NORTHEASTERN STATE UNIVERSITY

Minutes of Faculty Council Meeting
Friday, September 5, 2008

Call to Order

The meeting was called to order by President Craig Clifford in SL129.  There was ITV access at Muskogee, Broken Arrow and Tahlequah.

Council Members in attendance: Sarah Brick Archer (Library), Ernst Bekkering (Business & Technology), Ron Cambiano (Education), Denise Deason-Toyne (Business & Technology), John Diamantopoulos (Science & Health Professions), Jennifer Edwards (Liberal Arts), Brian Kaney (Science & Health Professions), Alan McKee (Optometry), Dan Savage (Liberal Arts), Dan Sisk (Science & Health Professions)

Council Members in attendance in Broken Arrow: Vickie Foster (Education), Chris Garland (Liberal Arts), Rhea Johnston (Education), Amy Aldridge Sanford (Liberal Arts), Rick Williams (Education)

 Council Members in attendance in Muskogee:  Joyce Van Nostrand (For Edwards)

Council Officers in attendance:  Craig Clifford (President), Lallie Scott (Vice President), Linda West (Secretary/Treasurer).

Guests:  President Betz, Martin Venneman (Science & Health Professions), Chuck Ziehr (Liberal Arts),

Invited Presentations

[Council will set aside time at the first of each meeting to visit with President Williams, VP Academic Affairs Bigbee and/or VP Administration Cherry should they be able to attend.]

President Betz addressed the council.  He stated that he had been involved in shared governance at his previous institution and welcomed the opportunity for shared governance at NSU.  He is happy to be back at NSU.  His comments about faculty and faculty roles made at the university wide meeting come from his experience.  We have two ingredients for success, faculty and students.  We need to be frank about opportunities to use these ingredients and open to talking about issues.  He stated "I don't see how to be successful without collaboration."  We will work together and learn together.  Our budget won't grow this year, it is not a good year for higher education.  Tuition is up 9%, unfortunately this is the only way to get increased money.  He outlined the University assembly process that will happen every 6 to 12 weeks.  He wants to start a daily electronic newsletter.  The President's Council will handle critical issues as well as share information.  The Cabinet will make recommendations for decisions.  He will be an advocate for faculty development.  We have enrollment challenges on this campus, but there are opportunities to look at growth and classes using other benchmarks of successful institutions.  There are searches ongoing for positions. 

He is pleased to be here during our Centennial.  It is our opportunity to retell our story and shine the light on all three campuses.  We need to get our name out to people who need to know it.  He will be happy to visit with council when it would be of value and an invitation is extended.  He encourages dialogue and his email is betz@nsuok.edu.

A. Committees and Standing Reports

    1. Minutes of  4/30/08 meeting

         Van Nostrand made a motion that the minutes be approved as presented.  It was seconded by Deason-Toyne and the motion passed.

    2.  Spending Report

          We have the same funding as last year.  The new College Circle of Excellence plaques are ready to pickup and brick engraving will happen soon.

    3.  Successes and Failures of Last Year

           Clifford looked over last year and we did pretty good at handling issues that came up.  We had a good working relationship with Interim President Cherry.  We handled issues like selling textbooks and guns on campus.  There are still some things to deal with, however, a long standing issue was addressed with the expansion of fee waivers for spouses and increases for dependents.

        
B . Old Business

    1.  General Education Task Force - Update (Sanford)

                The 2007/2008 report from the Task Force is online (Task Force Report link)  They are reconvening this year and will get feedback on the report.  A final report will be finished by March 2009 with recommendations for curriculum changes.

    2.  Evaluation of Online Courses - Two package being examined (Clifford/Bekkering/Brittain)

             The evaluation tool we put together last year was used on Blackboard, but it was not secure.  The results have been thrown out and will not be used.  Over the summer, a group looked at packages to purchase that would be secure methods of performing evaluations and eliminating paper in all classes.  They are powerful tools and would allow a longer period of time to fill out.  On some of these, the instructor could add their own questions or there could be college level questions.  Plans are to implement one of the programs in the spring.  Concern was again raised that the results of evaluations remain secure between the dean and faculty member and not be used for other purposes.

C.  New Business

    1.   Conflict of Interest Policy - Draft (Clifford)

                 Clifford had received some comments.  He is still receiving feedback and will pass those on to the committee that wrote the policy.  Faculty Council recommended that Deason-Toyne be added to the committee as a representative of Faculty Council.  It was moved by Cambiano, seconded by Van Nostrand and the motion passed.

    2.  Office Hour Requirement - (Denise Deason-Toyne)

                 There have been questions from new faculty specifically about faculty who teach online courses.  Can some office hours be online?  There are questions about the need for eight hours and one hour everyday.  Some faculty travel to different campuses and don't teach every day.  There are commuting costs of getting to an office on a different campus.  There is support from students for a four day class week.  Clifford will talk to VP Bigbee about the question.  There was a suggestion to leave the decisions to the chair level.  We will invite VP Bigbee to speak to us about the subject.

D. Other Business

    1.  Social Security Numbers on forms (Deason-Toyne)

Despite our resolution last year about SSNs on forms.  There continue to be forms that request SSN (i.e. parking)  We could involve student government in a joint resolution.  We will invite VP Cherry to talk about this again.

    2. Study Days (Diamantopoulos)

            Last year, the introduction of study days was announced as on a trial basis.  Was there a discussion of making this permanent?  It was observed by the group that test scores are not better.  Some students have complained.  These are questions for VP Bigbee.

    3.  Recycling on Campus (Archer)

            Archer brought up the idea of recycling on campus.  This is an item on the President's agenda.  There was also discussion of day care on campus.  There is a task force looking at the day care issue.

    4.  TIAA-CREF vs. Private 403B (Kaney)

            There was a question about the University taking back the administration of the 403b money.  Perhaps Yeutter could address the issue for faculty.  It was also mentioned that a forum for retirement information with options and ramifications for faculty would be welcome.

    5.  Selection of Department Chairs

            Scott asked if there had been a follow-up to this recommendation made by Faculty Council (10-7-05)  The policy does not appear to have been adopted.

   
Announcement:  The Elizabeth Eckford lecture will be on campus in the Net Auditorium.

E.  Adjournment

The meeting adjourned at 4:34 p.m.

Next meeting October 10.

Submitted by Linda West, Secretary-Treasurer
9/30/08