FC Minutes September 19, 2014

Introduction

Meeting Date: September 19, 2014.

Meeting Location: UCB 127 (Fishbowl).

In Attendance: Julie Adrian, Mitch Anderson, Andre Bachmann, Roberta Barra, Michael Bitter, Jason Cabral, Alice Davis, Kim Furumo, Norbert Furumo, Mary Louise Haraguchi, Jean Ippolito, Seri Luangphinith, Avis Masuda, Faith Mishina, Jan Ray, Vladimir Skorikov, Kathleen Stacey, Shihwu Sung, Todd Shumway.

Also In Attendance: Emmeline dePillis, Mark Kimura, Ryan Perroy, Michael Shintaku.

Absent: Jim Beets, Jesse Goldman, Kekoa Harman.

Call to Order: 3:00 P.M.

Recorded By: Avis Masuda.

Approval of minutes from the last meeting:

Approval of minutes from the last meeting (May 2014).
Motion: to approve by Norbert Furumo; Alice Davis seconded; all approved.

Topic: FC Chair Report

Status Report – Review of Motions (7) – Kim reported on the 4 programs that were approved; VCAA Platz will be at next meeting to give update.
Memorandum of Understanding – Kim shared MOU to formalize processes to ensure Faculty Congress is funded; four MOUs on course releases/overload for FC Exec Board; Gen Ed; WASC; Assessment; one additional MOU in works for Professional Development.
Curriculum Central - Formalization of system in progress. Chair reviewed staffing requests from VCAA for Curriculum Office: one APT @ $50,000; one faculty to oversee Curriculum (one course overload per semester); Faculty Congress CRC (one course overload per year). Congress asked to consider developing motion requesting new Curriculum Office APT to be part of Academic Affairs.
Institutional Research Office Jr. Specialist - Congress Exec Committee reps (Kim Furumo, Jan Ray, Faith Mishina, Avis Masuda) interviewed candidates for Jr Specialist for Institutional Research Office. Kelli Okumura offered job and accepted.
New Lactation Room on Campus – Campus Center Room #210 – call to reserve time.
New Faculty Congress Office/Faculty Lounge PB9 - Need FC Representative to coordinate/set up room—please let Kim know if you are interested. Need to organize Open House for faculty.
United Way: Jeannine Atebara presented on – Hawaii Island United Way—Community. UHH contact: Alice Davis. Forms to be distributed at your divisions.

Topic: Committee Reports

*Please note that Committee Reports are for informational purposes only. For further clarification, please see the respective committee chair outside of the Congress meeting.

Assessment Support

Seri Luangphinith reported UHH WASC website: completed Core Competencies. Response to WASC lines of inquiry in progress. Guidelines for Applied Learning (ALEX)—needs to be vetted by faculty and Faculty Congress. An electronic copy to be sent to FC Reps for review--adherence to credit hour policy; ensure quality and integrity of major (assessment component needed for applied learning). Seri requests feedback for WASC visit Oct. 22. We will vote on guidelines at next FC meeting.

Academic Policy

Jim Beets (absent) reported to Chair that Erik Cleveland is new member of Academic Policy Committee. Student Success and Admissions, Faith Mishina reported on membership, admission standards for TOEFL, and committee proposed several plans of action. Committee will prioritize issues to tackle at next meeting.

Budget Review

Roberta Barra’s committee set regular meetings with VCs Matt Platz and Marcia Sakai. Only permanent positions have fringe benefits paid by state; this has resulted in position #s being reassigned or associated with varying purposes. UHH is about 55% tuition-funded, rendering enrollments and retention as critical areas. Graduation rates are also being scrutinized for possible better utilization of funding. Roberta’s report also provides a breakdown of budget.

Curriculum Review

Norbert Furumo reported CRC members agreed to stay on for 201415 year. They are working on scheduling meetings.

General Education

Michael Bitter reported there is still a vacant spot for student member; and Armando Ortega Garcia, faculty, joined committee. He noted committee’s first task is to initiate re-certification process for the GE courses from 2011-2016; these total approximately 196 courses. Deadline for new GE applications is February 2015 for new GE courses to be certified for Fall 2016. Seri and Michael will survey students for GCC courses. There has been a roll out of GE assessments in CAS; looking to conduct assessments in Natural Sciences (200 level course).

Program Review

Mitch Anderson reported they have identified programs coming up for review in 2015-16. Sub-committees have been put together for 2015-16 and 2016-17 and members have been invited to attend briefings to the programs scheduled for review next year. Committee will be meeting with departments coming up for review in 2015-16.

Approval of Committee Membership: Seri moved to approve committee membership on all the above committees; Jean seconded; passed unanimously.

Topic: Ad Hoc Committee Reports

Monthly Speaker Series: Emmeline de Pillis informed Congress of the UHH Community Lecture series: held the 3rd Wednesday of every month in UCB 100 at 6:30 pm. The first lecture was on Albizia Trees, presented by Flint Hughes and Springer Kay. Emmeline requested Faculty Congress reps ask their divisions for suggested speakers; these can also be people from the broader community—not limited to UHH faculty/staff. Speakers must be able to present information in eloquent manner to laypersons and a variety of disciplines represented. There is a need for Faculty Congress representatives to be on the selection committee for speakers. Please contact Emmeline (depilis@hawaii.edu) with possible speakers for lecture series.

Other Committee with Faculty Congress Representation

Student Success and Admissions

Faith Mishina’s committee surfaced issues on how to best help students such as ambiguous admission standards with TOEFL; plans of action such as school identity, inventory of courses, proactive follow up on applications, faculty involvement in personal recruitment, leaver surveys; partnership programs, community outreach, faculty mentors for under-represented groups. Stronger connections with Community Colleges, more scholarships, paid internships. Committee will next prioritize issues. Prior Learning Assessment Committee, Faith Mishina reported change in committee (Seri removed herself and is replaced by Jim Beets). Committee is tasked with an assessment to find alternative pathways to graduation, in particular for non-traditional students. Committee is guided by WASC Standard 2.2 and wishes UHH maintains autonomy with this policy; they acknowledge reasons behind UHH participation may include influence of political climate. Committee plans to meet with UH System PLA director. They are examining options toward working toward creating a policy or selecting credit by exam.

EMIT Committee

Faith and Mitch reported on the across-the-board decline in enrollment. Committee is looking to capture comparable data at specific points in time. Also noted that 442 students went through pre-built schedules (English 100; English102 for Spring). UNIV 101 possibility proposed again; EMIT Exec Committee to review. There is a pilot program, MathWorks, being used with first time freshmen. Placement issues are being revisited if English/Math were offered in parallel.

Sustainability Committee

Ryan Perroy is the new Chair. Committee is working on situation for the hook up of solar panels. Chancellor requested speaker series for sustainability—first speaker scheduled for October 7 – Jay Ignacio, HELCO.

Parking Committee

Alice Davis volunteered to serve on committee. Survey in progress. Rose Tseng Lecture Series, Jan Ray reported committee has not met yet.

Topic: Liaison Reports

Curriculum

Jean informed us that for 2013-14, there were 64 course modifications, 68 new course, 7 new programs, and 11 program modifications. She discussed the rationale for May 1st priority deadline-- difficulty in getting everything through the review process in a timely manner for fall implementation. She has worked to get the backlog of 2012 submissions back on track in order to ease the 2014 fall reviews. No proposals were fast-tracked during the last academic year (see item under New Business). Jean is taking Jon Awaya’s role while he is on sabbatical. The new Kuali System will impact review process as Curriculum Central is to transition to Kuali in October 2015. All reviews have to be completed by October 1st and system completed emptied out prior to conversion. She discussed the proposal for a Curriculum Office.

Professional Development

Jan provided report on her work as Professional Development Liaison for the 2013-14 academic year and her work for the month of September 2014.

Distance Learning

Jan’s goal is to get all online courses certified.

Topic: FS Chair Updates

CAS - Jean Ippolito. CAS Faculty Senate meets one week prior to Congress. There will be two (2) all-faculty Senate meetings this year; the first one to be held on October 17. Dean Hirokawa will present goals for CAS. Also reported that CAS faculty voted to revise Tenure and Promotion guidelines; guidelines are currently at VCAA office and not vetted by UHPA.
CAFNRM - Mike Shintaku reported they voted on External Reviewer for Program Review. Results of Dean’s Evaluation in progress, results being compiled.
CoBE - Roberta Barra reported accreditation work continues. Pharmacy, Andre Bachmann - Interim Dean not selected yet Library, Kathleen Stacey – on track KHUOK, Iota Cabral

Topic: Old Business

Post Tenure Review (motion from 2013-2014) Congress passed a motion in 2013-2014 to implement post-tenure review process. VCAA and Chancellor did not action on motion yet because they wanted to give Congress the chance to recommend a way to implement the process. Options are to:
1) Follow Manoa’s procedures and timetable (August 19, 2014 memo to Manoa Deans & Directors).
2) 2) Set up own timetable with UHPA;
3) 3) Remain status quo.
Mitch moved to have APC review options for UH Hilo; Jan seconded; passed unanimously.

Topic: New Business

Curriculum central motion to “Fast Track Selected Minor Curriculum Changes” (1st Reading) Jean read motion; discussion included need for amendment to list what constitutes “minor curriculum changes”. Any flowchart changes need to go through Academic Policy Committee. Jean will work with CCRC to revise motion with list of exceptions that constitute minor curriculum changes.

Topic: Vox populi

Report: None.

Action: None.

Topic: Adjournment

Report: None.

Action: Mitch moved to adjourn meeting; Seri seconded; passed unanimously. Meeting adjourned at 4:56 p.m.