FC Minutes March 18, 2016

Introduction

Meeting Date: March 18, 2016.

Meeting Location: New Student Service Multi-purpose Room

In Attendance: Jon Goebel, Faith Mishina, Janet Ray, Mary Louise Haraguchi, Susan Shirachi, Chris Frueh, Linda Connelly, Mitchell Anderson, Karen Pellegrin, Patricia Jusczak, Alice Davis, Jim Beets, Brian Bays, Tam Vu, Maria Haws, Yumiko Ohara, Doug Mikkelson, Norbert Furumo, Kevin Hopkins, Bobbi Barra and Jean Ippolito (non-voting).

Others Present (non-voting): Kurt Dela Cruz, Chris Lauer, Susan Brown and Chancellor Straney.

Absent: Kekoa Harman, Vladi Skorikov, Mindy Alles, Shawon Rahman, Seri Luangphinith, Lazareth Sye, Judith Steinman and Armando Garcia.

Recorded By: Janet Ray

Call to Order: N/A

Adjournment: 4:51pm

Approval of minutes from the last meeting (February 19, 2016)

Motion: Tam, Mitch second

Discussion: N/A

Vote: unanimous (20)

Topic: FC Chair Report

Report:

  • Chancellor’s Report to the Faculty Congress concerning the renewal of Strategic Plan
    • Chancellor’s presentation: need to make an assessment of our current plan and how we have fulfilled our plan. Major goals: Graduation, Infrastructure, Indigenous Foundation, Innovation
      • Accomplishments: 400 doctorate degrees, developed new programs, graduated 132 MS students in 11 years from Tropical Conservation Bio Program, Food vendor trucks, Imiloa 10 years old, LEED certification for new Student Services bldg., Opened Hale Alahonua. Will make a better list as well as a list of things we did not finish. We will reflect on these lists to inform how we make the next strategic plan. Focus more on specific outcomes. Identify things we are not going to do. Will assemble a group for the strategic plan. Made assumptions about the future, then the recession, looking back we were very optimistic. Economy improved, but enrollment did not. Since 2012, three years of dropping enrollment. This pattern is going on across the country. This will shape our next 5-year plan. Should be enrollment and retention focused. Fall enrollment down 2% since last year. 3800 students now. First time transfers and transfers are similar at 15-18%.
        • Native Hawaiian enrollment has gone up because of more programs. International down a little bit. Have a discussion about what international audiences we have as potential students. Diversity is still very important here at UH Hilo. Awarded 42m in financial aid. Tuition budget is 36m. 7k applications, many cannot afford the tuition and don’t come to the school. Need more financial aid resources. Need more scholarship endowments – existing ones have come from community.
        • Need to increase enrollment from our 2010 (4,000) by 2020. 228 students net addition. 100 students equals a million dollars in tuition revenue. Admissions will be working on increasing enrollment and we need more retention efforts. We currently lose 1/3 freshmen by sophomore year. Freshmen village would be beneficial on freshmen retention. We lose another freshman before graduate. Involve students more directly in their major. ALEX is instrumental with this.
    • Discussion: The ones we lose are not Pell Grant students. Groups we lose most are freshman mainland students and lower level transfers.
  • Update from the Chair of the Task Force for the Investigation of Re-Organization – Chris Frueh

    • Close to a final report. Met 6 times. Conferred with CAS CAFNRM, CoBE. Made several models thus far. Created tables with data with budgetary info, SSH, FTE.
    • Will help facilitate decision making. Are assuming that there will be no jobs lost, no decrease in salary, tenure, etc. Will be transparent and consult with all appropriate unions and will be cost neutral or cost beneficial to the university.
    • Looking at several approaches such as thematic units.
    • Some units will not be included in the reorganization: College of Pharm.
    • Next steps are to share findings – early April
    • Discussion:
      • Timeline: not set for implementation at the current time, but not prior to January 2017.
      • Who will conduct the town hall meetings? Task force? Maybe initially.
      • Need a written directive for TF – consult with VCAA.
      • What will the final report contain? Full analysis of all aspects?
      • The report will be used to initiate feedback when it is finished.
    • Motion: For Faculty Congress to hold two town hall meetings to discuss the Reorganization Task Force’s final report during the academic year and record input. Seconded by Bobbi.

    • Discussion: Perhaps use survey monkey to get information from faculty. Someone with experience can help with this. Chris can help. Maybe Todd Belt.

    • Vote: (20) in favor, unanimous.

    • Point of discussion: process has still not been ironed out.

    • Motion: To request administration officially not to have formal consultations regarding the reorg of UHH units (with unions or BOR) over the summer. Maria, Seconded by Kevin.

    • Discussion: Admin will be working 12 months, why restrict them from progress over the summer. Perhaps no major decisions should be made over the summer. Reminder Pacific Island and the BOR 1.5% resident tuition - happened over the summer. Chancellor Straney stated during the meeting that “Nothing will be taken to the board over the summer” and “He will not send anything to BOR over the summer.”

    • Vote: (14) in favor, (4) opposed, no abstentions.

Topic: Standing Committee Reports

  • Assessment Support, Mary Louise
    • Assessing info literacy. Done with English. Looking at Japanese Studies.
  • Academic Policy, Ad Hoc Faculty Development Committee Jim Beets
    - Reviewing senate bylaws – defer until reorg decisions are made.
    - Ad Hoc Faculty Development Committee: 3 meetings this semester. Request for revision of the report. Will meet in early April. For research council – will be hosting 2-3 town hall meetings regarding research funds use such as travel awards, seed fund grants – 50% cut next year. - First week or two of April for town hall meetings. - Recording policy: APC worked on the verbiage for this policy. Read aloud. Posted to the FC website under motions. Will work with Shelby to post this online.
  • Student Success Committee and Academic Advising Task Force, Faith Mishina
    • Working on PLA document, portfolio reviewing. Will talk with VC about this before final report next meeting.
  • Long Range Budget and Academic Affairs Advisory Board, Roberta Barra
    • Met with reorg TF: Matt proposed each new dean will be paid on average 150k. 4 staff members total for each college. Report is appended to the minutes. Will meet with Marcia soon.
  • Curriculum Review, Norbert Furumo – no report

  • General Education, Yumiko Ohara

    • Due date for certifications is 3-19. Identify problematic applications. Designate person to work with these areas to address problems.
  • Program Review, Mitchell Anderson
    • Report posted
    • Completions, chemistry, political science.
    • CAFNRM has suspended MOU process until after reorganization process.
    • Art is waiting for VCAA’s letter to go out.
    • Kinesiology will wait 2-3 years. Plate too full.

Topic: Other Committee with Faculty Congress Representation

  • UNIV 101 Analysis Committee, Norbert Furumo – no report.

Topic: Liaison Reports

  • Curriculum Coordinator, Shelby Wong
    • Kuali Curriculum Management tentatively on track for implementation July 2016, will have confirmation from the UH system in April.
    • 4 Year Major Maps- Emails went out to Dept. Chairs for any edits to the maps in March, if you have any changes needed and have not responded please let me know. Editing maps early this year due to STAR GPS Registration.
    • STAR GPS Registration- Working group is convened, meeting weekly, May 2nd- pilot begins for all first time freshmen at UH Hilo. The group is working on training materials and communication to both faculty and students.
  • Professional Development and Distance Learning (DL), Jan Ray
    • March techno Tuesday GPS graduation pathway system, Chelsea presented to faculty and staff.
    • April Amy Saxton library about copyright.
    • T&P workshop in April as well.
    • DL: continue to attend the planning group and council.
  • WASC, Mary Louise report appended to minutes

    • Strategic planning, time for reflection.
    • DL: development online degrees requires clear strategy and mechanisms for oversight of DL.
    • ALEX: Internship definitions, define applied learning, policy for internships.
    • Assessment plan needs to be implemented ASAP.
  • Grad Council, Tam Vu

    • Not going to offer 699 over summer. 694 needs department and dean approval before offering.

Topic: Faculty Senate Chair Updates

  • CAS, Jean Ippolito
    • APC writing motion that dean makes sure all deps have bylaws on file.
    • CAS senate bylaws address working that all faculty are senators.
  • CAFNRM, Maria Haws
    • Petitions about change of locus of tenure were discussed. Confirmed opposition about organization.
  • CoBE, Tam Vu
    • Furniture moving – when can this be moved? Anytime now is fine.
  • KHUOK, Yumiko
    • Sending 21 students and 2 teachers to Japan on scholar program. Leaving tomorrow. 9 days total. Meeting with indigenous people and government people.
  • Pharmacy, Karen Pellegrin
    • No report
  • Library, Mary Haraguchi – Library will be open during spring break

Topic: Old Business

  • Suggested wording for Recording Policy on Course Syllabi.
  • Motion for a Task Force to address Distance Learning Criteria (motion to be submitted)
    • Motion draft at EX Comm meeting last week. Mitch and others fine-tuned it. Motion read aloud. Motion is appended to minutes. Mitch initiated motion, seconded by Chris.
    • Friendly Amendment: cross out the I, replace with: whereas and therefore UHH FC requests.
    • Discussion: Cindy Yamaguchi already has put together guidelines. Summer session is more problematic. This is for quality control, not for creating new DL courses. Political cover for departments. The motion is to initiate Matt’s creation of this policy.
    • Motion: Bobbi, Doug seconded – Jan will send the existing guidelines.
    • Vote: (19) in favor, (1) objection.

Topic: New Business

  • Expiration of Faculty Congress Rep positions (the following FC members’ terms will expire and be vacated next year): Jean Ippolito, Faith Mishina, Bobbi Barra (to be replaced by Tom DeWitt), Jan Ray, Mitch Anderson, and Jim Beets. Vladimir Skorikov’s term ends, but he will seek re-election. The following FC members will return next year and be possible candidates for Standing Chair and Officer positions on Faculty Congress: Chris Frueh, Doug Mikkelson, Norbert Furumo, Alice Davis, Karen Pellegrin, Kekoa Harman, Tam Vu, Maria Haws. We should have nominations in place for April’s meeting.
  • Also need to consider officer positions, chair, VC, secretary, etc.
  • Chris on sabbatical this fall – position will be open.

Topic: Vox Populi

Report: None.

Action: None.

Topic: Adjournment

Report: None.

Action: Motion to adjourn: Bobbi, 2nd Alice 5:04pm.