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 UAS meeting of September 30, 2022 and a preview of the ECS meeting of October 7, 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 UAS Meeting of September 30, 2022
Chair’s Report:
- Faculty forums on the evaluation of teaching will be held via Zoom on Wednesday 10/26 10-11 and Thursday 10/27 2:30-3:30. You will have to register to get the Zoom link for each day by going here.
- The 10th Annual Teach-in is titled Power, Privilege, and Difficult Dialogues. It will be held Wednesday 11/9 and Thursday 11/10 in a hybrid format. Faculty are encouraged to submit proposals.
- New Programs Council approved the prospectus, and a taskforce was established to draft a proposal for a bachelor’s degree in data science and analytics.
- Senate Leadership and the Office of the Provost discussed the Kirkhof College of Nursing (KCON) Interprofessional Simulation Center’s proposal to apply for accreditation from the Society for Simulation in Healthcare.
- The new faculty and staff dining space, The Laker Club, will offer lunch from 11:00-1:30 for $10. Complimentary beverages and light snacks will be available after lunch hours. A Grand Opening will be held in November.
Provost’s Report:
- Themes from the Open Forums for Academic Affairs Faculty and Staff included fatigue, anxiety about GVSU’s identity and how it is changing, anxiety around how well students are doing, and staff departures that have caused rapid change in demographics.
- The Provost met with Faculty Personnel Policy Committee (FPPC) and Affiliate Faculty Advisory Committee (AFAC) last week as she gets to know the committees at the University.
Student Senate President’s Report:
- Six new senators have joined Student Senate. A shortage of senators remains.
- Student Senate is meeting with consultants on identifying and addressing student concerns and restructuring Student Senate to improve the climate.
- Student Senate is meeting with stakeholders about stipends for student senators.
New Business
- New administrators Kevin Carmody, Title IX Coordinator; Steven Hodas, Executive Director GV NextEd Accelerator; Danny Velez, AVP and Director of Admissions; Jackie Zhang, Dean of the College of Health Professions were introduced to UAS.
- The Faculty Facilities Planning Advisory Committee (FFPAC) Memo on Electricity and Power Access in Classrooms was supported.
- The 2022 EIC Report on Diversity of Faculty, Staff, and Students was discussed. A diversity dashboard can be found on the GVSU website: https://www.gvsu.edu/inclusion/diversity-dashboard-128.htm
- The Online Education and Microcredential Council (OEMC) Report on Second Year of Two-Year Microcredential Process was supported.
- The University Assessment Committee (UAC) Report on Program Review Reportage was supported.
- The Pew Faculty Teaching and Learning Center Advisory Committee (FTLCAC) Memo on Leadership and Succession Planning was supported with a minor change for clarity.
- Kevin Carmody provided a Title IX update.
- Open enrollment will be from 8:00 a.m. October 25 to 5:00 p.m. November 9.
- HR’s new recruitment plan has aimed to streamline the recruitment process. HR will now screen candidates for faculty positions for the educational requirement, then will forward the candidates with the educational background specified in the position description to Affirmative Action and then to the search committee. The search committee will be able see candidates that did not meet the requirement, as determined by HR, to ensure that no errors are made.
- UAS confirmed Kristen Vu’s nomination as a faculty representative on OEMC.
- UAS meetings will be hybrid for the 2022-2023 academic year.
For more details on the above items, please go here.
Preview of UAS Meeting of September 30, 2022
- Equity and Inclusion Committee (EIC) Memo on Documenting Relationships
- Review of GVSU Tuition Models
- Discussions on Staff Departure Across the University
- Welcome and Introduction of VP for Student Affairs
- Discussion of the CSCE Survey on Faculty Experience with, and Impressions of Research/Scholarship at GVSU
- Faculty Salary and Budget Committee (FSBC) Memo on Leadership, Succession Planning, and Membership
- Selection of Faculty Representatives to the Intellectual Property of Instructional Materials Task Force
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
