Purdue University Northwest > Faculty Senate > News > Senate Meeting Minutes > Faculty Senate Minutes, August 23, 2024

Faculty Senate Minutes, August 23, 2024

September 30, 2024

Faculty Senate Minutes, August 23, 2024

10:00 AM-12:00 PM: Hammond – SULB 321

Minutes

Voting Members Present:
Ali Alavizadeh, Khair Al Shamaileh, Lee Artz, Gokarna Aryal, Geoffrey Barrow Shreya Bhandari, Frank Colucci, Jim Dolen, John Durocher, Masoud Fathizadeh, Rob Hallock, Wei He, Maria Hughes, Shontrai Irving, Jessica Ivy, Patrick Keegan, Hansung Kim, Dave Kozel, Roger Kraft, Robert Kramer, Amanda Kratovil-Mailhiot, Yun Liu, Patti Ludwig-Beymer, Amlan Mitra, Hassan Naji, Laurie Parpart, Ashok Vardhan Raja, Sheila Rezak, Pam Saylor, Diane Spoljoric, George Stefanik, Pitparnee Stompor, Nicolae Tarfulea, Kathy Tobin, Donna Whitten, Cheng Zhang

Voting Members Absent:
None

Non-Voting Members Present:
Tony Elmendorf, Alan McCafferty

Others Present:
Chris Holford, Marie Mora, Liz Babcock Depew, Chloe Belford, Mike Biel, Jose Castro-Urioste, Joy Colwell, Colin Fewer, Debra Grant, Meden Isaac-Lam, Yolanda Mosley, Kristin Novotny, Catharine Olsen, Jeff Schieb, Jen Williams,

  1. Determination of quorum.
    • Quorum determined at 10:00 AM
  2. Call to order.
    • Meeting called to order at 10:00 AM
  3. Approval of the agenda.
    • Motioned for approval by R. Hallock
    • Seconded by D. Kozel
    • Approved by Approved by voice vote
  4. Approval of the minutes from May 3, 2024
    • Pelter requested a friendly amendment to the minutes indicating that he did not step down as Chair of Grade Appeals but that his term expired. The Senate accepted this friendly amendment.
    • Motioned for approval by R. Hallock
    • Seconded by A. Alavizadeh
    • Approved by voice vote
  5. Remarks by the Senate Chair
    • The Chair introduced herself and outlined the meeting agenda, emphasizing the need to finish early to allow committees to meet before the Year Ahead event this afternoon.
    • She said she was honored to serve in her role and went on to explain the roles of Senators, Chairs, and standing committee members. She introduced Vice-Chair Dave Kozel, Parliamentarian Tony Elmendorf, and Secretary Alan McCafferty.
    • She mentioned the importance of the Chancellor’s Year Ahead Event at 1 PM in Alumni Hall and encouraged attendance.
  6. Remarks by the Chancellor
    • Chancellor Holford welcomed back Senators and mentioned the importance of brevity due to a packed agenda. He said more information will be shared at the Year Ahead Meeting later this afternoon.
    • He said our enrollment numbers are substantial, higher than last year. The number of international students is at a five-year high. The budget is stable for Fiscal Year 2025. He looks forward to working with faculty on the 2026 budget.
    • Construction/Renovations in Hammond.
      1. For the first time in his 25 years at the institution, Purdue Northwest has a capital project request that was approved by the Purdue University Board and is now ranked number 2 on the Purdue University list.
      2. The Chancellor expressed excitement about this project, as it is evidence of support from the President and Board of Trustees for changes and investments on the Purdue Northwest campus.
      3. However, the Chancellor noted that the project is still pending state approval for bonding authority, which is expected to come in the state’s long legislative session, likely in December or January.
    • Degree programs
      1. The university has launched several new degree programs over the past year, as approved by the Faculty Senate.
      2. Chancellor Holford stated that these new programs have seen significant enrollments, indicating they are well-received.
      3. The Chancellor noted that the Faculty Senate will consider additional programs and courses over the coming academic year.
    • New Faculty
      1. The university has launched several new degree programs over the past year, which were approved by the Faculty Senate.
      2. The Chancellor stated that these new programs have seen significant enrollments, showing they have been well-received.
      3. The Chancellor noted that the Faculty Senate will consider additional programs and courses over the coming academic year.
    • Campus Rallies
      1. Chancellor Holford mentioned that there have been incredible rallies on the Hammond and Westville campuses over the past two days, with a large turnout of students and faculty.
      2. The Chancellor stated that about eight pages of positive student comments came in after the rallies, with around a quarter of those comments mentioning the faculty.
      3. The Chancellor said the students expressed being pleased with the quality of the faculty, as well as the welcoming attitude of the faculty as the students returned to campus.
      4. Additionally, the Chancellor noted that about a quarter of the student comments were about the staff and the student support systems in place, which the students recognized as helping them in their academic journey. TRIO and some other programs were specifically mentioned by students, showing their awareness of transformation and change.
      5. The Chancellor thanked the faculty for their efforts in creating an environment where students feel they belong.
    • Joint projects
      1. The Chancellor gave a special thanks to the faculty who worked over the summer on joint projects between the Provost’s Office and the Faculty Senate, adding that he was very impressed with the volume of work these accomplished.
      2. The Chancellor mentioned the work done by the Strategic Planning Committee and contributors to the Faculty Handbook as examples of productive collaboration.
      3. The Chancellor stated that when the Strategic Planning work and the Faculty Handbook revisions come to the full Faculty Senate, this body will also be very impressed.
      4. Priorities for the upcoming year will be retention and creating a supportive student experience.
    • The Chair asked about the Schwarz building in Westville.
      1. Initially, the science labs were moved out of the Schwarz building into the Tech building, and some renovations were done to accommodate that move.
      2. The lecture halls in the Schwarz building are still in operation, and some math faculty are still located there. The physicists are also still housed in the Schwarz building.
      3. The Chancellor stated that the Schwarz building is the oldest building on the Westville campus and is in the most need of renovation and repair (R&R).
      4. The university has entertained proposals from three groups to explore potential public-private partnerships that could utilize the Schwarz building as we continue looking for ways to bring the community onto campus meaningfully.
      5. However, the Chancellor noted these discussions are not yet ready for public disclosure, as no paperwork has been signed.
      6. The overall plan is to gradually vacate spaces in the Schwarz building over the next five years or more, as the enrollment on the Westville campus can be accommodated in other facilities.
    • Artz asked the difference between the PNW Faculty Handbook and the handbooks of the colleges.
      1. Artz specifically asked about a discrepancy between department requirements for office hours and the university handbook.
      2. The Chancellor said colleges have their respective handbooks, which can be more stringent than the broad framing of the PNW Faculty Handbook.
      3. The Chancellor acknowledged the need to address the discrepancies regarding office hour policies and stated that this would be an area to work on as the faculty handbook is finalized.
  1. Remarks by the Provost/VCAA
    • Provost Mora introduced herself and shared some of her experiences in higher education.
    • She mentioned the Center for Faculty Excellence and student success.
    • Provost Mora mentioned the strategic planning process and said it’s an opportunity for us all to work on taking this institution to the next level.
    • She said she knows the consultant working with us as they worked together at the University of Texas and considered it a good sign.
    • Provost Mora said we will explore the Carnegie Classification for Community Engagement.
    • Working with E. Hixon and the Center for Faculty Excellence on a National Science Foundation ADVANCE program
  2. Unfinished Business
    • none
  3. New Business:
    • Curriculum Documents Approval
      1. None for approval. L. Artz said the committee did not meet over the summer but will meet today. There will be 41 proposals to approve at the next meeting.
  1. For Action:
    • FSD 24-01 Standing Committee Members
      1. The Chair mentioned there were requests for switching committee memberships, resulting in even trades amongst the committees. This allowed faculty to become involved in committees they are passionate about.
        1. Motioned for approval by J. Durocher
        2. Seconded by D. Kozel
        3. Approved by voice vote
      2. The Chair indicated that the official committee membership approved was the current state, but they would continue working to fill any remaining open positions or seats on the various subcommittees.
  1. Discussion Items:
    • Use of Interfolio for yearly and tenure review.
      1. The Vice-Chair said many faculty members are unsatisfied with Interfolio for annual reviews. The main issue is the amount of time spent ingesting documents.
      2. Will explore an alternative program used by PUWL called Elements.
      3. Artz asked what was wrong with the previous system.
      4. The Chancellor said he looks forward to working with faculty on an alternative.
      5. Tobin said it may have started as a way to revamp the promotion and tenure process.
      6. Ivy said she was asked to serve as an external reviewer and used Interfolio, which was a positive experience. The experiences of people involved in these processes should be considered.
      7. Patti Ludwig-Beymer reiterated J. Ivy’s remarks, stating that she had done several external reviews using Interfolio, which worked well. However, for the annual performance reviews, Interfolio has resulted in a mess of information flowing over from the promotion and tenure process.
      8. Kramer said Interfolio has reduced response rates despite being a helpful tool. Lack of quality control was the main issue. Another system might be worth considering, as Interfolio makes annual reviews cumbersome. He said that for P&T, it is useful.
      9. Bhandari said their colleagues used Interfolio for P&T, which worked well. If it could be made easier to use, it would be helpful.
      10. Chancellor Holford said staff also use an annual electronic system called SuccessFactors for yearly reviews, as their duties and reporting requirements differ from the faculty’s.
      11. The Chair reiterated that the Senate may support using Interfolio for the promotion and tenure process, but the annual review process needs to be well thought through.
      12. The Chair also mentioned that the person who works with Interfolio wants to improve it for us. She said that if Interfolio still doesn’t work out, they will need to improve it again.
      13. The Chair expressed interest in learning more about the additional features and capabilities available on other institutions’ Interfolio systems as instances are customizable.
      14. The Chair acknowledged the Senate’s concerns about Interfolio for annual reviews and indicated they would be exploring solutions, either through improving Interfolio or finding an alternative system, based on the Senate’s feedback and recommendations.
    • PNW Strategic Plan 2025-2030 (Yu Ouyang)
      1. Strategic Planning Co-Chair Y. Ouyang provided an overview of the committee’s structure, data collection efforts, and upcoming university-wide meetings where faculty input will be critical.
      2. The Strategic Planning Steering Committee was formed towards the end of the spring semester and consists of 20 people representing each college, faculty senate, and various staff units on campus.
      3. The committee’s primary functions are to collect internal and external data and prepare for two university-wide meetings at the end of September.
      4. On the internal data collection side, the committee has conducted around 50 focus groups with various staff units, academic departments, and student groups.
      5. On the external data collection side, the committee has held 15-20 focus groups with local leaders, industry representatives, economic development agencies, and elected officials. They have also sent surveys to stakeholders like alums and advisory board members.
      6. The data collected includes information on the university’s brand, public perception, demographic trends, and job/career opportunities in the region.
      7. These data collection efforts aim to prepare for the two university-wide meetings on September 24 (Hammond campus) and September 25 (Westville campus), where the campus community will come together to discuss the university’s future direction and develop goals and strategies.
      8. Professor Ouyang emphasized the importance of faculty participation in these upcoming meetings, as the strategic plan will help shape the university’s priorities and funding allocations in the future. The Chair pointed out that K. Tobin and J. Durocher are our Senate Reps on the Strategic Planning Committee.
      9. The Vice-Chair urged all senators to attend one of the Strategic Plan meetings in September. He emphasized the importance of developing strategies and goals for the university, as these goals determine how funding is allocated. He encouraged everyone to take advantage of the opportunity to be heard and impact the process.
      10. Tobin expressed confidence that the current strategic planning process is authentic and meaningful, and she strongly encouraged faculty to take advantage of the opportunities to provide input and shape the university’s future direction.
  1. Reports from Senate Standing Committee Chairs
    • Curriculum (Lee Artz)
      1. Artz said the committee will discuss 41 curriculum proposals to be brought back to the Senate for approval.
      2. Submission date deadlines for curriculum documents have been updated on the Senate website.
      3. Kramer asked if a note could be sent out on where to find those documents for discussion within departments. L. Artz said he will distribute a list and that all items are available for review on Curriculog.
    • Faculty Affairs (Rob Hallock)
      1. Hallock acknowledged and recognized the other members of the summer Faculty Handbook Committee, Diane Spoljoric, Shontrai Irving, and Meghan McGonigal-Kenney, as resources that faculty can take advantage of, as they know the policies as well as anyone.
      2. He said to refer to memorandum 88-6 from the Office of Academic Affairs regarding office hour policy.
      3. He said the handbook is in the hands of B. Stankowski’s Office. When it returns to FAC, it will be revised accordingly and brought to the Senate for approval. It will remain a living document, revised yearly as necessary.
      4. The Chair said to contact the Senate Leadership if assistance is needed on policy or procedure development.
    • Gen Ed & Assessment (Amlan Mitra)
      1. Mitra thanked Ali for his leadership of the Gen Ed & Assessment committee last year and acknowledged that he has big shoes to fill.
      2. Mitra stated that the committee has an important task this year: to meet the HLC (Higher Learning Commission) compliance requirements for General Education and Assessment.
      3. Over the summer, Mitra met with the Associate Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, Becky Stankowski, who provided documents regarding the HLC requirements in this area.
      4. Mitra also met with the Registrar, Jennifer Williams, to discuss the current structure of the curriculum and assessment processes, intending to streamline them potentially.
      5. The committee’s initial task for this semester will be to review the current Gen Ed and assessment structures and see if improvements or efficiencies can be identified.
      6. Mitra expressed optimism about the committee’s work and ability to address the HLC compliance requirements in this area.
    • Nominations, Elections, & Awards (John Durocher)
      1. Durocher thanked Meden Isaac-Lam, who is online, for providing resources and guidance about the responsibilities of this committee.
      2. Durocher acknowledged that he is not an expert yet but is working with the committee members, including Patrick Keegan and Roger Kraft.
      3. One of the early priorities for the committee is to fill the Grade Appeals position, on which Jessica Ivy has been leading the effort.
      4. Regarding the awards process, Durocher mentioned that he wants to work on a few minor revisions, such as potentially having links to papers rather than uploading the full documents, to make the process easier.
      5. Durocher stated that when he chaired the scholarship award review committee last year, some nominees were not even aware they had been nominated, which could create tension. He wants to address issues like that.
      6. Durocher opened the floor to Patrick and Roger to see if they had any other comments, but there were no additional remarks.
    • Ed Policy (TBA)
      1. The Chair said the Senate is searching for a committee chair. She said she distributed documents explaining the role and what it entails.
      2. The Vice-Chair said last year was very busy. The last item they worked on was the policy on AI. He said he is unsure if the committee will be as busy as they had been previously. He said he would attend the next meeting to assist with electing a Chair.
      3. The Chair said the Chancellor will append the process on structural changes. She cited an FSD that was approved, putting a hold on structural changes.
    • Student Affairs (Jessica Ivy)
      1. Ivy said she met with Michelle Spaulding to receive updates on what the committee is responsible for.
      2. The committee is looking for a Grade Appeals Committee Chair. She said there are two documents explaining the role. She said there are incentives for joining.
      3. The committee is working on determining Student of the Month. The student will be announced in October. J. Ivy Encouraged Senators and Faculty to submit names.
      4. Durocher asked, concerning Grade Appeals, if would it be possible for the incoming Chair to receive compensation. The Chair confirmed the Grade Appeals Chair does receive a stipend.
      5. Could the fall and spring be combined into a half-course release? The Chair said this would be contingent on if they could get a year course release.
  1. West Lafayette Report (Lee Artz)
    • PUWL Senate does not meet until September; no report
    • Artz said he wants to find someone to replace him in this role. The meetings are on Zoom, so commuting to West Lafayette isn’t necessary.
    • Meetings occur on Mondays via Zoom at 1:30-3:30 PM Central time.
    • Artz said their decisions, such as compensation and AI, affect us. It indicates what we might want to consider for our Senate. He said the rep works with PUWL committees.
  2. IFC Report (Geoffrey Barrow)
    • No meeting, no report.
  3. SGA Report (Chloe Belford)
    • The Chair introduced Student Government Representative C. Belford.
    • Belford introduced herself and provided updates on SGA events and goals for the semester.
  4. Open discussion (as time permits).
    • The Chair said open discussion is for bringing forward items that were not on the agenda.
    • The Chair encouraged Senators to attend the Year Ahead Meeting.
      1. The event will be recorded and posted later for those unable to attend.
      2. One-on-one opportunities will be afforded to all departments.
  1. Adjournment
    • Meeting adjourned at 11:22 AM