Meeting, December 8, 2011
Gallagher Business Building, Room 123
Members
Present:
L. Ametsbichler, L. Barnes, D. Beck, D. Bedunah, M. Bowman, S.
Bradford, W. Chung, J. Crepeau, W. Davies, J. DeBoer, P. Dietrich, J.
Edwards, J. Eglin, D. Erickson, R. Fanning, C. Galipeau, A. Glaspey,
L. Gray, K. Harris, E. Hines, J. Hirstein, D. Hollist, D. Jackson, B.
Layton, C. Leonard, N. Levtow, S. Lodmell, D. MacDonald, M.
McHugh, S. Mills, H. Naughton, N. Moisey, J. Montauban, P. Muench,
J. Munro, C. Palmer, E. Plant R. Premuroso, E. Putnam, M.
Raymond, B. Reider, J. Renz, E. Rosenburg, M. Rosulek, W. Shields,
D. Shively, M. Shogren, G. Smith, A. Sondag, M. Stark, S. Stan, D.
Stolle, G. Swaney, L. Tangedahl, E. Uchimoto, N. Vonessen, A. Ware,
Members
Excused
B. Allen, J. Carter, A. Delaney, L. Gillison, C. Hahn, M. Schneider, P.
Sharma, P. Silverman, A. Szalda-Petree
Members
Absent
K. Griggs, R. Judd, H. Wandler, A. Wilcox
Ex-Officio
Present:
Registrar Johnson, Associate Provost Walker-Andrews, ASUM Vice
President Edmunds, VP Duringer, L. Stocking
Guests:
R. Fanning, T. Miller Shearer, M. Murphy, L. Roosa Miller, G. Weix
Chair Beck called the meeting to order at 3:10 p.m.
The minutes from 11/10/11 were approved.
Communications:
President Royce Engtrom
The work of faculty is very much appreciated. Senators were thanked for their efforts at
this busy time of year.
The President provided a brief overview of the recent decisions regarding the proposed
biomass plant and the location of the College of Technology building.
After President Denison signed the commitment to climate change with the goal of
carbon neutrality the administration started to investigate an alternative method of
heating the University that would use less fossil fuel. Carbon from biomass recirculates
throughout the biosphere where carbon from fossil fuel does not. When first considered
the projected cost differential between natural gas and biomass was fairly large. The
projected savings was going to be used to finance the building and instillation of the
biomass plant. Last year the price of natural gas dropped precipitately and the University
was unable to find a low cost reliable source of biomass fuel. Thus, financing the project
is untenable in the foreseeable future. Although the air quality parameters are projected
to be within legal limits, air quality became an issue. Particulate matter would increase
over natural gas. This caused considerable angst with many Missoula citizens. The
dialog became emotional and was no longer based on objective reasoning. There would
have to be some significant changes in the biomass technology and availability of fuel to
make a biomass plant feasible in the future. The University is still committed to moving
toward carbon neutrality and the discussion regarding how this can be done needs to be
intensified. Administration and Finance may be contacted for more detailed information.
The South Campus Master Plan was developed with input from campus and the
community and approved by the Board of Regents in 2007.
(http://www.umt.edu/adminfin/campusmasterplans/SouthCampus.pdf)
The plan provides a guide for future development. Because the University has a new
President and the need for a new College of Technology Building has become more
public, individuals not pleased with developing the Golf Course pressed for a different
plan. President Engstrom studied the issue to determine whether there was an
alternative. The plan encompasses the next century of growth for the University. The
decision was about prioritizing the physical development of the campus (next generation
of students) over the recreational usage of the golf course (next generation of golfers).
The South Campus College of Technology building will not close the golf course. It will,
however, be necessary to reroute some of the holes to maintain a viable nine hole golf
course with some par 4s. The golfing community will be invited to provide input
regarding the rerouting.
Perry Brown, Provost
The marketing firm, Mind over Matter (MOM) has been hired to coordinate the branding
and marketing project. It will solicit input through online questionnaires, focus groups,
open houses, and other means. It is important that faculty are engaged in the
discussion, so please respond to communications from MOM.
There is also a branding exercise taking place for two-year education by the Montana
University System. There is a planning meeting in Bozeman next week. Nation-wide
approximately 53% of all students in higher education are in two-year programs. In the
state of Montana it is only 27%. Therefore, the perception is that Montana’s two-year
programs are underutilized. The State is looking at ways to get more students involved
in higher education. It received a Lumina grant to develop innovative, cost-saving
strategies for delivering high-quality education to greater number of students.
One issue that will need to be addressed is the alignment of the name (College of
Technology) with the two-year mission. It must be clear that the two-year colleges are a
pathway to the four-year institutions. Future jobs will require some-level of higher
education.
Senator Uchimoto: What is the earning potential of AA degrees compared to high
school and college graduates?
President Engstrom: Nationally a bachelor degree earns a million dollars more over a
life time than a high school diploma. An associate degree earns $3-400,000 more.
These numbers are not quite as high in Montana. The link to the complete study will be
sent to senators (http://www9.georgetown.edu/grad/gppi/hpi/cew/pdfs/collegepayoff-complete.pdf).
Senator Uchimoto: Would it be possible for students to earn an AA degree in the
process of a bachelor degree, similar to a master degree while earning a PhD?
Provost Brown: The administration is discussing the possibility. Students and employers
are quite interested in credentials. Such a system would provide re-entry students with a
platform of completion as a starting point.
Associate Provost Walker- Andrews – Global Leadership Initiative
Members from the Global Leadership Initiative Committee (Daisy Rooks- Sociology, Ray
Fanning – Journalism, Charles Janson- DBS, Michael Murphy- Media Arts, Charles
Palmer- HHP, Liz Roosa Millar- University Center, and Tobin Miller Shearer- History)
were in attendance to answer questions.
The Global Leadership Initiative is in part a response to the strategic plan, but also
aligns with the accreditation core themes (partnering for student success, education for a
global century, and a dynamic learning involvement). It is aimed at getting students
excited about their education and preparing them for a changing world. Examples of
global concerns include economic viability, population and environmental change,
effects of technological advances, ethical dilemmas, generation and distribution of
wealth and resources. We hope our students will contribute towards innovation, new
technologies, and civic and cultural engagement.
The first year students will be enrolled in small seminars (maximum of 20 students). Ten
seminars that fulfill a general education group will be offered this spring, but will normally
begin in the fall.
JOUR 191H The Net Effect
GEO 191N, The Power of Numbers
BIOB 191N Human Genetics, Your Family, and Global Health Care
BADM 191 Doing the Right Thing: A Global Strategy for Good Business
PSCI 191 X Issues in Global Public Health
MCLG 191L Human Rights Issues in Contemporary Latin America
JOUR 110Y News Literacy: Truth v. Truthiness
MUSI 191L Music, Meaning and Manipulation
SOCI 191S Food and Society in a Globalized World
BIOB 191N Global Climate Change: Science, Society, and Ethics
The students will also be required to attend two presidential lectures in both the fall and
spring semester. Faculty have volunteered to offer discussion groups following the
lectures. In the sophomore year students will have a model leadership experience. The
experience could be a weekend retreat with a role model like Hilary Clinton or a day with
successful mentors such as the Achievement of the Mind event. Every eligible student
in the program will receive a passport at the end of their sophomore year. General
Education courses may be linked to the big question they are studying. In the Junior
year students will participate in a hands on experience (service learning, study abroad,
internship, or research). The President has been fund raising to provide resources for
these experiences. Students will need to apply for financial assistance if needed. The
senior year, students will attend a capstone fair to discuss their ideas; then the students
must participate in a collaborative project that looks at a solution to a big question. At the
end of the program students will receive a certificate of completion. This is not an official
certificate that requires Board of Regents approval, but rather an acknowledgement of
participation in the pilot program.
The intention was for the cohort to be representative of the student population of the
University of Montana. Two hundred randomly selected students were invited to
participate. Not all agreed to participate. So the number will likely be between 150 and
200 after spring registration. The 2011 Cohort is made up of 36 majors with 23%
undecided. There are 62% female students and 38% male students. More out-of state
students agreed to participate so the percentage of in-state and out-of-state students is
50%. The three-year pilot will bring in a cohort of approximately 200 students each year.
The University is committee to move the cohorts through the program.
Faculty should start thinking about offering freshman seminars, advising and mentoring
particularly when students are pursuing their research interests in the third year. It would
be nice if faculty would encourage students to participate, so it is important that they
understand the requirements of the program. Students should be directed to Jean
Loftus if they need help.
The broader vision of the Global Leadership Initiative is to be transformative and to apply
to all undergraduate students in the future. It is designed for students to choose their
course work based on interest in a big or enduring question and to work collaboratively.
The general education requirements have not changed. However, faculty are
encouraged to link courses for students to have interdisciplinary experiences.
Seminars will be on the normal review cycle next academic year and will be subject to
the full faculty governance review process. Departments may also review the seminars
to determine whether the courses may be appropriate for major credit. The focus on
global leadership emphasizes the need for language, but no changes have been made
to the requirements.
Senator Eglin: What happens to the students whose interests don’t have immediately
evident practical applications, such as students who want to study medieval history, or
classical philology?
Some students may be interested in a humanities course about what it means to be
human. No discipline area will be left out intentionally.
It is up to faculty to propose seminars related to big and enduring questions. At this point
the seminar proposals are limited to tenure and tenure track faculty. Faculty are
welcome to team up with visiting faculty or have guest lectures.
The following criteria are used to select the seminars:
 Understanding of critical global issue
 Multidisciplinary approaches
 Integration of knowledge
 Citizenship in the global society
 Activities that engage students, such as research and service-learning
 Course goals
 Learning outcomes
 Diverse perspectives
Senator Uchimoto: Full implementation of the initiative may require the revision of the
current general education structure. This may not be a bad idea. He currently serves
on the General Education Committee. Some of the criteria can be difficult to apply. It
seems the structure could be streamlined. He encourages the Faculty Senate to revisit
the general education structure.
Senator Shively: How will the Global Leadership Initiative articulate with the proposed
International Global Studies Major?
This major should provide students with a place where they can explore their interests. It
should provide the type of course work and opportunities necessary to be meet the goals
of the pilot program.
Will there be opportunities for transfer students or students not invited as freshmen (that
may become interested as sophomores) to participate in the program?
The committee will need to develop some flexibility for this sort of student interest. This
may create difficulties in terms of the pilot projects representative goal. It is desirable to
have student participants excited about the program, but we need to be careful not to
only have participation from honors students or out-of-state students.
Senator Sondag: This will become a resource issue as more faculty offer seminars and
adjuncts are hired to teach the course they currently teach. How long can we continue
to grow the program?
It is important to discuss these issues during the pilot phase. The institution will need to
think about what majors require of students, and whether flexibility is possible.
Professor Weix: Will the GLI Steering Committee that is currently reviewing the
proposals eventually be folded into faculty governance?
Departments still decide what they are going to teach. Any GLI course that is proposed
to become permanent will require review by ASCRC and the General Education status
will be reviewed by the General Education Committee as well.
If you have further questions please contact the committee or Associate Provost WalkerAndrews.
ASUM Vice President Edmunds
Chair Beck was thanked for attending the ASUM senate meeting. ASUM is excited to
partner with Faculty Senate to achieve mutually beneficial goals, such as the
continuation of crosslisting. ASUM approved a resolution endorsing the continuation of
crosslisting. ASUM will be joining the leaders of the Faculty and Staff Senate at the
University Council meeting December 13th to discuss shared governance.
ASUM had a moderated strategic planning retreat in November where a condensed
mission statement, core values and areas to strengthen were discussed. The new
mission statement is: The Associated Students of The University of Montana serves
students by advocating, empowering and providing responsible representation.
ASUM granted budget authority of $60,000 to renovate the ASUM offices to be more
identifiable and welcoming.
ASUM would love to hear your ideas about how to better serve students or partner with
faculty.
Chair’s Report:
Campus Governance meetings
The Faculty Senate leadership has been meeting monthly with the leadership from
ASUM and Staff Senate to discuss current issues and ways of working together. One
outcome of this is a committee to improve communication about committees and student
involvement. In addition, ASUM passed a resolution in support of crosslisting.
UFA Bargaining Update
In November the Union requested and the administration agreed to a non-binding
mediation to deal with 1) inversions and compressions and 2) shared governance. The
Commissioner’s Office responded that the earliest they could meet was late January.
Please contact the Union if you have questions or have not received the update.
Communicative Sciences and Disorders – Senator Sondag
In 2008 the program was resurrected after a 20 year absence. It consists of three
components – Bachelor of Arts degree, Master in Science degree, and a leveling
program that identifies courses required for students to be accepted into the master’s
program that currently have a BA. The program has gained the maximum five-year
candidacy accreditation status from the Council on Academic Accreditation in Audiology
and Speech Language Pathology. It has enrolled a greater number of undergraduate
and graduate students than anticipated. And met projected graduation rates. Last May
the first cohort of graduate students (21) graduated. All students passed the Praxis
Series Exam. All 21 students are employed, 17 of them in Montana.
Committee Reports
ASCRC Chair Tangedahl
Curriculum consent agenda
ASCRC Chair Tangedahl briefly summarized the curriculum review process. There were
approximately 300 curriculum forms considered by 9 subcommittees. The subcommittee
chairs follow-up with revisions and bring the items to ASCRC for consideration. In most
cases ASCRC takes the recommendations of the subcommittee.
One level one proposal – Minor in Forensic Studies approved last month has been
withdrawn. ASCRC discovered that some of the departments with elective courses in
the proposal had not been notified. The proposal will be resubmitted next year after
proper consultation and approval. There is an additional level I proposal – Police
Science AA that has a separate consent agenda. There are two level II proposals, 23
program modifications, 9 general education courses, 7 writing courses, and 34 service
learning courses (11 new designations). All service learning courses were reviewed this
year to assure compliance with the criteria.
The Mansfield Center defense critical language courses generated lots of discussion.
The courses are offered to military personnel. ASCRC also discussed compressed
courses. ASCRC continues to be troubled with a trend in courses offered on shorter
time periods. This was reflected further in the upcoming condensed winter session
schedule. It is shorter than the usual time period because of two holidays.
A couple of corrections were noted on the consent agenda – CSD was under the wrong
college and GPHY 421 UG was previously approved in November. The consent agenda
was approved.
The AA (60 credits) in Police Science includes courses (18 credits) that are taught by the
Police Academy in Helena. It has been considered in great detail by the subcommittee
and ASCRC.
Senator Muench: The proposed course of study requires 63 credits.
Lynn Stocking, Associate Dean, College of Technology: The minimum for an AA degree
is 60 credits. The College of Technology worked with Sociology to fine tune the required
courses and will need to update the form.
Chair-Elect Renz: Email communications were sent prior to the meeting. Professor
Renz is in favor of a Police Science AA degree and is support of the concept of
collaborating with MLEA, but recommends that some improvements be made to the
proposal before it is approved. His concerns include:
•
•
•
•
•
18/63 credits from non-accredited institution.
18/63 credits from non-UM faculty. (What happens if the COT is not satisfied with
the performance of an MLEA instructor? There needs to be authority over the
faculty and affiliated status. )
18/63 credits from non-UM curriculum. (No authority to assure the quality of the
curriculum.)
18/63 credits at non-UM campus.
If MLEA admits students, then they will be admitted to UM-COT. If UM-COT
admits students to the program, they may or may not be admitted to MLEA.
There needs to be an understanding of how many seats will be available to
students admitted to the AA program as well as who will make the admissions
decisions. The issues that need to be addressed are:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Autonomy with respect to faculty.
Autonomy with respect to curriculum.
Autonomy with respect to assessment standards.
Autonomy with respect to admission of students.
Admission preference given to law enforcement officers.
Accept credits from a non-accredited institution
These could be addressed through a memorandum of understanding that would
layout the various authorities with MLEA with respect to admissions of students
and faculty / curriculum oversight.
A motion was made to table the consent item. It was seconded.
Senator Vonesson: There are other programs were part of the instruction takes place
away from campus, Teacher Education, for example. He has the impression that the
Police Science AA is a good program and will be beneficial to the state of Montana.
Senator Erickson: The College of Education hires a university supervise to supervise
every student teacher.
Senator Putnam: Why was Missoula’s College of Technology approached rather than
the Helen College of Technology?
Lynn Stocking: Based on previous failed attempts to collaborate with other Montana
Colleges, MLEA and other Faculty from UM worked together on the proposal to be
located at COT.
Associate Provost Walker-Andrews: The Northwest Commission for Accreditation
requires approval by the Board of Regents prior to reviewing the prospectus. They
require documentation of authorization. Both the Board of Regents and the Commission
allow collaboration with non-collegiate institutions provided we limit the courses and etc.
Senator Bradford: The Collaboration with COT is partly due to UM’s four-year
criminology program and some interest in a 2+2 program.
Would it make sense in this situation to use the T designation similar to other programs
were skills courses are not accepted for transfer?
Lynn Stocking: This consideration would have been considered by ASCRC. There was
serious review with regard to course content as well as request for change by the
subcommittee. The MLEA faculty credentials were also considered. There was great
attention to all aspects of the program by ASCRC.
Senator Shively: Is there an accrediting agency for MLEA.
Senator Munro: The accrediting agency is POST- Public Safety Officer Standards &
Training
Chair-elect Renz: This is a Montana agency, so it is different than a national or regional
accrediting agency.
Senator Lodmel: Two years ago there were similar concerns regarding online courses
taught through America’s Professor that were being proposed for UM credit. There was
angst about non-UM faculty teaching the courses. The issue was resolved by an
assurance from the Dean of the School of Business Administration that he would be
responsible for oversight of the program.
Chair-elect Renz: The preferable remedy is a defined authority over the curriculum and
the faculty.
Senator Moisey: Is there a timing issue if tabled?
Lynn Stocking: It would have to wait to go to Board of Regents. However, this type of
proposal can be reviewed and approved at the same meeting. There is a desire for the
program to be available in the fall to current MLEA students.
The motion to table was approved with a 27 to 13 vote.
Catalog Language defining Satisfactory Completion of a Prerequisite
The catalog change was suggested by the Prerequisit Working Group. This is a clear
statement so it is not required in each course description. A department can require a
higher grade for completion in the major. The language was approved.
Spring deadlines
The pilot program is going to be expanded. ASCRC will consider a one-time spring
review for prerequisite revisions in preparation for automatic enforcement of
prerequisites. The deadline for submission is January 27th.
The rolling cycle of review of general education courses begins in the spring.
Expressive Arts, Social Sciences, and Ethics and Human Values are scheduled for
review. The deadline for submission is February 24th. General Education forms can
also be submitted next fall. Courses that do not meet the criteria/ learning goals or were
not submitted for review will be deleted from the 2013-2014 catalog.
Graduate Council Chair Palmer
The curriculum consent agenda was approved.
New Business
The revision to the General Education Framework provisions was postponed.
Good and Welfare
Camie was thanked for her work for the year.
The Native American Center received Platinum LEED status. Everyone is welcome to a
celebration tomorrow from 3:30-5:00.
Please encourage your colleagues to complete the evaluation of the administration
The meeting was adjourned at 5:10 pm.