UH Hilo Faculty Congress Meeting
Minutes for April 15, 2016
New Student Service Multi-purpose Room
Members Present: (20)
Jon Goebel, Faith Mishina, Jean Ippolito (non-voting), Janet Ray, Vladi Skorikov, Doug Mikkelson, Mary Louise
Haraguchi, Kekoa Harman, Kevin Hopkins, Chris Frueh, Bobbi Barra, Maria Haws, Tam Vu, Susan Shirachi,
Patricia Jusczak, Jim Beets, Norbert Furumo, Yumiko Ohara, Lazareth Sye, Karen Pellegrin, Shawon Rahman
Absent:
Seri Luangphinith, Judith Steinman, Linda Connelly, Mitchell Anderson, Alice Davis, Brian Bays
Approval of minutes from the last meeting (March 18, 2016)
• Motion to vote: Chris; seconded Norbert
• Discussion:
• Vote: unanimous (20)
Faculty Congress Chair Report
• Final Report from Task Force for the Investigation of Re-Organization of Academic Units – Chris Frueh
• Chair’s communications with UHPA concerning retrenchment and timeline
o Jean inquired to UHPA rep. This is a completely different issue that must go through BOR related to
financial restraints. This is not a part of this reorganization. Some faculty concerned we are moving too
fast. Once the proposal goes through, they can start talking about a timeline in the fall. A plan would be
much more detailed and include positions and budgetary information. There will need to be a plan
developed over the summer. Would go to UHPA in the fall. Implementation would occur a year later.
According to the UHPA contract, retrenchment can be a possibility with a reorganization. Budget would
drive a retrenchment, not organization. Until the $20 million reserves are extinguished, retrenchment
cannot occur from budgetary reasons. We will end the year with a $12-13 million reserve.
• Town Hall Meeting on April 22, 3:00 to 4:30 pm in Wentworth 1 – Jean will send out another notice as a
reminder with final report attached. Also, email comments can be sent for anonymous presentation during the
meeting.
o Susan Brown met with CAS departments. They were all in agreement with some sort of organization.
Primary answer was they wanted a dean who understood natural sciences needs and could argue effectively
for these needs. Some department were adamant that they wanted to stay together. Humanities was leery
about what would happen if reorganized.
o Should VCAA Matt come or not to the April 22 town hall? Staff and faculty should all be able to attend.
Admin will ultimately make the decision so they should be there. Faculty may also have questions for the
admin during the meeting.
o Question about clarification: Page 2, BB 5 deans explanation: create 5 colleges instead of 4
 Goal was to not add additional deans to units
• Update on Transfer of Locus of Tenure draft
o VCAA sent to executive committee. Karen edited and clarified the document. It is now much clearer and
ready to go back to VCAA’s office. Just for UH Hilo faculty wanting to transfer from one college to
another (within the university). EX committee provided the feedback, with no endorsement, but feedback
o Intra college – the dean works it out class logistics, schedules, etc. Tenure does not change.
o Will faculty have to reapply for tenure if they move to another college through the reorganization? VCAA
response: no.
• FYI from VCAA – Student evaluations will use UH System-wide online (customizable) Spring 2017.
o Standard questions and custom questions for each department. These will be formatted so they will be
mobile friendly. Some students with disabilities will need a hard copy. We’ll need to comply with ADA.
• Emails sent to Deans and Division Chairs to hold elections for new FC Reps, Need nominations for APC and
CRC Standing Committee Chairs – waiting on humanities and social sciences. Need nominations for standing
committees. Nomination for executive committee and many other committees. Elections next meeting May 6.
• UHSA request to FC for support to include UHSA reps on Committees
Standing Committee Reports
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Assessment Support, Seri Luangphinith – no report
Academic Policy, James Beets – no report
Student Success Committee, Faith Mishina
o Picked up prior learning objectives, defined what portfolio is and apply, will present at net meeting.
Long Range Budget and Academic Affairs Advisory Board, Roberta Barra
o Don’t have a budget yet for next fiscal year. Being asked to prepare budget in a new way, there’s a learning
curve. Marcia’s people are working on it. Move towards quarterly budgeting. Show how much we plan to
spend each quarter. Everything will be detailed. Board wants us to be able to say more definitively how we
plan to spend and how we actually spend it. We have to get a budget to board by May 6.
Curriculum Review, Norbert Furumo
o May 1 new course/mod deadline. Through curriculum central. July 1 we use new system.
General Education, Yumiko Ohara
o Finished workshop – interstate passport. Good to have people from HCC & UHH together. National means
to ease articulation. Learning outcome based. Passport institutions will be able to transfer students more
easily. GE Alignment with UH system – no decision made as of yet.
Program Review, Doug
o Continuing to assist with programs going through process.
Ad Hoc Faculty Development Committee – Jim Beets
 Handout report from committee. Summarizes their meetings. Report appended to minutes. If the committee
is approved, there will be bylaw modifications.
Other Committee with Faculty Congress Representation
• Prior Learning Assessment Committee, Faith Mishina
• UNIV 101 Analysis Committee, Norbert Furumo
o 6 living learning communities next year. Retention from these communities is good. Undeclared freshmen
are where we lose a lot of students. Will offer 101 for these students.
 6 communities: Marine Science, Arts, Hawaiian Lang/culture, Business, Health & Wellness,
Sustainability.
Liaison Reports
• Curriculum Coordinator, Shelby Wong
o Kawali will be new system for curriculum – July 1, 2016.
o Catalog for 2016-17 is online. 4 year major maps updated and online.
o Registrar should update the withdraw date.
o Star Guided pathway system (GPS) registration – freshmen will be registering this way. Fall 2017 –
everyone will be on this system. Math placement scores will not automatically affect if students can enroll
into specific courses – advising is for this.
• Professional Development, Jan Ray – report posted online
• Distance Learning, Jan Ray – posted online
• WASC, Seri Luangphinith – not present
• Grad Council, Tam Vu
o Met last week. 5 year limit of classes. Would need to submit petition to extend.
• Research Council, Jim Beets
o Held 3 town hall meetings – research opportunities, which programs are most beneficial. Well attended in
general. Expecting large reduction in RTRF funds. Need to be strategic about how these funds are used.
April 25 deadline to apply for funds. Tenured faculty every 3 years rather than every 2.
Faculty Senate Chair Updates
• CAS, Jean Ippolito
o CAS senate is soliciting nominations, asking div. chairs to fill seats. Having all senate meeting April 29,
2pm Wentworth 1. Gender in Women’s Studies is asking to become a department.
• CAFNRM, Maria Haws
o No report
• CoBE, Tam Vu
o COBE senate met several times, vote to merge 2 departments. Better for applied learning. Submitted vote
to VCAA.
• KHUOK, Kekoa Harman – no report
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Pharmacy, Karen Pellegrin – no report
Library, Mary Haraguchi – no report
Old Business:
• Motion to request a policy for Distance Learning – appended to minutes
o Not a change in bylaws. Request to administration – one vote.
o Call to question: Jim, Doug seconded
o Discussion: Cindy’s template? We need to formulate guidelines. Needed a policy to assess the courses.
Already a DL taskforce appointed by VCAA. This motion is to ensure policy about the rigor of DL courses.
o Vote: unanimous (20)
• Motion (second reading) for Faculty Development Standing Committee
o Motion appended to minutes.
o Number of votes to change the charter – a majority vote
o Call to question: Chris, Bobbi seconded
o Discussion: changing bylaws and adding a standing committee.
o Vote: unanimous (20)
New Business:
• Nomination request for FC Officers and Standing Committee positions.
o Chair FC: Norbert nominated
o VC: Alice Davis
o Secretary: Karen P
o Assessment Committee Chair: Mary Louise
o Academic Policy Chair:
o Program Review Chair: Doug
o Student Success Chair: Faith
o Long Range Budget – Advisory Board Chair:
o COBE Rep: Tam, Tom DeWitt
o Curriculum Review Chair:
o Gen Ed: Yumiko
o Faculty Dev. Standing Committee: Jan
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UHHSA request for support: Appended to Minutes.
o Read aloud. To focus on the campus and colleges – this request would enable the students to have reps on
the various college and campus decisions. Created 2 caucuses: college and at large to handle college and
campus wide representation.
o Does UHHSA still have membership issues? Yes, they are continuing to work on this issue. UHHSA’s role
on campus is to represent students, liaison between admin and students, ensure campus governance.
o Could be seen as encroaching on faculty prerogatives
o Will take some time to reflect on this.
o Define campus decision making bodies. Senates and campus committees.
o Suggest which committees UHHSA intendeds to have a rep for. – add to agenda next meeting.
Motion to adjourn: Jim, Faith seconded at 4:51pm
Minutes respectfully submitted by Jon Goebel
Distance Learning Policy Formulation and Process Implementation
Motion for the UHH Faculty Congress
April 2016
Whereas WASC is concerned that every course maintains sufficient rigor, regardless of the delivery
mode, and has specifically requested UHH to address WASC concerns regarding Distance Learning in our
next Interim Report that is due Spring 2017, by recommending that "the development and oversight of
the distance-learning program, specifically the online courses and degrees, requires a clearly articulated
strategy…" 1, and
Whereas UHH has in place a "credit hour" policy that is consistent with both Federal DoE regulations
and the WASC Credit Hour requirement, which states that every credit hour awarded must be consistent
with the amount of work needed to be expended on average for one-hour of face-to-face delivery and
2-hours of homework, regardless of the delivery mode 2; and
Whereas some departments and/or department chairs have voiced concerns that we currently lack a
policy and process to ensure that distance learning (DL) sections require the same rigor as their face-toface counterparts (in particular that they meet the same learning objectives), and that they adhere to
the UHH Credit Hour Policy; and
Whereas many institutions have instituted the policy that they will not accept DL credits for transfer,
which behooves UHH to do whatever it can to ensure that UHH DL courses will be viewed positively with
respect to transfer requirements at other institutions; and
Whereas the VCAA's number one charge to UHH's Distance Learning Advisory Committee is to "Identify
and help resolve distance learning policy issues through formulation and recommendation to the Vice
Chancellor of Academic Affairs on UH Hilo Distance Learning Policies" 3; and
Whereas a policy and procedure for ensuring adherence to the aforementioned WASC
recommendations would be beneficial to both students and departments;
It is hereby moved that the UHH Faculty Congress formally request the VCAA to formulate and
implement policy and procedures that assist departments in meeting WASC concerns by assuring that
each DL section adheres to the rigor and credit hour requirements mentioned above.
1
See page 4 of http://hilo.hawaii.edu/uhh/accreditation/documents/CAL_150306_UHH_AV.pdf
See http://hilo.hawaii.edu/uhh/accreditation/documents/UHHCreditHourPolicy.pdf
3
See http://hilo.hawaii.edu/academics/dl/advisory-committee.php
2
UHHSA Request for Support
UHHSA would like to request support for campus policy requiring student
membership on campus decision-making bodies that will affect the campus
itself.
The decision-making bodies that currently exist and future bodies that will be
created will include the membership of a student whom is enrolled at the
University of Hawaii at Hilo.
1 The student member will be granted equal rights in
regards to voting on decisions in all meetings;
2 The student member may be assigned duties by the
body as long it is feasible for the student to
accomplish these duties without requiring special
permission and/or access;
3 The student member must be approved by the UHHSA
Senate after receiving a recommendation from the
UHHSA Caucus;
The campus decision-making body will have the choice to
either request a member of the UHHSA Senate to act as
the student member or recommend a student for approval.