The meeting was called to order by Vice Chair and Presiding Officer Larry C. Schooley at 3:00 p.m. in Room 146 of the College of Law.

Present: Senators Aguilar, Aleamoni, Caldwell, Chow, Dalman, D. Davis, T. Davis, DeYoung, Erlings, Gibbs (substitute for Christiano), Gruener, Hau, Heckler, Heinrich, Hogle, Houtkooper, Howell, Hurt, Impey, Ivey, Laetsch, Larson, Levin, Likins, Marchalonis, Maré, Medine, Merkle, Mishra, Mitchell, Newell, Nolan, Parsons, Pope, Powell, Roberts, Schooley, Silverman, Spece, Swindle, Sypherd, Szilagyi, Voyatzis, Warburton, Weinand, Witte and Zwolinski. Robert Sankey served as Parliamentarian.

Absent: Senators Armstrong, Auxier, Dahlgran, Dvorak, Dyl, Garcia, Jenkins, Joens, Kosta, Levy, O’Brien, Pepper, Perches, Pitt, and Sheridan.

2. OPEN SESSION

(Please note that speakers at the Open Session are expressing their personal opinion, which may not reflect the position of the Faculty Senate.)

Senator Peter Medine - Questions concerning the ORI Review of Dr. M. Kay. (attachment)

3A. ASUA President Francisco Aguilar

Senator Aguilar said that ASUA has been registering students to vote and invited everyone to attend the mayoral debate on October 19. He commented on the financial difficulties of the Escort Service and said they are exploring other options for funding because safety is a top priority. Student leaders have also been meeting with legislators Cunningham, Pickens, and Dunbar, and have been asking about faculty salaries among other issues. Senator Aguilar reported the students are pleased with the new Regents appointments, which include a minority female from Tucson and a male alumnus of UA undergraduate and Law Schools. Student Senators Chow and Hau have been working on the UA Parents’ Association/ASUA scholarships. Finally, Senator Aguilar reported students’ concern that Governor Hull’s Task Force on Higher Education does not include any student or faculty members. The Arizona Students’ Association (ASA) intends to continue trying to find a way to increase student representation (with at least the Student Regent) on the Task Force.

3B. GPSC President Laura Roberts

Senator Roberts announced the Seventh Annual Student Showcase of undergraduate and graduate research projects will be on the UA Mall November 5-6, 1999 during Homecoming. She is currently seeking judges to evaluate the students’ research. The keynote speaker for the awards ceremony will be State Senator Elaine Richardson.

Vice Chair Schooley made two announcements: (1) With the advice and consent of the Senate Executive Committee at the meeting on September 20, he appointed graduate student Lane Van Ham as the thirteenth member of the Senate Task Force For Monitoring Labor and Human Rights Issues. Vice Chair Schooley invited Task Force’s convener, Senator Andy Silverman, to give remarks. Senator Silverman commented that this is the most diverse committee he has ever served on in his extensive experience on University committees. He reported the Task Force members met last week and decided the first task is to educate themselves about all of the issues surrounding sweatshops and monitoring labor conditions. He invited senators to forward any information about these issues to him. The Task Force has not yet elected a chair, so Senator Silverman will continue to convene the Task Force and report to the Senate. (2) Vice Chair Schooley welcomed Vice President for Research Richard Powell, who has replaced Vice Provost Elizabeth Ervin as the Senate representative of the vice presidents.

3D. Secretary of the Faculty Susan Heckler

Secretary Heckler reported that the faculty listserv has been created and that the first message sent was an announcement listing the web address of the Draft Policy on Ethics in Research and Procedures for Investigating Misconduct in Research. She also reported the Senate Executive Committee revisited the issue of listserv management and reviewed the original listserv survey results in which the faculty who responded clearly favored having the Chair, Vice Chair, and Secretary manage the listserv. Secretary Heckler will report to the Senate later this year about the types of requests for postings, what messages are actually posted and not posted, and how well the listserv is working. At that time it will be included as an agenda item for Senate discussion.

3E. Chair of the Faculty Jerrold Hogle (Attachments)

Chair Hogle welcomed Provost Sypherd back from his sabbatical and introduced the Faculty Center’s new administrative assistant, Kathy Fitzgerald. He reported that the Arizona Faculties Council (AFC) set its goals at the last Arizona Board of Regents (ABOR) meeting. One of the AFC’s objectives for the year includes actively contributing to any planning for the futures of the state universities, including the Governor’s Task Force on Higher Education (attachment). He expressed the AFC’s disappointment at the lack of faculty representation but said they have received strong assurances from the Regents representatives and the Council of Presidents that faculty will have direct input to them and thus to the Task Force. The Task Force hopes to gain a complete view of higher education in Arizona including the community colleges. The AFC has decided to meet regularly with the ASA during the AFC/ABOR meetings because they share a common ground in so many issues. A second aim for the AFC is educating the legislature about the role of the faculty and the resources faculty represent for the state. Finally, the AFC has been charged with making recommendations to the Board of Regents designed to improve the ability of the universities to be more learner-centered (attachment). Referring to the UA’s gift campaign, Chair Hogle distributed a draft document of the Campaign Arizona proposed categories for donation possibilities and requested broad-based campus feedback about the document for the Strategic Planning and Budget Advisory Committee (SPBAC) (attachment).

3F. Provost Paul Sypherd

Provost Sypherd expressed his gratitude to the staff and administrators in his office during his sabbatical. He spent six months studying some of the issues in higher education which he believes profoundly impact upon The University. He reported that every public research university is experiencing the same problems as the UofA, mostly due to declining public financial support. In spite of the profound budgetary problems and occasional public diatribes, The University of Arizona is highly valued in the community and the state. He reported that two very important and confidential searches are currently being conducted for the Dean of the College of Medicine and the Vice Provost for Technology. He will notify the faculty and the Senate of their progress.

President Likins reported the gift campaign is underway, even though it won’t be publicly announced for a year. Vice President for Advancement Janet Bingham will handle the management of University funding for the campaign. SPBAC has received over 200 proposals, which they intend to keep as a resource for matching donors and gifts to needs, and they will structure the campaign around the themes (categories) proposed in the document distributed by Chair Hogle. President Likins described the importance of external relationships with business leaders, legislators, alumni, and parents as advocates for the University on a continuous basis. While the Governor’s Task Force on Higher Education is a commendable effort, it is not without associated risks, and the Council of Presidents will continuously strategize so as not to be in a defensive position when Task Force recommendations are formulated. They are also working with the Greater Phoenix Leadership Council and three Southern Arizona business organizations to ensure their continuous support for the universities. Senator Russell Gnant will be spending October 12 on campus with various faculty leaders and SPBAC members; it is hoped that this meeting will increase the senator’s understanding of the University’s contributions and how it operates when he next functions as Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee. The Presidents’ Council has charged an inter-university task force to consider and promote distance learning and to establish an extensive web page to pool all of the on-line course offerings, anticipating a possible entity which might eventually be known as the Arizona Regents’ University. The presidents spoke with the provosts and the Arizona Faculties Council and each identified a point person to determine how the universities may collaborate and be competitive in exploring this tentative idea. Dr. Michael Gottfredson will assume that role for The University of Arizona.

4. QUESTION AND ANSWER PERIOD

Senator Witte inquired of President Likins whether distance learning discussions might begin at the level of the Faculty Senate. President Likins replied that, mindful of the pressures coming to bear, the presidents began by strategizing among themselves, and then within 24 hours of their consensual agreement on the issues they went to the Arizona Faculties Council. He welcomes the continuing dialogue among the faculty from all three universities. Vice Chair Schooley also agreed to place this item on a future Senate agenda.

Senator Witte asked Secretary Heckler about the results from the Faculty Senate Minutes Survey of 1997, which may have included a question about an all-faculty listserv. Secretary Heckler replied that different surveys were done and that she will compile a report with the information for Senator Witte to clarify the situation.

Senator Szilagyi asked Chair Hogle why, in accordance with shared governance, the Faculty Senate isn’t functioning as the leading body of The University, not just as an advisory body to the administration. Chair Hogle replied the Senate has legislated numerous policies and procedural changes over the past several years, and that for University-wide policies and curriculum, the Senate is the highest ranking body and makes its recommendations directly to the President.

Senator Szilagyi asked why whiteboard pens are not being supplied in Harvill classrooms with whiteboards. Provost Sypherd will ask Dr. Gottfredson’s office to check Harvill more frequently for markers.

Senator Szilagyi also asked why international long distance calls from The University cost over $1.00 a minute. Senators T. Davis and R. Powell agreed the unexplained high telephone costs at The University seem to be out of control. Provost Sypherd will investigate and report back to the Senate.

Based on his experience in web-based learning, Senator Impey commented to President Likins that; 1) distance learning can transform the student experience and there are real benefits to student learning; but 2) it is very labor intensive to set up and extremely labor intensive to support, in technology, faculty training, faculty support, graduate student and student support. He cautioned against misperceptions at the state level about the costs and time involved.

Senator T. Davis asked Senator Aguilar to present ideas to the Senate on how to permanently fund the Escort Service.

Senator Aguilar asked Provost Sypherd for an update on the MIS department. Senator Sypherd reported the Dean has told him he is confident the department can accommodate the current MIS majors.

The minutes of the Faculty Senate meeting on September 13, 1999, were approved as distributed.

Both consent agenda items, detailed at the end of these minutes, were approved. [Motion 1999/00-2, 1999/00-3]

Senator Howell, Chair of the ICPC, asked Richard Cosgrove, a member of the WRIMCAT Committee, to give an historical perspective justifying the need for a change in the Upper Division Writing Proficiency Examination (UDWPE). Dr. Cosgrove explained that the reconsideration of the UDWPE has been ongoing for two years. College committees first addressed it and then passed on to a campus-wide committee, which met most of last year. He explained the WRIMCAT is not intended to be a remedial action; it is an attempt to certify and assess a student’s writing skill, usually prior to upper division coursework.

Senator Howell introduced WRIMCAT Committee members Randy Richardson, Marvin Diogenes, and Ty Bouldin, who were in attendance to help answer questions. She then directed Senators’ attention to the flowchart on page 12 of the WRIMCAT proposal. She explained the three options for students attaining the 45-credit hour level as follows: 1) a timed writing examination; 2) a 3-star folder, which contains examples of students’ writing which have been certified by instructors as meeting the writing proficiency; and 3) the 397 writing course. The timed writing option is an essay within a fixed time frame. If a student fails the exam, s/he is automatically enrolled in the (fee-bearing) 397 course. But the three-star folder that integrates writing with the new gen-ed curriculum and requirements is likely to be the preferred option. It is hoped that all faculty for lower division, gen-ed and writing emphasis courses would attend a workshop designed to prepare them for the activity of certifying papers which would be appropriate to meet the requirements of the WRIMCAT. Since the writing samples have already been certified, the student’s folder would be checked only for technical requirements, such as submitting duplicate papers or another student’s work. If the folder is rejected, the student must take the timed writing exam, and failing that, would be automatically enrolled in the 397 course. If students do nothing about the WRIMCAT, they are automatically enrolled in the 397 course.

Senators’ questions and comments: 1) the structure duplicates itself unnecessarily because it is unlikely that an instructor would decline to certify work for a student who had passed the course; 2) if a student fails 397, that might result in some students being locked into a continuous loop; 3) the concept of a "gatekeeper" for writing skills for graduation is unwarranted at the level of The University and detracts from the role of faculty; 4) why is the 397 course fee-bearing? 5) would a "C" paper in a freshman level class be certifiable for the WRIMCAT? 6) writing is sufficiently important that the entire faculty should have a stake in it; 7) how do transfer students fit into the model? 8) the Faculty Senate passed the mid-career writing assessment about 20-25 years ago and the Composition Board carries out the task at the will of the faculty; 8) this is a complex proposal with a distinction between substance and implementation and really does place the primary responsibility on the faculty; 9) the WRIMCAT committee should visit the various college curriculum committees with the proposal; 10) the WRIMCAT should be integrated with the gen-ed program; 11) the three-star folder should include one paper from Individuals and Society, one from Traditions and Cultures, and one from a Natural Science; 12) put the 45 unit trigger for the exam back to 60 units; 13) move the administration of the WRIMCAT into the office of General Education and give the student advisors the discretion to handle the remediation or to waive it; 13) how many students who take 397 pass it and are successfully remediated? 14) continue the UDWPE for a minimum of three additional years in order to provide a satisfactory base to have an outcome-oriented evaluation of the writing aspects of General Education; 14) the fee for 397 will not be accepted by students; 15) the UDWPE doesn’t effectively measure writing skills; 16) there is no consequence for ignoring the 45 credit trigger; 17) there is no provision for transfer students to provide three certified papers for the folder; 18) making the 397 course fee-bearing seems punitive; 19) is it possible to require students to take the assessment test before being taking upper division classes within their majors? 20) the Committee of Eleven produced an extensive report in the 1970’s authored by Shirley Fahey, which the Committee of Eleven forwarded as a unanimous recommendation and which may be worth examining; 21) writing involves technical performance as well as content and mentoring should play a meaningful role. Senator Howell and the members of the WRIMCAT Committee thanked the Senate for today’s preliminary feedback and will return with prepared responses.

Dr. Fregosi reported the Research Policy Committee met on September 23^rd to discuss this policy and is currently working on revisions and requested input from the Faculty Senate and all faculty. He said all suggestions will be considered by his committee, which will then make a revised draft available to the faculty for review, and after a final revision it will be forwarded to the Senate. The URL address of the draft policy is http://www.ece.arizona.edu/files/ .

There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 4:56 p.m.

Susan E. Heckler, Secretary

Senator Peter Medine’s statement at the Open Session.
Secretary Heckler’s Report on Faculty Listserv.
Draft of CAMPAIGN ARIZONA For a Premier University Experience dated 9/7/99.
Announcement of Governor’s Higher Education Task Force.
Arizona Board of Regents Statement of Principles for Learner-Centered Change.
Instruction and Curriculum Policy Committee Proposal for possible Faculty Senate action on October 4, 1999 (consent agenda).
Report and Recommendations of the Committee to Revise the Upper-Division Writing Proficiency Exam: A Proposal for the WRIMCAT.

*Copies of material listed in the Appendix are attached to the original minutes and are on file in the Faculty Center.