April 28, 2021 Minutes

Faculty Senate Meeting Minutes

4/28/21

3:10pm – 4:30pm

         I.            The meeting was called to order at 3:10pm

       II.            Approval of FS Minutes from April 21, 2021

a.       Tomas Gedeon moves to approve. Seconds. None opposed. Approved. 

     III.            Information Updates: 

a.       Approval of Student Graduation: Toni Campeau

i.      Grades are due next Tuesday at noon

ii.      Presents MSU’s Spring 2021 degree candidates. 

iii.      Presents the names of those receiving posthumous degree candidates. 

iv.      Tomas Gedeon moves to approve the recommendation. Ed Schmidt seconds. None opposed. No abstentions. Recommendation is approved. 

b.       Center for Faculty Excellence: Dean Adams, 

i.      Course Materials Language – IP/Copyright, Chegg and Course Hero and the new language about bigoted comments by students in course evaluations

1.       Recent trends

A.      Course Hero: course materials that are shared on the site. You can exchange or be paid for materials. 

B.      Chegg Study provides step-by-step answers to questions

2.       Impacts: 

A.      Some MSU students are sharing course materials on digital platforms where others may access the content for future use.

B.      Some MSU students are using digital platforms to find answers to exam/quiz questions.  

3.       What are we doing?

A.      OP policy in the Faculty Handbook

B.      Suggested syllabus language concerning IP/Copyright is posted on the CFE website. 

C.      New proposed language in the Code of Student Conduct

D.      On-going faculty training through CFE

4.       Suggested syllabus language is on CFE website.

A.      “This syllabus, course lectures and presentations, and any course materials provided throughout this term are protected by U.S. copyright laws.  Students enrolled in the course may use them for their own research and educational purposes.  However, reproducing, selling, or otherwise distributing these materials without written permission of the copyright owner is expressly prohibited, including providing materials to commercial platforms such as Chegg or CourseHero.  Doing so may constitute a violation of U.S. copyright law as well as MSU’s Code of Student Conduct.

5.       Draft Code of Student Conduct

A.      Unauthorized distribution of course materials – Students may only use course materials for research and educational purposes.  Uploading, sharing, or selling syllabi, slides, videos, assignments, or other materials provided by a course instructor with anyone not currently enrolled in the course without the express permission of the copyright owner is prohibited. MSU course evaluations contain some new language. 

6.       MSU Course Evaluations

A.      Every survey is confidential* and your thoughtful responses regarding the instructional aspects of the course provide faculty with insights about future improvements for the course and programs.

*While your instructor will not be able to see any personal identifiable information about you or your evaluation, Montana State University retains the right to identify students who post discriminatory, harassing, threatening or intimidating comments and may take appropriate disciplinary measures under the Code of Student Conduct.

7.       Extended date due date of evaluations. Open until Friday, April 30th at noon. 

A.      Late last week had 34% response rate

B.      Grades due May 4 at noon

C.      Grades released May 10th

D.      Use of Brightspace means most students know how they are doing in the course. 

E.       Use Activity Insight to contextualize. 

F.       Recommended use of course evals in conjunction with facilitated peer observations, syllabi review, and professional development. 

G.      Currently over 50% of students haven’t started their evaluations. 

H.      Questions:

I.      Ed Schmidt: Think that the low response rate shows a terrible failure in the evaluation system. Didn’t hear about the change in due date. Had to find it out myself. We need a better, more reliable system so we aren’t surprised like this. 

II.      Ed Dratz: Want to add on a system that measures what a student learns in a course as part of the teaching evaluation. Would like to revisit that idea. 

III.      Michael Brody: We will 

IV.      Rob Maher: When there is a discriminatory comment, who makes that determination?

a.       In my experience, the faculty member told the Dean, and the Dean told the Provost. Dean of Students was involved. Don’t have a solid org. chart for this committee but will be appropriate to the need. 

c.       Chosen Name Project, Julie Clay, Eric Wold, PJ Diamond

i.      DISC, ODI, UIT, DSS, HR, PMO

ii.      Expand equity-oriented choice

iii.      Enabling people to adopt and use a non-legal name.

1.       Some students do not feel safe, or welcome

2.       Some are at risk for violence, or discrimination

3.       Extends beyond students to campus community

iv.      Pilot has included only students, but are moving away from that constraint

v.      Started Fall 2016

vi.      41 participants enrolled

vii.      Name, email, ID, and integrated systems

1.       This is vital

2.       Allows students to go about their days being themselves

3.       Help reduce touch point where their legal name is exposed, potential outings

viii.      What is a chosen name?

1.       Not their given name, but we use on campus

2.       Abbreviated for of a legal first name

3.       Continued use of a former legal last name

4.       Use of a local name by international students

5.       Nickname

6.       Use of a non-legal name for religious purposes

7.       Use of a non-legal name that better aligns with an individual’s gender identity

xi.                  Important date: October 1st, 2021

xii.                Questions/Comments: 

1.       This is a benefit for faculty, as well as students

2.       Zach Miller: Is this going to be part of the onboarding process with faculty and students, so they get it right from the start?

A.      Do not have a firm answer at this point. It will probably change as time goes by. 

d.           The senate has voted Michael Brody in as Chair Elect for next year. 

e.            Undergraduate Courses and Programs Second Reading

i.      Courses

1.       ACT 245 : Introduction to Bike Maintenance (4/13/2021)

2.       ACT 246 : Introduction to Mountaineering (4/13/2021)

3.       CRWR 310 : Intermediate Fiction Workshop (4/19/2021)

4.       CRWR 311 : Intermediate Poetry Workshop (4/19/2021)

5.       CRWR 312 : Intermediate Nonfiction Workshop (4/19/2021)

6.       CRWR 410 : Advanced Fiction Workshop (4/16/2021)

7.       CRWR 411 : Advanced Poetry Workshop (4/19/2021)

8.       CRWR 412 : Advanced Nonfiction Workshop (4/19/2021)

ii.      Programs

1.       ANUR-BS : Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (4/13/2021)

A.      Allows us to serve more students.

B.      Timing creates a better alignment of courses. 

C.      Success full, growing program. For bachelor’s degree or higher to be in program. No time off, start to finish. 

2.       NURS-BS : Bachelor of Science in Nursing (4/13/2021)

    IV.            Graduate Courses and Programs Second Reading

a.       Programs

i.      CERT: Professional Certificate in Geospatial Science and Analysis (4/19/2021)

ii.      MS : MS in Materials Science (4/19/2021)

      V.            Policies from JAGS (Joint Academic Governance Steering Committee)

a.       Policies up for Revision

i.      Annual Review 4/26/2021

1.       Will go into effect July 1st. 

2.       Julia Haggerty moves to approve. Matt Walter seconds. 26 in favor. 1 opposed. 1 abstention. Approved

ii.      Performance Review Post-Tenure 4/26/2021

1.       Radically different than what it was before

2.       Ed Dratz moves to approve. Andrew Hill seconds. 

A.      John Thompson: Were my concerns addressed? Yes, they were. That section has been completely rewritten to be clearer. 

iii.      Provost Mokwa: Thank you for all of your hard work this year. It’s been a rough year. Appreciate your participation, diligent and careful reading in this process. These policies are greatly improved. 

1.       Want to recognize Michael and Bradford. They have done incredible work this year. To do all of this hard work, virtually, it is quite an accomplishment. Two great leaders who have done fantastic work. 

2.       Look forward to seeing people IN PERSON at commencement on Saturday! 

    VI.            Senators’ Open Conversation

a.       Michael Brody: If the senate is supportive, we will work with the other campus leadership to help ensure the safety and wellbeing, and the integrity, of our campus. Especially concerned about faculty and the curriculum, but staff and students are important to. Meeting with other campuses on Friday. Will be talking about the legislation regarding transgender athletes, the right of free speech. If you agree, we will do our best to represent you and move forward working in the best interest of the faculty. 

i.      We can hold an open public meeting of the Senate during the summer. 10 senators can agree to an emergency meeting with three days’ notice. Chair and Chair Elect can also do that. 

ii.      Julie Ruff: You are asking our permission, but you already have a meeting scheduled. What happens if you don’t get consensus? 

1.       We are waiting for legislature to end. Waiting on the amended policy on concealed firearms. They are all in progress now. Nothing will happen between now and the next BOR meeting. Want to know what your position is. 

iii.      Michael Reidy: A unanimous vote says you have our confidence moving forward. Faculty are very worried about the gun issues. What comes next? There is a cascading effect that BOR can’t control. Faculty are upset about the letter from the Foundation that came out. 

iv.      Julie Haggerty: There is a sense that a gesture from a MUS campus senate leadership group may be more effective than our single senate. 

1.       Yes, I believe there is strength in numbers. If we can have the faculties across the system all on the same page, we will be better off. 

2.       System-wide faculty pushing in the same direction, there is great clarity there. 

3.       Michael Reidy’s concern is a concern for everyone, across the board. 

4.       Student Senate has been opposed to many of these things and have gone to Helena to fight for their rights and what their fees are used for. 

5.       Ryan Anderson: Appreciate the talking points you sent out for communicating to senators, etc. May 12th and 28th are important dates. Would like to have a conversation after those important dates. 

6.       Ed Schmidt: My faculty are concerned about the guns on campus the most. What if a profess refuses to comply and says they won’t have guns in their office? 

A.      We can’t answer that question at this point. The real issue is, what is the BOR going to do? They have the constitutional right to control the campuses and they may claim that right on the 12th and the 28th. We need to know what the WHAT is and WHEN it will happen. 

7.       Follow Ryan’s lead on this and call an open public meeting of the senate. Timing is important. In the meantime, we are treading water. 

8.       Bob Mokwa: May 12th is the ARSA subcommittees meet. Two hours of open comment. BOR meeting follows where they’ll talk about the draft policy. Draft set of guidelines will come out before the 12th. I also encourage you and your faculty to respond to the Commissioners request for comments. This is our chance. What we don’t want to do is look back and see we missed our opportunity. This is the way we’ve been provided where we can do something. This is not “lobbying”, we’ve been asked for input. Approaching this from as many angles as possible is important.  

9.       We are all in this together. We will find more allies in our community. 

10.   Colter Ellis calls to schedule a meeting on Wednesday, May 19th at the usual time. Julie Ruff seconds. None opposed. No abstentions. Approved. 

11.   Ed Schmidt: Want to thank Michael and Bradford and wish everyone a great summer! 

A.      Robert Carson seconds. 

   VII.            Public Comment

a.       None

 VIII.            Meeting was adjourned at 4:30pm