UNIVERSITY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE FACULTY SENATE 23 FEBRUARY 1998 MINUTES SUMMARY I. Roll - The following Faculty Senate members were absent: Barkey, Bogle, Burger, Doucet, Gross, Guidry, Henke, Herold, Hinson, Morgan, Sohl, and Stine. II. Discussion with the President - The president gave information on the percentage of state funds appropriated for various uses: half of all New Hampshire funds go to health and human services. Only 2.4% of the state budget is for higher education, and 9% is for other education. The total funds for health and human services and education in 1997 were almost the same as in 1993. The University Planning Council had set a goal of seven million dollars of cost reductions and income enhancement at UNH. Five million dollars was targeted for budget cuts, and these cuts have been accomplished. However, enrollment increases were expected to generate two million dollars in new revenues, which did not materialize. The pool of applicants is shrinking, and nearby institutions are increasing their efforts to keep their students in state. The trustees approved a tuition increase of 14.4% last year and 12% for this year, but the latter figure was reduced to 9%. The fund-raising campaign by the UNH Foundation is proceeding well, starting with large donors and private foundations. The campaign will soon be presented to the public. Progress has been made on plans for consolidating the two UNH-Manchester sites, which are currently on the hill and downtown in the mill building. A land and money exchange has been negotiated with the City of Manchester, and the agreement will include funds for renovation, as well as technology and library improvement. Approval is expected in March, with implementation over three years. Federal funds may be available for renovation of the inner city site. III. Communications from the Chair - The chair said that, on March 30, VPFA Corvey will speak to the Faculty Senate on budget matters and responsibility center management. Please prepare any questions which should be posed to her at that time. At the April 13 Faculty Senate meeting, John Seavey and the Professional Standards Committee will present a motion on a revised draft of the UNH Policy on Misconduct in Scholarly Activity. The latest draft can be seen on the internet. Please review it and send input to John Seavey at jws@christa.unh.edu . The Policy Process Committee has prepared a draft on UNH policy development and revision. The Agenda Committee has sent preliminary suggestions to the chair, Jim Varn. Concerns exist over whether the Policy Process Committee will deal with academic policy and, if so, that it have sufficient faculty membership and input. The Faculty Senate chair is sending letters to six to eight university-wide committees, asking them to report to the Faculty Senate on their work this year and their plans for the future. These reports would be a method of annual linkage with the Faculty Senate. The Department of Languages, Literatures and Cultures has now been officially formed from a combination of all the foreign language departments and the Classics Department. In the last University Governance Communication Council, Gregg Sanborn passed out a document from the American Association of Higher Education entitled "On the Importance of Diversity in Higher Education", which appeared in the Chronicle of Higher Education. Gregg Sanborn has asked that people review the document and give input on whether our university should endorse it. IV. Minutes - The minutes of the January 26 senate meeting were approved unanimously, with an amendment to the second paragraph of item V, to add that it was Mr. Zia who replied that "the composition of the reviewing committee could be relevant to a perception of fairness". V. Athletic Scheduling - Jim Farrell said that UNH will soon undergo an NCAA site review regarding intercollegiate athletics. Therefore a self study was done which found that UNH has no written policy on conflicts between academic requirements and scheduled athletic games and practices. Concern was expressed on items D.2. and C.4. of the draft policy, regarding conflicts between final exams and athletic events. Who determines if a faculty member has made a reasonable effort to accommodate student athletes? Student athletes are supposed to notify their instructors of conflicts before the end of the drop-add period, but playoffs and post-season play would not be known then. Please review the draft policy, before further discussion scheduled at the next senate meeting on March 9. VI. Motions on "Other" Transfer Credit - The Faculty Senate has already passed motions on the transfer of courses to fulfill general education requirements and major requirements, and this next motion is on the transfer of courses for elective credit. A subsequent motion will deal with the New Hampshire Community Technical Collegesı shift in accrediting agencies. The Academic Affairs Committee moves that the following policy on the transfer of credits designated as "Other" by the Admissions Office be adopted by the Faculty Senate: "The Admissions Office, with the advice and consent of the Academic Affairs Committee of the Faculty Senate, shall review and approve courses for either full or zero transfer credit to the Other Accepted Courses category. The criteria for the award of full credit in this review process shall depend on the following conditions: 1. The course credit shall be earned at an institution accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges, Commission on Institutions of Higher Education or its equivalent. 2. The course shall be comparable in scope and level to course offerings at the University of New Hampshire. 3. The department/program accreditation in which the student majors shall not be adversely affected. Accreditation issues that implicate this part of the policy shall be raised by the department/program and brought to the Academic Affairs Committee of the Faculty Senate." The number of credits transferred would be the credits earned in the original institution. Therefore, a friendly amendment was made and accepted that the third sentence of the motion be changed to: "The criteria for the award of full number of credits earned at the original institution in this review process shall depend on the following conditions." Also, a course which is not offered by UNH but which is comparable to a UNH course could be accepted for transfer credit. Thompson School courses would be included in this motion. Remedial courses would not be transferable. Therefore, another friendly amendment was made and accepted that item two be changed to: "The course shall be comparable in scope and level to credit bearing course offerings at the University of New Hampshire." The motion only refers to new students, not students sent abroad. The Academic Affairs Committee of the Faculty Senate would make a decision if any department challenged actions made by the Admissions Office. Students would still be able to appeal, but this motion would set the standard. The motion and its friendly amendments on the transfer of credits designated as "Other" by the Admissions Office passed unanimously by the Faculty Senate as follows: "The Admissions Office, with the advice and consent of the Academic Affairs Committee of the Faculty Senate, shall review and approve courses for either full or zero transfer credit to the Other Accepted Courses category. The criteria for the award of full number of credits earned at the original institution in this review process shall depend on the following conditions: 1. The course credit shall be earned at an institution accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges, Commission on Institutions of Higher Education or its equivalent. 2. The course shall be comparable in scope and level to credit bearing course offerings at the University of New Hampshire. 3. The department/program accreditation in which the student majors shall not be adversely affected. Accreditation issues that implicate this part of the policy shall be raised by the department/program and brought to the Academic Affairs Committee of the Faculty Senate." Secondly, the Academic Affairs Committee moves that the following policy on the transfer of credits designated as "Other" by the Admissions Office be adopted by the Faculty Senate: "The transfer of course credits from the New Hampshire Community Technical Colleges shall follow the current procedures and agreements used by the Admissions Office. When the New Hampshire Community Technical Colleges complete their transition to the New England Association of Schools and colleges, Commission on Institutions of Higher Education, transfer credits shall be processed in accordance with Motion #1 (Transfer of Other Credits)." This motion passed unanimously. VII. Open Mike - Concern was expressed about the new Office of Sustainability regarding who it reports to, how it was created, and how it affects courses, parking, and other issues of interest to faculty. Discussion ensued about a section in the University Policy Manual on the Academic Senate and also on the relationship between the Council of Chairs, the Faculty Senate, and the AAUP. The Faculty Senate authorized the Agenda Committee to respond appropriately on behalf of the faculty if the presidentıs husband should pass away as a result of his illness. VIII. Adjournment - The meeting was adjourned.