The meeting was called to order by the chair, Jerry Calton , at 3:10 p.m.
Present : Jerry Calton, Bill Mautz, Barbara Heintz, Helen Rogers, Lincoln Gotshalk, Robert Fox, Philippe Binder, Sabry Shehata, Nina Buchanan.
Student Member: Liko Puha
Ex Officio: Chris Lu, Margaret Haig.
Guest: Jerry Johnson, Jim Juvik, Eleanor Vogt, Arthur Nelson
1. Minutes of the meeting of December 5, 2003
were reviewed and approved.
2. Election of a new
Secretary to replace Barbara Leonard, who has resigned.
Barbara Heintz was the sole nominee for this position.
Vote: 7 yes, 0 no, 2 abst.
3.Election of Members
to the Assessment Support Committee.
This business item was postponed.
4. Standing Committee Reports.
a. GE Committee. April Komenaka was not present to report on the activity of the GE Committee.
b. Assessment Support Committee. The College of Agriculture has completed the process. There are 4 more academic units pending.
Motion to accept the report of the committee. Discussion. William Mautz objected to the use of the language “authentic” for student works submitted for assessment evaluation by visiting reviewers. The objection centers on the implication that if the selected sample of works submitted for evaluation are deemed “authentic”, then the usual instruments of evaluation for a grade of students by their instructors (oral and written quizzes and examinations and written reports and papers) are somehow “inauthentic.” William Mautz felt that the faculty would wish to assert that their own evaluation processes are indeed authentic, and failure to assert such would lead to linguistic dis-empowerment. Robert Fox pointed out that the word “authentic” was generally accepted terminology in the business of education outcomes assessment.
Vote to accept the report: 8 yes, 0 no, 1 abst.
c. Joint Academic Policy/ Budget Committee
prioritization of previous program change requests. The prioritization was performed in relation to the Strategic
Plan. The ranking is for information
purposes, and the report was presented to the UHH Congress.
A motion was made to approve the report.
Discussion: Jim Juvik asked if the intent was to present this report the the administration. Jerry Calton responded that this is the intent. Chris Lu had originally requested the UHH Congress to review the PCR’s and develop a recommended prioritization.
Vote to approve the report: 8 yes, 0 no, 1 abst.
5. Query from the All Campus Council of Faculty Senate Chairs (ACCFSC): Does UHH faculty support a consistent system-wide grading policy? For example a common +/- grading policy and uniform treatment of “N” grades (No credit) for courses not completed (UHM treats N grades as F for purposes of transfer evaluations).
Robert Fox made a motion that it is the sense of the
UHH Congress that Congress is not in favor of a uniform grading policy, but is
open to specific proposals.
Discussion favored the preservation of autonomy for
grading policy.
Vote: 9 yes, 0 no, 0 abs.
6. Consideration of CEC Resolution #6 (postponed at 12/05/03 meeting) concerning the relationship between the UHH Graduate Council and the UHH Congress.
Jerry Calton read the resolution:
This resolution has been moved and seconded by the
Congress Executive Council, and was opened for discussion by the UHH Congress.
Jim Juvik reported that the Graduate Council was now
meeting and discussing what qualifications are appropriate for a graduate
faculty. They are using the UHM
procedures handbook. Thus far, there is
consensus is that members of the Graduate Council should be nominated by the
graduate programs and their graduate faculty members themselves. The standards to be set for a graduate
faculty member are under review.
Jim Juvik also stated that there should be
co-ordination with the UHH Congress. He
requested another month to prepare a policy for presentation.
Nina Buchanan stated that Resolution 6 is broader in
scope than just application to the Graduate Council. The UHH Congress believed that there was an agreement reached
last spring with the administration to the effect that faculty appointments to
committees were to come before the faculty governance body. The motion should be passed as it is
explicitly stated.
Jerry Calton stated that the Graduate Council
proposal appears to circumvent the UHH Congress for the appointment of
members. An alternative is that
nominations come from the graduate programs’ member departments.
Jim Juvik responded that units without participation
in the graduate programs will have representation on the Graduate Council.
Robert Fox expressed strong agreement with this
point. The additional members, outside
of graduate faculty participants in graduate programs, should be nominations
that come through the UHH Congress, that is, the UHH Congress should have
representation on the Graduate Council.
In the interest of clarity, it is noted that a faculty representative of
the UHH Congress need not be a member of the UHH Congress.
Jim Juvik stated that such representatives should
meet the qualifications for graduate faculty.
William Mautz stated that Resolution 6 can be
passed, and then the UHH Congress can work with the Graduate Council to develop
the policies of the relationship.
Sabrey Shehata called for the question.
Chris Lu wished to consult further with the Congress
to make the language mutually acceptable.
Sabrey Shehata moved to again postpone consideration
of Resolution 6 for 1 month with the understanding that Congress will meet with
the Vice Chancellor of Academic Affairs and Graduate Council representative.
Vote: 9 yes, 0 no.
7. Consideration of the College of Pharmacy proposal (for establishment of such at UHH).
Meeting adjourned at 5:00 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Bill Mautz,
Vice Chair, UHH Congress