In an effort to improve communication between ECS/UAS and faculty colleagues, the Executive Committee of the Senate (ECS) at its August 17, 2022, retreat reaffirmed a recommendation from August 12, 2021, 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 November 11, 2022, and a preview of the ECS meeting of December 2, 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 of November 11, 2022
Chair’s Report:
- The 10th Annual Teach-In, titled, Power, Privilege, and Difficult Dialogues, was held Wednesday 11/9 and Thursday 11/10 in a hybrid format. Attendance was excellent.
- New Programs Council met to discuss how to support individuals submitting proposals and ensure process is transparent.
- The Fall 2022 Sustainability Showcase will be held November 13-19. Explore student projects online anytime. On Friday November 18 10:00-2:00 will be in-person presentations and poster and games sessions in the Kirkhof Center’s Pere Marquette Room.
- The Online Education and Microcredential Council (OEMC) and the University Assessment Committee (UAC) leadership met on November 11, 2022, to discuss assessment needs for badges. There will not be separate assessment reporting for badges.
Provost’s Report:
- The Dean of KCON has been hired and will begin January 6.
- There were two accreditation visits this week, one in engineering and one in medical laboratory sciences. Reviewers were complimentary.
- Provost Mili attended two sessions of the Teach-In and was very impressed.
- Provost's Cabinet is reading Won’t Lose This Dream: How an Upstart Urban University Rewrote the Rules of a Broken System, which discusses how Georgia State University collected and analyzed data to find their next questions, rather than starting with preconceived questions.
Student Senate President’s Report:
- The consultant from the Johnson Center will start on Monday working with the Student Senate.
- Student Senate appreciated the hard work on the Teach-In by faculty, staff, and students.
- Student Senate is finalizing an alumni panel to be conducted in April.
- Student Senate is working on drafting a resolution extending the credit/no credit deadline.
- Student Senate thanks ECS for providing feedback on the student wage legislation, which helped to develop a stronger proposal.
- Student Senate is pleased with the voter turnout, the success of the satellite office, and how students treated one another during the election.
- Student Senate is working to obtain permission from building managers to set up comment boxes for students to express concerns.
- The President and Vice President of Student Senate are conducting meetings with each senator.
New Business:
- Deb Sanders, Director of HR Strategic Business Partners, presented on trends revealed in exit interviews for reasons faculty and staff leave GVSU. Trends included lack of a sense of belonging, burnout, compensation, and DEI/disability treatment concerns.
- VP Milos Topic provided an update from IT.
- VP Jesse Bernal presented on data from the Climate Study.
- Kate Stoetzner (Interim Executive Director of PIC) presented on the International Risk Assessment Committee.
For more details on the above items, please go here.
Preview of ECS Meeting of December 2, 2022
- Updates from AP Committee on Staff Departures.
- Review of Year Four Assurance Argument for HLC.
- Online Education and Microcredential Council (OEMC) Memo on Administrative Membership.
- Discussion of University Governance Committee Membership and Reporting Structure.
Please, feel free to reach out to your ECS or UAS representative from your College/University Libraries to provide input on any UAS 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 2022-2023
