EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MINUTES

 

Present:          Alexander, Alloway, Beck, Bradford, Flowers, Hachtmann, Ledder, Moeller, Scholz, Stock, Zimmers

 

Absent:           Bolin, Rapkin

           

Date:               Wednesday, August 23, 2006           

 

Location:        Academic Senate Office, 420 University Terrace

 

Note:   These are not verbatim minutes.  They are a summary of the discussions at the Executive Committee meeting as corrected by those participating.

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1.0       Call to Order

            Moeller called the meeting to order at 3:00 p.m.           

 

2.0       Nancy Myers, Director, Organizational Development and Tom Workman, Assistant     Director, Student Involvement

Myers reported that last year an effort was started to increase student recruitment and retention at UNL by the Offices of Academic Affairs and Student Affairs.  These two offices collaborated to develop a pilot educational seminar called “Serving Students the Big Red Way.”   Myers noted that 350 faculty members and administrators attended the workshops held this past spring.  She stated that the goal of the program is to help students feel that they belong to UNL and that we want them to succeed. 

 

Myers noted that administrators, faculty and staff across the campus frequently hear how bureaucratic UNL is.  She stated that she and Workman are encouraging departments to look at their various processes that involve students to see if they can create a better service relationship with the students.  She noted that the effort wants to expand the program to involve a broader range of people on the campus and wants the Senate’s feedback on the best way to do this. 

 

Workman reported that when retention and overall student satisfaction were reviewed for the “Everyone a Learner, Everyone a Teacher” report written in December 2003, a number of focus groups were conducted and many students were interviewed.  He pointed out that that there was a recurring theme from the students that they felt disconnected from the university.  He noted that some of this disconnection was systematic. 

 

Workman stated that the interviews showed that many students do not feel that they are important at UNL.  He stated that the question is what contribution could we at UNL make that might improve the University’s relationships with the students.  He noted that advising is a significant issue that needs to be addressed.  He stated that the Serving Students program is designed to improve the relationships between the students and the university.  He noted that for some units, relationships between their department and the students were the last thing that departments have looked at. 

 

Workman stated that the program tries to look at the current systems and procedures that are in place from the students’ perspectives to see how they operate.  He pointed out that an example is the general education program which many students feel is designed to weed students out of the university. 

 

Workman stated that the question is how to build a training workshop that will be effective.  He noted that the problem with many workshops is that after the workshop is over, nothing happens and no changes are made.  He pointed out that in order for changes to happen at the department level, the department chairs will need to be involved.  He stated that the base of the program is to provide a two hour workshop with a one hour follow up afterwards.  He noted that the follow up time allows participants to actualize what they learned. 

 

Myers stated that she and Workman feel that it is very important to get feedback from the Executive Committee about the program.  She noted that she has heard that the faculty won’t buy into the program but she believes most faculty members are very engaged with their students.  She stated that part of the plan is to look at examples of best faculty interactions with students and discuss this.  She asked how we can best recognize faculty interactions. 

 

Workman noted that going through the process of developing this program he has constantly been reminded that this issue doesn’t relate to the faculty.  He stated that he is getting a strong sense that the faculty members are a group that cannot be included in the same program as the staff members.

 

Ledder pointed out that the material that was distributed to the Committee does not show where the faculty has been included in the program.  He stated that as a professor he would want a better idea of what he is going to learn at the workshop. 

 

Myers asked what would be the best way to disseminate the information on the workshops to the faculty.  Ledder stated that an email message should be sent out to the faculty a few weeks before the October 12th workshop.  He noted that the email message about the workshop should indicate what aspects of serving students affect faculty members. 

 

Moeller stated that the way faculty members interact most powerfully with students is through work.  She stated that faculty members need to have a reason/context to interact with students that is mutually beneficial.  She suggested that the workshop be framed to better inform faculty members how they can attract students to work together on research projects, service learning initiatives, and related teaching and learning opportunities. 

 

Alloway pointed out that the university jargon indicates that there are academic units versus service units and this may cause some confusion.  He stated that it might be helpful for the program to clearly define the term service better rather than just using the term academic service to students.  Ledder suggested engaging and interacting with students as an example of terminology that could be used. 

 

Workman stated that one of their concerns is that they want to be clear to the faculty that what is considered service to the students is not about teaching styles or teaching pedagogy.  He noted that it is about the professor’s relationship formation with the students that the program wants to help address. 

 

Bradford pointed out that all of the scheduled workshops are during prime class hours.  He suggested that if the attempt is to reach the faculty then workshops should be held in the later afternoon.  Ledder noted that October 12th is a Thursday and it might good to also have a workshop for faculty members who teach on a Monday, Wednesday, Friday schedule. 

 

Workman stated that he is hearing from the Committee that there is a distinct separation between service from the faculty and the academic units.  He asked if there should be a separate workshop for faculty members that more specifically addresses the kinds of service they are involved in.  Ledder pointed out that the faculty will be turned off to the workshops if they attend a three hour workshop only to find out that half of it does not pertain to what they do.  Bradford stated that interaction with the staff members is important though because often the staff and the faculty members are dealing with the same issues in helping students. 

 

Scholz stated that he attended the first workshop and felt that it was very relevant.  However, it would be helpful to have a separate session devoted to the faculty so it addresses the key roles for faculty members.  He stated that he thinks the message of the program would come across more powerfully if there were separate workshops.  Alloway suggested that there could be concurrent sessions held with a period of time set aside for the staff and faculty members to meet to discuss common issues. 

 

Myers asked if the Senate would sponsor a seminar for the faculty.  Ledder wanted to hear some examples of what a workshop would discuss.  Workman stated that the goal is to create a satisfying relationship for the students.  He noted that the workshop would look at how the relationship is formed and the various components of it.  He stated that specific skill levels are taught and questions addressed such as what happens if a conflict or disagreement occurs with a student and how to deal with the stress of service work. 

 

Workman stated that he is creating a page on the Student Involvement website called Get to Know Me in which students list the one thing they want faculty members to know about them.  He pointed out that when students think of the university, they automatically think of the faculty. 

 

Ledder stated that he does not need to deal with aspects of students needing signatures on a form.  He pointed out that what he deals with are students thinking that something isn’t fair or they are worried about grades.  He asked if the workshop deals with these kinds of issues.  Workman stated that the workshop also discusses how faculty members can say no to students and how they can learn to tell the students that they need to do some things for themselves. 

 

Ledder stated that most faculty members have had to deal with students who have to get a certain grade to retain a scholarship or stay in a program.  He noted that there are recurring problems that happen each year.  He stated that one of the questions that he is looking at is how to alleviate concerns that periodically arise.  He noted that one idea is to create a website with examples of best practices that demonstrate how faculty members can deal with these recurring concerns.  Myers stated that it could become a resource for faculty members to use. 

 

Alexander stated that students are becoming so busy these days that they are not joining professional societies.  He pointed out that these societies help provide a linkage to people in the areas students are studying.  He noted that students are ignoring the opportunities they have to engage with the faculty.  Workman stated that he does not know if this can be changed.  He pointed out that 35% of students are working full-time and carry a full-time class load.  He noted that 98% of the students on campus work.  He stated that the reality is that many students need to work and the problem is what we can do to make the university’s relationship better with these students. 

 

Moeller pointed out that the faculty cannot always meet the needs of individuals who are going to school full-time and working full-time.  She stated that she wants to invest her time in people who are willing to make a commitment to their education.  She suggested that it would be helpful to hear from faculty members about what works for them. 

 

Ledder stated that to faculty members it is obvious that you cannot be a full-time student and a full-time employee but students do not seem to understand this.  He pointed out that student surveys have shown that students do not recognize that their level of effort and commitment is the most important factor in determining their success in a course.

 

Workman stated that there is a divide growing between how we attract students and what they get when they come here.  He noted that the admissions office is telling students that we will make it work for you but once the student gets to campus this is not always the case.  He noted that they are seeing 22 years old who are already hitting the wall.  

 

Alexander asked what as a faculty member he is supposed to do.  Stock noted that faculty members can offer generous office hours and encourage students to come and speak with them.  He stated that some faculty members may feel that they are doing all that they can do for the students. 

 

Workman stated that part of the answer is to look at the systems that are in place.  He noted that nationally interactions are being conducted electronically.  He pointed out that the School of Music has a digitized relationship with their students.  He stated that when students arrive on campus they receive an email message with a video clip in it that introduces the student to his/her instructors.  Alloway noted that students often expect an immediate response when they contact their instructors through email, regardless of what time the email is sent. 

 

Myers thanked the Committee and stated that a sample seminar will be developed.  Workman stated that he would like to see the workshop arranged in a roundtable format.  Ledder urged that the workshops be more specific for faculty members.  He suggested addressing issues such as speaking with students after class, what to do with emails and what to do with the short period of time before class begins. 

           

3.0       Announcements

            3.1       Safe Assignment

Moeller announced that she received word that the Safe Assignment is back on Blackboard for use.  She reported that she sent an email to the Libraries thanking them for purchasing the program and for their work in reviewing it.  She noted that she is encouraging students to use it as a diagnostic tool to help them with their papers.  Alloway noted that all papers reviewed by Safe Assignment get added to the program’s local database so a student who tries to use a classmate’s paper will get flagged by the program.  He said that simply notifying students their work will be reviewed by Safe Assignment may cause them to be more careful about lifting content from other works.   

 

3.2       Notable Nebraskans

Beck stated that she thinks that Patsy Takemoto Mink, former Congresswoman from Hawaii and author of Title IX should be listed as a notable person who attended UNL.  Beck reported that Mink spent a year here in the mid-1940’s as a student and her experiences here with segregation of the residence halls were influential in her writing Title IX. 

 

3.3       Coalition Against the Spending Lid

Moeller reported that she received an email message from Professor Haller about a coalition that is being formed in Nebraska to fight the spending lid proposal.  Bradford asked if the Senate should take a position on the proposed legislation.  The Committee agreed that a motion should be drafted and presented to the Senate at the September meeting. 

 

4.0       Approval of 8/16/06 Minutes

Minutes approved as amended. 

           

5.0       Unfinished Business

5.1       Senate Goals

The Committee further revised the Senate goals for 2006-2007.

 

 

 

 

5.2       Senate Survey on General Education

The Committee reviewed and made minor revisions to the survey.  Griffin reported that she will be sending a copy of the survey to Professor Janovy for him to distribute to the GEPT committee. 

 

5.3       General Education Handout for the September Senate Meeting

The Committee reviewed and revised the handout for the Senate meeting.  Moeller stated that she and Griffin will produce a Powerpoint presentation on the handout. 

           

6.0       New Business

            6.1       Ballot Letter on Changes to the Senate Bylaws

Griffin distributed a copy of the letter that will be distributed to the academic assembly asking them to vote on the changes to the Senate Bylaws.  The Committee reviewed and revised the letter.  It was suggested that the letters be given to each Senator for them to distribute to their colleagues asking the colleagues to please vote. 

 

            6.2       Pepsi Student Event Fund Review Committee

Alexander volunteered to serve on the Committee.

 

The meeting was adjourned at 5:02 p.m.  The next meeting of the Executive Committee will be on Wednesday, August 30th at 3:00 pm.  The meeting will be held in 201 Canfield Administration Building.  The minutes are respectfully submitted by Karen Griffin, Coordinator and Rick Alloway, Secretary.