Faculty Senate Meeting
January 13, 2016, 2:30 PM to 5:00 PM
Butler Board Room
1) Chair’s Report – Larry Engel 2:30
a) Approval of December 9, 2015 Minutes*
2) Provost’s Report – Scott Bass 2:45
3) RiSE Update – Peter Starr, Jeff Rutenbeck, Sharon Alston, Fanta Aw 3:15
4) Student Input on Teaching (SIT) Update – Doug McKenna 3:45
5) McCabe Update - Phillip Morris 4:00
6) Undergraduate Regulation Change – Lyn Stallings, Greg Grauman, Rob Hradsky 4:30*
a) Academic Probation and Dismissal
b) Withdrawal from All Courses
c) Withdrawal from All Courses Due to Medical Leave
*= Handouts included
Minutes
Faculty Senate Meeting
*** The complete recording for this meeting can be December 9, 2015
found at http://www.american.edu./facultysenate/agendas-minutes.cfm
Present: Professors: Larry Engel, Todd Eisenstadt, Lacey Wootton, Karen Baehler, Kyle
Brannon, Rachel Borchardt, Chris Edelson, Maria Gomez, Olivia Ivey, Kelly Joyner, Billie Jo
Kaufman, Despina Kakoudaki, Iris Krasnow, Joshua Lansky, Gwanhoo Lee, Jun Lu, Mary
Mintz, John Nolan, Andrea Pearson, Steve Silvia, Chris Simpson, Kate Wilson, Brian Yates,
Provost Scott Bass, DAA Mary Clark.
Professor Engel called the meeting to order at 2:35 PM
Chair’s Report – Larry Engel
November 4, 2015 Minutes Approval – Professor Engel opened the floor for discussion and
approval of the November 4, 2015 minutes. The Senate VOTED and the minutes were approved
20-0-1.
Ad-Hoc Committee on Term Faculty Language in the Faculty Manual – Professor Engel
informed the senators of the membership of the ad-hoc committee. He said that the members are
a combination of volunteers and recommendations that include Professors Chris Edelson, Maria
Gomez, Mary Mintz, Sherburne Laughlin, Valentino Bruno, Guy Ziv, and Sarah Menke-Fish.
Additional members who were not included in the original list are Professors Steve Silvia and
Karen Baehler. DAA Mary Clark will serve as an ex-officio member. It was recommended to try
to find a member from SPExS. The Senate VOTED and the membership was approved 22-0-0 in
favor.
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Provost’s Report – Scott Bass
Provost Bass stated that he had several items to discuss. They included:
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Race and diversity issues nationwide on campuses with students and faculty. It was
requested that this be a future topic of conversation by the Senate
 RiSE update
 Multiple searches on campus that include 2 dean searches (one at WCL, the other at
KSB), Vice Provost for Undergraduate Studies, and a dean for the School of Education
 The old WCL building is now being called the Spring Valley Building for operation
purposes. This building needs major infrastructure work and that will begin in the
summer of 2016
 East Campus is behind schedule and most likely that will delay the opening of the
resident’s hall. The Myers Technology and Inovation Building will be delayed until the
residents halls are complete delaying department move dates
 Recently attended a technology conference and how technology is changing higher
education dramatically across the county
Faculty Senate • December 9, 2015 Minutes
Page 1 of 4
Guidelines for Faculty Conduct – Lydia Fettig
Professor Fettig stated that the committee had made many revisions to the original document,
which began as a more actionable document and has now become more guideline-based. The
following topics where discussed:
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Embedded live links in document to help keep it a living document
New campus closure language to be included in guidelines
Concern was expressed on how violations of items in the guidelines would affect
faculty but it was clarified that the Faculty Manual will remain the actionable
document
Concern was expressed on the guidelines having more impact on term faculty
Where will the document be housed? DAA Clark stated that she will work to insure
that this document and all relevant material for faculty be available on the DAA
website
A request was made by the Provost to change language where applicable to
accommodate online courses
Professor Engel asked what the committee anticipated the next step for the document would be.
Professor Fettig stated that it would be distributed to the AU community and then the committee
will conduct town halls to allow for the AU community input.
General Education Task Force – Cindy Bair Van Dam & Peter Starr
Professor Bair Van Dam, chair of the Gen Ed Committee began with an over view of the process
of the presented document. She stated that there have already been two town halls with one
remaining. Two student focus groups have taken place and two student town halls are scheduled
for the spring semester. Professor Bair Van Dam stated that after receiving today’s input from
the Senate, the task force will convene to revise the report based on the suggested concerns,
suggestions, and ideas. Professor Bair Van Dam gave an overview of the new direction the
General Education program is headed based on the following:
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Moving away from content-based distribution
Focusing on learning outcomes
Focusing more on diversity, inclusion, and equity
First-year experience
Moving away from what you do in the beginning of your college career to an overall
experience
Some additional goals the task force has tried to accomplish are:
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Moving away from Gen Ed being an obstacle to get to the “fun stuff”
Creating a coherent, scaffolded program
Faculty Senate • December 9, 2015 Minutes
Page 2 of 4
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Addressing findings from two task forces that show deficits in quantitative literacy
training, and writing and information literacy training
Reducing the double counting of Gen Ed courses towards the major but AP classes will
still count
Making more space for students to be able to double major and double minor by making
the program a little smaller
Building on the idea of being able to transition into and out of the college experience
Middle States has changed the rules no longer requiring 30 credit minimum for Gen Ed,
and now says Gen Ed must have certain learning outcomes that are being addressed
Dean Starr stated that the town halls have been very fruitful. He stated that there are two issues
that need resolution:
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The name “General Education” is something that the task force would like to change. The
committee first took the name “AU experience” which received pushback due to
confusion with other similarly named courses and then changed it to “University
College,” which is what is being used now, but also has received pushback.
 Concern, and open for resolution, is with the second semester AUx2 course being one or
three credits.
Dean Starr stated that the timeline is tight for this massive project but blocks for courses have
been put in place so that a pilot program can be run in AY 2016-2017. The full program is
anticipated in AY 2017-2018.
Senators presented several questions and concerns addressed in the report. Because the topic ran
over the allotted time, additional questions or comments were asked to be sent to Professor Bair
Van Dam and Dean Starr via email.
Campus Closure Language – Lacey Wootton
Professor Wootton stated that this concern was brought to her from a faculty member last year as
a result of the many snow days that the university experienced. She stated that the concern
presented is that there is no language in the current campus closure language that obligates
students to do any work that professors have assigned them during a campus closure. This was
brought to the Executive Committee last year but because of an extremely heavy spring schedule
it was not discussed with the Senate. Professor Wootton stated that the language changes are to
let the students know of their academic responsibilities during these unusual circumstances.
Further concerns where discussed on classes in the evening vis a vis closing times, and there was
a request that online classes be included in the language. The Senate VOTED on the language
with edits 16-0-0 in favor.
Faculty Senate By-Law Revisions – Lacey Wootton
Professor Wootton stated that many of the changes that are included in the presented document
were changed to reflect practice. At the last Senate meeting this review started but because the
discussion was running out of time, it was decided to bring it back to the Dec. meeting to allow
more time to discuss the issues. As a result the following items were discussed and voted on:
Faculty Senate • December 9, 2015 Minutes
Page 3 of 4
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Article II. Membership – Changing language to reflect practice that elections will be to
replace senators to fill vacancies. The senate VOTED 18-0-0 in favor
Article III. Officers of the Senate, B – Two options were presented for the election
process of the vice chair. Option 1) current senators are eligible to run for vice chair and
this election will be part of the at-large senate elections. Option 2) Current senators and
senators who have served within the past five years being elected by secret ballot at the
March Senate meeting. The Senate VOTED on option 2, 17-1-0 in favor
Article V, Non-Participants and Observers – Changes were made to the current
language to make it clear that outside media would have to obtain permission to use
television cameras and other recording devices from the chair with advance notice to the
university’s Office of Media Relations. The Senate VOTED 12-2-0
The meeting was adjourned at 5:05 PM
Faculty Senate • December 9, 2015 Minutes
Page 4 of 4
Proposed Amendments to the Undergraduate Academic Regulations
Submitted by Lyn Stallings, Vice Provost for Undergraduate Studies
January 13, 2016
Rationale for 5.8:
We did not allow students who had been dismissed to enroll in courses on a non-degree basis
after they had been dismissed. This policy was in our former regulations and was inadvertently
left out when writing the new regulations.
Proposed Revision:
Fifth Paragraph of 5.8. Academic Probation and Dismissal
When dismissing students from the university, the university may give students the
option of reapplying for admission after one calendar year has passed from the final day
of the session during which the dismissal was implemented. Dismissed students are not
allowed to enroll in AU courses on a non-degree basis at any time after being dismissed
from AU. The dismissal will be included in the letter from the academic unit, and
recorded by the Office of the Registrar and will be recorded on the transcript.
Rational for Change in 6.2:
We actually reserve the right (via Admissions) to offer applicants a non-degree option at AU if
they are not competitive for admission, but we feel they could have some academic fit. (We also
will sometimes use this as an option for special interest applicants for whom we are not prepared
to admit as degree-seeking students).
As such, I feel that it would be appropriate to have a policy that would prevent students who
were denied from AU to also wait that year to take non-degree courses at AU. After the year has
passed, they could choose to reapply for admission, or enroll in non-degree course(s)
Greg Grauman
Assistant Vice Provost for Undergraduate Admissions
Proposed Revision:
6.2. Nondegree Students
Applicants who have been denied admission to AU for a specific academic year may not
take non-degree courses at AU during that academic year. Such students may reapply for
admission, or enroll in non-degree course(s) for the following academic year. This policy
may not apply to students who are participating in a partner program.
Enrollment as a nondegree student does not guarantee acceptance into a degree program.
If admitted into an American University degree program, nondegree students may apply
no more than 30 nondegree American University credits.
Rationale for Minor Change in 12.5:
The rationale for the change in the title of 12.5 is discussed in the amendment for 12.6 below.
For consideration is a minor change in the sentence pertaining to the university math
requirement. This should apply to all university minimum requirements.
Proposed Revision:
12.5 Withdrawal from a Course or from All Courses
Students may withdraw from a course or from all courses up until the end of the tenth week
of the semester or the equivalent for summer and other non-standard sessions unless they
have been charged with a violation of the Academic Integrity Code or the Student Conduct
Code. Some additional restrictions on course withdrawals may apply to particular academic
programs, international students, athletes, and cooperative education students. Additional
restrictions may also apply to courses used to satisfy the University Mathematics requirement
university minimum requirements. When students withdraw before the tenth week of the
semester or equivalent for other terms, a grade of "W" is entered for each course.
Rationale for 12.6:
To set the context for revising 12.6, note regulation 12.5 above. The Faculty Senate approved
making the last day to withdraw from classes up to the tenth week of the regular terms (rather
than the eighth week). This allowed students more time to gauge their performance in a
course.
With four weeks remaining in the term, students should not be allowed to reduce their course
load unless the circumstances directly affect their ability to continue in a course.
Most of the current requests to reduce a course load are based on problems with depression and
anxiety and correspond with poor performance or failing the course. These cases are reported
after the 10th week of classes and virtually all included verifications that the students stopped
attending the course before the 10th week of the term. With the new 12.5 regulation, such
students can withdraw based on their “last date of attendance” and they will not have to pursue
medical documentation.
The situations for which an event directly affects the student’s ability to finish a course can be
addressed without this regulation. We have processes in place to handle such specific cases.
Examples include breaking a leg while enrolled in a dance class or assault by a student in the
same course. The broken leg results in medical documentation that is verified by DOS, reported
directly to OUR, and can result in a withdrawal from the course. Assaults are reported to the
Title IX officer and a recommendation may result in a withdrawal from the course. OUR can
forward to the Vice Provost any cases in which the medical documentation is not sufficient to
warrant a withdrawal without review by the Vice Provost.
Proposed Revision:
Section 12.6 Reduction of Course Load Withdrawal from All Courses Due to Medical
Reasons
In the event a student encounters medical difficulties after the end of the tenth week of
the semester and wishes to withdraw from all courses, or secure a reduced course load,
the student must meet with the Office of the Dean of Students to provide medical
documentation and initiate a request to withdraw. If a student is passing a class at the
time of last attendance, she or he may request an Incomplete grade possible, students
should arrange to receive an incomplete(s) rather than a withdrawal(s) per regulation
3.5. All affected instructors must be consulted during the routing of the petition. The
Vice Provost for Undergraduate Studies makes the final decision for such withdrawals
from all courses. or reduced course loads.