Minutes of the Faculty Senate
DWR 205
March 28, 2019
3:40 p.m.
Present: Senators Warrick, Zia, Huang, Louden, Boumtje, Lowther, DiPier, Lyubartseva, Schroeder, Stanford, Fanning, Wilson, Shirey
Call to Order at 3:43 p.m.
Proxies: Connie Wilson for Alec Testa, Tim Schroeder for Scott White
I. Approval of Minutes
Minutes from February 21, 2019 were approved (motion – Wilson, second – DiPier).
II. Special Orders of the Day
Student Government Association President addressed the senate and stated that the student government is appreciative of the support they have received from faculty. They have implemented some changes including raising GPA requirements, and they have instituted a business casual dress code for all meetings. The student government is available to help faculty with tasks. April 24th is Denim Day for Sexual Abuse Awareness.
Dr. Lanoue spoke on the topic of the budget. Administration is trying to be proactive about potential budget problems before they become problems. There will be a Budget Committee meeting on April 9th. Money for the budget comes from the following sources:
1). State Funding
2). Tuition and Fees
3). Grants and Contracts
4). Housing, food services, etc.
5). Gifts from donors
6). One-time funds
State funding and tuition and fees are the largest contributors to the budget. The amount from the state has decreased which means that tuition and fees have to make up more of the budget. When state funding decreases, the budget becomes dependent on the ebbs and flows of enrollment; however, the following must be considered:
1). Inflation
2). Competition between institutions affects tuition and scholarship decisions
3). New programs require start-up costs
4). Accreditation costs money
The present situation at SAU is that the current level of spending exceeds money from tuition and fees, which makes us overly reliant on one-time funding (this is a recent development). This situation has occurred for four reasons:
1). Tuition freeze
2). Increasing discounted tuition rates reduces revenue
3). Volatility in enrollment projections
4). Inflation
In order to look ahead to make sure SAU avoids potential problems and keeps up with rising costs, the following can be done:
1). Grow enrollment – freshman enrollment has grown but applications are down. Graduate enrollment is growing but is still relatively low in terms of total enrollment. Competition for students has led to highly discounted tuition rates.
2). Retain more students – some evidence of progress but baseline retention rates (freshman to sophomores) remains about the same.
3). Raise tuition – tuition freeze for 2018-2019 will never be entirely made up. Tuition rates for 2019-2020 will increase but must be strategic in how those rates are raised.
4). Rely on one-time money – There are sources of one-time money, but this type of money cannot be counted on because it is one-time money.
5). Make strategic budget cuts – these cuts will occur across every unit. Personnel are the largest part of SAU’s budget, and this must be factored in. These cuts do not refer to filled positions – only unfilled positions, which are referred to as a hiring deferment.
Administration has the following plan to help SAU move forward successfully:
1). Grow enrollment by making new and current programs even more attractive.
2). Seek out new student populations such as non-traditional students.
3). Seek out external funding and grants.
4). Focus on retention.
Dr. Lanoue spoke on behalf of the Academic Integrity Council. The Academic Integrity Council is working to solve the following:
1). Update language of cheating to include online uploads.
2). Need to determine how to make sure all students can complete the Academic Integrity course, including transfer students.
3). Removed language to say that an instructor can impose other sanctions.
4). The VPAA will forward a summary of Academic Integrity Violations to the chair of the Academic Integrity Council.
5). Clarification that the instructor may try to settle misconduct issue informally.
6). Clarification that the VPAA’s office will inform the Dean as to whether a student has been found guilty of previous violations.
7). Statement that faculty should not penalize a student for acts of academic misconduct unless an academic integrity violation form has been completed.
8). Clarification that in the first meeting with the student, the Dean will inform the student of the violation level of their alleged offense, and that the Dean will determine the violation level.
9). Clarification that the student can appeal both the finding and the proposed violation level.
10). Clarification of deadlines and the role of the Dean.
11). Specification of the right of the faculty member to appeal the Dean’s decision.
12). Clarification if final notification to all parties by the VPAA’s office.
13). Clarification that the Dean’s judgment will determine whether material exceeds the 10% plagiarism threshold for determining violation levels.
14). Adds to Level 2 violations “uploading of quizzes, examinations, or any other graded materials, with or without answers, to a third-party website.”
15). Moves “submitting altered or falsified data” from Level 3 to Level 2 violation.
The full policy and the corrections sent to the Handbook committee who will look at the corrections by March 27th. The proposed changes will then be sent to Senate for a virtual vote, so that faculty may vote on the changes at the General Faculty meeting April 5th.
III. Unfinished Business
Senate Annual Accomplishment Task
Motion to make the senate annual accomplishment task an agenda item each spring. Motion carries.
IV. Reports of Committees
Handbook Committee – Online quality review policy changes had not been voted on yet. Will meet before April 3rd and a vote will go out virtually to Senate so that faculty may vote on changes at the General Faculty Meeting on April 5th.
Online and Technology Services Committee – Will meet next week.
V. Other Business
Dr. Rowsam addressed the senate regarding Open Pathway. The Higher Learning Commission has updated to include three pathways: Standard, Open, and AQIP. Criterion for Accreditation is the same for each of the pathways. For SAU, changes will be minimal. We have moved to an Open pathway. We will continue to do action projects, but we will report less often. The next comprehensive evaluation will occur in 2022-2023.
Dr. Ben Johnson given distinguished professor status.
82 new parking spaces are going in on campus.
SAU will have a Trap Shooting Team and Rodeo is expanding their numbers
SAU was awarded the VISTA grant to help with retentions.
Vote coming up for At Large and College Senators.
The April 18th meeting will be held at the President’s home at 3:40.
VI. Adjourn
Schroeder motion to adjourn at 5:15. Louden 2nd.
