Faculty Senate Annual Report 2015-2016
Executive Committee of the Faculty Senate
Stephen Lodmell, DBS, Chair(2015)
Bill Borrie, Forestry, Chair-elect (2015)
Mike Mayer, History (2016)
Jim Sears, Geosciences (2016)
Liz Ametsbichler, MCLL (2015)
Stacey Gordon, Law (2015)
Bradley Layton, MC Energy Technology- Missoula College (2015)
Mary-Ann Bowman, Social Work (2016)
Program of the Senate, 9/11/14
Foster open communication, coordination and cooperation with UM administration
 Participate in the Academic Alignment and Innovation Program
ECOS nominated faculty to serve on the Taskforce and the Senate received regular updates from
Professor Andrew Ware regarding progress on the Academic Alignment and Innovation Program.
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Participate in accreditation process
Chair-elect Borrie serves of the University Assessment and Accreditation Committee that had
monthly meetings during the academic year.
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Participate in planning processes
Chair Lodmell serves on the Planning Committee and attended regular meetings.
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Participate in the administrative and financial management reviews as outlined in the President’s
State of the University Address
The President asked ECOS to nominate faculty members to serve on the Taskforce.
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Continue discussions on the design of the undergraduate experience in conjunction with Academic
and Student Affairs
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Conduct and enhance participation in evaluation of the administration
Sent additional messages to Deans to encourage faculty participation. The President’s Box for a
Lady Griz Game was provided as an incentive for the department(s) with the highest participation
rate. The response rate increased to 29% compared to 22% in AY2013-2014.
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Consider means to increase meaningful discussion during Faculty Senate meetings
A special meeting was held on September 25th to discuss the possibility of an affordable book plan
with the company Rafter. Starting in March the Senate agenda was rearranged so that committee
reports were given prior to communication, to assure consideration of business items was not
rushed.
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Collaborate with the IT Senate to enhance campus communication regarding information
technology issues
ECOS met with CIO Matt Riley twice. The IT Senate will present its annual report next September.
Continue collaboration with other campus and MUS governance groups
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Work with the UFA to articulate importance of faculty salary and retirement policies to excellence in
education and research
UFA President Shively met with ECOS at its summer retreat and reported regularly to the Faculty
Senate.
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Work with Staff Senate, ASUM, and GSA to identify and work on issues of common concern
The campus governance group with representatives from ASUM, GSPA, Staff Senate and the Faculty
Senate continued to meet monthly to discuss issues.
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Work with the Montana University System Faculty Association Representatives (MUSFAR) on issues
and initiatives of common concern
Chair Lodmell also served as chair of MUSFAR for the 2014-2015 AY. MUSFAR meetings were
convened concomitant with each Board of Regents meeting. Principal issues discussed concerned
Prior Learning Assessment and new proposed (by OCHE) policy for system-wide review of major new
curriculum proposals. The UM Faculty Senate hosted a dinner meeting with MUSFAR and ECOS
members on November 19th, 2014, at the time of the Missoula meeting of the BoR.
Apprise Faculty of Board of Regents initiatives and represent the Faculty to the Board of
Regents and Office of the Commissioner of Higher Education
• Monitor and advise on Performance Based Funding implementation
Professor Putnam (last year’s Faculty Senate chair) continued to serve on the Taskforce. She met
with ECOS on 10/23 to give an update on Performance based funding. Associate Vice President
Dawn Ressel and Professor Putnam reported to the Faculty Senate in February. A model
spreadsheet was displayed for information.
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Monitor and advise on new initiatives for enhancing research and graduate education in the MUS
The President and Provost gave updates to Faculty Senate on the research initiative’s progress
through the legislature.
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Monitor and advise on implementation of Prior Learning Assessment initiatives, e.g.: Dual Credit,
AP/CLEP, IB, Credit for military or other non-academic training, and Portfolio assessment.
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Chair Lodmell served on the OCHE Prior Learning Assessment Taskforce and traveled to
Helena five times for meetings which began in July. He met with ASCRC to report on the
progress and provided updates to ECOS and the Faculty Senate. The draft policy was
provided to the Senate as information in December.
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ASCRC convened a workgroup to draft guidelines for Dual Credit Courses. A draft was
provided to ECOS on 3/19/15. The ASCRC Chair discussed the guidelines with ECOS. ECOS
recommended significant changes. These were brought back to ASCRC……. to be conitnued
Revised Guidelines for MUS New Academic Programs
Chair Lodmell and Chair-Elect Borrie met with Deputy Commissioner Neil Moisey to discuss the
OCHE-proposed changes to the review process for major curriculum initiatives/proposals. The
guidelines proposed earlier system-wide dissemination of information about new curriculum
proposals under development. The first drafts of the proposal would have given OCHE officials
and/or MUS CAOs approval/disapproval authority at an early step in the proposal development
process, after reviewing a one- to two page summary of the proposed curriculum or center. Both
UM Faculty Governance (ASCRC, Grad Council, and ECOS) and MUSFAR were uncomfortable with
this, as curriculum development is viewed as the purview of the MUS faculty. On behalf of the
faculty constituencies, Chair Lodmell requested the language of the policy be changed to allow
information dissemination at an early stage, and to solicit feedback from OCHE and the MUS CAOs,
but to eliminate the possibility that a proposal could be disapproved at the early synopsis stage. A
final policy document was not provided by OCHE by the end of this calendar year.
Monitor general education initiatives
The General Education Committee initiated an assessment pilot this year under the guidance of
Associate Provost Lindsay. It is also discussing various issues with the current general education
program. See General Education Annual Report.
Review new and continuing Centers and Programs
• Completed Review for the Rocky Mountain West (Sept) – from last academic year
• Approved Center for Children, Families, and Workforce Development (Sept)
• Baucus Institute –new (May)
• Center for Integrated Research on the Environment (CIRE) –new (May)
• Biomolecular Structure & Dynamics – renew (May)
• Center for Natural Resource and Environmental Policy – renew (May)
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The following Centers were reviewed, but were not completed because external review reports
were not received.
o Bolle Center for People and Forests
o Flathead Lake Biological Station
o Institute for Tourism and Recreational Research
o National Native Children’s Trauma Center
o Wilderness Institute
Additional Business Items
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Committee nominations - ECOS nominated faculty to serve on various university committees.
The Senate acted on curriculum review and related items from ASCRC, Graduate Council, General
Education and Writing Committee (see committees’ annual reports for detailed information).
 Revision to Policy 203.10 Advanced Placement (Oct)
 Graduation Candidates (July, Oct, and April)
 MOU – curriculum pathway Department of Psychology and Missoula College (Oct) - information
 Revision to Graduate Council Committee Charge (Bylaw Amendment, Oct)
 Revised Writing Committee Charge (Bylaw Amendment, Dec)
 Revised Honorary Doctorate Policy (Oct)
 University Operating Policy and Procedure– Lucy France ( Oct & Nov)
 University-wide Program-level Writing Assessment update (Feb)
 Graduate Education Merit Award Program (Feb) - information
 Revision to Policy 201.00, Curriculum Review
 Revision to Policy 201.3.3 Editorial Catalog Changes
 Writing Program Labels Motion (April)
 Honorary Degree Candidate considered and approved in Executive Session December 4th
 Revised Policy 201.60, Effective Date of Approved Curriculum Forms
 Revised Policy 201.30 Criteria for Evaluating Curriculum Changes
 Experimental and Dormant Course Reports – information
 MBA Course Program Classification (April)
 The University Library Budget Resolution was re-affirmed (April)
Communication Items
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Commissioner Clayton Christian -College Affordability Plan (Oct)
Deputy Commissioner Neil Moisey – MUS Guidelines for New Academic Programs (Feb)
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The Senate received various updates from the President and Provost as well as ASUM and the UFA
concerning:
 Non- Nenurable Academic Appointment Report (Sept)
 Extra Compensation Report (Sept)
 Wintersession Proposal (Oct- initial discussion)(draft proposal – Feb)
 Reorganization of Graduate School (Oct)
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Regular updates from UFA President Shively and the ASUM Leadership mostly Vice President Sean
McQuillan
Updates were also provided by other faculty, students and administrators:
 Beth Howard, Office of Student Success – Changes to Early Alert System (Sept)
 Jon Aliri, General Manager and Eamon Fahey, Chief Operating Officer, UM Bookstore
(Sept)
 Terry Berkhouse, Executive Director, Academic Enrichment – Graduate Survey
 2013-2014 Athletics Report – Kent Haslam- Director of Athletics and Dusten HollistFaculty Athletic Rep – Nov
 Building upon Progress - Vice President Scott Whittenburg – Dec
 Steve Sprang- Research Strategic Planning Committee – Recommendations (Dec)
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Associate Provost Nathan Lindsay & Professor Mary-Ann Bowman – Rafter Update
(Affordable Book Plan) – Feb & March
Assistant Vice President Mario Schulzke - Communication / Making UM Safe page (April)
Various Good and Welfare Items were communicated
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TedX UMontana Jace Laakso, IT Project Manager –(Feb)
UM Relay for Life – Carly Holman, Community Manager, Great West Division, American Cancer
Society
Food Policy / survey Sarah Moody - Creation of Campus - survey
Faculty and Staff Giving Campaign - Molly Adamson, UM Foundation
ECOS Items
ECOS had its annual summer retreat on August 21st from 8AM -3PM It met with the President Provost,
VP Branch and Reid, UFA President Shively, ASUM President Asa Hollman and VP Sean McQuillan, Staff
Senate VP Matthew Filer. The Chairs to the Senate Committees were invited to lunch and to provide
information about their expectations for the year. Regular ECOS meetings started on August 28th.
Guests were invited to meetings to discuss various issues.
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President Engstrom 10/30, 2/4, 3/19, 4/30
Provost Brown 9/25, 10/23, 1/29, 3/19, 4/30
Graduate Council Chair Kent Swift 11/6
ASCRC Chair John DeBoer 11/6, 2/26, 3/26, 4/30
Associate Provost Nathan Lindsay 9/4
Dusten Hollist, Faculty Athletic Advisor 9/4
Matt Riley 8/28, 3/26
VP Reid 3/19 & 4/16
Jon Aliri & Eamon Fahey UM Book Store, Affordable Book Plan 8/28
VP Kuhr, Claudine, Gordy Pace – Internal Communication 10/2
Stephen Sprang Research Council – Recommendations document 10/16
Rosi Keller – Fees 10/16
Liz Putnam- Performance based funding 10/23
Honors College Dean McKusick 10/30
University Library Chair Margaret Baldridge 3/26
Chief of Police Marty Ludemann- parking increase / process / communication – 2/5
Professor Tobin Shearer – crosslisting appeal 4/16
ECOS reviewed the nominations for the Faculty Service Award. The award was given to Professor Steve
Gaskill. Chair Lodmell presented the award at the Employee Recognition Day Event on March 27th.