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4 November, 2002 FPC Meeting Minutes

November 4, 2002

Room 158 Norman Hall

Members Present: Jim Archer, Phil Clark, Vivian Correa, Maureen Conroy, Silvia Echevarria-Doan, Lamont Flowers, Mirka Koro-Ljungberg (alternate for Bridget Franks), Paul Sindelar, Jane Townsend, Nancy Waldron, Elizabeth Yeager

Others Present:  Dean Catherine Emihovich, Associate Dean John Kranzler

The meeting was called to order by Correa at 2:06 p.m.

Agenda and Minutes

1.  Approval of the agenda for November 4, 2002.

Sindelar made a motion to approve the agenda as submitted by Correa. Echevarria-Doan seconded the motion. The FPC unanimously approved the agenda.

2.  Approval of the Minutes of October 21, 2002.

Echevarria-Doan requested two changes in the minutes on page 2 regarding recommendations by the Graduate Admissions/Petitions Committee for graduate admission policy changes. The minutes should read a “GPA of 2.5” instead of “3.0” in the first bulleted section, and deletion of the second bulleted section. Archer made a motion to approve the minutes (as revised), and the motion was seconded by Townsend.  The minutes were unanimously approved.

Reports from FPC Committees

· College Curriculum Committee.

Waldron stated that the CCC met on October 28th and will next meet on November 25th.

· Undergraduate Admissions/Petitions Committee.

Franks was not at the FPC meeting. There was no report for this committee.

· Graduate Admissions/Petitions Committee.

Echevarria-Doan announced that this committee would meet on November 8th.

· Faculty Affairs Committee.

Townsend reported that the committee held their second meeting today. After receiving written feedback from the departments about the Tenure and Promotion Proposal, they will review the feedback and make recommendations to the FPC. The issues of faculty “voice” and load were also discussed; Mary Brownell will meet with the Dean to discuss this matter further.

A question was raised about how FPC policy items may move to a full faculty vote, as compared to an FPC vote. In the constitution it specifies that the FPC makes the decision to either vote on a policy or have a full faculty vote.  It is not specified in the constitution the vote count needed from the faculty to approve a new policy.  Is it a simple majority? This will need to be addressed when the constitution is revised.

· Research Advisory Committee.

Conroy reported that the committee has finalized the criteria and procedures for the Faculty Travel Support Program. The committee will meet on November 12.

· Student Recruitment and Admissions Committee.

Yeager reported that the committee supports the concept of departmental decisions regarding admission to the graduate programs. She indicated that the committee supported the College of Education draft proposal on Continuing Professional Development for Teachers dated October 22, 2002.

· Long-Range Planning Committee.

Archer announced that the committee would address the April 2002 LRPC Executive Report, which delineates the types of support the COE might provide to obtain higher levels of faculty involvement in research and facilitate an increase in high quality research. Copies were distributed to FPC members. Committee meeting will be held on November 8th.

· Ad Hoc Committee on Assistant/Associate Dean Review.

This committee plans to meet with Dean Emihovich and Associate Dean Webb to determine the procedures and instruments that will be used to conduct this review.

Report from the Dean

Dean Emihovich reported on several issues that impact the College of Education.

The following items were discussed at the Provost’s Breakfast Meeting:

  • Because of a change in Statewide policies related to the rewriting of the Florida School code by the Legislature (“devolution”), the University of Florida will have the authority to set tuition to meet market demands, which will result in higher tuition fees.
  • Presidential Search: College Deans will have a meeting this week to receive an update and discuss initial search procedures and criteria for a new university president.
  • Personnel Changes: As part of the rewriting of the Florida School code by the Legislature, UF will have local employer status effective January 7, 2003. The University of Florida Board of Trustees will become the employer of all employees at UF and must therefore establish its own policies and procedures involving employment. Staff members have expressed concern about the new policies, especially those that will impact job security.
  • Tenure and Promotion: The provost will be bringing a proposal regarding new procedures and criteria for Tenure and Promotion to the UF Faculty Senate. The proposal recommends lengthening the T & P process to 7 years, with a 1 year renewal, as well as instituting a three-year formal review. The proposed changes seem consonant with the College of Education T & P Proposal that is presently being discussed by faculty.
  • SACS: A University of Florida SACS accreditation review will take place from April 7-10, 2003. The NCATE review is scheduled for April 5th – 8th.
  • International Issues:

UF International Day will be November 20th. Information about university events will be provided to faculty.

– International Students—Several changes that will impact international students were discussed, including a required health insurance co-payment (that domestic students already pay), a requirement that all full-time graduate students meet the university minimum enrollment policy (12 credit hours per semester), and a service charge of $50 incurred by the increased expense of new immigration-related paperwork required for the processing of student visas.

  • Teacher-Scholar Award: This UF award recognizes outstanding research and teaching. The nominations are due by December 6th.
  • University Minority Mentoring Program: Dean Emihovich will request information from faculty members to determine who has mentored minority students through the University Minority Mentoring Program. Dr. Jacquelyn Hart, Vice Provost for Affirmative Action Programs, UF Office of Academic Affairs indicated that COE faculty were not well represented in the current group of faculty mentors. Policy council members indicated that many faculty have been involved in the program for a number of years. Emihovich will collect faculty information and present this to Dr. Hart.

College Strategic Planning: Dean Emihovich will meet with Provost Colburn on November 19 to discuss the College of Education’s Strategic Planning initiatives. She will revise and update the document that was created by the COE to outline the College’s strategic directions in response to the UF Presidential Task Force. She requested FPC review and input regarding this document before she submits the final version to the Provost.

Cost Sharing on Grants: The Dean would like to work with the FPC to establish a policy that will specify the sharing of indirect costs (with the COE) for grants that are awarded with other units. This policy will be shared with other colleges and deans when the COE is developing new grants and contracts that involve COE faculty.

New Business

Continuing Professional Development for Teachers Proposal (Student Recruitment and Admissions Committee).

Provost Colburn met with Vice-President for Research and Graduate School DeanWin Phillips, Graduate School Associate Dean Ken Gerhardt, Dean Emihovich, and Interim Associate Dean Kranzler in September to discuss ways in which the COE could respond to the continuing professional development needs of teachers. Provost Colburn requested the submission of a proposal outlining the ways in which the needs of teachers could be met by the COE. The SRAC has endorsed this proposal and supports it in respect to the admission of students for COE graduate programs. Kranzler indicated that the goal is for the COE and Graduate School to develop a proposal for the Provost’s approval.  Given the university’s decision to eliminate post-baccalaureate students, the goal of the proposal is to create a means by which teachers may continue to be engaged in graduate programs and professional development opportunities at UF.

The COE and the Graduate School have agreed to collaborate on this proposal, which addresses three separate issues:

  1. Teachers Pursuing the Master’s of Education (M.Ed.) and Educational Specialist (Ed.S.) Degrees
  1. Postbaccalaureate Status for Teachers

3.  Minimum GRE Requirement for All Graduate Students in the College of Education

Issues pertaining to this draft document were discussed, including the following:

  • The importance of teachers’ professional development, including the possibility of providing professional courses through distance education
  • Reconfiguring the COE’s undergraduate programs
  • Pending changes in teacher certification, including national examinations
  • Statutory requirements for state-approved teacher education programs

Archer moved that the FPC accept the proposal as a negotiating document that will be presented to the Graduate School and the Provost. Yeager seconded the motion. The discussion included the following issues:

  • An effective date would have to be determined if a new admissions policy is implemented.
  • The impact of the 900 minimum GRE score for admission on students in the Proteach Program, especially on minority students
  • The discrepancy between the standards that would be set for practicing teachers and UF students presently enrolled in teacher-preparation programs
  • The setting of standards by the COE that are professionally defensible and ethical
  • Modifying the rationale from the COE perspective
  • Discussion of the Graduate School requirement that an externally validated measure such as the GRE be used for admission decisions
  • Options for alternative admission criteria

After an extended discussion, Archer amended the motion because of the impact that the 900 GRE score requirement would have on minority students. He requested that a statement be added to the first sentence in the section (Minimum GRE Requirement for All Graduate Students in the College of Education): “Petitions for students with an earned bachelor’s degree only with GRE total scores less than 900 will not be approved, except under exceptional circumstances.” Clark seconded the motion. The amended motion was discussed, and the following issues were brought up:

  • Would this represent a reversion to the current policy?
  • The effects this motion would have on Proteach students as opposed to the students in other COE programs
  • The possibility of removing section 3 entirely
  • Leave Section 3 as it is and add a stronger statement about the impact on minority students

Action Taken: The FPC voted and did not approve the revised amendment.

The FPC voted on the original motion/proposal as it is written (provided that Deans Emihovich and Kranzler advise the Graduate School of the COE reservations regarding the GRE requirement and the disenfranchisement of minority students when they negotiate the change in policy). Action Taken: The FPC did not approve the motion.

Kranzler indicated that this proposal must go forward for consideration by the Graduate School. Dean Emihovich reiterated that they would advise the Graduate School and Provost that the faculty are not wholly supportive, at least not for students in professional preparation programs. The proposal will also be discussed at an upcoming Dean’s Advisory Council meeting.

Unfinished Business

1. Continuing the Conversation of “Vision” in the College: Faculty Forums.

Correa indicated there was consensus about the need to hold one, or a series of faculty forums.  The first faculty forum could be held in December to address the COE Strategic Plan. Archer reported that the Long-Range Planning Committee would meet this week to refine the topics and questions for the forums.

Waldron suggested that a faculty forum could be held in the spring to address perspectives on teacher-preparation programs. The possibility of connecting this forum with the upcoming visiting lecture by Art Levine was discussed.

Adjournment

Archer moved that the meeting be adjourned. Sindelar seconded the motion.  The committee voted unanimously to adjourn the meeting at 3:58 p.m.

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