In an effort to improve communication between ECS/UAS and faculty colleagues, the Executive Committee of the Senate (ECS) at its August 12, 2021 retreat recommended that each week, a general message will be sent out to all faculty. This message will highlight the immediate past ECS/UAS meeting and give a preview of the upcoming ECS/UAS meeting. In particular, the highlight will summarize the key agenda items and provide context on the key votes; the pros and cons will be summarized and the key arguments for each highlighted. Herein are the highlights of the ECS meeting of February 18, 2022 and a preview of the ECS meeting of February 25, 2022. Meetings of the ECS are restricted to members of the ECS, their alternates, and others whom the ECS may invite, pursuant to SG 1.01.7.2. Meetings of the UAS are open pursuant to SG 1.01.6.2.
Highlights of ECS Meeting February 18, 2022
Chair’s Report:
- Dr. Fatma Milli is our new Provost starting July 2022.
- The BOT met and approved Reach Higher 2025.
- The 6th Annual Roger That! Symposium was held February 18-19. The Keynote speaker was Col. Eileen Collins.
- Faculty forums will be held today, February 22 at 10:30-12:00 and tomorrow, February 23 at 2:30-4:00.
Provost’s Report:
- The Faculty Awards Convocation was held two weeks ago. Congratulations to our faculty award winners!
- Enrollment Update: Applications for fall are down 8.9% compared to this time last year. We are up in graduate student applications and transfer student applications, but down in FITIAC applications.
- For the fourth straight year we have seen increases in the 4-year graduation rate, which is now 44.5%. Our 5-6-year graduation rates are down. There are gaps in graduation rates between groups. The 4-year graduation rate is 45% for women and 35% for men. The 4-year graduation rate is 24% for underrepresented minority groups. The 4-year graduation rate is about 8% lower for first generation college students than non-first generation students.
- The Governor’s budget proposal includes a 5% increase to our base, but there was no budget increase last year, so this increase does not keep up with inflation.
New Business
- On the Faculty Personnel Policy Committee (FPPC) Memo on Service During Sabbatical: Service during sabbatical is permitted but discouraged. The vote to support and forward to UAS was unanimous.
- On the FPPC Memo on Promotion and Tenure Decisions: No changes to the current policy were recommended. The vote indicated 92% supported, and 8% did not support.
- On the Academic Policies and Standards Committee (APSC) Memo on Leadership and Succession Planning: The vote to support and forward to UAS was unanimous.
- On APSC Memo on Policy Proposal for National Election Day: This was tabled.
- On Discussion of Action Items Following the Title IX External Investigation: : A taskforce has been formed with the charge to “Review the findings and the recommendations provided by H & B pursuant to the charge issued by GVSU to H & B and determine what recommendations if any should be forwarded on to the President and Provost.”
For more details on the above items, please go here.
Preview of ECS Meeting of February25, 2022
- Academic Policies and Standards Committee (APSC) Memo on Repository for Syllabi
- APSC Memo on Rescheduling Exams During Finals Week
- APSC Memo on Test-Optional Admissions Procedures
- Laker Impression of Faculty Teaching Management Committee (LIFT-MC) Memo on Leadership and Succession Planning
- Affiliate Faculty Advisory Committee (AFAC) Memo on Leadership and Succession Planning
- University Assessment Committee (UAC) Memo on Update on Co-Curricular and Advising Task Force
- UAC Memo on Update on the Self-study Process
- Update from the Virus Action Team (VAT)
Please, feel free to reach out to your ECS or UAS representative from your College/University Libraries in order to provide input on any ECS agenda item that you may like to weigh in on.
Thank you for your continuous interest in faculty governance.
Sincerely,
Felix N. Ngassa
Chair of ECS/UAS 2021-2022
