18 April, 2005 FPC Faculty Meeting Minutes
DRAFT
4/18/2005
Fall Faculty Meeting Minutes
College of Education
April 18, 2005
Room 2337, Norman Hall
Presenters: Maureen Conroy, Chair of the Faculty Policy Council
Hazel Jones, Secretary of the Faculty Policy Council
Stephen Smith, Faculty Senator
Paul Sindelar, Associate Dean for Research
Nancy Waldron, Chair of the Faculty and Budgetary Affairs Committee
Catherine Emihovich, Dean of the College of Education
Number of faculty present: 46
Conroy called the meeting to order at 2:12.
Conroy welcomed faculty members and introduced the agenda.
Faculty Policy Council Update (Conroy)
• 2004-2005 Accomplishments
Conroy presented a list of accomplishments from this year’s faculty policy council. The group recognized the work of FPC members and college committee chairs with applause.
• FPC Election
Hazel Jones will take the position of FPC chair next week. Conroy reminded faculty that they still have time to vote in FPC elections. Elections have been extended until this Thursday.
College of Education Update (Emihovich)
• Strategic Planning for the College
The College initiated four task forces for strategic planning that will remain in place year to year:
• Outreach scholarship;
• Curriculum and program development;
• Research; and
• Faculty and student recruitment, retention and multicultural affairs.
The task forces had several productive meetings during the semester. In their last meeting on March 30, the task forces ranked action items and came to a consensus on three action items to focus on for the next year:
1. The college will be organizing some kind of event (possibly a conference or convocation) oriented around children, family, school, and diversity. This event is included in the budget request submitted to the provost. It may or may not happen in conjunction with centennial events next year.
2. The college will be focusing on making our work more visible on a national scene.
3. The college will actively seek ways to use technology better to support the work of faculty, students and staff.
Dean Emihovich also discussed the large number of new hires that have been made this year, including nine new faculty members who will be introduced in the fall. The college of education had the most diverse of applicant pool for faculty positions in the entire university.
In addition, Dean Emihovich listed several other objectives for upcoming year including:
• Raising fellowship stipends for graduate students.
• Searching for a director to set up an early literacy outreach clinic in conjunction with PKYonge. State Representative Ed Jennings is very interested in this project.
• Continuing to get support for programs like America Reads and the Alliance.
• Developing alternative educator preparation programs for postbaccalaurate students. This is a state mandate.
• Continuing to expand online teaching.
• Searching for up to nine new faculty members.
Dean Emihovich also mentioned that UF president Bernie Machen spoke very highly of the work in the College of Education at the Scholarship of Engagement Awards Banquet.
UF Faculty Senate Report (Smith)
• Tenure and Promotion Changes
Smith reported that at the November 18 meeting of faculty senate, the senate voted on a nine-part policy change regarding tenure and promotion. Eight of the nine changes were approved on November 18 and the last item was approved with some language changes at the December 16 meeting. Details are available at www.senate.ufl.edu .
Announcement of B. O. Smith Professorship Awards (Sindelar)
Sindelar thanked the Research Advisory Committee for the time they spent reviewing applications for the B.O. Smith professorships. There were seven applications and two awards for this year. He announced that Kristin Kemple from the School of Teaching and Learning and Maureen Conroy from Special Education were selected for the awards.
FPC Constitutional Change: Discussion and Vote (Waldron)
Waldron discussed the issue of participation of non-tenure accruing faculty in college governance. She presented a short history of this issue as it has evolved over the past two years.
In the spring of 2003, a group of faculty within the College of Education began talking about their concern that certain faculty members were unable to participate in college governance as set forth by the constitution. The issue was discussed and tabled.
In April 2004 the UF faculty senate adopted a new definition of faculty that included persons holding full-time appointment during the regular academic year. Based on the senate’s changes, the Faculty and Budgetary Affairs Committee of the College of Education (FBAC) reconsidered the issue and decided to recommend a constitutional change to allow non-tenure accruing faculty to participate in faculty governance.
The definition of faculty they recommend mirrors the definition of the UF faculty senate. They also recommend a constitutional change to include a new clause in Section B of the constitution to state:
“Eligible faculty, those persons who participate in faculty governance and vote on matters of college policy, shall consist of those in tenure accruing ranks and non-tenure accruing ranks who contribute to the academic mission of a college department and have a full time appointment during the academic year.”
Note that this does not include faculty from PK Yonge.
The FBAC also recommend that throughout the constitution the term “faculty with tenure accruing ranks” be replaced with the term “eligible faculty”.
If the change had been in effect this year, it would have affected only 16 people. Although there are more than 16 non-tenure accruing faculty in the college, some are part-time and others are not working in a department. There are currently 83 faculty in tenure accruing ranks.
The motion to vote on the issue was made by the faculty senate. Larry Tyree seconded the motion, and the floor was opened to questions from faculty members.
Stephen Smith asked whether the secretary of the faculty policy council must still be a tenure-accruing member. If so, the number of available people to become secretary, and subsequently chair of the FPC, may be reduced because there are currently only 5 FPC members who can become secretary according to FPC rules. Conroy responded that there are logistical issues that may come up, but they don’t appear to be things that can’t be handled as they arise.
Tina Smith-Bonahue asked about the procedure for making a final decision on who is considered faculty. Conroy responded that department chairs will have the final say about whether a person is a faculty member since they make the appointments.
Conroy called for a vote and both she and Jones counted the results. The constitutional amendment was accepted unanimously by all 34 tenure-accruing faculty members in attendance.
Conroy adjourned the meeting at approximately 3:03PM.
