5 May, 2003 FPC Meeting Minutes
May 5, 2003
Room 158 Norman Hall
Members Present: Phil Clark, Maureen Conroy, Vivian Correa, Bridget Franks, Paul Sindelar, Jane Townsend, Nancy Waldron
Members Absent: Jim Archer, Silvia Echevarria-Doan, Lamont Flowers, Elizabeth Yeager
Others Present: Dean Catherine Emihovich
Correa called the meeting to order at 2:06 p.m.
Agenda and Minutes
1. Approval of the agenda for May 5, 2003.
Correa requested that two items be added to the agenda for today’s meeting: (a) the Associate Dean Evaluation, and (b) Summer Faculty Policy Council (FPC) Attendance at the Dean’s Advisory Committee (DAC) Meetings.
Clark made a motion to approve the amended May 5 FPC meeting agenda as submitted by Correa. Franks seconded the motion. The FPC unanimously approved the revised agenda.
2. Approval of the minutes of the April 21, 2003 Meeting.
Sindelar made a motion to approve the minutes for the April 21 meeting. Clark seconded the motion, and the minutes were unanimously approved.
Reports from FPC Committees
Committee chairpersons were asked to provide paper and electronic copies of the committee annual executive summaries to Correa by May 2. She reported that three of the executive summaries have been submitted. The executive summaries will be posted on the FPC Website when they are all received.
Report from the Dean
Dean Emihovich reported briefly about the successful NCATE and DOE accreditation review. She also indicated that budget information from the legislature had not yet been received.
She has asked the department chairpersons and unit directors to submit their annual budget requests to her. She will meet with the department chairpersons on May 22 to discuss the following two budget-related issues:
1. To determine a more equitable way of distributing College-wide funds that are allocated to the departments for student assistantships; and
2. How to allocate a portion of the money from salary savings to assist junior faculty members, including the provision of release time from teaching to pursue their research agendas.
She updated the FPC on the planned move of the Institute for Child and Adolescent Research and Evaluation (ICARE)-a new consortium of UF entities engaged in research on children-to Norman Hall. She reported that the Provost’s Office has provided funds to renovate the #134-E office suite, where ICARE and the College research/grants office will be located.
She also reported that the COE would receive a $250,000 federal grant for technology, a grant that has been awarded with the assistance of Congressman John Mica, a UF alumnus and U.S. Representative from Florida. She outlined several of the planned COE technology expenditures. A new (PC) technology staff person has been hired, and will begin employment with the College on May 19.
Unfinished Business
1. On-Line Elections for 2003-2004 FPC Members.
Correa indicated that John Gregory had raised concerns about the use of electronic ballots, as opposed to the printed ballots that had been used in the past. She has consulted with the technology staff members, and has ascertained that the electronic ballots would allow for the necessary accountability with regard to how many faculty members have voted from each department while maintaining anonymity. The FPC plans to continue to use the electronic ballots.
2. Update on New FPC Committees
The following documents were distributed and reviewed:
- Selecting New Committees for 2003-2004 – update of faculty nominees for each FPC committeeo
- FPC Standing Committee Membership by Department – update of faculty standing committee membership for the 2003-2004 academic yearo
New Business
1. Transition and Responsibilities of the Technology Committee
Correa distributed an e-mail message that was sent by Stuart Schwartz to the FPC on April 23, 2003. He requested direction with regard to the position taken by the existing Dean’s Technology Advisory Committee that it would be “most efficient for there to be one technology committee” in the College. Specifically, he asked for FPC clarification about the process of merging the existing Dean’s Technology Advisory Committee with the new FPC Technology Committee. He noted (a) a possible overlap of responsibilities and (b) differences between the purpose or mission of the existing committee (advising the Dean) and the new technology committee (fulfilling the mission of the FPC).
He also asked for FPC clarification about the official participation (voting) of technology staff members with regard to the Dean’s advisory role.
Waldron noted that the revised College Constitution outlines the responsibilities of the newly established FPC Technology Committee (for the 2003-2004 academic year) as the following:
F. Committees
(9) Technology Committee. This committee shall recommend and review policies regarding the purchase and use of technology for instructional and operational purposes.
After an extended discussion, it was decided that the FPC Technology Committee would forward policy matters to the FPC for consideration. The committee will handle operational issues without having to consult with the FPC. The FPC members and Dean Emihovich noted that it is important that Associate Dean John Kranzler maintain his involvement with the Technology Committee. It was agreed that technology staff members continue to be members of the Technology Committee because of their technical expertise. Correa indicated that the new committee would work collaboratively with Associate Dean Kranzler. The issues raised by Schwartz should not present problems with regard to the mission of the new technology committee. She recommended that these issues be revisited after the 2003 Fall Semester, when changes can be recommended if the FPC considers them necessary.
2. Department Chairperson Evaluations
The annual department chairperson evaluation process that is conducted by the Dean was discussed. Dean Emihovich reported on several changes that she plans to make in this process, including delineating specific criteria and working toward the development of administrative portfolios.
Townsend stated that it is important that faculty members have input in the chairperson evaluations.
3. Associate Dean Evaluation
The FPC committee that coordinates the evaluation of the assistant and associate deans has concluded its work and has met with Dean Emihovich about the evaluation results for Associate Dean Rodman Webb. The COE Constitution requires that the FPC report the evaluation results to the Dean. The FPC members recommended that there be some type of communication to the faculty members that the evaluation process has been completed as specified in the Constitution.
4. Summer Attendance at the Dean’s Advisory Committee (DAC) Meetings
The FPC chairperson and secretary are members of the DAC. Correa noted that FPC members serve nine-month terms (as opposed to the 12-month terms served by the other members of the DAC). She requested clarification about which FPC members are expected to attend DAC meetings during the summer. It was decided that at least one FPC member (who has served on the FPC for at least one year) should attend summer DAC meetings. The incoming FPC chairperson will coordinate summer attendance at the DAC meetings in order to ensure that an FPC representative attends each meeting.
Adjournment
Correa thanked FPC members for their participation and service to the FPC during the 2002-2003 academic year. Townsend commended Correa for her hard work and commitment to the FPC as chairperson during the past year.
Clark moved that the meeting be adjourned. Franks seconded the motion. The meeting was adjourned at 3:41 p.m.
