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Grand Valley State University

Highlight of ECS Meeting of November 3, and Preview of ECS Meeting of November 10

 

In an effort to improve communication between ECS/UAS and faculty colleagues, the Executive Committee of the Senate (ECS) at its August 16, 2023, retreat reaffirmed a recommendation from August 12, 2021, that each week, a general message 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 UAS meeting of November 3, 2023, and a preview of the ECS meeting of November 10, 2023. 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 of November 3, 2023

Chair’s Report

  • The 11th Annual Teach-in will be held Wednesday 11/8 and Thursday 11/9 in a hybrid format. The purpose is mutual education among students, faculty, and staff.  The Teach-In is intended to address topics related to inequality and systems of oppression, as well as social justice and liberation. Faculty are encouraged to attend and bring their students. More information on the Teach-In can be found here.

Provost's Report

  • The Provost attended a reception for the Laker Accelerated Talent Link.
  • The Department of Visual and Media Arts (VMA) had its accreditation visit. The visit went very well and the Provost heard feedback on the extraordinary commitment of faculty to their students' learning and success.
  • The BOT voted to approve the reorganization of PCEC. The Provost thanked everyone for their collective engagement, and thanked the PCEC faculty and staff for their patience through the process. The Provost and Dean Paul Plotkowski are planning to meet with the faculty and staff of PCEC.

New Business

  • We discussed the Online Education and Microcredential Council (OEMC) Memo on Program Modality Definition. The goal of the memo is to help students understand the programs’ delivery modes. A motion to support the memo with recommendation to UAS passed.
  • We discussed the Faculty Salary and Budget Committee (FSBC) Memo on Updating Faculty Governance Committee Structure. It has been a long time since our current shared governance structure was put in place and the university has changed a lot since then. At the recent ECS meeting of November 3, ECS passed a motion to form a taskforce to investigate shared governance realignment adapting to the new structure of the University that has evolved over the past decade and requested the Chair to follow up by soliciting nominees from the University Academic Senate (UAS). Once the slate of nominees has been put together, ECS will select members of the taskforce. Any faculty member interested in serving in such a taskforce should send his/her name to the Chair of ECS/UAS. You can also nominate a colleague you know will represent faculty well in such an important taskforce.
  • We discussed the Workload and Significant Focus Taskforce Memo Regarding the Charge and Direction ECS Would Like the Taskforce to Take. The potential of a survey to unit heads on policies and practices regarding workload and significant focus was discussed. A concern about over-surveying faculty was raised. It was decided that a survey to unit heads as an effort to ensure equitable and reasonable workload across the university will be conducted.
  • We discussed the College of Health Professions (CHP) Memo on the CHP College Personnel Committee (CPC) Representation. A reorganization of CHP with multiple units merging decreased the number of representatives on the CHP CPC. The ECS discussion revealed that the BOT policy 4.2.10.2 may need updating for multiple colleges as reorganizations have taken place. ECS moved to refer the memo to FPPC with a charge to consider the BOT policy to recommend revisions to policy and survey CPCs and faculty councils to recommend what needs to be done to bring the colleges into compliance with those recommendations.
  • We discussed the Memo on Faculty Working 100% Remote. Deans have received questions from candidates for faculty positions who would like to work 100% remote. There is currently no policy addressing this. The discussion at ECS centered around 100% remote work being detrimental to the vibrant campus community. It was noted that faculty can teach 100% remote, but still need to attend student-facing events. Accommodations for remote work may be appropriate short-term at times. ECS moved to forward memo to FPPC and charge them to confer with the authors to make a recommendation about the issue.

For more details on the above items, please go here.

Preview of ECS Meeting of November 10, 2023

  • Academic Policies and Standards Committee (APSC) Memo on Academic Review and Dismissal
  • APSC Memo on Academic Grievances
  • APSC Memo on Repeat Course Approval Policy
  • Faculty Facilities Planning Advisory Committee (FFPAC) Memo on Campus Safety Night Walk
  • Affiliate Faculty Advisory Committee (AFAC) Memo on Affiliate Faculty Retirement

Please, feel free to reach out to your ECS or UAS representative from your College/University Libraries 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 2023-2024

ECS Membership

1 Campus Drive

3090 James H. Zumberge Hall
Allendale, MI 49401

 

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