19 September, 2005 FPC Faculty Meeting Minutes

College of Education
Fall Faculty Meeting
9/19/05
Minutes

 

2:07 Called to Order

I.          Introductions and Announcements

a.  Catherine Emihovich and Jeri Benson introduced new personnel in the “deans’ area.” Jeri distributed an organizational chart of the COE.

b.  The five department chairs re-introduced new faculty members, including tenure-track professors, scholars, and lecturers.

c.  Pam Pallas announced that Baby Gator is the first childcare center in the county to be officially designated a VPK provider. She encouraged research collaborations focusing on young children and families.

II.         Guest: President of the UF Faculty Senate, Kim Tanzer (the COE senators will take turns getting senate news to us)

a.  There is campus wide interest in the COE constitution
b.  Board of Trustees’ goals for UF (Kim is the faculty representative on the Board):

i.  To move into the top 10 of state universities

1 .  the gaps between us and the top 10 have been identified – e.g., UF is ranked #50 of all colleges and universities, #150 in faculty resources
2.  M. Fernandez looked at US News and World Report criteria such as size of faculty and student body (S/T ratio) and alumni giving
3.  conclusions are that class sizes are too large and faculty resources are too lo
4.  goals include to raise pay and hire more faculty

ii.  To develop 150 million for faculty initiatives (currently at 43 million)
iii.  Tuition rates way too low – trustees working to move tuition control to the local level

c.   Shared Governance – trustees endorsed resolution regarding shared governance

i.   3 levels of shared governance

1.   determine – things regarding the academic mission of the university
2.   recommend – issues of importance to the academic mission, but not central to it, possibly beyond our expertise
3.   consult – opinions asked, but decision making in administration’s domain

ii.   we are now positioned to advocate in advance, rather than always reacting

d.  To do:

i.  Be responsible in university shared governance (be there, be prepared, speak carefully)
ii.  Be reasonable (must understand the issues at hand)
iii. Be realistic (this isn’t Harvard; decisions are made in a specific context)
iv. Be collegial (within departments, within colleges, across campus, at national meetings, “peer reputation” score counts)

e.   New information

i.   Attendance will be taken at all Faculty Senate meetings this year – 3:00 pm, 3rd Thursday, see Senate web page
ii.  Newsletter will be distributed to all faculty

f.   Faculty questions

i.   How does the Union overlap with the Faculty Senate – 40% of the faculty senate is in the Union

1.      5 policy councils: academic, research, academic infrastructure, budget, faculty welfare
2.    whatever the union bargains for trumps the Faculty Senate decisions

III.       Faculty Policy Council Update – Hazel Jones

a.       See handout outlining accomplishments of 04-05 and looking ahead to 05-06

IV.       Retreat – September 30, 10:00 – 2:30, Austin Cary Forest

a.  To initiate a strategic planning process related to the COE’s research goal
b.  To identify concrete steps to be taken within the COE’s research priority

V.        Discussion of 3 COE goals

a.  Particularly goals 2 and 3
b.  See synthesized list

Adjourned