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Faculty Senate Meeting Minutes November 18, 2020

University of Louisiana at Lafayette Faculty Senate
Minutes, Wednesday, November 18, 2020, Zoom Meeting
Presiding: Donna Gauthier (DG)

1. Call to Order: 4:03
2. Quorum Call: 49
3. Motion to approve Minutes from October 21 (I. Berkeley), A. Abington-Pitre seconded, approved
4. Report from Faculty Senate President (DG)
  • Has the head of library been selected? There has been an “unofficial acceptance.”
  • Committee Governance workgroup. Appointments have been updated on the Academic Affairs website, though most of the committee membership has not changed.
  • We have not heard anything more from Deans about SEI usage in evaluations.
  • Had 2 interviews for Picard Center Endowed Chair.
  • Jennifer Stevens in Marketing Department working on rollout of new website.
5. Reports from Senate Committees

Committee on Committees - DeRouen

  • Need to check the University Committee list.

Ways and Means - Vacant

  • DG states this committee needs a chair.

Governmental Concerns - Slater

  • We are inviting speakers - McGeehee
    • Talked to many representatives about speaking, and they are happy to do it.
    • Will be scheduled throughout spring.
6. Reports from University Committee

Committee on Academic Affairs and Standards - Wadsworth

  • No meeting

Student Evaluation of Instruction - Autin

  • [shared screen] Due to late notification of Committee assignments, she has been occupied recently with tracking down membership.

Distance Learning Leadership Council - Crocco

  • 100% increase in professional development events compared to last year.
  • 300% increase in attendance.
  • Incredible increase in the number of hours used on DL tools, naturally.
  • Faculty certifications are up about 20% from last year.
  • LMS pilot wrapping up. Spring will be an increased pilot, with the goal of getting the new Moodle out in time for Fall.

Reports of Ad-Hoc Committees

Faculty Salary and Compensation - DG

  • Met briefly, Hebert announced University wide committee. Ad hoc committee will continue for the time being.

Committee on Underrepresented Faculty - Abington-Pitre

  • Still assembling a complete group.
  • Need a charge from FS. DG suggests they recommend a charge.
  • EA would like to know what from our original report has been implemented by the university if anything.
7. Old Business
  • Constitution: Faculty voted to confirm changes.
    • They will be passed now to Dr Hebert and Dr. McKinney for their approval.
8. New Business
  • Code of Conduct and Ethical Behavior Policy
    • Our survey results are up on Senate website.
    • The university has a policy on policies.
      • J. L. LeBlanc is the assigned administrator of this policy.
      • DG will be passing our request to rescind and rewrite the policy to him.
    • Motion: “Faculty Senate vehemently opposes any employee be disciplined under the current Disciplinary Policy, until it is entirely reworked and unlinked from all university training modules.
      • Berkeley, Roy second. Passes, 4 abstentions.
  • Criteria for Graduate Faculty Membership - Ratliff
    • New policy being developed by Graduate Council: Faculty will be required to demonstrate an ability to work constructively with all graduate students, including those from underrepresented and diverse backgrounds.
    • Ratliff is looking for feedback and suggestions on implementation. How can we do this? Send suggestions through the start of next semester.
  • FS representation on the campus IChange Team
    • Request a volunteer.
  • University Committees
    • Check the list. Chairs contact your members.
    • Vacancies on Senate-interested Committees? Procedure was not followed.
    • DG will check with McKinney to see about the vacancies.
  • Laptop and Internet Compensation - Messiha
    • Is there a University policy? This is a hardship for some, especially new faculty.
  • Someone stated that SEI was not to be distributed before withdrawal dates, but now that the withdrawal date was changed, we have students doing SEI that will be dropping the class.
    • Heads up for Spring 2021.
    • Autin does not think that is a requirement on SEI.
9. Announcements
  • December 2 meeting planned. We will see if we need it.
10. Adjournment
  • Messiha motion, Berkeley second. Approved. 5:30pm

Submitted by C. Rice, 11/23/2020

Appendix I: Notes on the Conversation with Provost Hebert, 3:30-4:00 pm
  • Notes from Hebert discussion
    • Office of Academic Affairs will be setting up taskforces that need faculty participation
      • Open Material Designation: Act 125 from the Board of Regents, acting on a Legislative mandate, will require all institutions of higher education to designate on a course by course basis whether or not courses are utilizing open and resources. How will we implement this?
      • Adjunct Evaluation Taskforce: Adjuncts need to be evaluated, per SACS and system policies. How will we implement this?
      • Faculty Qualifications Taskforce—What should be the required qualifications for teaching 400-level courses? Terminal degree is currently required for 400 and 400G, but we are short-staffed at may be for a while.
      • Professorship Stipends Taskforce: Annual stipends or annual + summer stipends? Establish an equitable and consistent system.
    • Faculty Salary Equity Study: A University-wide Faculty Salary Study has begun out of the Provost’s office.
      • It includes on the taskforce most of the people Faculty Senate has on theirs. We should look at combining the FS effort with that one? The “vast majority of membership on that task force will be faculty.”
      • J. L. LeBlanc and HR have committed that after Provost finishes the in-house equity study, they will get a consultant to do an outside market study, comparing to peer institutions for example.
    • After the new organizational structure in Academic Affairs is complete, we will look at the University’s Committee Structure. This Task Force will also be largely faculty.
    • Diversity activity: The Aspire Project will be working to increase access and hiring underrepresented faculty in STEM areas specifically. We will include non-STEM faculty in order to scale up in non-STEM areas efficiently.
      • In order to do studies to discover issues about retention, IR has made some dashboards to allow quick discovery and evaluation of University data. Licensing will be expanded to faculty.
    • The State reduced our budget by the same amount we received in the Second Part of the CARES Act. So that was a wash.