College of Biological Sciences
Executive Committee
Annual Report - May 2010 – May 2011
Executive Committee Members:
R. K. Grosberg, Chair
Valley Stewart, Vice Chair
Michael Turelli, Member At-Large
Ted Powers, Member At-Large
Martin Privalsky, Member for Microbiology
Sebastian Schreiber, Member for Evolution and Ecology
Fred Chedin, Member for Molecular and Cellular Biology
John Wingfield, Member for Neurobiology, Physiology & Behavior
Neelima Sinha, Member for Plant Biology
Kenneth C. Burtis, Dean, College of Biological Sciences (ex officio)
Carol A. Erickson, Executive Associate Dean, College of Biological Sciences (ex officio)
Diana G. Myles, Associate Dean, College of Biological Sciences (ex officio)
(Invited) Jim MacDonald, Executive Associate Dean,
College of Agriculture& Environmental Sciences
Summary:
The Executive Committee (EC) convened six meetings and one Faculty forum between
May 2009 and May 2010 to review, discuss, and resolve issues related to administration,
development, and delivery of the highest quality science education possible to students
in the College of Biological Sciences.
The EC provided consultation on proposals and reports from other CBS committees, the
Davis Division of the Academic Senate, UCD administration, UCOP, the Systemwide
Academic Senate and other campus committees and councils and made
recommendations on issues pertaining to the College and the University.
Budget constraints are a recurring theme as we move forward and explore ways to
streamline operations and conserve resources while maintaining excellence in our
teaching and research missions.
Chair Grosberg and Vice Chair Valley Stewart propose that CBS establish a blue ribbon
committee to define a vision for the future of biology in general and at UC Davis and to
define the role of the College in achieving that vision internally, nationally, and
internationally.
The following report highlights Committee discussion topics, decisions, responses and
actions for the period May 2009 through May 2010.
Actions and Topics of Discussion
Curriculum Topics
1. Undergraduate Curriculum – The Executive Committee (EC) reviewed and
endorsed several major changes in the Undergraduate Curriculum as
recommended and approved by the Undergraduate Curriculum and
Educational Policy Committee (CUCEP).
Significant changes include changes to the math and statistics requirements for
all CBS majors, and the proposed addition of literacy and topical breadth
components to appropriate courses as determined by Department curriculum
committees.
Math 17 & Statistics 100 - Based on recommendations to the Dean by CUCEP and
the Review Committee on the Preparatory Core Curriculum in Mathematics,
Statistics, and Physics, chaired by Brian Mulloney, the EC approved changes to
the math and statistics requirements for CBS Majors.
CUCEP recommended the establishment of a committee to work with the
Department of Mathematics to further adjust the MAT 17 curriculum to fit the
needs of CBS students.
Modification to General Education Courses – In response to the GE Task Force
recommendations for modifications to the General Education requirements, CBS
Departments evaluated courses to determine which courses should be assigned
topical breadth and literacy components. Revisions to specified courses were
submitted to the GE Task Force for approval for the fall 2011 catalog.
The complete report of CUCEP’s work is appended below.
2. Textbook for BIS2 ABC – The Lower Division Core Curriculum Committee (LDCCC)
in consultation with instructors who are teaching the lower division core
curriculum, BIS2 series, agreed to adopt the new (9th) edition of Life: The Science
of Biology, published by Sadava. Sadava is able to provide the 8th Edition for the
duration of 2010 academic year. Availability beyond this summer is uncertain. The
9th Edition will be recommended for BIS2A students starting this fall and phased
into 2B and 2C as students move through the series.
3.
Proposal to require a grade of C─ or better to continue in the BIS2 Series –– from
Diana G. Myles, Associate Dean, Undergraduate Programs
Professor Susan Keen, Coordinator of BIS2 Series, presented data based on 40
students showing that 72% of students who received a grade of D in BIS2A and
went on to BIS2B, were unsuccessful. Some students petition the Dean’s office
asking to repeat BIS2 series courses for a third time in the hope of getting a grade
that will allow them to apply to professional school Professor Keen pointed out
that this repetition takes up considerable resources at a time when resources are
scarce.
The EC voted unanimously to support the proposal requiring a C─ or better grade
to continue in the BIS2 series. Assoc. Dean Myles will submit the proposal to the
deans in the other colleges for review.
Campus issues
1. Postponement of Library Reorganization – 10/12/2009 - Upon the
recommendation of JaRue Manning, Chair, CBS Library Committee, the EC and
Professor Manning met with Gail Yokote, Acting Co-University Librarian, and Keir
Reavie, from the Biological-Agricultural and the Health Sciences Libraries to
discuss the ORMP recommendations to relocate and consolidate library
collections to achieve budget reductions. Professor Manning and several CBS
faculty members felt that there had been insufficient consultation with faculty
about the relocation of the biological and ag sciences collections. The EC
brought CBS faculty concerns to the attention of Chancellor Katehi and the
Executive Council of the Academic Senate. Chancellor Katehi agreed that
further consultation with Faculty was necessary before final decisions were made
about reorganization of the Library.
2. Library Committee Representation – The EC agreed that CBS should have active
representation on the Health Sciences Library Committee and the Biological /
Agricultural Sciences Library Committee.
3. ARM Budget Subcommittee Recommendations: Implementation of
recommendation to increase the overhead charge for gifts that support research
– The EC responded to recommendations to increase fees from 6% to 10% for
administration of gifts used to support research and a recommendation for a
revised method for distribution of the fees i.e. dividing them equally between
central development, the Office of Research, and the administering department,
center, or dean’s office with discretion as to how the funds are used. (Currently
the gift fee is divided by 4% going to the dean of the department receiving the
gift to support development effort and 2% going to support central campus
development efforts.)
In a letter dated March 10, 2010 to Professor Robert Powell, Chair of the Davis
Division Academic Senate the EC responded, in part, that most gifts that support
research are not generated by development offices and unless it can be shown
that the gift was generated by a development office, the monies recovered
should go to the administering department, center, or dean’s office to support
the
cost of doing business.
4. Proposed conversion of campus e-mail to Google’s Gmail – On April 22, 2010
the EC hosted a brown bag forum for CBS Faculty, IT Specialists, and
Management Service Officers, to ask questions and voice concerns regarding
privacy and security issues surrounding campus Information Technology’s
proposal to convert the campus email system to Google’s Gmail. Chair Grosberg
invited Peter Siegel, Vice Provost, Information Technology, and Niels Gronbech
Jensen, Chair, Davis Division Academic Senate Information Technology
committee to answer questions.
On April 29th, due to growing concerns expressed by faculty campuswide
and the possibility that outsourcing email may not be in compliance with
the UC-wide Electronic Communications Policy, IET-Data Center and Client
Services announced that a decision was made jointly by the Senate
Committee on IT and the Campus Council for IT to discontinue
consideration of ‘outsourcing’ campus email services to outside vendors
pending further consultation and review.
Budget
Severe cuts to campus funding by the State of California propose serious challenges
to the teaching and research missions of the College. Systemwide furloughs and pay
cuts were implemented on September 1, 2009. On June 1, 2010UCD Human
Resources announced that furloughs are scheduled to end on August 31, 2010.
Currently, College wide reductions in teaching resources are under consideration
and review. Dean Burtis and Executive Assistant Dean Donna Olsson are working
with Department faculty and staff to analyze and develop a revised budget
framework wherein we can continue to deliver a quality product with fewer
resources.
1.
Dean Burtis and Ex. Assistant Dean Donna Olsson presented comprehensive
budget plans, and updates to CBS Chairs, Directors, and the EC upon request
throughout the year.
2. Dean Burtis appointed a CBS ad hoc Faculty committee to examine and advise
on budget issues within the college. Committee members: Davis Begun (EVE),
Barbara Chapman (NPB), JoAnne Engebrecht (MCB), Aldrin Gomes (NPB), John
Harada (PLB), Stacey Harmer (PLB), Wolf Heyer (MIC), Michele Igo (MIC), Brian
Mulloney (NPB), Gail Patricelli (EVE), Ted Powers (MCB), Dan Starr (MCB), At the
October 12, 2009 EC meeting, Brian Mulloney presented the faculty budget
committee’s report as submitted to Dean Burtis.
3. In Winter 2010 Dean Burtis conducted a Teaching Study to examine the resources
available to meet the teaching needs in the College. Dean Burtis presented the
goals, guiding principles, and methodology, used to compare total teaching
resources available in the College with the teaching needs for BIS core courses,
lecture and lab courses for upper-division department majors and BIS majors, service
courses, and miscellaneous courses. The result of the comparison showed for each
department in the College the deficit or surplus of teaching availability to meet CBS
teaching needs.
3. In response to resource constraints, EC Chair Grosberg suggested possible
changes to curriculum for EC and Faculty consideration:
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Faculty teaching loads: number of courses and enrollment per
course
Roles for teaching assistants and non-tenure-track instructors
Lower-division core courses
Upper-division core courses
Lecture courses required for majors
Laboratory courses required for majors
Graduate-level courses
Elective courses
Service courses
GE courses
Total number of units required for graduation
Class size in relation to available lecture halls
Number of students in CBS
Other CBS Topics
1. BIS Major Program Review – Due to anticipated changes in the curriculum of the
Biological Sciences Major, Associate Dean Myles requested a delay of the
program review originally scheduled to begin in January 2010. The request was
approved by UIPC and the review is rescheduled to begin in January 2012.
2. Course Materials Fees – there were no revisions to course materials fees for the
2010-2011 academic years.
3. Update - CBS Research Honors Program – due to diminishing resources and
constraints on faculty time, the EC advised that implementation of the CBS
Research Honors Program developed by the DBS Honors Committee should be
delayed until resources to support the program become available.
Dean Burtis pointed out that both the University Honors Program and the UCD
Honors Challenge provide excellent opportunities for motivated students. CBS will
re-visit plans for implementation of the honors program at a later time.
4. Ammendment to CBS Bylaws – EC voted to bring a proposal to amend the bylaws
to the Faculty at the 2010 Spring Faculty meeting in accordance with Bylaw 84.
The proposal would allow initial standing committee appointments to be for up to
three years and allow for staggered membership to ensure continuity of
experience on the committees.
5. Replacement members for Faculty Personnel Committee (FPC) – the EC will
forward recommendations to the Committee on Academic Personnel (CAP) for
replacements on FPC for Professors David Furlow and Anne Britt
Proposals, Letters & Reports Reviewed by the Executive Committee
Systemwide Review of Proposed Statement of Principles to Append APM-010 –
Academic Freedom – from UCOP – distributed to EC June, 2009 — Proposal to
govern student academic freedom of scholarly inquiry.
Systemwide Review of Proposed Revisions to APM 240(Deans) – from UCOP distributed to EC June, 2009 — Proposal to revise police regarding balance in
matters of accountability, performance standards, compensation and benefits
for Deans.
Proposed Revision of Davis Division Bylaws – Change in Membership and Duties of
Library Committee – distributed to EC June, 2009 — The proposal is in response to
the Academic Senate task force report, The Library in Crisis,
Payroll Certifications – A Proposed Alternative to Effort Reporting - DRAFT – from
UCD Office of Planning and Budget – distributed to EC November 9, 2009 —
Payroll Certification System is a more efficient alternative to effort reporting
developed by the Federal Demonstration Partnership – a consortium of nine
federal agencies and ~ 120 research institutions sponsored by the GovernmentUniversity-Industry Research Round Table of the National Academies. There is a
possibility that UCD may be used as a trial site for the system.
Paper on differential fees and non-resident tuition – from the UC Academic
Senate – from UCPB – distributed to EC March 1, 2010 — a framework to address
proposals and issues regarding differential fees, non-resident tuition, and other
initiatives and a request for comments.
Faculty Personnel Committee Nomination Process – from Robert Powell, Chair,
Davis Division of the Academic Senate
Executive Committee Agendas, Minutes and discussion documents from May,, 2006 to
present are available to all Faculty on the web at
http://www.biosci.ucdavis.edu/about/executive_committee.html.
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College of Biological Sciences Standing Committee Reports
Awards and Honors Committee
Annual Report - May 2009 – May 2010
Date: June 16, 2010
Committee members: Bo Liu, Chair (PLB), Scott Dawson (MIC) and Dave Hawkins
(NPB)
The CBS Awards and Honors Committee selected recipients of the following three
awards.
Undergraduate Student of the Year – Four nominees were submitted: Ernest
Maningding, Jerome Atputhasingam, Hannah Bechtold, and Angeliki Budros. The
committee members unanimously chose Ernest Maningding to be the
Undergraduate Student of the Year.
Ronald and Lydia Baskin Research Award – Two outstanding undergraduate
students were nominated: Wenhui Zhou, candidate for the degree of Bachelor of
Sciences in Biochemistry & Molecular Biology and Ernest Maningding, candidate
for the degree of Bachelor of Sciences in Neurobiology, Physiology & Behavior.
The committee decided to chose Mr. Zhou to receive the 2010 Ronald and Lydia
Baskin Research Award.
Faculty Teaching Award – Five outstanding CBS faculty members were
nominated for the 2008-09 Faculty teaching award. A&H Committee Chair, Bo
Liu, stated that after considerable deliberation the committee made a difficult
decision. Professor Peter Wainwright (EVE) was selected to receive the 2008-2009
Faculty Teaching Award.
Undergraduate Program Review Committee
May 2009 – May 2010
Committee Members: Michele Igo (Chair) (MIC), Julin Maloof (PLB), Mark F.
Sanders (MCB), Craig Warden (NPB), Art Shapiro (EVE), Diana G. Myles (Associate
Dean-Undergraduate Programs, ex-officio)
There were no program reviews conducted in the College of Biological Science
during the 2009-2010 academic year and the Undergraduate Program Review
Committee did not meet during this time.
A review of the Biological Sciences Major is scheduled for 2012.
Committee on Undergraduate Curriculum & Educational Policy
(CUCEP)
Annual Report - May 2009 – May 2010
Date: June 9. 2010
Committee members: Jeanette Natzle (Chair, MCB), Frank McNally (MCB), Scott
Dawson (MIC), Jack Goldberg (NPB), Samantha Harris (NPB), Steve Theg (PLB),
Gail Patricelli (EVE), Mary Aften (CBS, staff support), Diana Myles, Assoc. Dean
(CBS, ex-officio)
Educational Policy Issues:
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Proposal to require MAT 17 calculus series rather than MAT 16 and STA 100 rather than
STA13. Proposed changes to upgrade the calculus and statistics requirements for majors
in the college were discussed. CUCEP approved motions to recommend that major
curricula in CBS be revised to replace the STA 13 requirement with STA 100 or 130AB, and
to replace the MAT 16ABC requirement with MAT 17ABC or MAT 21AB. Although most
community colleges do not have a course that articulates with MAT17, most transfer
students would have completed a calculus course that would articulate with MAT 21AB.
Proposals for major changes in the Statistics and Calculus requirements were considered
and approved. CUCEP will help facilitate establishment of a joint CBS/Math committee
to ensure that the MAT17 series will meet all the needs of our students.
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Approval of General Education literacy designations for existing and new courses.
CUCEP prepared summary material for departments to guide review and assignment of
current and planned courses to the new campus GE literacy areas, and submission of
courses to the GETS (GE Tracking System). Departments submitted course proposals
during Fall 2009/Winter 2010. Review by the GE task force and resubmission of revised
course proposals occurred during Winter/Spring 2010. CUCEP review of courses
submitted by CBS is now underway. The Academic Senate Committee on Courses of
Instruction will review courses during Spring/Summer 2010. New GE requirements would
take effect for students entering Fall 2011.
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Approved updates to College writing requirement. New UWP courses were added to the
list accepted to fulfill the requirement
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BIS 2B, 2C prerequisite changes. CUCEP approved a requirement for students to pass the
previous course in the series with at least a grade of C- in order to enroll in the next
course in the series (2B or 2C). This will reduce the ongoing failure rate in students moving
through the series, direct those students that are in academic trouble after 2A to
resources that will help them to improve their study skills and academic performance,
and reduce the enrollment bottleneck to enter the lab courses.
Respectfully submitted on behalf of members of CUCEP
Jeanette Natzle, Chair
Summary of CBS major requirements in Math and Statistics
Changes made in March 2010. Approved by CUCEP, CBS Executive Committee,
and submitted to the catalog.
Major program New Math requirement
New Statistics requirement
BIS A.B.
Recommended: Chemistry 2C and Mathematics 17A-17B
Statistics 13, 32, 100, or 102
BIS B.S.
Mathematics 17A-17B-17C or 21A-21B (21C recommended)
STA 100
BMB B.S. Mathematics 17A-17B-17C or 21A-21B (21C recommended)
STA 100 or STA 130A/130B
CBI B.S. Mathematics 17A-17B-17C or 21A-21B (21C recommended)
STA 100 or STA 130A/130B
EEB A.B. Mathematics 17A-17B (17C recommended) or 21A-21B
(21C recommended) or
Statistics 100 or 102
EEB B.S. Mathematics 17A-17B-17C or 21A-21B (21C recommended)
Statistics 100, 102 or 130A-130B
(no change)
EXB A.B. None
Statistics 13, 32, 100 or 102
EXB B.S. Mathematics 17A-17B-17C or 21A-21B (21C recommended)
Statistics 100 or 102
GEN B.S.Mathematics 17A-17B-17C or 21A-21B (21C recommended)
STA 100 or STA 130A/130B
MIC A.B. Mathematics 17A-17B or 21A-21B
MIC B.S. Mathematics 17A-17B-17C or 21A-21B (21C recommended)
Statistics 100 or 102
NPB B.S. Mathematics 17A-17B-17C or 21A-21B (21C recommended)
Statistics 100
PLB B.S. Mathematics 17A-17B-17C or 21A-21B (21C recommended)
Statistics 100 or 102
Committee on Nominations, Elections, and Rules (CNER)
Annual Report - May 2008 – May 2009
Date: May 19, 2010
Committee members: Terence Murphy, (Chair) (PLB), Lesilee Rose (MCB) Jeff Weidner (NPB)
The Committee on Nominations, Elections, and Rules nominated Professor Ted Powers, Department of
Molecular and Cellular Biology, for the position of vice-chair/secretary for the 2010-2011 academic
year. Professor Powers agreed to serve as vice-chair/secretary and, as specified by Bylaw 22, as chair in
the 2011-2012 academic year. No additional nominations were received and Professor Powers was
declared elected on May 25, 2010.
CNER nominated Professor John Harada, (PLB), for the position of Member At-large of the Executive
Committee. Professor Harada agreed to serve.
The continuing Member At-large was Professor Ted Powers (MCB). CNER nominated Professor Daniel Starr,
(MCB), to complete the second year of Professor Power's term as specified by Bylaw 92C.
A call for additional nominations was sent to CBS Faculty on May 11, 2010 with a request to respond by
May 25, 2010. No further nominations were received and Professors Powers, Harada, and Starr were
declared to be elected to their respective positions.
Undergraduate Student Petition Committee
Committee members: Diana G. Myles, Associate Dean-Undergraduate Programs, (Chair), Ted Powers
(MCB), Gail Patricelli (EVE), Jeff Weidner (NPB)
The Undergraduate Student Petition Committee did not meet during the 2009-2010 academic year.
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This report is available on the web at:
http://www.biosci.ucdavis.edu/about/executive_committee.html
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