Eastern Michigan University
College of Arts & Sciences
College Advisory Council
Minutes
September 4, 2014, 3:30 – 5:00 p.m.
219 Pray-Harrold
Present: Dove (PSY), Higgins (WGST), Johnson (CHEM), Venner (Dean’s office), Mehuron (Dean’s
office), Laporte (Dean’s office), Kindred (CMTA), Ensor (SAC), Angell (Bio), Egge (H&P), Kovacs
(G&G), Merrill (M&D), Plagens (PSci), Dumatrascu (Math), Moore (COSC), Ramsey (DH Arts),
Sambrook (DH Science), Peters (AAAS), Kim (Econ), Jacobs (P&A), Garrido (WL), Malloy (Art)
Absent: Luttrell (ENGL)
I. Call to order—Meeting was called to order by Chair Higgins at 3:37pm
II. Approval of Minutes (April 17, 2014)—Motion to approve minutes passed by a vote of 15-0-1
III. Elections
A. Chair---Peter Higgins was nominated to the role of Chair. There was no objection to electing
Peter by acclamation. Peter Higgins is the chair for the 2014-2015 academic year.
B. Vice Chair---Amy Johnson was nominated to the role of Vice Chair. There was no objection
to electing Amy by acclamation. Amy Johnson will serve as Vice Chair for the 2014-2015
academic year.
C. Secretary---Natalie Dove was nominated to the role of Secretary. There was no objection to
electing Natalie by acclamation. Natalie Dove will serve as Secretary for the 2014-2015
academic year.
D. Procedures Committee (second member)---Jenny Kindred was nominated to the role of
Procedures Committee. There was no objection to electing Jenny by acclamation. Jenny Kindred
will serve on the Procedures committee for the 2014-2015 academic year.
E. Budget Committee (one Arts, one Sciences)—There was some question regarding whether
this ad hoc committee was still needed, so discussion ensued regarding whether we would like to
fill this committee for this year or not. The role of this committee above and beyond what would
be charged by the Personnel and Finance committee for this council was noted. Diane Jacobs and
Ryan Malloy were nominated. There was no objection to electing Ryan and Diane by
acclamation. Ryan Malloy and Diane Jacobs will serve on the Budget committee for the 20142015 academic year, along with Peter Higgins, chair.
IV. New Business
A. Nominations for EPEO Advisory Council (two 2-year terms, 2014-2016, beginning 9/22/14);
meets six times/year (Mondays from 3:30 to 5pm). Marilyn Corsianos and Steve Ramold would
like to be nominated to continue serving. There was no objection to electing Marilyn and Steve
by acclamation. Steve Ramold and Marilyn Corsianos will serve on the EPEO Advisory Council
for the 2014-2015 academic year.
B. Summer meeting schedule: During this item of business, we considered changes to Input
Document and Bylaws to clarify the circumstances in which CAC may meet in May-June. Two
years ago, we passed a motion stating that we will no longer meet during the summer terms
unless there is an exceptional circumstance. When Peter Higgins and Amy Johnson modified the
bylaws last year, they were changed to update this change. The input document does not yet
reflect this change, and states that meetings will be held September through June. Discussion
ensued regarding how to bring these documents in alignment. There was also some discussion
about whether we could obtain compensation if we did meet regularly in the summer. This will
be tabled until the next meeting, when Dean Venner can be present for further discussion.
V. Old Business
A. Proposal to change the Input Document to reclassify ECON as a “Sciences” department:
Faculty vote is now needed on this change and it needs to be approved by a 2/3 majority by
faculty who do vote. Chair Higgins will be meeting with Sally Lucas 9/5/14 to set up the
surveymonkey poll and then faculty will be sent the link to vote on the matter. There was
discussion about whether a quorum of faculty is needed before this vote can be ratified, and
Chair Higgins noted that no quorum is required by the Input Document.
B. CAC statement on EMU’s role in the EAA: updates from the ad hoc committee (Dove,
Dumitrascu, Merrill, Molloy)---The committee still feels this statement is necessary, as not much
has changed since we last discussed this matter. The ad hoc committee agreed to have some
language drafted by the 9/25/14 CAC meeting. Natalie Dove will set up the ad hoc committee
meeting.
C. Provost’s rationale for approval of SOFD 250: In the previous CAC meeting, Dean Venner
reported that Associate Provost Longworth stated that our input was taken into account in the
approval of this (and one other) course. This claim was true of the other course (LEGL 211), but
not SOFD 250; our concern with SOFD 250 was that PHIL was not consulted about impacts to
three of its courses. During the April meeting, Dean Venner stated he would get back to us about
SOFD 250. Dean Venner has since talked to Rhonda Longworth about what happened regarding
this course, since it was approved though we did not favor it. Unfortunately, this course was
forwarded from the CAS office under a folder denoted “CAS Approvals,” though it was not
approved by the Arts committee, and the error was not caught by the Provost’s office either. But,
there will be a meeting between Philosophy and COE representatives about this course even
though it is moving forward.
C. Update: IDE 416: CAC accepted the Arts recommendation to not pass this course on 4/17/14.
It was subsequently approved by the Provost’s Office, but some revisions were made in response
to our input: (1) the title was changed in the manner we requested; (2) a bibliography was added
(note, however, that the bibliography needs to be in place for input to be given in the first place;
it is pointless to add it after the fact – this was our main reason for rejecting the proposal); (3)
the attendance policy was revised to comply with the University policy. Kate Mehuron noted that
it would have been possible for the Arts committee to table the proposal and ask for more
information. However, Peter Higgins noted that input deadlines were approaching too quickly for
us to table any proposals. As a result, what has now been approved for this course has not
received any faculty input. Kate Mehuron noted that this is a current problem with the way our
input system is structured. Tom Kovacs noted that we could actually table proposals that are
concerning and ask for an extension within which to provide our feedback after the clarity and/or
changes have been provided.
VI. Dean’s remarks
Dean Venner welcomed everyone back, and said that he wanted to present a matrix regarding
how the Dean’s Office goes about prioritizing faculty search requests. He requested CAC input
on this matrix. He also presented a form from the Provost’s office that asks for data regarding the
college. We cannot change the form, but we can add to the data, so he would like input on this as
well. Mike Angell asked whether the seven categories within the faculty search matrix are
weighted equally. Dean Venner stated that he used to weight the categories, but has since
removed the weights for various reasons. Chair Higgins will distribute copies of these two forms
to members.
Marianne Laporte then discussed the application of the adjusted FYES/FTEL model. She noted
that across CAS, we have fewer freshmen and enrollments have dropped within CAS overall.
Students are taking general education credit hours elsewhere and transferring to EMU. Graduate
enrollment, however, is up 3%. We are not likely to make any of our projected student credit
hour targets across Fall, Winter or Summer A. We budgeted based upon the FYES/FTEL model
for the first time during Summer 2014 and it worked well. But, to meet the budget that was set
for us, we will need to cut nearly a million dollars out of our budget; student credit hours are
down and targets are similar to last year. She also noted that we need to shoot for an
FYES/FTEL ratio of 21.74 across the college for this academic year. She then showed us the last
three years of ratios for each department within CAS. She noted that the Dean’s office is asking
for a 5% improvement in the ratio from each department in order to accommodate the million
dollar shortfall. A question was asked regarding how one improves 5% when departments are
shrinking and enrollment is down. Marianne then showed how the FTEL needs to be altered per
department based upon her projected student credit hours. This results in a need for most
departments to cut their FTEL. This may be done in unique ways for each department. There is
concern that this unfairly disadvantages small departments, but Marianne claims that it actually
is going to be most difficult for departments where declining enrollment has occurred most
rapidly. Marianne will send a report out on this and would like some input on this by the next
meeting.
VII. Chair’s remarks: None
VIII. Faculty remarks: None
Meeting was adjourned by Chair Higgins at 5:05pm. Next Council meeting is September 25, 2014, at
3:30pm.
Respectfully submitted by Natalie Dove, CAC secretary for 2014-2015