University Senate - April 19, 2021 Meeting Minutes

Call to Order and Announcements

The University Senate was called to order at 3:30 p.m., via Zoom, on Monday, April 19, 2021. Members absent: Dan Bosworth, Rodney Coates, Omar Elghazawi, Gus Lake, Marielena Orozco, Jayson Rook, Danielle Stein, Harper Sutton, Liam Wise-Powell.

  1. Announcements and Remarks by the Chair of Senate Executive Committee, James Bielo.

    1. Senator Green, incoming Chair, Senate Executive Committee, provided the opening remarks today. She acknowledged the work and collaborative nature of Senate Executive Committee. She outlined some aspirational goals for Senate for 21-22. She looks forward to talking to senators about their ideas and has been struck regarding DE&I initiatives, including the scholarly expertise and compassion about the issues. She hopes that Senate can keep values of DE&I interwoven into our everyday discussions and deliberations. Over the past few years, processes have been put in place in Senate to increase transparency and promote dialogue over important issues. She hopes to refine the processes of education and discussion and decisions and vote to allow us to maximize time and improve efficiencies. One way to strengthen Senate is to highlight and strengthen the role of Senate liaisons to the Senate standing and advisory committees. We have been in contact with the liaisons to ask they review their charge and composition and to gather input from their committees to bring back to Senate. It is important to acknowledge the time and expertise that is devoted to Senate committees, which shape University policy. With the successful rollout of Covid vaccines, we hope to be back to normal in the fall. The ad-hoc subcommittee reports have recommendations to ease the transition of faculty and staff back into the workplace. The reports also have long-term recommendations, and Senate Executive Committee has already begun exploring which committees would best support implementation of some of the recommendations. Senate EC will work with Dana Cox in her new position to prioritize and take action on the report. Senator Green concluded that she looks forward to working with everyone next year and welcomes ideas and suggestions.

    2. Congratulations to Dana Cox, who was recently appointed Associate Provost of Faculty Affairs effective July 1, 2021.

    3. Elections for Senate Executive Committee seats, including at-large and Chair Elect, will be held on April 26. We are working with staff senators for the election of a staff senator to Executive Committee. There will be a Senate retreat in August. It is undetermined whether it will be in-person or virtual. Please contact Jen for topic ideas.

    4. It has been decided that we will wait on a social event until more can participate. This will be reassessed in the late summer/fall.

    5. Provost Osborne indicated that he has received inquiries about Ohio State Bills that have been proposed and are not supportive of higher education. We are working to engage with state representatives to accomplish what is needed without decimating higher education. We are working at the Presidential and Provost level, including Randi Thomas, with other IUC leaders in Ohio.

    6. The Provost shared his appreciation for the very long journey of the Global Miami Plan implementation team, which positions us well. There have been extensive listening sessions and engagement throughout the campus community. This is our chance to come together and support the work that has been done.

Approval of University Senate Minutes

  1. A motion was received, seconded, and carried to approve the April 5, 2021, minutes.

Before approval of the minutes, Senator Wagner inquired if department chairs could read the ad-hoc committee on Covid Support’s report regarding Faculty Support. It was asked that chairs and associate/assistant chairs be specifically sent and asked to review the entire report, and that deans be asked to set aside time at a chairs meeting for discussion of the report and any decisions to be made at college level or promoted at the department level. It was also asked that chairs be asked to ensure that the sections on P&T benchmarking and recommendations from the report form part of the materials P&T committees read before meetings and that the committees be specifically asked to read them.

Consent Calendar

  1. The following items were received on the Consent calendar:

    1. Curriculum

    2. GMP Redesign meeting minutes - March 26, 2021

    3. GMP Redesign meeting minutes - April 2, 2021

    4. Governance Committee meeting minutes - March 31, 2021

    5. Governance Committee meeting minutes - April 2021

    6. LEC meeting minutes - March 23, 2021

    7. Student Life Council Minutes - March 10, 2021

    8. Graduate Council Minutes-March 2021

Old Business

  1. SR 21-26 - Global Miami Plan Revision – Dr. Shelly Jarrett Bromberg, Director, Office of Liberal Education and Dr. Leighton Peterson, Interim Associate Director, Office of Liberal Education

    1. Senator Wardle supports the revision and wanted to thank the Committee for their work. Her questions are about the Miami Moments piece. E-portfolios are important for the success of students and for them to work, they have to be well resourced and carefully implemented. All of the other aspects of the GMP have been resourced and supported, but this is not the case with e-portfolios. The first concern is with technology and scaling up. What will the technology be, who will pay for it, and who will support it? Who will be researching what to use as all options are not created equal? The second concern is with curricular integration. Students have to begin composing the documents in one of their courses. What course will this be? Who will help them with reflections? Who will be a reader? Who will respond to the student? The third concern is with assessment. Portfolios should not be assigned for assessment, although one benefit will be for Programmatic portfolio assessment is time consuming and expensive. She supports the idea of e-portfolios, only if they can be done well. Her suggestion is to take this out of the proposal or to delay implementation until there is time to implement it well. Dr. Bromberg indicated that it is not an e-portfolio. One of the things missing from the GMP is responsibility for the student to bring aspects of their Liberal Education together. The Miami Moments area was one such repository for information. It is not something that needs software; it is something that could be done in a Google doc. For programs that already use an e-portfolio, that system could be used for the GMP. It is not a process of culmination, but of reflection of their Global Miami Plan experience. It is not about assessing students; it is about the student assessing themselves. There is a need to continue the dialog that students have in their courses (e.g. the reflections used in study abroad courses.) It may be a small component of their experience, but it would be very impactful. There are a few models that LEC is exploring with Jennifer Yamashiro from the Regionals. It will take some time to put this together. It is meant to be a creative outlet for students to bring together their liberal arts education experience. Senator Wardle responded that this needs to be carefully planned and have oversight.

    2. Senator Wagner had similar concerns regarding the e-portfolio piece. She asked if we could put an approval of this in principle. Faculty will be concerned about workload. There needs to be more clarity about how this is going to work.

    3. Associate Provost Haynes indicated that the Higher Learning Commission requirements of assessment of liberal education do not have guidelines for how to do the assessment. There will be a lot of details, such as the assessment plan, that need to be worked out. Her thought would be to ask faculty to submit assignments and artifacts and then give them support and resources to do that. It needs to be a fluid model that is thoughtful and does not burden faculty. LEC will come back to Senate with a more specific plan on how to do this.

    4. Senator Carlin observed that this seems to be integrated with Capstone courses.

    5. It was confirmed that a friendly amendment be added to approve Miami Moments in principle with Senate’s recommendation to closely attend to resources to ensure successful curriculum implementation.

    6.  Senators approved SR 21-26: 50 Yes; 2 No; 3 Abstentions

      SR 21-26

      April 19, 2021

      Revisions to the Global Miami Plan

      BE IT HEREBY RESOLVED that University Senate adopts revisions, as amended, to the Global Miami Plan as set forth in the attached document. Senate approves of Miami Moments in principle and recommends to closely attend to resources to ensure successful curriculum implementation.
  1. SR 21-27 - TCPL Percentage – Dr. Dana Cox and Senator Jen Green

    1. Dr. Cox reiterated that the resolution is to ensure that we’re all talking about faculty composition percentages in the same way. There had been a friendly amendment added to define continuing faculty as full-time TCPL and Tenure/Tenure Track faculty. Senator Green added that it converts ratios to percentages.

    2. Senators approved SR 21-27: 52 Yes; 2 No; 1 Abstentions

SR 21-27

April 19, 2021

Calculating Faculty Composition

Whereas the existing method of expressing expectations about faculty composition is mathematically unsound and difficult to represent; and

Whereas we wish to leave the intent of the policy unchanged while using an equivalent and true percentage instead of a ratio expressed as a percentage;

BE IT HEREBY RESOLVED that University Senate approves the following changes to the Teaching, Clinical Professors and Lecturers (TCPLs) Policy as outlined below:

Policy

TCPL faculty includes lecturers and clinical lecturers with the ranks of assistant, associate and senior lecturer as well as teaching and clinical faculty with the ranks of assistant, associate and full professor. Collectively, these positions are referred to as TCPL faculty.

Limitation on Number of Lecturers and Teaching Faculty

TCPLs may not exceed the following percentages of continuing faculty (full-time TCPL and Tenure/Tenure Track) total number of full-time tenured and tenure-track faculty within each division:

● CAS: 25.0% 20%

● CCA: 25.0% 20%

● EHS: 35.0% 26%

● CEC: 25.0% 20%

● FSB: 40.0% 29%

● CLAAS: 30.0% 23%

Divisions must work within the structure of governance processes to modify this limitation and to address faculty composition more broadly. Divisions must adhere to their faculty composition policy and the dean of the college/school must annually communicate with faculty on current and historical trends in faculty mix. This communication should provide context including relevant budgetary resources and curricular needs. The provost will annually update the University Senate on changes to divisional policies and faculty mix. Any changes that incur a raising of the new caps in this resolution must be approved by Senate.

Appointment to a TCPL position requires either:

1. a competitive search; or

2. the approval of the Provost upon the positive evaluation and recommendation of the department if required by departmental governance, the department chair, the program director (when appropriate), and dean for a person currently holding another instructional staff position at Miami University.

  1.  

New Business

  1. SR 21-28 - Liberal Education Composition Change – Dr. Shelly Jarrett Bromberg, Director, Office of Liberal Education

    1.  Dr. Bromberg began by saying that Senate committees are so crucial that we want to ensure we have the correct composition. With the new plan, there were places that needed to be built up. Dr. Peterson added that the expertise needs to align with the function and purview of the committee. Representation across divisions is needed as well as with specialty areas (e.g. DE&I).

  1. SR 21-29 - Honors Program Advisory Committee – Composition Change – Dr. Zeb Baker, Director, Honors Program

    1. The new Honors College is launching July 1. Dr. Baker wants to ensure that the Honors College has a Committee that is aligned with the Honors College and that there is representation of all the Divisions. We have acknowledged that the overall need for representation from the College of Liberal Arts and Applied Science (CLAAS) is not necessary because CLAAS is launching their own program and advisory board under the guidance of Dr. Susan Spellman. There is an articulation plan between the Oxford campus and the Regional campuses for students who relocate and join the Honors College.

  2. SR 21-30 - Academic Policy Committee – Composition Change – Senator Tamise Ironstrack, Senate Liaison, Academic Policy Committee

    1. The Academic Policy Committee (APC) was charged with changing the function and composition of the committee to clarify what the committee has been doing all along. The most significant change is to include a department chair; add the Registrar as a voting member; adding a Dean/Associate Dean; and, adding a third student member (Regional Student Government). The changes in the function have to do with APC being able to create original policy, which brings APC in line with like committees at other institutions.

Senator Bielo thanked the Governance Committee for getting the three Committee composition changes approved so quickly.

  1. SR 21-31 - Arts Management and Arts Entrepreneurship Major - Senator Todd Stuart (Attachment A-II)

    1. The proposed major/degree builds off of the current co-major and minor in Arts Management and Arts Entrepreneurship. We currently have an Arts Management minor in which the student takes a block of classes in creative arts (for business majors) or in business (for arts majors). The co-major is similar, but has 30 credits. New major has 60 hours; 15 credits of core; 9 Focus area; 3 Experiential (internship); 3 Culminating Experience; 15 arts expertise; 15 business expertise.

    2. The pairing of this with other programs in CCA will bring net new students to the University. There is not another program like this in the country. There are 8 current students who are interested in this degree. Data show how the programs are growing. The program will need faculty support in the future, but can handle the proposed cohort of 20 students for this coming year. He predicts that minors will grow and co-majors may decrease a bit.

    3. Senators had the following clarifying questions:

      1. Senator Carlin asked about the relationship between the co-major and major. Will the co-major be sunsetted? Senator Stuart indicated that there will still be need for the co-major. The co-major will be useful for those who cannot double major. He confirmed that the minor requires 18 hours, the co-major requires 30 hours, and the proposed major requires 60 hours.

  2. SR 21-32 - Promotion and Tenure Guideline Revisions – Dr. Dana Cox

    1. Senate is asked to review changes to the Tenure/Tenure Track and TCPL Guidelines every year. The policy and guidelines documents work together. Changes can come from the University Promotion and Tenure Committee (UPT). The changes to the Promotion and Tenure Guidelines are small changes to wording regarding the Regional campuses.

    2. Senator Wagner is supportive of all three resolutions.

    3. SR 21-32 was approved: 45 Yes; 1 No; 6 Abstentions

SR 21-32

April 19 2021

Promotion and Tenure Guidelines for Dossier Preparation 2021-2022

BE IT HEREBY RESOLVED that University Senate adopts revisions as amended to the 2021–2022 Promotion and Tenure Guidelines for Dossier Preparation.

  1. SR 21-33 - TCPL Guideline Revisions – Dr. Dana Cox

    1. This change came from the Associate Deans. Changes are to add a link to the Guidelines to the rules regarding departmental voting for promotion.

    2. Senator Morris was not clear as to what the link was going to. Dr. Cox confirmed that you have to go to Section V once you are on the page.

    3. Senator Tai asked if this was the time to add to the Guidelines. Dr. Cox suggested that any changes be given to her.

    4. SR 21-33 was approved: 48 Yes; 1 No; 3 Abstentions

SR 21-33

April 19, 2021

Dossier and Evaluation Guidelines for Teaching Professors, Clinical Professors, Lecturers, and Clinical Faculty 2021-2022

BE IT HEREBY RESOLVED that University Senate adopts revisions as amended to the 2021-2022 Dossier and Evaluation Guidelines for Teaching Professors, Clinical Professors, Lecturers, and Clinical Lecturers.

  1. SR 21-34 - Faculty Assembly Policy Library Change – MUPIM 2.5 – Dr. Dana Cox

    1. This change was suggested by a Senator and is to change the TCPL title and change the language to make things more inclusive.

    2. Why do they come now? They are a result of the current UPT process. We have to get it done now so that they are in place for the next year.

    3. Senator Stuart asked for clarification as to why can’t TCPLs serve on FA Committees? They can; however, there are some committees that restrict membership.

    4. SR 21-34 was approved 48 Yes; 1 No; 3 Abstentions

SR 21-34

April 19, 2021

Revision of MUPIM 2.5, Faculty Assembly

BE IT HEREBY RESOLVED that University Senate approves changes to MUPIM 2.5, Faculty Assembly, as outlined below:

Faculty Assembly

General

Faculty Assembly is chaired by the President of the University who has responsibility for the preparation of the agenda for meetings. The agenda shall be mailed to each member of Faculty Assembly at least seven (7) class days prior to the meeting and shall provide sufficient detail for reasonably clear identification of the nature of the items.

The actions of the University Senate are subject to the authority of Faculty Assembly to review and refer actions back to the University Senate and to recommend matters for Senate’s consideration.

Faculty Assembly is composed of all members of the faculty who hold a tenured or tenure-track  position; all librarians who hold the rank of Assistant Librarian, Associate Librarian, or Principal Librarian; and Teaching, Clinical Professors and Lecturers (TCPLs)

Membership in Faculty Assembly does not qualify  Teaching, Clinical Professors and Lecturers (TCPLs) to serve on committees whose membership is restricted to faculty in tenure-eligible ranks.

Adjournment

  1. The regular meeting of University Senate was adjourned at 4:52 p.m