December 1, 2021 Minutes

Faculty Senate Meeting Minutes (SUB Ballroom D)

12/01/21

3:10pm – 4:30pm

Please wear a mask.

I.            Call to Order

a.       Meeting was called to order at 3:10pm

II.            Attendance Reminder

a.       Guests make sure you sign in on the attendance sheet so we can record your attendance. 

III.            Approval of FS Minutes from November 10, 2021

a.       Tomas Gedeon moves to approve. Andrew Hill seconds. None opposed. No abstentions. Approved. 

IV.            FYI items

a.       Call for proposals of student art for NAH. Rob Maher is the contact. 

b.       Course Evaluations open through December 10th

c.       Final Week of the Semester Schedule

i.      https://www.montana.edu/registrar/Schedules.html 

d.       MyInfo Rolling Upgrades

i.      https://www.montana.edu/uit/pmo/currentprojects/myinfoupgrade/ 

e.       Winer Traction Aid Program – Free Pair every Three Years

i.      https://www.montana.edu/srm/programs/icegrippers.html 

f.        Box Migration, no longer available in March 2022

i.      https://www.montana.edu/uit/boxtransition/

ii.      Trainings available - https://www.montana.edu/uit/boxtransition/boxqasessions.html

iii.      Only moving active users

iv.      Is there storage from people who are no longer at MSU?

1.       Contact UIT

v.      Will come to department

g.       Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences internal grants

i.      Scholarship & Creativity Grants Program, due March 1, 2022, https://www.montana.edu/research/internal_awards/s_and_c_grants_fy2022.html 

ii.      Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences (HASS) Grant Program, due March 1, 2022, https://www.montana.edu/research/internal_awards/hass_rfp2022.html

h.       Senator Hour, Monday 11-12, and Thursday 10:30-11:30 via WebEx

i.         Commencement

i.      There is less than one week left to RSVP for Fall 2021 commencement!                                   

1.       Please RSVP to participate in the commencement ceremony scheduled for Friday, December 17 at Brick Breeden Fieldhouse at 10 a.m. 

2.       The deadline to RSVP is midnight on Monday, December 6.

3.       Keep in mind your ticket, regalia, and masks are required. 

4.       Tickets will be sent the week of December 13 to the email entered on the RSVP website

ii.      Will we be able to greet graduates at commencement?

1.       There will be a designated area for people to greet each other. Separated from other areas to help with congestion. 

2.       President will not be shaking everyone’s hands

V.            Information Updates: 

a.       Campus Stainability Framework       

b.       Firearms on campus

i.      As of today, there is a permanent injunction on firearms on campus. 

ii.      Does the BOR have the option to change the policy?

1.       They’ve always had that right and they could choose to do that.

iii.      Will the appeal be heard by the State Supreme Court?

1.       Yes. It is a lengthy process.

iv.      December 15th is when the Attorney General’s request for the lawsuit Faculty Senate is a plaintiff to be dismissed will be heard. To see if there is standing to file. 

c.       Interdisciplinary Scholarship – discussion at next meeting

i.      What might be hindering interdisciplinary work?

ii.      Are some Role and Scopes limiting some units?

d.       Sustainability in the Curriculum working group-Looking for Senators who are interested

i.      Let Bradford or Michael know if you are interested. 

e.       Update from Board of Regents Meeting

i.      MUSFAR had their meeting with the Board. 

1.       Reiterated our stance on vaccines. 

2.       Put forth our focus group data from last year, with surveys conducted by UIT on technology, with survey of folks on the Billings campus, with examples from other campuses on what we’ve learned and what we want to take forward. 

a.       Received well by the Board.

3.       Brought up concerns of cost of living in certain areas. 

a.       Paying and retaining high quality faculty/research faculty.

b.       BOR is receptive.

c.       Comments were recorded if you want to look at them. 

f.        Institutional Accreditation Update-Steve Swinford, Vice Provost for Curriculum, Assessment and Accreditation

i.      Montana State is accredited through the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU)

ii.      Seven-year cycle

1.       Mid-Cycle was conducted in Fall 2020

2.       Annual reports are submitted each year.

3.       Next major reports due in 2023 and 2024

a.       Fall 2023 will be on standard 2-desk review, no visitors

                                                           iii.             

                                                           iv.      Ongoing Efforts

1.       Track metrics associated with Strategic Plan and Intentional Focus goals.

a.       Tracking metrics all the time

b.       Report written at the end.

c.       Results of assessment, posted on departmental websites.

2.       Communicate the results of assessments tied to quality, effectiveness, and mission fulfillment to constituencies.

3.       Assessment of student achievement and learning to improve alignment with course, program, and degree outcomes. 

a.       In and out of classroom work

b.       Annual Program Assessments

i.      Ongoing

c.       Seven-year Program Reviews

i.      Program reviews

d.       Core Curriculum Assessment

i.      In the midst of that now

                                                             v.      Faculty Role is Central

1.       Annual Program Assessments

a.       Revised process is more focused on student achievement and learning

i.      Outlining the program learning outcomes

ii.      Intentional in our efforts

1.       Try not to duplicate efforts

b.       Involve entire faculty

c.       Conversations at program level to identify areas for continuous improvement

2.       Program Reviews and/or accreditation visits by external certifying bodies

a.       Every seven years

i.      We will try to align it with any other accreditation visits your unit may have so you don’t have to do it twice. 

ii.      Summaries are written and shared with the BOR.

b.       New forward-looking program review approach

c.       Broader metrics than annual assessments

d.       Retention and degree completion focus

e.       Identify opportunities for continuous improvement

3.       Core curriculum

a.       Four-year plan for assessment of new Core Qualities and Core Perspectives

i.      Faculty develop standards and assess 

b.       Year 3

i.      Identify CS, D, and R courses for Spring 2022

1.       Will be collecting student artifacts (assignments) to assess for core learning.

2.       If you are doing presentations, let us know and we can have someone come and observe. That would be the artifact. 

c.       Year 4 will focus on Core Perspectives

i.      Look at the content of the core courses themselves. 

ii.      Subcommittees for each will be set up for a stronger faculty voice. 

d.       Setting the stage for success in major…and beyond

i.      Want to see the core qualities on the front page of each syllabus. Want the students to make those connections. 

4.       Questions:

a.       If we have our own accreditation, we don’t have to do the self-study?

i.      Yes, that is correct. 

b.       How does the accreditation process has caused finals week “go away”?

i.      Instruct during finals week, no exams?

ii.      That has to do with contact hours. The finals week has always been instructional time. 

1.       Provost Mokwa: It is up to you to figure how you want to use that time. You can give an exam if you want, but you have to use that time. You cannot skip that week. 

c.       A lot of accreditation is “Aspirational”.

i.      We are gauged on our success working toward our metrics. 

ii.      Strategic plan is based around where we aspire to be. 

d.       Haven’t been asked to provide artifacts before. Do we need to ask permission to use student work? 

i.      We don’t have to ask permission. All names and GIDs are erased, so they are anonymous. 

ii.      We will start reaching out to instructors very soon with information and a heads up on artifacts. 

e.       For the last few years, we have done things in a survey after assessment. We’d like to observe more in class when it’s appropriate. 

f.        Curricular independence faculty controlled. Is that the case with NWCCU?

i.      Yes. 

g.       Is NWCCU setting standards on student credit hours?

i.      Have not seen it in the updated 2020 standards that we are operating under now. It may fall under HR. 

VI.            Undergraduate Courses and Programs

a.       Courses – First Reading

i.      ASTR 475 : Observational Astronomy Techniques (Spring 2022)

ii.      ASTR 476 : Theoretical Astrophysics (Spring 2022)

iii.      PHL 330 : Philosophy of Emotion (Spring 2022)

iv.      BIOE 435 : A Study of Local Ecosystems for Teachers, changing from 1 credit to 2

b.       Courses – Second Reading

i.      BIOH 454 : Microanatomy (Histology)-COURSE REACTIVATION (Spring 2022)

ii.      CHMY 402 : Advanced Inorganic Chemistry Laboratory (Spring 2022)

iii.      EENV 102 : Introduction to Environmental Engineering Design and Sustainability (Spring 2022)

iv.      GRMN 322 : Survey of German Cinema (Spring 2022)

c.       Programs

i.      None at this time

VII.            Graduate Courses and Programs 

a.       Courses – Second Reading

i.      KIN 690 : Dissertation

b.       Programs / Certificates – First Reading

i.      CSAI-CERT : Artificial Intelligence Graduate Certificate

VIII.            Old Business

a.       Resolution on Climate

Recognizing Montana State University (MSU) is Montana’s Land Grant institution with an obligation to serve the people and lands of Montana using the best available science to assure health, sustainability and economic stability, and that universities should operate in a manner that is in the best interests of their students, faculty, staff, administration and broader community, and the Montana State University Faculty Senate represents the interests and authority of the faculty in shared governance of the University and is charged with considering and making recommendations regarding opportunities and problems facing the University, we therefore further acknowledge the following:

i.      Acknowledges the urgency of the climate crisis and strengthens its commitment to taking bold climate action by joining communities and other post-secondary institutions around the world in declaring a Climate Emergency.

ii.      Supports the Sustainability Framework proposed by MSU CSAC and strongly encourages that these efforts are developed into an actionable Sustainability Plan as required by 2019 MSU Choosing Promise Strategic Plan Goal 3.3.6.  Progress towards the framework goals and Sustainability Plan should be presented in an annual report to the MSU community.

iii.      Requests that MSU commit the necessary resources to ensure an immediate, rapid, and sustained response to address the climate crisis and urges MSU to develop a comprehensive Climate Action Plan and submit annual evaluations of progress.

iv.      Encourages each faculty member to consider what more they can do in their classes to communicate the scope, urgency, and challenges of the climate change problem, and equip our students with the perspective and skillsets needed to mitigate the climate crisis.

v.      Supports a structure for faculty to consider ways to reduce their own carbon footprint when possible and develop and implement a mechanism to account for the cost of greenhouse gas emissions. 

vi.      Intends to work in concert with students and administration to make the strongest possible statement that MSU is committed to playing their role in equipping students with opportunities to learn about and manage future climate impacts. 

vii.      Jerry Johnson moves to un-table the resolution. Tomas Gedeon seconds. One opposed. One abstention. Resolution is un-tabled for discussion. 

1.       More extensive time for discussion at our next meeting as well. 

2.       Email sent with information

3.       Group of faculty has met since our last discussion and have updated the document. 

a.       Went above and beyond to talk to entities in an open and transparent discussions. 

4.       Is it true that other parts of the document have changed, other than what we are seeing today?

a.       Major changes were in the early part to make it more focused on faculty and removing some of the global statements. 

b.       This is intended to be a statement of the faculty. 

5.       If the senate endorses this, is it your intention that this be a Senate resolution?

a.       I think it would be a faculty resolution. We are the voice of the faculty, not the Senate. 

b.       We do represent the faculty, but it would be the Senate that would be passing the resolution. 

i.      Thought that if Senate votes on it, it is then a Senate resolution. 

6.       Thank you to Jerry and Paul for their work on this. These six points are a lot more digestible. Will have more questions that I will take back to my faculty to discuss but feel this is a more tangible document to take back to them. 

7.       What is the context of the question about who the resolution belongs to?

8.       Can we bring these points to the faculty now?

a.       Yes. The document can be shared with your faculty. 

9.       Is there any implication if it is a Senate resolution?

a.       It would appear on the Faculty Senate webpage, for example, and anyone looking at it would label it a Faculty Senate resolution. Just want you to be ready for that.

10.   Paul Lachapelle: There still is no framework posted for everyone to look at.

a.       Background: Detailed sustainability plan was drafted over a year and was available in June of 2020. 

i.      Administration asked them to wait. Waited a year. Not sure where it stands now.

ii.      Strategic Plan mandates a sustainability plan.

b.       Jerry Johnson: We don’t get to decide on the framework. We are trying to plan on how to support that framework. Faculty have a role to play in making a statement here. Climate change is a big deal. Faculty have a responsibility to say something. 

i.      Paul Lachapelle: Faculty, staff, students, citizens were all part of the draft of the sustainability plan. 

1.       CSAC has been disbanded. 

2.       Administration wanted less front facing 

ii.      Andrew Hill: The three points seemed clear and measurable. To what extent would those three points NOT capture what we support? Isn’t that where we want to go. 

1.       Tomas Gedeon: Our power as a senate is very limited. Our power is to focus attention on a topic. This is saying that we care about this, and we want our students to case about it. I’m not an expert. Those on the committee are more of an expert than I am. 

a.       Jerry Johnson: If you are happy with Montana Hall making the climate statement for you as faculty, then don’t support this. If as faculty and educators that it’s important that we should say something about it. 

2.       Jack Brookshire- There are no climatologists at MSU.

a.       If we could push this as a faculty priority wouldn’t that be a good thing?

  i.      If funds are pushed in that direction, will it be diverted from somewhere else?

ii.      Do not think that is going to happen. 

iii.      Andy Hansen: Strongly in favor of the five points

1.       We know there is a climate emergency

2.       Supports sustainability framework

3.       Specific goals

4.       Individual actions, reducing our carbon footprint

5.       Equip students with knowledge on the subject and they could have positive influence on our community.

6.       Big picture: there is a lot to like about this resolution. 

iv.      Thank you everyone. We will allocate more time at our meeting next week. 

IX.            New Business / Senators’ Open Conversation

a.       Tomas Gedeon: I feel there is a problem coming up soon with losing faculty due to compensation. Some are paid less than secretaries because they just got huge raises. Just like not paying nurses, when they leave there will be a huge gap. We are going to be in trouble soon if we don’t do something. 

 X.            Public Comment

a.       None

 XI.            Adjourn

a.       Tomas Gedeon moves to approve. Peter Tillack seconds. Meeting was adjourned at 4:28

REMINDER: Next meeting is Wednesday, December 8, 2021 from 3:10pm-4:30pm in SUB Ballroom D.