Draft Minutes, Faculty Assembly 6 May 2011

Minutes Faculty Assembly
May 6, 2011

Present: T. Aftanas, C. Atkins, S. Bariscka, S. Beck, R. Berry, S. Buerdsell, C. Cornforth, D. Cresap, C. Dale, M. Davis, F. DeCaria, M. Deichler, T. Danford, C. Eastham, E. Evans, D. Ferrell, D. Folger, M. Goldstein, M. Gruber, R. Guy, D. Hans, C. Harbert, K. Herrington, S. Hupp, L. Ingram, C. Kefauver, A. Kuca, R. Malek, M. Marlin, C. Morris, B. Peterman, J. Plesa, D. Poffenberger, J. Reho, C. Riter, D. Ryan, R. Rychlicki, P. Sharma, L. Shelek, C. Stokes, T. Vavra, M. Watson, G. Winland, M. Wycherley

Guests: Dr. Olshinsky and Dr. Riley
______________________________________________________________________________

Delilah Ryan called the meeting to order.

President Olshinksy:
Increase for faculty - $1,000 to base, increase for years at rank
Merit: 7,016(?)
Administrative salaries - if performance isn’t satisfactory, no increase
Board wants this to be overall, next board meeting
Enhancement from previous increase - will be kept in base
C. Dale asked if faculty should be at years of experience.
T. Vavra answered, yes, but new scale will go up by 1,000.

S. Rychlicki: when will faculty expect letter indicating increase?
Answer: figures will be double checked and then a letter will be out, possibly next week

Straub properties - paperwork should be finished up, end of June
Weirton will be moving forward with construction
Wheeling parking lots - decided after construction

All college day - Monday August 15, college is shut down
- HLC work

Dr. Riley
- T. Danford will remain as coordinator of assessment
- drafts of academic calendar sent via email; for any comments contact Dr. Riley
- Fall 2013 - wrong date for start
- Wheeling Honors 6:30pm

- request for any comments concerning merit

D. Folger: clarification for deciding how meritorious vs. whether or not a person is meritorious?
Dr. Riley asked if faculty would want to do away with levels?
C. Cornforth - concerns about the difficulty of the current process
Dr. Riley - need clear criteria that is measurable
M. Davis - roll merit into FERC?
Dr. Riley - need to score at min to be eligible to apply for merit
Dr. Olshinsky calls for simpler document
T. Danford suggested faculty be taken at word
Dr. Olshinsky suggested faculty come back and implement what they’ve learned at conference
General discussion of where requirement comes from, concerns over pre-approval, concerns over how clear rules are in case of challenge, concerns over what is being judged - actions or ability to fill out form
C. Cornforth suggested committee might ask for clarification
Dr. Riley said that committee members want something clear, so they do not have to
interpret
- faculty would have Fall to decide on new system before January- January cycle
M. Goldstein is in favor of one level of merit

Motion: Approval of Minutes
J. Plesa / T. Danford seconds
Approved

Committee Reports:
A. Assessment:
T. Danford reported it is working electronically, reports are coming and in review, peer reports

B. Curriculum
No report

C. Distance Education
P. Sharma: discussion summary posted in committee website

D. Enrollments Management
No report

E. ACF
M. Goldstein reported that there was no meeting, a retreat will be held in July, the agenda topics (global, regional, institutional) sent by email
M. Goldstein approved as continued representative
M. Goldstein looking for candidates for Great Teachers at graduation

F. Board of Governors
R. Berry reported on pay increase and Straub building

G. Institutional Technologies
No meeting
Faculty is requested to delete unnecessary material from website

H. LRC
C. Harbert reported that e books are now available and that hours and staffing may be changing.

I. General Education
T. Danford reported on reorganization. Draft report on goals 1 & 2 from S. Woodburn
should be good. The report for this year is in draft stage. Student graduation surveys
being collected. Plan for next year for goals 5 and 6.

J. Merit
No meeting

K. Budget
No meeting

L. Promotion
P. Sharma reported that 4 candidates were promoted

M. FERC
No meeting

N. Textbook Affordability
No meeting

O. Others

Old Business:

New Business:

Education Technology Concerns
M. Davis expressed concerns about the Weirton internet service being down twice which is a problem for IP classes. Davis suggests that faculty should have more involvement in the process and requests resolution.
C. Cornforth said that the internet service provider is not as much an issue for faculty. The technology is more of an issue for faculty. Faculty have communicated problems, IT is aware; the contract is the problem.
R. Berry said that at the BOG meeting S. Pelley addressed that some providers couldn’t provide service at all three campuses

General discussion involving concerns about response time, equipment failure and service provider (could three providers be used instead of one).
M. Davis suggested sending a statement to Dr. Olshinsky and Dr. Riley
M. Grubor suggested statement also be sent to Steve Lipiello

Motion: Faculty needs to be involved in all ed. Tech decisions made because we’re the end user
M. Davis / D. Poffenberger seconds
Approved

Testing Center
E. Evans expressed concerns about times available for test takers when the disabilities office is not open. Concerns that students miss lab time in current situation, but if students could start at 8am they might miss less time. No one is available before 8:30 or after 5:00.

Faculty suggested solutions:
Ask that office opens at 8am and extend beyond for evening students
Office has to be open to accommodate student at that section’s time
Check on possibility of flexible hours

C. Stokes: NM tutoring center and LRC are very good with testing

Motion: For any class in which students with disabilities are enrolled testing opportunities must be available at least one hour prior to the start continuing through one hour after the class begins so that students don’t have to miss any class time
C. Cornforth / E. Evans, seconds
Approved

M. Davis reminded faculty that the disabilities program it is not just a nice service it is the law

General faculty concern about the ways in which tests are administered and what help is being received

Graduation Notices
C. Cornforth requested that information about when students are applying for graduation or petitioning as well as the status be provided.
K. Herrington clarified that currently the list provides provisionally certified graduates only

Motion: Send memo asking records, similar to when advisees drop and add classes, we would like a notice of when advisees apply for graduation and status
C. Cornforth / T. Danford seconds
Approved

 

 

Committee Membership:
K. Herrington addressed concerns committee membership and possible changes
Currently, there are 12 standing committees and 10-15 limited committees such as promotion, FERC, Merit, etc
The question concerns how to make committee assignments more fair and how to distribute membership fairly among standing and limited committees.
Suggested answer involves committee appointment at division level with a 3 year rotation
Some concern for new faculty
Question of when it can be implemented. Request for faculty to work on proposal to have in place for August. John Plesa, C. Kefauver, C. Stokes, and M. Grubor volunteered.

Motion: Adjournment
T. Danford / C. Dale, seconds

Submitted Respectfully,
Crystal Harbert