20 September 2004
Loyola
Marymount University
Faculty Senate Minutes
September 30, 2004
McIntosh
2:45 p.m.-5 p.m.
Present: Cynthia Becht, Thomas Erven, Victoria Graf, Chun Lee, Jok Madut, Ed Mosteig, Elizabeth Murray, Patricia Oliver, Edward Park, K.J. Peters, Ralph Quinones, Patrick Damon Rago, James Roe, Susan Schleiber, Leland Swenson, Thomas Zachariah,
Excused: Marta Baltadano, Omar Es-Said, Lily Khadjavi, Suzanne O’Brien, Rhonda Rosen
President Roe called the meeting to order at 2:55 p.m.
I. Report of the President of the Faculty Senate:
-President Roe welcomed the Faculty Senate to the first meeting of 2004-2005. He presented the program of the meeting. This was followed by a moment of silence in memory of those in the LMU community who had died over the past summer.
-It was moved and seconded to approve the minutes of the April meeting. The minutes were approved unanimously.
-President Roe presented an invitation from Paul Bernadicou, SJ for the Jesuit Community annual evening on Thursday, November 18 and asked for attendance notification by November 12.
-$1,000 is available to support a “Meet Your Senator” event. Please contact President Roe if Senators are interested in arranging such an event.
-The ESOF committee will be investigating the current Faculty Housing program since faculty housing is a major impediment to the retention of faculty.
-The members of the Committee on Committees are Matt Dillon, Patricia Douglas, Patricia Oliver, Connie Weeks, and Mary McCullough, Chair. The process for assigning faculty to committees will be reviewed this year.
-The members of the Election Committee are Marta Baltadano, Patrick Damon Rago and Thomas Zachariah, Chair. There are three openings on the Senate (Business, Film an Television and Social Science) and two replacements. It was moved and seconded to have a special election for all 5 positions. The motion was approved unanimously.
-$40,000 has been set aside for the renovation of the Collins Center as a Faculty/Staff Center. Construction will begin after January.
-The process for evaluating administrators is being discussed. Fr. Lawton was evaluated last year by a consultant hired by the Board of Trustees.
II. Fr. Albert Koppes, O. Carm., Interim Academic Vice President
-President Roe welcomed Fr. Koppes to the Senate.
-Fr. Koppes expressed his desire to implement substantive changes before the selection of the new Academic Vice President.
The main topics he discussed are the following:
1. Increased authority of the Deans including control over equipment money and searches for new faculty. The Deans will also have more control over part-time faculty, grants and sabbaticals.
2. Summer school and its connection with the Financial Aid. The Deans will make decisions regarding Summer School and salary of faculty. Discussions are being held with Tom Fleming, Vice President for Business and Finance about financial aid being available for summer school. Availability of summer financial aid will assist in undergraduates being available to graduate in four years.
3. Recent Racial Incidents – The University has learned a great deal from the series of racial incidents and has recognized that it needs to be vigilant and proactive in preparing new faculty and other members of the LMU community in establishing a just and equitable learning community. The President has asked Dr. Bove to establish a Task Force of faculty, staff and students to address issues of diversity.
4. Initiation for canceling the Thursday night busses – Dr. Bove has called for a moratorium on the Thursday night busses which take students to off-campus venues.
5. There are 4 major searches currently under way. They include searches for two Deans (School of Education and College of Science and Engineering), the Academic Vice President and the Associate Academic Vice President, Library and Information Services.
6. Campus Space Study – The space study is being completed but will take 3 to 4 years to implement. It is important to know what is needed in terms of space and what make sense in terms of moving departments, etc. The Board of Trustees have mandated that the University will not have off-campus facilities until they are convinced that all space on campus has been utilized.
7. Committee Structure – It is proposed that committee assignments be made in consultation with the respective Deans in order to have strong faculty committees.
8. Part-time Faculty – A new Federal law will go into effect on January 1 that will require part-time faculty to use a timecard system. Chapman University is willing to share its process that is already being implemented.
9. Pre-tenure Sabbatical – Guidelines are being proposed to implement a pre-tenure sabbatical to support new faculty in the area of research and scholarship. A proposal is being developed by the Deans that will be shared with the Faculty Senate for discussion and input.
Discussion
Q: Are outside grants allowed where faculty can buy out courses?
A: Fr. Koppes replied that he supports these grants if there is cooperation within the Department or College to support the buying out of courses.
Q: Are the College fellowships divided equally among the Colleges and Schools?
A: There isn’t a policy at the present time. It is important to determine how many fellowships are required by College and School and how to fund them. The fellowships should be competitive.
Q: What is the source of the fellowships?
A: The Rains Research Program. Currently, $180,000 from the Rains Research Program funds Research Assistants.
Q. Is it possible to have institutional capacity building where the University supports collaborative and interdisciplinary research?
A. Fr. Koppes is supportive of collaborative research centers but they do require staff and space.
-President Roe thanked Fr. Koppes for coming to the Senate.
-President Roe announced that K.J. Peters will remain the Parliamentarian for the next year
III. Report on Core Curriculum Committee Activities - Judy Scalin and Mary Beth Ingham, C.S.J.
-President Roe welcomed Judy Scalin and Mary Beth Ingham, C.S.J. to the Senate meeting
-Judy Scalin presented the status of the Core Curriculum Committee. There are multiple activities that are currently being implemented. Conversations on Learning have been held to determine how the Core can be invigorated and to determine if it is currently relevant in terms of its coherence and depth. There are currently courses that are being piloted to investigate the inclusion of social responsibility, critical thinking and empowered imagination. The goal for this year is to have a reflection/status paper on the Core Curriculum.
-Mary Beth Ingham, C.S.J. presented the current status of the assessment of the Core. It is important to have a free flow of information regarding the assessment of the Core being provided to all divisions of the University. It will be especially important to provide a status of the Core for the incoming AVP.
There are currently 2 pilot projects related to the Core. One relates to Freshman seminars which have integrated Philosophy, Psychology and Critical Thinking. There are 15 students in each seminar. Ongoing assessment of the seminars is being conducted. The second pilot, INDA 498, will have 10 seniors from each college and will be team taught by faculty from various disciplines. Faculty are encouraged to recommend students for this course.
Discussion
Q: Is this course designed only for seniors?
A: The current course is for seniors but it is hoped that the course will be available in the future for all students.
IV. Announcements:
-Subcommittees will be set up for the following agenda items:
-Revision of the Faculty Handbook – James Roe and Matt Dillon and a third
member
-Merit and Evaluation – Will need committee members
-Rank and Tenure – Vicki Graf will chair the committee with other members to be chosen
V. Discussion of Current Discrimination Issues and an Introduction of an ASLMU Resolution – Kelly Ellis, Executive Vice-President andSteven Baugh, Chair of ASLMU Cultural Diversity Committee
The two representatives of ASLMU introduced Resolution F04-1. Kelly Ellis addressed the faculty members as teachers and emphasized their role in reinforcing the importance of diversity on campus. She asked that faculty members address diversity in their classes regarding its value and how it relates to the Mission of the University. Kelly requested that both the Student and Faculty Senates work together in order to have a unified front regarding changes in the University.
Discussion
Q. Are you asking for a faculty person to be involved with you?
A. Yes. It is important to have both faculty and students look at discrimination and work with a committee to give feedback.
Q: Can you give us a timeframe?
A: It is hoped that this could be accomplished within the next two weeks.
Q. How can we contact you?
A. Kelly can be contacted at X82836 and by email ataslmu.edu@lmu.edu oraslmu.senate@lmu.edu The ASLMU Senate meetings are on Wednesdays from 1-3 in Malone 306.
President Roe thanked Kelly and Steven for coming to the Faculty Senate.
The following resolution was introduced.
Resolution FO4-1 On the Need to Address the Recent Discrimination Issues
WHEREAS the University Mission Statement promotes both the “education of the whole person” and the “service of faith and the promotion of justice” and
WHEREAS the University goals include “The mix of the student body –interests, special talents, geographic origin, socioeconomic class, and, particularly, ethnicity” to be “as varied as reasonable and possible” and
WHEREAS the current student body consists of 5,421 students of which 1% is Indian or Alaskan Native, 7% African American, 12% Asian and/or Pacific Islander, 19% Hispanic/Latino, 55% White/Non-Hispanic, and 2% International Students (5% of the students body declined to state) and
WHEREAS a lack of acceptance has been demonstrated by recent incidents on campus, namely discriminatory phrases found in Residence Halls, and
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that both the Student and the Faculty Senate should work together in addressing this issue and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that Faculty Senate request that all classes be addressed in order to encourage diversity and acceptance and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that all members of the LMU Community strive to promote an atmosphere of acceptance, respect, and understanding between the diverse campus population.
It was moved and seconded to support the Resolution. The motion was tabled until the next Faculty Senate meeting.
It was moved and seconded to thank the representatives of ASLMU for having presented the resolution to the Faculty Senate. The motion was approved unanimously.
Damon Rago and Susan Schleiber will attend the ASLMU Senate meeting on Wednesday.
The meeting was adjourned at 5pm.
Submitted by: Victoria Graf
Prepared by: Monika Juszli