Faculty Congress Minutes February 16, 2018
Introduction
Meeting Date: February 16, 2018.
Meeting Location: CoBE Conference Room 101.
In Attendance: Celia Bardwell-Jones, Brian Wissman, Steven Colbert, Steven Herman, Jan Ray, Thomas DeWitt, Leng Chee Chang, Shugeng Cao, Louis Lteif, Allen Shih, Lari-Anne Au, Philippe Binder, Emily Low, Armando Garcia-Ortega, Kimberly Furumo, Daniela Guendisch, Supakit Wongwiwatthananukit, Linda Connelly.
Recorded By: Linda Connelly
Call to Order: 3:00 PM
Adjournment: 4:30 PM
Topic: FC Chair Report
Report: Jan Ray reported on:
- All-campus council faculty senate – Philippe attended on Jan’s behalf and provided a report.
- System wide course evaluation to be implemented Fall 2018, all online, UH Hilo will evaluate as before (only populate level 4), option for future additions at other levels for other data collection.
- Quality of faculty life survey will be done system wide.
Action: Reps should inform faculty in their units that new system is live from Fall and that evals are moving entirely online
Topic: Standing Committee Reports
Report: APC Committee
- system wide committee is reviewing policy about repeating courses (to increase grade NOT for credit).
- Misaki Takabayashi is on this committee and would like feedback on this.
Action: Steve will email faculty listserv and ask for feedback.
Faculty Development Committee
- Misaki Takabayashi looking to collaborate with committee to better support students.
DKICP Senate
- elected co-chairs, one from each department - Daniela Guendisch, Supakit Wongwiwatthananukit
- working on charter draft to send out by early March to get feedback from faculty
Search committee for Strategic planning position
- Randy Hirokawa will chair search committee
- ad has been posted, this position is a casual hire
Ad hoc Committee for the Development of Consistent, Trackable, Formal notification procedure for faculty
- working to identify chair
(all other reports were either in the consent agenda or had no update).
Actions: None.
Topic: Motion Tracking Table
Report: Motion 17-18-004 – at system.
Motion 17-18-007 – On hold.
Motion 17-18-010 – Added to Legislature request for DL but don’t know if will be accepted.
Motion 17-18-013 – Need chair.
Action: Need chair for Ad hoc tracking committee, Jan is working on this.
Topic: New Business
Student athlete travel – communication and attendance issues
Report:
- student should give letter informing of possibility of travel at start of semester.
- student should inform faculty when they get selected to travel and should arrange make up before travel. – this is not always happening.
Action: MOTION 17-18-014: Form an ad hoc committee to examine the issues related to student athlete communication, notification and attendance (including surveying faculty for input). Vote – 17 in favor, no opposed, no abstentions.
Textbooks and Open Educational Resources
Report:
- Hawaii State Legislature – developed OER task force. – link in agenda.
- Student Success Committee working on lowering textbook costs.
- System has OER committee and other campuses are working on this.
Action: None.
Topic: Vox populi
Report:
Exams online – concern from Nursing that students are getting answers to exams through Quizlet, students are posting tests through screenshots.
Suggestions – proctored DL exams at Testing Center but limited space for this so could not accommodate all students, have hybrid class where just come in to take the test, have students on other islands go to their local UH Testing Center, use more open-book assessments, try re-write 50% of questions, timing to limit ability to look up info.
Course evaluations – Should students be able to see faculty evaluation results? This is sometimes open at other institutions. New eval process could be a way to make changes (once transition period is passed), online system will allow release of some info. This is regulated by the UHPA. Pros and cons with closed and open systems were discussed.
Action: None.
Topic: Adjournment
Report: None.
Action: Motion to adjourn; motion seconded; all in favor; adjourned.