Tuesday, November 13, 2007
Attendance: Robert Aiken(Pres.), Karen Turner (Vice Pres.), Paul LaFollette (Secretary), Jane Evans (Past-Pres.), Bonnie Averbach (FSBM), David Baron (Med), Ann Barr (CHP), Terry Dolan (TYL), Judith Goode (CLA), Pauline Hurley-Kurtz (AMBL), Luke Kahlich (BCMD), Bernie Newman (SSA), Ira Shapiro (STHM), Joan Shapiro (EDUC), Joel Sheffield (CST), Roy Stevens (Dent), Cheryl Mack (Coord.)
1. Call to Order:
The meeting was called to order at 1:07 PM.
2. Approval of Minutes:
Minutes from the November 6th meeting were approved as distributed.
3. Guest:
Dr. Pamela Barnett, Director of the Teaching & Learning Center. Dr. Barnett began by reminding us that she has been here since July. She is currently building her team with three searches underway. These are for an associate director, an assistant director, and a lead administrative specialist.
Her plan is to build upon what we have and also to try to build more school and discipline-specific conferences. She also wants to create more sustainable presentations.
Her center will become increasingly interested in assessment and outcomes measurement. She wants to nurture the scholarship of teaching & learning throughout the university.
She is excited by our diverse, urban environment and is interested in establishing mentoring programs for minority faculty.
She wants the Teaching and Learning Center to become a resource for documenting teaching excellence and a resource for departments doing peer review.
Her presentation was followed by a discussion of several issues.
There was some discussion of ways for dealing with students who are having difficulties and students who would be better served by changing majors. Temple's currently inadequate advising resource was mentioned.
The poor performance of many of our students on MCAT, LSAT, and GRE exams was brought up. This was followed by anecdotal discussion of the experiences of CST and FSBM in attempting to help students do better on the MCAT's and actuarial exams.
There was also discussion of the faculty's general dislike of and disdain for the CATE instrument. We made a strong suggestion that it be re-designed and repackaged as ONE PART of a balanced evaluation scheme, and that this be done with significant faculty input.
Barnett is on the committee currently examining the CATE's and will carry our concerns back to them.
4. President's Report:
President Aiken first asked that we look again at the senate website and provide Cheryl Mack continuing feedback about it.
Bergman and Powell will make a joint presentation at the December Senate meeting.
We will meet with President Hart on Nov. 20, Rhonda Brown on Nov. 27, and Provost Lisa on Dec. 4.
Suggestions for guests during the spring semester include Clarence Armbrister, the President Temple Student Government, and Sheri Stahler.
Room 300C, next to the Senate Office is now our space, and is currently being renovated.
Aiken met with Provost Lisa this week. She will be contacting CATA soon for proposed members of the search committee for a new Dean of the Dental School. After Brennen steps down Englert will be fulfilling her duties until a new hire is made.
The Liaison Committee had asked Aiken to bring forth three requests of the Provost --
- That it be made clear that schools and colleges are expected to create procedures for hiring and re-hiring NTT faculty.
- That it be made clear that schools and colleges need to create discipline-specific P&T guidelines.
- That it be made clear that collegial assemblies can change their bylaws without the Dean's permission.
Provost Lisa agreed to the first two but was adamantly opposed to the third.
LaFollette reported that Art Hochner and Debbie Hartnett agreed to have the FSSC representatives from TAUP colleges act as the focus group members. They will meet next Tuesday, some at noon and some at 3:00.
The School of Pharmacy has sent us the name of a person elected by their assembly to serve as FSSC representative. Unfortunately, the person is an administrator (assistant dean). After some discussion, Ira Shapiro made the following motion:
That the President of the Faculty Senate Steering Committee send a
request to the School of Pharmacy that they provide us with the name
of a full time faculty member who is eligible for Senate membership
to serve as their representative.
The motion passed unanimously.
5. Vice President's Report:
None
6. Old Business:
None
7. New Business:
None
7. Adjournment:
The Meeting was adjourned at 2:40 PM
Paul S. LaFollette, Jr.
Secretary
