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Kentucky State University Faculty Senate Minutes November 13, 2017

November 13, 2017

A SENATORS UNIT Ex Officio Members & Guests

Amusan, Ibukun Math & Science Provost VPAA Debbie Thomas

Andries, Kenneth AFE Faculty Regent Elgie McFayden

Desborde, Rene Business Director Graduate Studies James Obielodan

French, Asha LLP Mara Merlino

Gebremedhin, Maheteme AFE Tierra Freeman

Gibson, Caroline Fine Arts John Sedlacek

Gilliam, Erin BSS Abdul Turay

Griffin, Robert Fine Arts Mary Barr

Gyawali, Buddhi AFE Deneia Thomas

Hampton, Dantrea President Library

Hannemann, Jens Computer Science

Vacant AQU

Lu, Li Math & Science

Marraccini, Patti Nursing

McKay, Marlin Fine Arts

Rajendran, Narayanan At-Large (MASC)

Ramon, Donavan Whitney Young

E Reilly, Wilfred Parliamentarian BSS

Rye, Reba Secretary At-Large (FA)

Sharma, Rita Math & Science

Sipes, Kimberly At-Large Business

Smith, Peter Vice-President LLP

Ulrich, Stephen PUA, Social Work

Cynthia L. Williams Nursing

Vedder, Catherine LLP

Walston, Herman Education

Wang, Changzheng At-Large (AFE)

The sixth regularly scheduled meeting of the AY 2017-18 Faculty Senate was called to order at 3:12 pm on Monday, November 13, 2017, Hathaway Hall 123. The agenda was approved with no amendments and minutes of the October 31, 2017 Faculty Senate meeting were approved with no amendments.

Senate President Report:

President Hampton reminded Senators of the importance of attendance and participation in all meetings, both committee and full Senate, and necessity of submitting minutes and agendas before deadlines. Chairs should turn in signed action items to her immediately after Senate approval. In preparation for SACS our records need to be in order.

She attended President Brown's Cabinet meeting on November 8. The Associate VP for Finance and Comptroller, Duane Wright, was introduced. The new Associate VP for Facilities Management, Wayne Goodwin was introduced. He said he was aware of facilities issues across campus and is working to address them. Russelle Keese is the new Director of Financial Aid.

December graduation plans were discussed. There will be a Thanks For Giving luncheon on December 16, 11:30-1:30. Season basketball tickets will be available for $75 and there was mention of VIP seating.

Antonio Boyle has been assigned to the Office of Financial Aid.

Student official absences must be approved through Student Affairs, with required documentation.

Claude Huddleston is a new Dean of Students. He said he is interested in a host family program.

Senate BASC Chair Rye asked if the problem of understaffing for housekeeping and facilities was mentioned and pointed out some buildings are not being cleaned. We are down to about nine housekeepers and it's impossible for them to attend to all buildings. President Hampton said it was not discussed because it was not on the agenda but that Mr. Goodwin is aware.

A Senator agreed this is a significant issue and suggested Senate should take it up in committee. Chair Rye said she will put it on the BASC agenda.

Curriculum Committee:

Chair Andries was not present at the committee meeting and there was not a quorum at the CC meeting. Chair Andries reported.

Subsequently, CC voted on and passed electronically:

FSCC 17-18-08: New class, MASC/Biology BIO321, Virology. An upper level elective for biology major and health-related disciplines. Emphasis on animal viruses.

Senate approved unanimously by voice vote.

Academic Policy Committee:

Chair Gebremedhin brought forth:

FSAPC 16-17-03: Revise the Repeat Option policy so that it does not limit repeats and provides additional support for student success.

This FY16-17 Senate approved Action Item was returned to Senate by VPAA Thomas for change of effective date. Extensive discussion ensued on how to proceed since the policy is approved but not recorded in the current catalogue. It was determined that the policy is in effect already and Senate should wait to see if it appears in the next catalogue. FY16-17 Senate President Sipes pointed out this is the situation for other Action Items previously passed as well and Senate should not revisit all of them but, rather, the administration should just enforce them and work on making sure they are in the published catalogue.

Time was extended for 5 minutes.

On motion by Senator Andries the request for change was tabled pending publication of new catalogue. If not recorded in the catalogue Senate will resubmit as a new action item.

FSAPC 17-18-02:

Change academic policy language and Academic Calendar from Faculty and Staff Institute to Encampment.

Senate passed unanimously by voice vote.

FSAPC 17-18-03:

The academic policy language and Academic Calendar will need to reflect a change for the same semester application for degree.

After discussion relating to discrepancy between implementation of policy and publication in academic calendar, the action item passed unanimously with friendly amendment.

Time was extended five minutes with one Senator voting nay.

FY16-17 Senate President Sipes pointed out that early Senior exams were done away with by Senate and approved by VPAA/Provost Thomas on August 10, 2017 with a Fall 2017 effective date. Yet, the published academic calendar still includes early Senior exams. President Hampton said Interim Registrar Benson was at the cabinet meeting and had already sent out the schedule. Regent McFayden said the new policy should be followed going forward. Senator Sipes said the approved new policy was sent to the Registrar's office but did not get updated on the website. Chair Gebremedhin said what is published on the web-site must be followed. A non-Senator said the new policy would be added to the calendar going forward.

President Hampton called time for discussion and said policy would/should be moved forward and implemented in FY1819, or Spring 2018 if necessary.

Professional Concerns Committee:

Chair Reilly reported he met with VP of Finance Kevin Appleton and discussed procedures that will be followed on indirect cost recovery by incoming administration. VP Appleton is familiar with President Brown's desires and he agrees. He said any issue with potential implications will be considered working up to the FY1819 budget and discussion will continue. He advocates an "all university budget

committee that includes all stakeholders". He sees this as a format for faculty involvement in building the budget and he said there are “different ways to get to faculty involvement”.

VP Appleton said President Brown would like to see 30% of indirect cost going to principal investigators, whereas currently 20% is specified. He suggested PCC look at approved policy and identify examples of other institutions using either the 20% or 30% model. Regent McFayden said KSU cannot build a budget on indirect cost recovery. Chair Reilly pointed out that is not what is meant, but rather that it will be “considered” as one component and the budget will not be “built” in anticipation of such.

A non-Senator explained that, in her experience, anyone who has signature on the approval gets equal shares of the indirect cost recovery. Her share went into a personal development account for discretionary spending on program enhancement, and she pointed out that 9 month scheduled salaries cannot come out of indirect cost recovery.

PCC is still working on honors and retirement recognition policy. A non-Senator inquired if they are looking at new policy or revisiting what is already in place. Chair Reilly said they would send up the committee's recommendations and see what administrators think.

Budget & Academic Support:

Chair Rye brought forth action item:

FSBASC 17-18-03: The 2017-18 Faculty Senate is of the opinion that in line with ACTION ITEMS FSBASC 16-17-01 and FSBASC 167-17-02, and after an equity study has been conducted and implemented per FSBASC 17-18-02, Faculty and Non-Administrative Staff should receive an annual cost of living increase in base salaries. Percentage increases should apply to only base salaries, and not administrative assignments.

A friendly amendment to delete “teaching” as a modifier of base salaries was accepted since some faculty are either non-teaching (Library) or part-time teaching (Land Grant) positions.

A Senator expressed concern that policy specifying annual cost-of-living increases could be problematic in years of budget short-fall, resulting in loss of employees in order to finance cost-of-living increases.

Vice-President Smith offered the opinion that anticipated enrollment increases, and resulting additional revenue, should be directed to Instruction. Chair Rye said the BASC considered the extremely low percentage KSU spends on Instruction relative to any group of benchmark institutions considered, and how long it would take to close the gap.

FY16-17 Senate President Sipes expressed the opinion that any salary increases resulting from an equity study in consideration of market demand would equate to cost-of-living adjustments.

Chair Rye pointed out that significant increases in health benefit deductions at KSU has contributed to devaluation of salaries, in addition to regular cost-of-living expenses.

After discussion the amended action item passed by voice vote with 2 abstentions out of 18 Senators present.

Chair Rye reported on the meeting Kim Sipes and she had with VP of Finance Kevin Appleton and VPAA/Provost Thomas relating to the Senate's request for budgetary information. Excerpt from Chair's Report to Faculty Senate:

While it was a productive meeting for sharing ideas on the role of BASC in budgetary analysis and decisions, Mr. Appleton did not commit to providing the detailed budgetary information requested by BASC and Senate through BASC 17-18-04. He said, “It is under consideration” and he would let us know, but no timeline was offered. I informed them that a request BASC made to Institutional Research a couple of weeks ago for updated enrollment data has not filled.

Mr. Appleton expressed reservations about the comparative data on Instructional spending at KSU. He questioned the benchmark institutions, as well as what he considered flawed reporting in Functional spending. We informed him that several comparative studies have been conducted: 1.) against CPE's 20 Benchmark institutions, 2.) BASC's identified 20 Benchmark institutions in response to CPE and Baker-Hostetler's concerns with CPE's list, 3.) random small liberal arts colleges generally our size, 4.) sister Kentucky state supported universities, 5.) Other HBCUs, and those which are Land Grant. All comparisons show KSU at the lowest end of the spectrum in Instructional spending. He also suggested that savings must come from looking at efficiency of programs, degree programs, and use of full-time faculty. FY1617 Senate President Sipes pointed out that he will find faculty at KSU more likely to be overextended in teaching load than under.

He said the meeting was a good ‘starting point’ and wanted to follow-up with another. He expressed the opinion that a committee such as BASC, composed of all Faculty, should not have access to such detailed budgetary data. He said BASC is a “special interest” group and faculty more appropriately would serve on a committee with other stakeholders and as such would “take off their hats as teachers”. We pointed out that faculty concerns with instructional support goes well beyond faculty salaries and unit operating budgets, but extend to adequate facility services/staff and expanded IT support/services for instance. We also suggested that the detailed budgetary documents should be public documents and available to all stakeholders, and not just to faculty, and that transparency would be healthy.

VPAA/Provost Debbie Thomas and Dr. Tierra Freeman, SACS Update:

Dr. Freeman said the first narrative drafts are due on Wednesday from programs and thanked everyone for patience, with special thanks to Joe Moffett for the example bullets he provided. The Rising Junior exams is still in process. It will be used as a constant measure moving forward.

Rubrics can be entered in the new Black Board shell. Interim Registrar, Yolanda Benson, is helping with updating the catalogue and a team will make sure published policies and procedures are accurate and updated on the KSU Web-Site.

New initiatives for faculty who teach in the Liberal Studies Core were mentioned but no specifics were provided.

Dr. Thomas and Dr. Freeman have been working late on the catalogue and asked faculty to please respond when we get a call of request for changes. The catalogue is 600+ pages long and a long-term goal will be to condense and reduce the size.

SACS consultant Silvers will return on November 29th, meeting with administration and staff in the morning and academics in the afternoon. We will be specifically writing to standards so all should have drafts completed in order to work on them in the workshops. We will be updating from the five-year SACS report with emphasis on effectiveness. Silvers has a 100% passage rate with SACS. Dr. Thomas said she liked to “keep it real” and we are out of compliance. To achieve compliance will require devotion of everyone to the task: faculty, colleagues, staff, administration, etc.. More faculty need to participate in this visit than did so before. A Senator suggested announcement of days and times well in advance for the highest attendance possible and Dr. Thomas agreed. A Senator asked about the breadth of software that we will be expected to learn. Dr. Thomas said she asked the same question, with the bills due for various software to date such as Oracle and Weave-online. Dr. Freeman pointed out that even if only one program is out of compliance all will be, and that we “sink or swim” together. We will work in small groups in Spring Encampment, all will use the same program, and we will be consistent. Chair McFayden said his program is going through accreditation and inquired if they should bring their new or old assessments. Dr. Freeman said both for comparison because Silvers’ “spiral of improvement” is most significant. She will share Silvers' power-point presentation with all faculty

She will share Silvers' power-point presentation with all faculty.

A non-Senator inquired who will have access to entering SACS data for each program.

Dr. Freeman said registration is low and we should get advisees registered. FY1617 President Sipes reported attendance was down in her classes, asked if others are having the same issue, and poised the question of what we can do. Dr. Thomas suggested that the most effective contact is for faculty to reach out to students, both email and phone calls. She said she has called parents to introduce herself and ask how she can assist their students for success. As Senator pointed out legal requirements prohibiting discussing students' progress with parents without the student's permission.

A Senator pointed out that course descriptions are not available for registration and Provost Thomas said they were working on that issue. She said the largest drop in enrollment is always between Fall and Spring semesters so we must be diligent in staying connected with students.

Senate adjourned 4:40 pm.

Minutes Submitted by: Reba Rye, Faculty Senate Secretary