Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Present: Karen M. Turner (Pres.), Paul S. LaFollette (V. Pres.), Bonnie Averbach (Secy.), Robert M. Aiken (Past-Pres.), Z. Joan Delalic (Engr.), Marge Devinney (CLA), Pauline Hurley-Kurtz (Ambl), Michael Jackson (STHM), Stephanie Knopp (Tyl), Lois Millner (SSA), Mark C. Rahdert (Law), Joan P. Shapiro (Educ.), Joel B. Sheffield (CST), Jay Sinha (FSBM), Roberta Sloan (SCT), Roy Stevens (Dent.), David Waldstreicher (Fac. Herald), Cheryl Mack (Coord)
Absent: David Baron (Med), Luke Kahlich (BCMD), Charles Ruchalski (Pharm)
1. Call to Order:
Karen Turner called the meeting to order at 1:05 PM.
2. President’s Report: Karen Turner
Turner brought up the topic of the ‘hanging motion’ that was not addressed at the University Faculty Senate Meeting on April 16 since the meeting was aborted because of a call for a quorum and a quorum was not present.
After much discussion, a motion “That the FSSC not withdraw the above motion” was made, seconded and unanimously passed.
A second motion, “That there be an electronic vote on the original motion” was made, seconded and passed.
3. Guests: Deputy Provost Richard Englert
Jodi Levine Laufgraben, Associate Vice Provost and Director, Periodic Program Review
Englert mentioned that they came to talk about four Programs: Middle States, the Graduate School, Periodic Program Review and International Programs.
- Laufgraben gave an update on Middle States whose team will probably visit from February 28 – March 3, 2010. The team will be visiting various Temple sites. (There are 24 locations where Temple offers ‘at least 50% of a degree’ programs: TUCC, Harrisburg and Temple Japan are some examples.)
Dr. Dave Roselle, former President of the University of Delaware, will lead the team. The other members have not yet been selected; they will probably be experienced in fields in which Temple is strong. Middle States has 14 standards which have been divided into six areas which are needed for Temple compliance with the 14 standards.
Dr. Roselle will visit in early fall and give input on the self study, which is now being worked on. The self study should be completed by the end of August. All materials needed for the review and the self study are on target. Laufgraben would like to have everything ready for review and for comments and suggestions in early September. There is a website that is set up for Middle States: www.temple.edu/middlestates. The Committee will also keep faculty informed through the Temple News, Temple Times and the Temple Today announcements.
- Englert gave an update on Graduate Education. Bob Zemsky of the Learning Alliance has been brought in as a consultant. He and his team are looking at data and meeting with people involved in the graduate school. He will be analyzing data and will soon be giving his results to Englert.
In addition, A committee has been formed by the President to work on how to support research and graduate education. Some of the tough issues are tuition support for research and tuition remission for graduate assistants on funded projects. There is a projected overrun of 700,000 on that budget. Last semester a temporary solution provided that projects with full overhead return would be supported. Only in exceptional cases, will other projects be supported. He is hoping that the results of Zemsky’s team and the new committee will provide solutions.
Some issues about in-state and out of state tuition, graduate externs, how to support graduate MS, MBA, and MFA students were mentioned. Also the issue for Post Docs was mentioned. In this case, minimum salaries are based on a protocol that comes from immigration and then follows the NIH steps. In addition Temple gives out 40 Fellowships.
Then there is the structure of the Graduate School. Englert feels that some things are better handled by the Deans. There should a mix between centralized and decentralized handling of issues. For example, letters of application should come from Schools and Colleges. He mentioned that the people in the graduate school work very hard and accomplish a lot.
Sloan thanked Laufgraben for all of her help in the periodic program review, accreditation review, program changes and U/RTA. All have been approved. She mentioned that creative activity should be considered as research. Englert agreed. She also mentioned that money is available for PhD’s who want to teach and that MFA’s are terminal degrees and that she would like this money be available for MFA’s who want to teach.
Turner requested that there be opportunities to get feed back from faculty before definite changes are made in the graduate School. She asked for a timetable. So far Englert doe not have one.
Sheffield mentioned that some students do research part of the time and teach part of the time.
Delalic mentioned that some students teach in other departments for a semester in order to make money. This interferes with their research. These students are paid as an adjunct while a student is teaching as a TA in the home department.
Jackson mentioned that many of his students work outside of Temple to be funded externally since they cannot get money from Temple.
Englert mentioned that one of the problems is the way the Graduate School does its accounting. The accounting system has to be modified to handle these problems. Even summer school will have to be handled differently. With respect to have students paid for services, for some services such as teaching as an adjunct, the salary is taxed, whereas in other cases such as an RA or TA, the salary is not taxed. In general, these problems are complex.
Sinha suggested that focus groups should be used.
- Laufgraben gave an update on Periodic Program Reviews. So far 71 reviews have been completed. There will be probably a total of 81 reviews in our 7-year cycle. A total of 75 will be finished this year. Some costs saving methods have been implemented. They have suspended the review of any non-degree program. They have also reviewed some research centers and academic support centers. These will also be put on hold. The teams are now 2-person teams rather than 3-person teams unless there is a dire need for more reviewers.
Some outcomes are: The review of the Medical School helped in preparing for the accreditation process for the School; new program enhancements are being made; the nursing program is now a 4-year program, rather than a 2-year program. The next cycle will be a 10-year cycle.
Possible exemption will be for schools who are accredited by an outside accrediting body with rigorous standards.
Waldstreicher asked why the final reports were held in the Dean’s office and not allowed to leave the office.
He asked about the lack of transparency. Englert replied that these reports are not to be in the Temple News and are not to be given to students. They are really faculty business and administration business. Multiple copies are not to be handed around. It was felt by the administration that this was in the best interest of the faculty and the program. The teams also know that the reports are just for the faculty and the administration.
Sloan wondered why the Provost or Englert was not at the final meeting after the review to hear the thoughts of the department and their plans for change. Englert said that the departments were told in advance that this would not happen.
- With respect to International Committee recommendations for establishing a committee for the ACE laboratory, the committee is not prepared to comment on the best way to look at International Programs. ACE is sending some consultants to work with the committee. One of things the University wants to do is set up a faculty group to work on international issues
Aiken feels that international programs are an extremely important issue and that it needs to be worked on as soon as possible.
Jackson asked about the dual degree programs. Englert mentioned that students from top notch universities abroad, complete three years of study of a program in their home country, come to Temple, have an English prep, and complete the graduation requirements for a baccalaureate degree in the fourth year. This degree will be awarded by the student’s home university. These students would then stay at Temple to complete a two-year Master’s degree program with a degree given by Temple. At this time agreements are being made with some international universities. There will be possible variations of this, such as 3.5/2.5, etc.
4. President’s Report Continued
Turner stated the reading of the minutes be postponed to the next meeting.
She asked if Committee reports were going to the Faculty Herald as suggested at an earlier meeting. The reports have not been coming in. LaFollette will take care of this problem.
5. Vice President’s Report: Paul S. LaFollette
LaFollette mentioned the importance of nominating people for committees. He will send out a request for nominees.
6. Old Business:
Aiken is reminding FSSC that a person has to be selected for the Teaching and Learning Technology Roundtable.
7. New Business:
None
8. Adjournment:
The meeting was adjourned at 3:07 PM.
Bonnie Averbach, Secretary
