Executive Council Meeting
January 19, 2010, 8:45 am, UW2 327
Present: Bruce Kochis, EC Chair, Diane Gillespie, Chuck Jackels, Dan Jaffe, Pete Nye and Marc
Servetnick
Absent: Pam Joseph and Selina Mohammed
Guests: Bruce Burgett and Dan Jacoby
Adoption of Agenda
The agenda was adopted.
Review of EC Minutes of December 18, 2009
The EC minutes of December 18, 2009 were approved unanimously as amended.
Report of GFO Officers
A. Past Chair – Dan Jaffe
Jaffe reported on the Senate Committee on Planning and Budget (SCPB), the UW is
moving toward a business plan called Activity Based Budgeting (ABB); some task groups
are being assigned to look at teaching and research under this budgeting process. The
Governor has utilized all federal stimulus funds that are allocated for education.
B. GFO Chair – Charles Jackels
Jackels reported on his meeting with Marcia Killien, Secretary of the Faculty, to discuss the
unit-based teaching loads being implemented for lecturers on campus. The main points
discussed were:
 Nine-course load for non-tenure–track faculty. UW Handbook is apparently silent
about teaching loads or their uniformity across campus and departments. No
constraints seem evident; teaching loads are apparently treated very much as an
administrative matter.
 Unit-based workloads for tenure track faculty. An example would be to set a
nominal course load for tenure and then indicate a routine “reduction” in it because
of research and service requirements. For example, one might suggest that faculty
have a work load of nine units (or courses) and that four of them are “replaced” by
research/service activities, giving a net load of five courses. Again, the Handbook is
silent about faculty workloads or their uniformity across units. They seem to be a
matter of negotiation between faculty and administrators, with varied outcomes
across the units. However, the “unitization” and compartmentalization of
professional responsibilities according to a metric as in the example above might be
in violation of the Handbook. There is no provision for measuring teaching and
research in terms of fractional workloads, course units, or other such metrics. In
particular, one could not expect to replace faculty research responsibility by
accepting or being assigned a larger teaching load. This is very general and not
meant to reflect at all on special individual arrangements that someone might have
made in unusual circumstances.
Jackels also reported on the Senate Executive Committee (SEC). The first reading of the
plan to reduce the Senate (from 15:1 to 40:1, or 260 to 114 members) and Senate
Executive Committee (from ~30 to ~15 members) will be on the Senate agenda this week.
This is class A legislation, which will receive two readings and eventually be voted on by the
whole faculty. In making this reduction in the SEC, the recommendation was to reduce very
sharply the number of ex-officio voting members, making most SEC members from among
the elected senators. At our request, this recommendation was modified to include the
Chairs of the faculty organizations at UWT and UWB as ex-officio voting members. We
received good support on this from our UWS colleagues. Our continuing representation on
the SEC has been assured under this change. Under this reorganization, each major unit
(campus, college, school) will be allocated its number of senators (3 or 4 for UWB), and the
college council will conduct the election. The EC will need to consider this and determine
how to allocate and elect our senators. We may need the CCPTFA’s counsel on this before
we act.
Jackels discussed the term limits and duties of Principal Lecturers at UW. The Academic
Human Resources web page does not make an upper limit explicit on the term of Principal
Lecturers, stating only that multiyear terms are acceptable. This is inconsistent with the UW
Handbook, which places a five-year limit on the terms of both Senior and Principal
Lecturers. At our request the Secretary of the Faculty is pursuing this issue. Professional
duties of lecturers. The UW Handbook is explicit about Lecturers and Senior Lecturer
positions being instructional ranks and makes no mention of a research duty. Whereas, in
the tenure-track rank descriptions, the dual responsibilities of teaching and research are
made explicit. However, Academic Human Resources requires the following language in all
job ads, regardless of rank:
“All University of Washington faculty are expected to engage in teaching, research,
and service.” (required by AHR)
Since this is inconsistent with the Handbook, the Secretary of the Faculty has asked for
clarification.
An EC rep inquired about the practice at UWB of sending a legal statement along with a
receipt of application to job candidates for faculty positions. Is it possible to provide this
information once the candidate arrives on campus? Jackels will check on this.
C. GFO Vice Chair – Bruce Kochis
Kochis reported on a meeting with VCAA Jeffords to discuss the opposition to the
unitization of faculty workloads in some programs. Some issues that need to be addressed
involve teaching loads, FTE and faculty culture. Are non-tenure track faculty hired at
research universities to reduce the teaching load of tenure-track faculty? Does this reflect a
larger pattern nationally to reduce the number of tenure-track faculty at the institution?
Kochis has researched this trend and will share information from the book “Off-track Profs”,
this discussion will continue to move forward.
Kochis also reported on the Academic Council (AC) meeting. The S&T Biology proposal
was discussed, although AC recommendations will be requested after tri-campus review of
the degree proposal. The status of the UWB budget was discussed, at the current 116%
enrollment, tuition funds marked renewable will become permanent funds. Enrollment
numbers show UWB at 2035 students, 2500 students is the FTE target. The percentage of
out of state and international students will factor into funding. Tuition funding now goes into
a central pool and directors request funds from that pool. This is an ongoing discussion, are
these models sustainable and what is the growth/enrollment capacity for UWB? The
pressure to continue increased growth without budget support could adversely impact our
institution. This issue will be moved to a future agenda.
The Faculty Council for Tri-campus Policy delayed approval of a task force report on
establishing new tri-campus relations.
Reports from Program Representatives
A. Pete Nye – Business
The Business undergraduate program in Bellevue will admit the first cohort, this is a selfsustaining program.
EC reps will report any feedback/input from their programs on the CUSP review, it is not
necessary for directors to bring feedback directly to the EC.
B.
Kelvin Sung - Computing and Software Systems – no report.
C.
Pam Joseph – Education – no report.
D.
Diane Gillespie - Interdisciplinary Arts & Sciences
IAS will be bringing faculty candidates to campus for the new Geographic Analysis and
Visualization option and the Science, Technology and Society major.
E.
Selina Mohammed – Nursing – no report
F.
Marc Servetnick - Science & Technology
S&T reviewed the Interactive Media and Technology proposal. The program has four
faculty searches underway. Professor Kate Noble has transferred from UWS to the UWB
S&T program.
Reports of Standing Councils/Committees .
A. College Council on Promotion, Tenure, and Faculty Affairs (CCPTFA) – no report.
B.
Faculty Council on Tri-Campus Policy (FCTCP) – no report
C. Instruction and Research Support Committee – no report
Old Business
A.
Criteria for Vetting Proposals
This agenda item will be postponed to a future date.
B.
CUSP Review for Winter Quarter
The CUSP review for winter quarter is ongoing. EC reps are asked to bring input from
their programs to the EC.
A winter quarter GFO meeting is scheduled for March 1, 2010, 3:30 – 5:00 pm.
C.
B.S. Biology Proposal (S&T – 2nd reading)
Servetnick opened discussion on the S&T proposal for a BS in Biology. In the future it is
recommended that a representative from the program, other than the EC rep present the
degree/option proposal to the EC. The EC responses and recommendations were
communicated to the Biology task force. A Bioethics requirement remains in the proposal
and a requirement for Biology and Society will be added. The proposal was discussed at
the AC, although formal recommendations will be received after tri-campus review of the
proposal. The interdisciplinarity of the degree was discussed; there is no mechanism to
address how requirements will be met within programs. If the requirements of the degree
impact resources of other programs, directors may need to hire faculty to fill the need.
Coordination with IAS and Nursing is needed on an ongoing basis, more courses in human
biology and physiology will be developed to create pathways for nursing and medical
students. Can these requirements be staffed? Should an institutionalized system be
developed to coordinate cross programmatic staffing and resource allocation in new
degree programs to align with the 21st Century Initiative?
EC motion
Jackels moved to pass the motion:
“The EC endorses forwarding the BS in Biology degree proposal to the UW Registrar for Tri-campus
review.”
The motion was seconded.
Kochis called the question on the original motion. Hearing no objection, he called for a vote on it. By show
of hands, the motion carried unanimously.
New Business
A. Law, Economics and Public Policy (IAS – 1st reading)
Kochis opened discussion on the IAS proposal for an option in Law, Economics and Public
Policy. This option is a core requirement for an Interdisciplinary Studies major and a
pathway to the Master of Arts in Policy Studies at UWB. Dan Jacoby provided background
information on this option, developed to strengthen social sciences at UWB; this option
integrates economics, social sciences, law and public policy. There are cross
programmatic ties with Business, CSS and the Nursing program. The option links with
Environmental Studies, Global Studies, Community Psychology and Community Health as
well as other options/majors.
EC motion
Jaffe moved to pass the motion:
“The EC endorses moving the option in Law, Economics and Public Policy forward for a second reading by
the EC.”
The motion was seconded, discussion followed:
 Focusing on the areas of the degree, this option is broader than normally defined disciplines in
Economics and Law.
 The option is focused on Public Policy with a core understanding of Economics and Political
Science, offering foundational courses to respond to different areas.
 This option offers three degrees with a broad background but with limited depth in these areas.
 Will the statistics requirement be enough, is more math needed?
 Should micro/macro economics be required beyond introduction to Microeconomics? These
courses may be developed over time.
 How do you govern the internship to ensure that it builds skills appropriate to the degree? The
academic content of the internship is regulated by offering it as a course internship.
 If this option becomes a major, there will be a well developed economics requirement added to
fulfill the requirements of an economics degree.
 To achieve success in public policy careers, students need at least two things, writing and
statistics. Does this option satisfy those needs?
Kochis called the question on the original motion. Hearing no objection, he called for a vote on it. By show
of hands, the motion carried unanimously.
Good of the order
No announcements.
Meeting adjourned at 10:45 am
Minutes submitted by Barbara Van Sant
Next meeting will be February 2, 2010