September 2016 Minutes

In attendance

Amy Ackerson, Leigh Adams, Ed Birdyshaw, Cathy Boys, Michelle Branton, Bobbie Dykes, Ana Estrella, Alex Graham, Aimee Green, Phil Howerton, Carla Huddleston, Jason McCollom, Renee Moore, Kathy Morrison, Carla Neff, Joyce Pineda, Jacob Poulette, Frank Priest, Sage Roush (SGA rep), Joe Rugutt, Dasha Russell, Tresa Ryan, Brenda Smith, Cindy Smith, Tera Smith, Rajiv Thakur, Ben Wheeler.

  • Amy Ackerson
  • Leigh Adams
  • Craig Albin
  • Ed Birdyshaw
  • Michelle Branton
  • Judy Carr
  • Melinda Denton
  • Joyce DeWitt
  • Bobbi Dykes
  • Ana Estrella
  • Alexandra Graham
  • Jim Hart
  • Phil Howerton
  • Mary Kellum
  • Sylvia Kuhlmeier
  • Seongchun Kwon
  • Jason McCollom
  • Renee Moore
  • Carla Neff
  • Gary Phillips
  • Joyce Pineda
  • Alex Pinnon
  • Jacob Poulette
  • Frank Priest
  • Cathy Proffitt-Boys
  • Kip Rugutt
  • Dasha Russell
  • Tresa Ryan
  • Brenda Smith
  • Cindy Smith
  • Tera Smith
  • Rajiv Thakur
  • Colt Tompkins (guest)
  • Jay Towell
  • David White

Minutes

Call to order - 9:00 AM

  • Mission: Missouri State University-West Plains is a teaching and learning institution providing quality post-secondary educational opportunities to the communities we serve.
  • Additions and Approval of Agenda
    • Motion by Kip Rugutt, seconded by Bobbi Dykes
  • Approval of minutes from previous meeting
    • Motion by Gary Phillips, seconded by Michelle Branton

Chancellor's Update:

  • Enrollment increased, but at 20th class day a new process: Attendance Tracker auto dropped students who have not attended during first two weeks
  • Taking students out of sample size/enrollment, this will increase retention, and thus graduates, which is a better measure of economic impact
  • January 1, 2017, Shoe Lofts became managed by Missouri State-West Plains was renamed the Grizzly Lofts; Missouri State-West Plains can now recruit to our University-operated apartments; same standards as at the Grizzly House and the Grizzly Lofts
  • Thank you Faculty for participation in Higher Learning Commission (HLC) 2017 visit preparation
  • The Grizzly Fall Picnic today; the Grizzly Volleyball team is doing very well this season, the home opener is today
  • October 6 the State of the University/campus address will be given by President Smart and Chancellor Bennett
  • Request of Faculty Senate: Will you allow Alex Pinnon to enter into tenure-track position without a national search? He is highly qualified and if a super-majority of Faculty Senate members, President Smart and the Board of Governors agree, we can move forward in making Pinnon's position tenure-track. Please let Chancellor know if the Faculty Senate concurs

    Questions:

    • Joyce Jennings-Pineda: have there been discussions with the Faculty Senate Executive Committee, Chair?
    • Chancellor Bennett: Yes, Rajiv has been informed.
    • Amy Ackerson: Questions about the process—sets precedent for other positions; Are we rewriting the job position?
    • Chancellor: no, we do not plan on doing this for any other position. This is a unique situation. The Honors position was always a tenure-track position, Pinnon was hired as per-year faculty; this would fulfill the job description.

Administration Council Updates: Rajiv Thakur

  • Prioritize hiring (Physics Instructor or Per-Course Faculty/History Assistant Professor/Instructional Designer) since budget is limited.
    • Faculty Senate should prioritize, given our limited budget.
    • Leigh Adams: Why do we pit Faculty against each other? The History position is open, but vacate. It should be filled. English Faculty needs to be staffed, just missed a crisis this semester.
    • Rajiv Thakur: All three positions should be filled. This is linked up with issues Renee Moore will bring up later. We must let Administrative Council know what we want. If we want positions filled, we must let them know.
    • Joyce Jenning-Pineda: We've done this before, this same situation in the past. We might have to respond with a single voice, strongly advocate.
    • David White: Disagreed with Leigh Adams that we need a ID position.
    • Rajiv Thakur: This will be addressed when Renee Moore talks.
    • Rajiv Thakur: Must consider how we prioritize.
    • Jason McCollom: strongly advocated for filling Connie Morgan's vacant position. History department went through crisis in filling course instruction this semester.
  • Enrollment down in terms of credit hours.
    • Credit hours likely to be at 3-4% down
  • The Faculty Senate website is available. Please visit the Faculty Senate website. Your feedback is welcome.
    • The page is up and running and the Faculty should be familiar. Seongchun Kwon is point-person

Old Business:

  • Jerry Trick – Faculty Senate Finance
    • Each faculty member asked to voluntarily donate $1 per person or $10 annually to Faculty Senate Fund; monies used to Kids College Sponsorship; to purchase Faculty Emeritus plaques; other additional expenses; Faculty Senate secretary will give report on fund balance at September Faculty Senate annual meeting; do have $40 from last year; Business office will take money, as long as easily accessible.
    • Vote on Faculty Senate Finance: Jerry Trick proposes discussion and vote; Jason McCollom seconded the motion to create Faculty Senate Finance;
    • Leigh Adams: Why doesn't Faculty Senate have a budget not out of our pocket?
    • Amy Ackerson: Who will manage the budget for departments?
    • Leigh Adams: We don't have a treasurer position.
    • Vote: Yeahs have it. Motion passed.
  • Jason McCollom – American Association of University Professors (AAUP) Summer Developments and updates on forthcoming retreat at West Plains
    • Summer Institute Chapter leadership report; Missouri AAUP retreat in West Plains this fall
  • Alex Pinnon – Common Reader Updates
    • In November will provide list of advice on how to integrate the Common Reader into community/curriculum; Will vote on 2017-18 Common Reader soon; sealed agreement with East Wind Community to bring them to campus on November 4 for panel discussion on their culture/society; asking for specific questions from the Faculty about agriculture or their society
  • Jerry Trick – Interdisciplinary Studies (IDS) updates
    • IDS 110 up and running; 12-week course this semester; Can use more faculty to help teach IDS 110;
    • Next week is campus perimeter run, Thursday 9:00 PM, event takes 10 minutes, need the Faculty help; IDS 150
    • Michelle Branton: College Readiness Program (CRP) reading program, it is not mandatory, so students choose, and this is a challenge for the program;
    • IDS 297, meeting Tuesday @ 1:00 PM, Melton 2nd floor conference room, this is the initial meeting to address Capstone courses
    • Gary: If you thought about teaching Capstone, attend this meeting.

New Business:

  • Ed Birdyshaw – Salary benchmark
    • Will add this to Budget Committee update
  • Cathy Boys (also Dennis Lancaster) – Divisional Personnel Committee (DPC) – Faculty Senate needs to decide a point person/committee to oversee Retention, Promotion and Tenure (RPT) process
    • Cathy Boys: at last division chair meeting, several questions about DPC process, some pretty basic, and this revealed that this is a Faculty-driven process, and we need someone to oversee this from Faculty Senate standpoint;
    • Question: Should there not be a committee to check on calendar, other basic stuff, we don't have an oversight committee;
    • Leigh Adams: Cathy Boys is right, there is no one in charge of DPC, only two DPC committees, no overriding structure, no Faculty Senate committee under which this falls
    • Amy Ackerson: We've developed a new process, but there are holes in the process. Until we get this down to a science (this is only second year), we need someone to lead
    • Joyce Jennings-Pineda: Can this be done without forming another committee?
    • Leigh Adams: can Faculty Evaluation Committee (FEC) deal with this? Their responsibility is FEC, and DPC is part of this.
    • Joyce Jennings-Pineda: Can't DPC chairs do oversight?
    • Leigh Adams: Might change from year to year. Term limits might mitigate against institutional memory.
    • Rajiv Thakur: There is a timeline, b/c DPC process is about to begin.
    • Jacob Poulette: Is this a recurring need?
    • Cathy Boys: Where does diversity fit into this process?
    • Rajiv Thakur: President Smart has proposed/defined "diversity" for Missouri State University system.
    • Leigh Adams: This can't be an administration-driven situation, it has to be faculty-driven. Maybe ad-hoc committee in these early years, maybe one of division chairs or administration; but its not in forms/paperswork.
    • Rajiv Thakur: Dennis wants to facilitate, but wants someone leading in Faculty Senate.
    • Amy Ackerson: Yes, faculty must drive this.
    • Cathy Boys: We need to get out ahead of this before the process begins in the Fall.
    • Leigh Adams: Consider first-time faculty too, probationary period.
    • Leigh Adams: This should be end of year to prep for next year.
    • Jerry Trick: Reads from Faculty Handbook, there is language already there; it isn't just a DPC issue, issue about we need faculty leadership, we will work out kinks in this young process; we (Jerry Trick and others) have been working on this, process/headway is occurring; I'm available to help.
    • Leigh Adams: Yes, but it's not your job. Who will do this when you aren't doing it anymore?
    • Craig Albin: as Chair of FEC - we can take this on, we meet "as necessary," it is in our purview.
    • Rajiv Thakur: Do we need a new committee?
    • Everyone: No.
    • Amy Ackerson: Please clarify DPC and RPT.
    • Cathy Boys: Yes, the entire process.
    • Rajiv Thakur: This will go as "Old Business" next meeting, we will work on this.
    • Jerry Trick: The language is there, we will get FEC more involved. Joyce: Info can go to DPC and to Faculty Handbook Committee.
    • Cathy Boys: deadline is coming up, diversity is a new concern.
    • Jerry Trick: Will base it on AY. Issue always is the first-time faculty member in the DPC/RPT process. So that's why we have the mentoring process, etc. No easier answer to this situation, as it is in any institution.
    • Cathy Boys: So what do it do with this info? Who do I send it to? Joyce: send it to Faculty Evaluation Committee, per Faculty Handbook. That tells us about the communication.
    • Jerry Trick: Bottom line—we are working on it, we just need to perfect it; Handbook Changes coming later this year.
    • Rajiv Thakur: What are we telling Dennis Lancaster? What do faculty want?
    • Cathy Boys: the FEC will be point-committee on this. Cooperation on all three levels.
    • Rajiv Thakur: In conclusion: DPC communicate with FEC about this process and they will oversee, Craig Albin presiding.
  • Renee Moore – Faculty Leave Benefits
    • Renee Moore needs to step down as chair of Child and Family Development (CFD) due to health-related issues. Given time to talk about this with the dean. Presents PowerPoint (attached) explaining faculty leave. She discussed some shortcomings of how faculty/staff is supported. Change needs to have broader impact, across all departments, not just CFD.
    • Rajiv Thakur: My idea was, stepping down not best option. What is the "elephant in the room"? What are we not talking about, but expecting things to change?
    • Leigh Adams: We need to tell our story to administration. We are expected to do so many things, and with any other institution there is support/help. Time is taken from centrality of what Faculty do.
    • Alex Graham: What support do you need in CFD? Specifically?
    • Renee: Tired of being told "no" by administration; they focus only on money, think everything Faculty want is tied to money, but we're not after money, we need support. Support means different things for each dept/faculty member.
    • Joyce Jennings-Pineda: I've said before, we've not been good ourselves, as Faculty, at saying "no," or asking "Should we do this?" "What are implications?"
    • Renee Moore: We need everyone/other department to keep the pressure, and maintain communication with teh administration to affect change.
    • Joyce Jennings-Pineda: We should have a vote in support of Renee Moore's move, show Faculty support. Leigh Adams seconded the motion.
    • Rajiv Thakur: Motion to support Renee Moore, and demonstrates it reflects deeper issues, and advocate communication with the administration.
    • Ed Birdyshaw: This should be a written statement; the administration won't read minutes. A written statement will be a permanent record. Write out a formal statement, I want to know what I'm supporting.
    • Joyce Jenning-Pineda: As the Faculty Senate body, we support ideas reflected in Renee Moore's presentation.
    • Kip Rugutt: Let's be more explicit.
    • Michelle Branton: Speaking for staff, we don't have the power Faculty have; staff fear of losing jobs if they say "no".
    • Renee Moore: I sought out four faculty members before I did this, am I doing right thing. I got a unanimous "yes" and good feedback. As a tenured faculty member, I could do this without fear of reprisal. I was in a position to speak for whole campus.
    • Leigh Adams: It is important to include staff in this. They do a lot without the same protections of tenure. Renee Moore has highlighted problems across faculty and staff, it is an institutionalized problem.
    • Kip Rugutt: We need time to craft statement regarding this.
    • Renee Moore: We need to do this now. The administration's attention span is short. We have a small window.
    • Amy Ackerson: Who is "they"? Whom do we address?
    • Renee Moore: Not focused on specific person/the administrator; it is institutional issue; systemic problem.
    • Rajiv Thakur: Motion to support Renee Moore with bringing up campus issues that affect Faculty and staff, and that we stand in support.
    • Gary Phillips: Not ready to vote. Need specifics: What do we need? What is "support"? Too vague.
    • Amy Ackerson: When students express dissatisfaction, "I don't like this…"; if they don't have a solution attached to it, it is hard to do something. The administration knows we feel this way. We have to offer solutions.
    • Renee Moore: Send messages, then take month to craft solutions.
    • Leigh Adams: Agree.
    • Amy Ackerson: We have ideas, but aren't often heard. We have solutions, and want to have "yes" response.
    • Motion: Renee Moore receives Faculty Senate support for the issues she's raised, which are institutional/systemic; acknowledge staff and Faculty need support, and we are working on recommendations/plans for concrete solutions – motion passes unanimously
    • Amy Ackerson: another issue: What will we take away if we are adding innovation and new horizons? We have to trim non-effective things or repetition? Things are not efficient. We must identify these problems, and not engage in time-wasting processes; as a business we are not efficient and would be bankrupt
    • Alex Graham: Workflow is a specific thing for which we can ask.
    • Jacob Poulette: Staff Senate should come up with own recommendations.
    • Renee Moore: We are all so busy trying to do what we do, we have blinders on, it's hard; we can't forget this, or the administration will forget this.
    • Leigh Adams: HLC preparation is a perfect time.
    • Ed Birdyshaw: As former Faculty Senate chair, for the administration, if it's not fundraising, it is an obstacle to fundraising
  • Michelle Branton – At-risk students and "Grizzly Guard"
    • The at-risk student list is lengthy; will be more challenging than originally thought; student list for Fall 2016 with GPA under 2.0, students on academic probation, and reinstated students, and list keeps growing; when I look at student schedules, see that students are in classes in which they shouldn't be; Math is good about putting students in sequence
    • Grizzly Guard—not getting much from Faculty; did not get faculty alerts about students not attending;
    • Rajiv Thakur: Grizzly Guard has not really gotten off the ground by faculty until Week 3;
    • Rajiv Thakur shows how to alert students via Grizzly Guard, on projector
  • Judy Carr & Frank Priest – Attendance tracking and administrative withdrawal.
    • Frank Priest: Discussion about students administratively withdrawn; gives example of his student who tried to do assignments right before being adminstratively withdrawn; doesn't think that professors should be allowed to override the admistrative withdrawal, it negates the entire procedure. Should professors be allowed to do this?
    • Renee Moore: We need a day/time notification so Faculty know and inform students.
    • Ben Wheeler: This is not professor's choice, it is federal government requirement regarding financial aid.
    • Renee Moore, Leigh Adams: Is this language in Master Syllabus?
    • Frank Priest: Main question: Do Faculty have the power to override an administrative drop in a course? If we do, are we violating a federal mandate?
    • Rajiv Thakur: Will ask Dennis Lancaster and Angela Totty about financial aid/attendance etc. and get answers. Will bring up this issue in Administrative Council as well.
    • Dasha Russell: I've had issue with post-mid-term issues about second half of Pell Grant being disbursed. Please add to Rajiv Thakur's note to the Administrative Council.

Committee Updates:

  • Academic Concerns Committee - Cindy Smith
    • Not in attendance
  • Assessment Committee - Amy Ackerson
    • Meeting 1:00 PM today; Project Hashtag. Met with Jerry Trick, Brenda Smith, Alex Pinnon, Jim Hart about program review. We need joint task force between Assessment and Curriculum Committees. Is this something Joyce Jennings-Pineda and I can assign, or does it come out of Faculty Senate?
    • Leigh Adams: Curriculum has talked about this, and we appointed a committee and carried it out. My concern out of last HLC review - Curriculum and Assessment are not working together. So we need to link them
    • Amy Ackerson: We need Chalk and Wire training for Faculty. Discussed with Jim Hart frequently about him and I coming to each department to train Chalk and Wire. Small groups are better. Do need dates for Assessment Professional Development. We could also do departmental assessment. Need feedback.
    • Jim Hart: Portfolios - Faculty please finish these.
  • Budget and Priorities Committee - Ed Birdyshaw
    • Salary Benchmarks: meeting 9/16 10 AM, T205. Need to estimate timeline and this should be voted on no later than December Faculty Senate meeting.
  • Curriculum Committee - Joyce Jennings-Pineda
    • 5:00 PM today deadline for curriculum proposals.
  • Faculty Evaluations Committee - Craig Albin
    • Organizational meeting this month; requests sent for good times/dates, please respond.
  • Faculty Handbook Committee - Kip Rugutt
    • Organizational meeting, committee members needs hard copy of updated Faculty Handbook
  • Public Affairs - Gary Phillips
    • Next week is public affairs week @ the Springfield campus; Wednesday is day for student visits there.
  • Student Advisement Committee - Jerry Trick
    • Looking forward to working with Michelle Branton, send issues/concerns for representation
    • Michelle Branton: need to know about at-risk students.
  • Institutional Analysis Committee - Kathy Morrison/Joyce Jennings-Pineda
    • Joyce Jennings-Pineda: nothing to report; if anyone has issue please let us know.
  • Service Learning Committee - Cathy Proffitt Boys
    • No report; meeting upcoming.
  • International Issues Committee - Rajiv Thakur
    • Ana Estrella: Study Away in Costa Rica for next year; video for most current trip, will share at the next Faculty Senate meeting; encourage Faculty to develop/lead Study Away programs; please advertise to advisees.

Announcements:

  • The P-Card Travel Procedures have been revised. Please review the revised procedures (PDF 198 KB).

    You need a PDF viewer similar to Adobe® Reader® to view and print this document.

  • Jacob Poulette – Association for Computing Machinery (ACM)
    • Attempting to expand outside Computer Graphics and Programming (CPG) dept.; an international organization focused on computing, send interested students; looking for once-per-month meetings; organized around interest areas.
  • Rajiv Thakur - South Central Ozark Council of Governments (SCOCOG)'s Geography/Regional Planning Paid Internship (flyer available)
    • Info available in flyer
  • Rajiv Thakur – K-12 Summer Institute (Globalization and Diversity in classroom) at Missouri State-West Plains in 2017.
    • Organization in the works; Jason McCollom and Kathy Morrison involved
  • Rajiv Thakur – American Association of Geographers (AAG) West Lakes Division Annual Regional Meeting of 2017 to be likely hosted by Missouri State-West Plains.
    • Discussed this with the chancellor and this might be going live next October; 200-300 attendees
  • Faculty leave benefits are changing: Over the summer, the Board of Governors approved a new policy for faculty sick leave.
  • September 12-19 Public Affairs Week - opinions on streaming portions to West Plains
  • Dennis Lancaster out from Tuesday Noon through Friday for Governor's Economic Development Conference in Kansas City (No dean's update).
  • Paul Majkut - Inspirational Recruiting Video (Draft Screening) Feel free to provide your inputs to Paul Majkut or Cheryl Caldwell
  • Manufacturing (MFG) Day Expo – recruiting manufacturers to participate in the expo. Reception will be held October 6, 5:30 PM to 7:30 PM. MFG Day is October 7.
  • Restaurant Management and Food Safety Seminar is September 19, 3:00 PM to 5:00 PM.

Dennis Lancaster:

  • Dean Lancaster was attending Governor's Economic Development Conference in Kansas City

Closed Session:

Discussion of the chancellor's proposal for Alex Pinnon Director of Honors be a tenure-track position

  • Rajiv Thakur: There is a process about getting a tenure-track position; let's have a national search, let Alex prove himself.
  • Amy Ackerson: We already hired him through search process; it is not a good use of money/time; one-year term positions are not effective; we've hired him 4 times; let's rewrite job description as tenure-track.
  • Leigh Adams: Fundamental issue - this is a lawsuit waiting to happen; we have a specified process about hiring, and we have been subverting this on regular basis.
  • Alex Pinnon: I was told my position was tenure-tracked when hired; confused about changing position to tenure-track.
  • David White: This is a tenure-track position.
  • -Leigh Adams: Get this in writing in your contract.
  • Alex Pinnon: This is the deal as presented: I get it for two years, but now it has been year-by-year; I need some type of security.
  • Joyce Jennings-Pineda: Hiring decisions/contract information is opaque from the Faculty's view, We don't know what administraion does behind closed doors with hiring choices.
  • Jacob Poulette: The same situation is in my division with per-course/yearly faculty.
  • Cathy Boys: It is the same situation with Tera, not given permission to make her position tenure-track.
  • Leigh Adams: I want Alex Pinnon to have the job; but… we have to follow procedure and there are legal ramifications.
  • Rajiv Thakur: What is your designation, Alex Pinnon?
  • Alex Pinnon: I am a lecturer.
  • Rajiv Thakur: How does that work?
  • Amy Ackerson: There should have been a search in year three.
  • Everyone: This institution has tenure-track instructors, it is in the Faculty Handbook.
  • Joyce Jenning-Pineda: Ana Estrella was in this same position, and I as faculty mentor I made sure she didn't get into this same situation.
  • Renee Moore: We need a faculty hiring chair to know this stuff.
  • Leigh Adams: Legalese says we can't do this.
  • Joyce Jennings-Pineda: Impetus is to get away from tenure-track.
  • Ben Wheeler: I came from institution without tenure, which worked because of the strength of Faculty Senate
  • Leigh Adams: We need to close the door behind us: Our decision says we will agree to do this, but after this the hiring process must be followed and this must not happen again.
  • Joyce Jennings-Pineda: His contract should be shown to another faculty member
  • Renee Moore: The Faculty Senate chair should look over contracts for fishy language to make sure this doesn't happen again. Or search chair should be present at signing. Should put this on recommendations to the administration.
  • Phil Howerton made a motion that the Faculty Senate recommend Alex Pinnon be hired as Director of Honors at the highest rank for which Alex Pinnon is eligible and that his past years of service at Missouri State-West Plains be counted fully in all his future applications for tenure and promotion and that Faculty Senate express its severe reluctance to fill any future tenure-track positions without conducting the traditionally prescribed job search.
  • There was a unanimous decision to support Alex Pinnon to be tenure-track; but it won't happen again.
  • Kip Rugutt: Suggests unanimous support, but issue is procedural/process; RPT process has some Faculty teetering on next level, but fear about national search would upend their situation; is this a systemic issue, others being promoted along same process; support the motion

Adjourn

  • Next meeting: Friday October 7, 2016 at 9:00 AM - 12:00 Noon (with dean’s update).