College Senate
MINUTES OF FREDONIA UNIVERSITY SENATE October 4, 2004
The Fredonia University Senate met on Monday, October 4, 2004, in Room 105, Fenton Hall. The meeting was called to order at 4:00 PM, chaired by Dick Reddy.
1.The agenda was approved (motion by Rushboldt/Jabot) by unanimous voice vote.
2. A motion (Lee/Wilkes) to approve the minutes of the meeting of Sept. 13, 2004, passed by unanimous voice vote.
3. Report of the Chair:
Search Committee, Dean of Graduate Studies and Lifelong Learning
The following slate was approved by unanimous voice vote:
Karen Klose (IT), co-chair Larry Maheady (Education), co-chair ARTS AND HUMANITIES: Eileen Lyon (History) NSS: Khalid Siddiqui (Computer Science) GRADUATE COUNCIL: Patricia Corron (Music) ACADEMIC AFFAIRS: Katie Sacco (Library) GRADUATE STUDIES: Grant Umberger (Lifelong Learning) ADMINISTRATION: Judy Langworthy (Administration) CSEA: Judy Feniello (Education) GRADUATE STUDENT: Nathan Work (Education)
Report on the meeting of the GEAR Committee
Peter Sinden provided a brief history of the question of SUNY-wide assessment and recent actions of the Board of Trustees and the General Education Assessment Review (GEAR) Committee. I am paraphrasing his remarks:
3-4 years ago the SUNY Board of Trustees mandated areas that SUNY Central wanted assessed across the University. The GEAR Committee is deeply involved in this process. In July 2003, the Board required an implementation of a strengthened campus assessment of general education. This includes assessment in the areas of mathematics, basic communication, and critical thinking. There are three possible ways to do this, as mandated by the Board: use nationally normed instruments; OR, develop our own instruments that correlate statistically with a nationally normed test; OR, develop a local instrument equivalent to a rubric to be developed by a panel of distinguished faculty (yet to be named). Whatever is done will require the administration of a test APART FROM A CLASS because of the need for appropriate sampling.
An appropriate sample should include freshmen through at least students with three semesters of CCC courses, NOT including transfer students (because transfers come in with many CCC equivalents, and these were not taken at Fredonia). We will have to find some way to motivate students to participate in this testing. Incentives may be needed to get students to take these assessments seriously. The campus will learn nothing if they don't. Two groups, the CCC Committee and the Academic Affairs Committee, will make a recommendation next spring regarding the question of how to motivate large numbers of students in their sophomore year to take one of these tests. (The tests will be given in rotation, one every three years, e.g. Math could be done in Fall 2005, Basic Communication in Fall 2006, and Critical Thinking in Fall 2007, etc.) The testing is to be implemented in fall 2005.
Following Dr. Sinden's presentation, Ted Steinberg raised the point that Fredonia had developed instruments in these areas when we had a FIPSE grant, and those tests had been vetted pretty thoroughly. He also pointed out that one exam won't tell us anything, because we don't know where these students are in their development when they start at Fredonia. He suggested we could test students in Summer Orientation, and then get results as sophomores.
Mike Grady asked, "Why not test juniors?" He pointed out that most first semester sophomores have completed only half of the CCC. Since most students will have completed more of the CCC in the spring of their sophomore year, why not test them at the beginning of their junior year? You could just exclude any transfer students from taking these tests at that time. He also pointed out that in Physics, the course load is such that the CCC is spread out over four years, so students in a discipline that does not load the CCC up front could impact the results.
When asked about how the results of such assessment would be used, Pete Sinden said the Board had stipulated in their resolution that such testing would not be used for comparative purposes.
Jan McVicker suggested that this campus opposed the original call for a SUNY- wide CCC because of things like this. How is this going to be tied to funding? Why are we talking about how we can comply? It would make more sense for our campus to assess our courses as we always have.
Peter Sinden replied that he felt that the process had worked over the past two years.
President Hefner raised the fact that this initiative has come about because it was raised at the SUNY University Senate. There was a lot of pushing behind the scenes by the Board. He also indicated that he isn't expecting funding for this assessment program at any time in the near future. Perhaps we should ignore the prohibition against tying these tests to a class. Otherwise, we'll set up a cottage industry doing assessment.
Peter Sinden responded that we need to co-opt this in some way to serve our students.
Joe Straight raised the issue that the topics to be covered in math weren't even stated in terms of learning objectives. Most of what the Board is looking for is phrased in terms of what high school courses cover. Even if we wanted to go along, we have no idea what we are looking for. Geneseo has already determined that for the Mathematics assessment that what is being asked that students is essentially what is required for high school Regents Course B in mathematics.
Joni Milgram-Luterman asked if some kind of questionnaire couldn't be used. Pete Sinden said that that "wouldn't pass muster" in Albany. We must demonstrate student competency in each of the three areas.
Ted Steinberg then returned to his point about the FIPSE grant. We already developed instruments on many of the same criteria that were presented at national meetings concerning assessment. Pete Sinden responded, indicating that he wasn't saying that we shouldn't do that. Those were all based on the old GCP, and we might find it difficult to validate, but perhaps we could have students take both the old FIPSE and another nationally normed test to determine if our old FIPSE's are in the same ball park.
Larry Maheady suggested that even if "they" say it's not for evaluative purposes, standardized tests are NOT for improving instruction. And finding ways to motivate students to take the tests can violate the standardization rubric.
Pete Sinden suggested to the Senate that we look at the California Critical Thinking Skills Test. We may learn from using this instrument.
James Calarco asked if this comes from last year's Board of Trustees proposal. Sinden responded, "Yes," and continued by indicating that GEAR is going to divide into workgroups to look at each option in greater detail, along with implementation possibilities. The next meeting is in November.
Bruce Tomlinson stated that option 3 seems to be the best option, but that is the one we have the least information about!
Bob Rogers indicated that the panel is not yet known. The SUNY Senate is going to look at that at the November meeting. The Provost promised that he'd pay for what- ever was necessary. Bob figures that for 900 students, $3-$4,000 dollars might cover the testing costs.
Bruce Simon raised the issue of writing... currently we use portfolio-based Assessment. Pete Sinden responded that, "I'm a believer! We got serious results!"
Jan McVicker argued again that we develop sound pedagogically-based assessment tools and they tell us why it isn't? Pete Sinden suggested that somebody has to bring such instruments forward.
Bob Rogers asked, is there financial support for doing our own tests? Pete Sinden replied, "Not at this time." That apparently had not been brought up to the Provost.
4. Report of the President:
There will be a naming contest for the Cranston Hall addition.
He urged all to participate in Homecoming events.
He mentioned the University College Presidents meeting with the Chancellor:
- budget for next year is still pretty fuzzy
- urged the Chancellor and Vice-Chancellor to ignore the Div. of Budget and ask for money to cover salary increases (also we need to have a tuition increase next year)
- NY State is facing a $5 billion shortfall next year (due to delayed effects from earlier tax cuts and late budgets)
There was great turnout for Debate Watch, and Fredonia's new voter registration was the second highest total among all the participating institutions.
Reminded everyone about the Retirement Dinner
Just today agreed that the School of Business needs to achieve AACSB Accreditation (will take about 3-5 years to get through the process)
Mary Sasso asked about this year's convocation, and Pres. Hefner said that the theme had been decided: A Call to Civic Action
5. Report of the Vice President for Academic Affairs:
Second reading of the Academic Master Plan (2004-05 - 2007-08) Dr. Faulk reported that some changes needed to be incorporated: Music Ed. and Music Therapy (as noted in minutes of 9/13)
Tom Taylor said that a B.S. in Computer Science needs to be added under Computer & Information Science. Dr. Faulk said that would be done.
The motion to approve the plan (Faulk/Ehrlich) was accepted by the Senate via unanimous voice vote.
Library Report and Demonstration:
Randy Gadikian told the Senate that the Library Advisory Committee is a little slow in getting started this semester. New members are being sought for certain seats that have been vacated. A slate will be presented to the Senate. The Committee's Bylaws are being rewritten to reflect the campus's organizational changes. Kerry Fergen Wilkes then demonstrated the JSTOR scholarly archive for the Senators.
Questions after the presentation:
What happens if JSTOR dies? Randy Gadikian indicated that SUNY has an escrow copy of the software which we could use in such an event.
Kevin McMahon asked if we are getting current content for journals that our Library doesn't currently subscribe to because of JSTOR. Kerrie Wilkes responded we are not currently subscribing to a JSTOR title, users have only access up to that title's "moving wall" in JSTOR. We are not subscribing to every title in JSTOR, only retaining subscriptions to those we already had to provide access beyond the JSTOR "moving wall".
6. Report of the SUNY University Senator
Bob Rogers reported that he would be attending the upcoming SUNY University Senate meeting at Maritime, along with Dick Reddy. Much of the agenda was going to be concerning the assessment issues we'd talked about earlier in today's meeting.
With regard to the Blue Ribbon Panel, the Exec. Committee of the SUNY University Senate will probably be the body who will do the nominating. We need to be very cautious. It was a "blue ribbon panel" that put the statewide Gen Ed initiative together!
7. Standing Committee Reports:
Academic Affairs: Joe Straight
Joe presented the items that were attached under the title of " 'STATS 200' Courses"
Tom Rywick said he wasn't sure how or why this arose. Clearly there is overlap among them, but how much he couldn't resolve. However, there are differences as well. Psychology gives more emphasis to inferential statistics. Psychology students coming from another college with a stats course were NOT ready for our Research Methods course. As a psychology faculty, we would like to see the policy changed so that we can give credit for more than one. Joe Straight suggested the department might consider re-numbering its course, to enable majors to take it without having to change the policy.
Bob Rogers asked what happens when a student, for example, changes major, and has BUS 200. Dr. Rywick said the department makes them take PSYC 200 (which would make it necessary to have 123 credits to graduate then).
Harry Jacobson asked about Sociology [ illegible notes ]
Kevin McMahon said that in Political Science, some students have had to appeal to be allowed to.
MOTION (Watters/Telly) to extend the meeting five minutes passed by unanimous voice vote.
Liz Lee indicated that this policy (of not being allowed to take more than one of the "STATS" 200 courses) is not widely known. It needs to be included in as many places as possible and clearly stated.
Others commented that if Psychology can renumber, can any department? Would it allow for courses with significant overlap to be taken? Dick Reddy said that it is rare for a student to WANT to take statistics, and even rarer for one to wish to take more than one course "for fun and profit". He asked if the Senate wanted to send this back to the Committee.
Mike Grady said the Senate would need to take action on option 1 anyway.
Harry Jacobson said there is no wording stated, so perhaps we should table it and get the wording in place.
MOTION (Telly/Jacobson) to refer the issue back to the Academic Affairs Committee passed on unanimous voice vote.
MOTION [ ??/Telly ] to extend the meeting for five minutes passed by unanimous voice vote.
Online Course Proposal Form demonstration by Joe Straight.
After the demonstration, Dr. Straight asked the Senate's approval to put this form into effect. The motion (Academic Affairs Comm.) passed by unanimous voice vote.
CCC Committee: Dick Reddy
Dick Reddy stepped down as Chair to present the proposal of the CCC Committee (attached to the minutes as "Proposed CCC Policy on Fulfilling the Upper Level Requirement by Taking an Accredited Study Abroad Experience of Less Than 12 Hours in a Semester". After the presentation there was no discussion.
MOTION (CCC Committee) to approve the policy passed by unanimous voice vote.
MOTION [ ?? ] to adjourn passed by unanimous voice vote.
Meeting was adjourned at 5:45 PM.
Respectfully submitted,
Vincent Courtney
Faculty Secretaay