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Minutes: April 15, 2003
Bozorth Hall Auditorium Attendance: Herb Appelson, David Applebaum, Bryan
Appleby-Wineberg, Lorin Arnold, Greg Biren, Lori Block, Carl Calliari, Bruce Caswell,
Jay Chaskes, Gini Doolittle, John Gallagher, Dorie Gilchrist, Erick Guerra, Harriet
Hartman, Cindi Hasit, Donna Cook, Jim Haugh, Luke Holbrook, Judy Holmes, Martin
Itzkowitz, Gabriela Hristescu, Lee Kress, Paul Laumakis, Terri Lehr, Phillip Lewis,
Janet Lindman, Jeff Maxson, Stuart McGee, Sandy McHenry, Eric Milou, Pat Mosto,
James Newell, Joe Orlins, Anne Phillips, Robi Polikar, Nick Schmelz, Chuck, Schultz,
Karen Siefring, Kathleen Small, Edward Smith, Sonia Spencer, Marian Stieber, Winifred
Still, Susan Taber, Skeff Thomas, Sandy Tweedie, Cindy Vitto, Paris Von Lockette,
Stephanie Weidman, Barbara Williams, Tricia Yurak, Faye Zhu Not in Attendance:
Joseph Bierman, Julie Chang, Joe Davey, Denise Lemaire, Mary Marino, Bela Mukhoti,
Olusegun Ojewuyi, Julie Peterson, Robert Sterner, Hal Vogel, Abe Witonsky Note:
If anyone was omitted from attendance list, it indicates that you did not sign
in. Please notify the Senate office and the minutes will be corrected. Call to
Order: President Cindy Vitto called the meeting to order at 11:00 AM. Motion to
approve agenda, seconded and carried. Motion to approve minutes of Marc h 25th
combined with April 1st, seconded and carried. Open Period: Gini Doolittle and
James Coaxum from Educational Leadership reported on research involving new faculty
at Rowan. They studied two cohorts: faculty hired for the 1999-2000 and 2000-2001
academic years (a total of 68 faculty members). Their survey of new faculty had
a 44% response rate. Some of the findings include: 60% of new faculty had a mentor,
and 40% of those approached the mentor on their own; Rowan was the first choice
for 73% of the sample. In terms of job satisfaction, 53% are satisfied with their
workload; 63% are satisfied with cooperation among faculty; 70% are satisfied
with the quality of Rowan’s undergraduate students; 40% are interested in both
teaching and research, with more emphasis placed upon teaching. Sources of stress
include the following: pressure to publish (83%), teaching load (70%), physical
health (90%). Major factors in selecting Rowan include geographic location (90%),
support for teaching (87%), quality of the department (83%), opportunity for scholarship
(80%). Only 13% had no other jobs available to them. Based on the research, recommendations
to ease the acculturation process for new faculty include finding ways to share
the ethos and history of Rowan, expanding mentoring programs, finding better ways
to communicate and coordinate events across colleges, expanding awards designed
to recognize faculty contributions. The survey instrument is available for those
interested in seeing it, and a follow-up study of those coming up for tenure next
year is planned. Frances Johnson, Interim Director of the Faculty Center for Excellence
in Teaching and Learning, introduced a proposal for what is tentatively being
called “Rowan Day,” a day set aside to reflect upon and celebrate who we are,
to establish better connections between senior and junior faculty, and to involve
students as well in community-building activities. Because almost 70% of our current
faculty have been hired within the last six years, we need to find ways to help
new faculty understand Rowan history and cultural values. In order to make this
a success, we need a truly shared effort. Although the Senate indicated consensus
on the value of having a task force explore this concept, the concern was expressed
that we beware of celebrating without critiquing as well, and that we not allow
Rowan Day to become merely self-congratulatory. President Farish began with an
update on the budget situation. Although he will say more about the budget at
the April 29 University Assembled, he did appear yesterday at a hearing of the
NJ Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee. This committee indicated that they
understood the need for the state to invest in higher education. The President
also announced that we would soon be seeing a newly formatted Rowan Report, including
updates from the various units to minimize piecemeal e-mail messages and to keep
us all better informed. A suggestion was made that Joe Cardona consider setting
up an interactive board to allow for responses to the updates. Finally, the President
indicated that we will soon select a new food service vendor. The contract will
include renovations, most of which will take place about a year from now. In response
to a question, President Farish assured the Senate that the Campus Aesthetics
and Environmental Concerns Committee will have a voice in those renovations. When
asked about the status of the “west campus,” President Farish indicated that the
new Technology Center will break ground this year and will be funded separately
from the University budget. Rowan plans to return to court to attempt again to
claim the land in dispute with the Walmart developer. In addition, most of the
houses along Route 322 (leading to The Landmark-American Tap & Grill) will
be torn down and replaced by green space. We are waiting for final engineering
drawings on the Education Building; construction will probably begin in early
fall. Motion to amend the agenda in order to get all committee reports heard,
seconded and carried. Committee Reports: University Budget and Planning – The
committee met last week with President Farish. The four subcommittee chairs gave
brief reports, and the committee handed to the President its final recommendations.
Those ranked recommendations have been made available to the University community
and feedback is encouraged. The committee anticipates meeting at least one more
time and then again in mid-May will meet with the President. The state budget
situation will not be clear until late June or early July. The next version of
the five-year plan is now available for review and comment. An e-mail message
to that effect went out today. Academic Policies & Procedures: no report Campus
Aesthetics and Environmental Concerns – had its final meeting last week. Career
Development – no report Committee on Committees – committee request forms are
due next week Curriculum – no report Intercollegiate Athletics – no report Learning
Outcomes Assessment – committee will have a half-day retreat in Campbell Library
on May 12 to focus more on details preparatory to next year’s work Professional
Ethics and Welfare – committee is looking at revising the ethics policy for faculty.
Human Resources recently sent out two forms. Everyone needs to sign the paper
stating that they have read the ethics policy; about 25% of the faculty have returned
that form at this point. Cindi Hasit will contact Kathryn Gover to see if the
form can be sent out via e-mail, printed out, signed, and returned. The conflict
of interest form needs to be completed by anyone who holds a professional license
in the state of New Jersey. Promotion – committee has completed its work and already
has 22 recommendations for next year’s committee. Recruitment, Admissions &
Retention – no report Research and Technology – no report Sabbatical Leave - The
status of Sabbatical Leaves is still uncertain. The Provost sent letters to all
those on the list requesting Sabbatical Leave inquiring as to whether they are
willing to defer their leave. Student Relations – committee will have one more
meeting Tenure and Recontracting – no report Senate President’s Report: Dorie
Gilchrist reported that online registration for summer school has been reinstated.
Touch-tone registration is not working currently, but when service has been restored
an official message will go out to notify the campus that touch-tone and online
registration for summer school will continue until May 20. Cindy Vitto reported
that Senate officers met with Drew Calandrella yesterday. He informed us that
Rowan is investigating the possibility of phasing out phone handsets in student
residences and instead providing students with cell phones, beginning with freshmen.
A Cingular business plan would make about 1100 minutes of air time available monthly
for students, with text messaging as well; students’ families, faculty, and staff
could also sign up individually for this plan. Several concerns were voiced about
the proposed cell phone plan, including (1) several other universities have had
problems with text-message cheating during exams; (2) we are encouraging commercialism
in our students and at the same time taking away their right of choice in the
matter; (3) we need a broader consultation with faculty and staff, and the involvement
of appropriate Senate committee(s), before closing a cell phone agreement. Vitto
also reported that Calandrella explained that registration for Spring 2004 would
change, not in the overall number of days devoted to registration but in the apportionment
of those days. Based on our records of student use of the registration system,
priority days would be cut down in order to allow an increase in the number of
days when all students can access the system to refine their schedules. This will
be a pilot program. The next Shared Governance meeting will be held on May 5th.
Vitto turned the floor over to Sandy Tweedie, chair of Academic Policies and Procedures,
for a discussion of the Pass / No Credit option. When the Senate Executive Committee
discussed this issue recently, we decided that we needed a broader consultation.
Sandy has also asked Institutional Research for statistics on how many students
take advantage of the Pass / No Credit option but has not yet received that information.
The following comments were made: -When the original proposal for Pass / No Credit
went into effect, it was with the proviso that the option would be periodically
reviewed. That has not happened. We should consider whether to retain Pass / No
Credit, especially in light of the fact that we know faculty abuse of this option
sometimes occurs. -The Pass / No Credit option must be available for study abroad
and basic skills courses. -We need a mechanism by which to add or remove courses
to the current list of Pass / No Credit courses in the published schedule. -Should
we allow students to take 10% of their general education courses on a Pass / No
Credit basis? -Students in the doctoral program currently take all their courses
on a Pass / No Credit basis, but the paperwork to change that is currently in
the hands of the Curriculum Committee. -When students change majors, the Pass
/ No Credit option can create problems because different majors have different
rules. Students may even be held back from graduating on schedule. -It was generally
agreed the matter needs to go back to the department level so that we can obtain
the information and feedback we need. Motion to adjourn at 12:30 PM, seconded
and carried. Next regularly scheduled meeting on May 14, 2003, 9:00 AM, Room 221
of the Student Center.
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