2007/08FACULTY
SENATE STANDING COMMITTEES
(1/24/08 version)
Academic Affairs Committee
Larry Prelli, Communications, LA, ChairCampus Planning Committee
Allen Drake, ECE, CEPS,
Chair
Joel Hartter, Geography, LA
Ju-Chin Huang, Economics, WSBE
John Nimmo, Family Studies, SHHS
Elizabeth Slomba, Library
Finance and Administration Committee
Russ Carr, Chemical Engineering, CEPS, Chair
David Bachrach, History, LA
Roslyn Chavda, Political Science, LA
Curtis Givan, Plant Biology, COLSA
Ed Hinson, Mathematics,
CEPS
Fred Kaen, Accounting and Finance, WSBE
Cesar Rebellon, Sociology, LA
Library Committee
Steve Brunet, LLC, LA, Chair
Steve Calculator, Communication Disorders,
SHHS
Don Chandler, Zoology, COLSA
Olof Echt, Physics,
CEPS
Peter Lane, Management, WSBE
Siobhan Senier, English, LA
Research and Public Service Committee
Lynn Kistler, Physics, CEPS,
Chair
Funso Afolayan, History,
LA
Clayton Barrows, Hospitality Management, WSBE
Kevin Gardner, Civil Engineering, CEPS
Robert Haskins, Music, LA
Anita Klein, Biochemistry & Molecular Biology,
COLSA
Rob Robertson, Resource Economics &
Development, COLSA
Sharyn Zunz, Social Work, SHHS
Student Affairs Committee
John Miller, Kinesiology, SHHS, Chair
Ken Baldwin, Mechanical Engineering, CEPS
Bob Barcelona, Recreation Mgmt. & Policy, SHHS
William Berendtson, Animal & Nutrition
Sciences, COLSA
Meghan Howey, Anthropology, LA
Jeong Park, Marketing, WSBE
Agenda Committee of the Faculty Senate
William Stine, Psychology, LA, Chair
Marco Dorfsman, Languages, Lits. and Cultures,
LA, Vice chair
Jeff Salloway, Health Management, SHHS, Past
chair
Mimi Becker, Natural Resources, COLSA
Karen Graham, Mathematics, CEPS
David Richman, Theatre, LA
Ruth Sample, Philosophy, LA
Professional Standards Committee
Marco Dorfsman, LA, to 5/08, ChairUniversity Curriculum and Academic Policies Committee
Elizabeth Slomba, Library, to 9/10, Chair2007/08 FACULTY SENATE COMMITTEE CHARGES
(10-12-07 version)
The following are the Agenda Committee's recommendations for senate committee priorities for 2007/2008. These charges have come from the senate's formal recommendations, from needs of implementing policies and programs, and from administrative issues under the shared governance model at UNH. Committees may also consider other issues as needed and are requested to submit proposed new charges to the Agenda Committee for approval and for scheduling of agenda time at senate meetings. Each committee should consult with and inform its corresponding administrator.
Academic Affairs Committee
The chair of this committee should attend meetings as an observer to the Institutional Programs and Services Committee of the Board of Trustees and also to the Systems Academic Planning Committee.
Charges:
1. Monitor phased-in implementation of the Discovery Program (with approval by the Faculty Senate of each component after the pilot program and assessment phases). Present to the senate a recommendation on the Discovery Program categories. [See item VIII of 5/5/03 FS minutes; item VI of 10/20/03 FS minutes; item V of 9/22/03 FS minutes; item VI of 11/8/04 FS minutes; item V of 2/7/05 FS minutes; item VIII of 4/18/05 FS minutes; item V of 9/12/05 FS minutes; item VI of 2/6/06 FS minutes; item VIII of 4/17/06 FS minutes; item X of 4/24/06 Ag. Com. minutes; item III, para. 5 of 9/11/06FS minutes; item VIII of 10/16/06 FS minutes; item III of 1/22/07 FS minutes, and item II, para. 1 of 2/5/07 FS minutes.]
2. Review the components of the Academic Plan and report to the Agenda Committee and the Faculty Senate. [See item VII of 9/11/06 FS minutes; item XI of 3/20/06 FS minutes; and the 5/4/06 “Motion Concerning Academic Planning” which was not presented to the FS by the AAC due to lack of time.]
3. Review the proposed new policy on study away. Consult with Ted Howard, Neil Vroman, Claire Malarte-Feldman and Mimi Becker, and prepare a recommendation for the Faculty Senate. [See item XIII of 4/24/06 FS minutes and FS motions IX-M7 and IX-M13.]
4. Consider the advisability of academic calendar changes that might equalize the semesters. [See 7/1/05 email of alternatives and also senate approved guidelines. See item II, para. 2 of 7/1/05 Ag. Com. minutes.]
5. Monitor implementation of the agreement of April, 2001, with the Academic Standards and Advising Committee. Meet twice a year with ASAC; and review ASAC's monthly reports. [See item VIII of 4/30/01 FS minutes and item VIII of 4/2/01 FS minutes.]
6. Consider whether a program on September 11 and terrorism should be established. [See item X of 9/11/06 FS minutes.]
7. Jointly with the Student Affairs committee, consider whether the Faculty Senate should encourage the administration to offer the same package of scholarships and benefits to national merit scholars as to student athletes.
8. Consider the issue that, although a supposedly binding rule exists that the foreign language proficiency requirement for Bachelor of Arts candidates must be met by the end of a student’s sophomore year, perhaps one third of the students may not be in compliance. Look at enrollment patterns in American Sign Language and in the Languages, Literatures and Cultures Department courses, in order to determine the scope of non-compliance. [See 4/3/06 FS motion 4.]
9. Consider information on student grade point averages regarding minority and non-minority students, general education and non-general-education courses, writing intensive and non-writing-intensive courses, and courses compared by college and school. [See some information attached to 4/20 and 4/26/07 emails from Alan Ray.]
10. Work with the provost to revise university policy to say that the college curriculum committee considering a curriculum change would automatically inform the other college curriculum committees of requests for new programs, in order to ensure that departments and colleges which are likely to be affected by a proposal are aware and able to give input early in the process.
11. In conjunction with the Professional Standards Committee, review the university policy on background checks. [See item II of 10/1/07 Ag. Com. minutes.]
12. Consider whether the Office of Academic Affairs made a decision about payment of tuition and fees for Study Abroad Programs in violation of principles and practices of shared governance as outlined in the motion unanimously passed by the Faculty Senate on December 12, 2005.
Campus Planning Committee
Charges:
1. Send an observer to meetings of the Space Allocation, Repair and Renovation Committee.
2. Track the Master Plan implementation, and communicate with the Office of Campus Planning and with the Faculty Senate on issues that arise.
3. Look into how to obtain a suitable place for faculty to interact and eat and also whether the suddenly-announced decision to close the Oak Room constituted a violation of shared governance. [See item II of 4/2/07 FS minutes.]
4. Consider a few social functions for new assistant professors.
Finance and Administration Committee
The chair of this committee or the chair's designee should attend meetings as an observer to the Financial Affairs Committee of the Board of Trustees and also the Board of Trustees' Finance Committee for Investments. The Finance and Administration Committee should monitor and consult with the Central Budget Committee.
Charges:
1. Consider whether the senate should request more faculty representation on the planning committee for the capital campaign. When capital campaign funds are allocated to build a new stadium or other edifice, how will the operating budget for maintaining the building be funded? Consider whether gender equity issues might be partly addressed via endowed professorships from the capital campaign.
2. Consider the effect of RCM on class sizes, faculty load, departments' ability to replace faculty who leave or who have advanced in the university [see Mimi Becker and also the 4/21/03 Finance and Administration Com. report, as well as the spring of 2004 Central Budget Committee report], and adjunct faculty employment [see item X of the 5/10/04 Ag. Com. minutes]. Assess how well individual college RCM advisory committees are functioning. [See 4/21/03 Finance and Administration Com. report.]
3. Consider how much UNH spends on all aspects of the football program and whether this matter should be reviewed by the Faculty Senate. [See item VII of 1/9/07 Ag. Com. minutes.]
4. In consultation with the Academic Affairs Committee, the Research and Public Service Committee and the Student Affairs Committee, review the components of the Academic Plan and report to the Agenda Committee and the Faculty Senate. [See item VII of 9/11/06 FS minutes; item XI of 3/20/06 FS minutes; and the 5/4/06 “Motion Concerning Academic Planning” which was not presented to the FS by the AAC due to lack of time.]
Library Committee
Charges:
1. Consider adding to the committee’s current purview, which is matters pertaining to the University Library and its operation, a similar relationship with Computing and Information Services. The committee could discuss such a change with the heads of the University Library and Computing and Information Services and report the committee’s recommendation to the Faculty Senate.
Research and Public Service Committee
The chair of this committee should attend meetings as an observer to the External Affairs Committee of the Board of Trustees.
Charges:
1. Work with the VP for Research and Public Service to act as an advisory board for the Office of Sponsored Research. [See item VI of 3/21/05 FS minutes.]
2. Work with the VP for Research and Public Service to bring to the senate for approval several policies on export control issues. [See item VI of 5/1/06 FS minutes and item III of 9/25/06 FS minutes.]
3. Review the final draft for the EOS institute proposal. [See also University Institute Policy, Berrien Moore letter to provost, FS motion X-M9, item IV of 5/1/06 FS minutes, item VI of 11/13/06 FS minutes, item V of 11/27/07 FS minutes, and item II, para. 2 of 12/11/06 FS minutes.]
4. In consultation with the Academic Affairs Committee, the Student Affairs Committee and the Finance and Administration Committee, review the components of the Academic Plan and report to the Agenda Committee and the Faculty Senate. [See item VII of 9/11/06 FS minutes; item XI of 3/20/06 FS minutes; and the 5/4/06 “Motion Concerning Academic Planning” which was not presented to the FS by the AAC due to lack of time.]
5. Consider metrics for research productivity being developed by the Office of Research.
Student Affairs Committee
The chair of Student Affairs will try to ensure that a member of this committee or the Faculty Senate can represent the faculty at Student Senate as needed.
The Student Affairs Committee is encouraged to invite a Student Senate observer to attend Student Affairs Committee meetings.
Charges:
1. In consultation with the Academic Affairs Committee, the Research and Public Service Committee and the Finance and Administration Committee, review the components of the Academic Plan and report to the Agenda Committee and the Faculty Senate. [See item VII of 9/11/06 FS minutes; item XI of 3/20/06 FS minutes; and the 5/4/06 “Motion Concerning Academic Planning” which was not presented to the FS by the AAC due to lack of time.]
2. Ongoing review of recommendations from the Task Force on Academic Expectations and Student Behavior; revise the 5/2/05 recommendations to the senate; and get senate approval for assignment of tasks. [See item VIII of 5/2/05 FS minutes and item IX of 3/20/06 FS minutes.]
3. Review data from the UNH Center for teaching Excellence, on the amount of study time per credit, and consider ways of enhancing the number of study hours per credit for all courses and especially for four-credit courses. [See request from Mark Rubinstein as attachment to 1/16/04 Ag. Com. and item IX of 5/2/05 FS minutes. See provost’s 3/29/05 email and attached notes from Lee Seidel regarding actions pursuant to FS motion IX-M21.]
4. Review systems for international students and their recruitment. [See item II of 11/27/06 FS minutes and item VI of 11/20/06 Ag. Com. minutes.]
5. Jointly with the Academic Affairs Committee, consider whether the Faculty Senate should encourage the administration to offer the same package of scholarships and benefits to national merit scholars as to student athletes.
6. Review the issue of amplified music at student events held in the central campus and disruptive to classes and office work. [See Blake Gumprecht’s 4/19/07 email.]
7. Consider the fact that, although Thompson School students may take non-Thompson School UNH courses, these students may have to leave their dorms before the end of finals week because they graduate before the four-year students.
8. Review concerns that the judicial system did not appear even handed, since a restraining order was issued against a male student who electronically placed a female student’s face on the body of a nude picture but no similar order was issued against a male student who posted on the internet violent sexual writings about specific female students and faculty.
9. Consider a shift in economic diversity at UNH. [See Jeff Salloway’s email of 10/2/07.]
Professional Standards Committee
The chair of this committee is the vice chair of the senate and represents the Faculty Senate when the UNH Policy on Academic Misconduct is triggered.
Charge:
1. Review the proposed changes to the Scholarly Misconduct Policy; and make recommendations to the Faculty Senate, pending receipt of revision recommendations from the provost and the VPRPS. Consider whether quiet consultation with AAUP may be in order on this issue.
2. In conjunction with the Academic Affairs Committee, review the university policy on background checks. [See item II of 10/1/07 Ag. Com. minutes.]
University Curriculum and Academic Policies Committee
Charges:
1. Monitor curriculum changes, in order to track their impact on academic programs over time. Report results of deliberations and any recommendations to the Agenda Committee.
2. Consider whether units are inappropriately changing their practices, in order to maximize enrollments and funds. Report deliberations and recommendations to the Agenda Com.
Task Force on Grade Distributions, Course Evaluations, and Course Rankings (Possible members might include David Feldman, David Richman, Elizabeth Slomba, Alan Ray, Victor Benassi, Lee Seidel, and a student senator.)
Review the questions and process of student evaluations of teaching and also consider course rankings and the issue of grade distributions from individual faculty being distributed to commercial websites, as well as whether or not the drop-down menu on the electronic grade submission form should show the description of what the letter grades mean, rather than the letter grades themselves. Report recommendations to the Faculty Senate. [See item IV of 2/6/06 FS minutes, item IV of 2/20/06 FS minutes, item IV of 4/3/06 FS minutes, item VII of 4/17/06 FS minutes, and item VI of 3/19/07 FS minutes.]
Task Force on Promotion and Tenure (This task force could have members from each academic unit including UNH-Manchester and might have members from the senate’s Academic Affairs Committee, Research Committee, and Professional Standards Committee. Some of the task force members could be non-senators.)
Consider a dialogue on the standards, not the procedures, for promotion and tenure. Review changing criteria for how teaching, research and service are assessed. Departments and colleges should have clearly-articulated criteria for tenure, and candidates should receive proper feedback at regular intervals. [See the provost’s 4/30/07 letter and the report of the senate’s Academic Plan Task Force.]
Faculty Senate Vice Chair
Review the Faculty Senate motions of the last academic year and report to the senate on their implementation, by the end of November, so that there will be time to deal with any lack of implementation.
Corresponding administrators are as follows:
Academic Affairs Committee - Provost/Vice President for Academic Affairs; Dean's Council.
Campus Planning Committee - Assistant Vice President for Facilities.
Research and Public Service Committee - Vice President for Research
Student Affairs Committee - Vice President for Academic and Student Support Services.
Finance and Administration Committee - Vice President for Finance and Administration.
Library Committee – Dean of the University Library.