College of Education

Faculty Policy Council

Monday, March 19, 2012

2:00 to 4:00 pm in 158 NRN

Minutes

Call to order: A faculty policy council meeting of the college of education was held on March 19, 2012. The meeting convened at 2:05 PM, Paul Sindelar presiding, and Dorene Ross, secretary.

 

Members in attendance: Holly Lane, James McLeskey, Bernard Oliver, Dorene Ross, Paul Sindelar, Stephen Smith, David Therriault, Shelley Warm, Dianna Joyce, Zhihui Fang (alternate)

Visitors in attendance: Kara Dawson and Albert Ritzhaupt

Agenda accepted (moved and seconded)

Approval of minutes: Motion to approve the minutes of the meeting from Feb. 20, 2012 was made by Shelley Warm and seconded. Motion carried.

 

Announcements

Dean’s report (Dean Good)

  • Budget—The University has to cut $58 million in recurring funds (about 10% of the University budget). New funds from tuition will not generated until 2013, 14, 15.  We are working to determine how to make cuts. Among the colleges we are in better shape than most.  The Dean is working with various faculty groups including BAC to get suggestions and guidelines for how to make cuts. Although some colleges are pursuing Shared Services our college is not planning to move toward this approach. There is some conversation about doing this across colleges but the Deans are not in favor of this.
  • Good news—Despite previous reductions, our college jumped 18 points in the US News ranking: 24th among public universities. We are the highest ranked COE in SEC, in state of Florida and (he believes) are the highest ranked college in University. SE in top four; CE in top 10; Elem Ed and C & I in top 20.

 

Introduction of and interaction with Sherry Brodeur

  • Sherry Brodeur, incoming Chair of the Faculty Senate was introduced. After Paul Sindelar provided a brief overview of the structure of the College and the representation on the FPC, Dr, Brodeur conducted a brief discussion of the role the Senate is now playing to bring FPC Chairs together and discuss common issues. She also announced that President Machen plans to retire prior to December 2013.
  • After she left the FPC conversation focused on the following:
    • Her comments raise the issue that we do not have a representative who overlaps with Faculty Senate and no representative reports to us.
    • It was suggested that we have one Senator provide information at each meeting during the announcements.

Action Items

From FAC: Recommendation regarding annual reports

  • David Therriault provided information from FAC
    • New information was provided to the FAC that the University is moving to a new standardized annual report format that will interface with the tenure and promotion packet. Some colleges are experimenting with it now.
    • FAC submitted a recommendation for next year that each accomplishment require only one box without character limits  and that FAC meet with John Donaldson to discuss this and other recommendations that can be implemented in the short term.
    • Moved by Dianna Joyce. Seconded by Stephen Smith. APPROVED

Committee Reports

Budgetary Affairs– James McLeskey: The committee met on March 12th and continued to discuss entrepreneurial efforts and received an update on budget. They talked about the need to have guiding principles to guide decision-making related to budget. Their next meeting is March 26th.

Curriculum– Dorene Ross: The committee has approved the courses and certificate proposal for another certificate program and has approved several new courses.

Diversity – Shelley Warm: The committee met March 15th. They are looking for more poster ideas for the “Did You Know” posters. They also are working on a survey of faculty and staff related to diversity (to be distributed Fall 2012).

Faculty Affairs– David Therriault: A new task for this committee is to determine a policy for marshaling because of the increase in the need for marshals in the graduation programs.

Lectures Seminars and Awards- Dianna Joyce: The committee has been eviewing nominees for Graduate Teacher of Year. The recommendation is due on April 13.

Long Range Planning– Paul Sindelar shared Walter Leite’s report: The committee is revising the evaluation surveys for Dean Good, Dean Dana, and Dean Vernetson. The committee drafted the surveys and these will be reviewed by the appropriate Dean. The question was raised as to whether the survey must be brought to FPC before it is distributed. FPC asked the agenda committee to review the surveys and if there are big issues distribute it to FPC via email. If there are no big issues the agenda committee will approve the survey so it can be distributed.

Research Advisory- Stephen Smith:  There was conversation about the CRIF award. Minor changes were made and the information has been sent to the faculty. They talked about Fien professorship and Fien doctoral fellowship. The draft document was revised and the committee will review it one more time.  Next meeting March 21st.

Technology and Distance Ed—Holly Lane: A meeting in scheduled on Wed. March 21st and the main topic is the needs assessment.

Elections Committee: Stephen Smith—The positions to be filled have been identified and all Directors have been notified to request candidates.

Discussion Items:

  • Strategic Planning Implementation Committee— This recommendation that some Likert questions be added to the survey was communicated to the committee and a sub-committee is leading the revision. The full committee will meet March 30th to discuss and finalize the survey.
  • FPC committee structure
    • We are considering the creation of the Ad Hoc Committee on Academic Affairs. Next year we need to reconsider committee structure to determine whether this role can be accommodated in the long term without adding a committee.
    • Another issue is that there are issues that bridge existing committees such as entrepreneurial issues. Perhaps this might come under the purview of LRPC
    • Committee members noted that the workload of each committee (except Curriculum, Distance Education and Research Advisory) tends to vary by year.
    • Dianna Joyce suggested that for the future the Ad Hoc Committee on Academic Affairs might be the standing committee and that lectures, seminar and awards could be folded into that committee.
    • In order to approve the Ad Hoc committee at our next meeting we need a document to describe the realm of responsibilities (with examples) of this committee.

 

Adjournment: Motion to adjourn was made by Dianna Joyce and seconded (Zhihui Fang). The meeting was adjourned at 4:03 PM.

 

 

________________________________                                ___________________

Secretary                                                                                             Date of approval

[Organization Name]