteer.

Professor Epstein asked if there were issues that are primary this year. Professor Styer stated that the Faculty Senate passed a resolution a few years ago that everyone get a base pay increase in keeping with the inflation rate, with merit increases above the inflation level. This resolution was ignored by the administration.

Salary might be especially important this year. Professor Gustafson mentioned that the benefits package submitted last spring was rejected and a new consulting firm has been hired. Meetings are being held to arrive at a total compensation package that would link salary with benefits.

5. Draft Rank and Tenure Document

The 17^th draft is now being developed. Professors Howard Lurie and Jim Bergquist were asked to look it over and recommend what the Faculty Senate response should be at the next meeting. Drs. Johannes and Strack wrote to AAUP in Washington requesting their lawyer to go over the 16^th version of the document to see if it deviates from AAUP principles on tenure, which are legally recognized in many courts in this country. The committee is working to bring Villanova's policy in line with national professional standards.

6. CATS policy

There have been three policies: in 1974, it was mandatory to post the results in the library, voluntary posting on the Web was approved in the fall of 1997, and at present the results can be voluntarily put on the Web, in the library, or nowhere at all. Professor Gustafson felt that as long as posting of CATS results remains voluntary it need not be a concern of this committee.

Dr. Weiss asked who gets to see the results. Professor Gustafson replied that at present the summary sheets are sent to the chairs of the departments and to the faculty member. Professor Kresch remarked that faculty can check on the posting of comments on NOVUS.

As there was no new business, the meeting adjourned at 5 PM.

Respectfully submitted,

Linda Copel

Secretary