Faculty Senate Meeting Notes – 11/7/18

Convene Meeting and Remarks - Andrea Hunter, Faculty Senate Chair who delivered thoughts on faith and the democratic process. Moment of silence for gun victims 2 weeks ago in Pittsburgh.

Approval of October 3, 2018 Minutes - Brad Johnson, Faculty Senate SecretaryMinutes in the agenda packet were from September instead of October, so the approval of those minutes is moved to January. Provost Remarks - Dana Dunn, Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor Updates: (1) changes in enrolment management: Bryan Terry is moving on from UNCG. Transition plan: Interim VC Dale Wasson. Search to start soon. (2) separate Student Success Initiatives from Enrolment Management Office. Search for Assoc VC for student success. Interim: report to Provost office. This will be a new unit. Admin of the GEC curriculum will move to this new office / capacity.

Q: Avoid conflict of interest in the new office: promoting student success vs administering GEC curriculumA: this model is common in many Univs. They will administer the GEC curriculum, not the GEC content. The will train, keep websites up to date, keep faculty up to date, for example will be their duties. This was the #1 recommendation of the GEC Advisory Group.

Issue to raise that came from students - Several students expressed concern that preferred names are not being used in classrooms, along with preferred pronouns, with an emphasis on preferred names. We should communicate to our colleagues that they should use students’ preferred names.

Federal DHHS is proposing a new definition of ‘sex’ that applies to Title IX. The new def being proposed restricts definition of sex/gender to ‘anatomy at birth’. This def is highly problematic and shortsighted for transgendered and non-gender confirming individuals. We are monitoring this development. Statement reaffirming University’s commitment to all individuals. Law has not changed at this time. She asks that we communicate that this institutions’ stance is that we remain non-discriminatory, not supportive of this proposed change in the law. Q: what’s our current situation with gender neutral bathrooms? Map? A: Should ask Facilities. We have tried to ensure reasonable distribution on campus. The maps are on Office of Intercultural Engagement Most such bathrooms are in residence halls that are off limits to non-residents. Nursing has such bathrooms. New buildings will have them. Comment: restrooms that have single stalls, identify safe spaces, a few restrooms in some locations (where?) may be ‘unsafe’.

UNC Free Speech Policy Update - Todd Davis, Associate General Counsel and Spoma Jovanovic UNCG Faculty Assembly Delegate

Gerry Blakemore general council and Todd Davis Asst Gen counsel - First amendment, Free Expression act as it relates to UNCG’s campus

1. NC Free speech on campus: Federal Response (see picture)

2. NC Freedom of Expression Law - (see pictures)

3. Update on BOG findings 2017-2018 ReportBOG realized that most Univs in the system were not creating barriers to free speech.Recognize that this is a shared governance responsibility

UNCG is one of 13 (out of 16) institutions without major disruptions to report last year. We are one of 7 institutions that have been awarded a ‘green light’ by FIRE (Foundation for Individual Rights in Education).

Most of the (picture) UNC system/ UNCG goals have been accomplished except no system wide policy as yet.

BOG recommendations to campuses - (see picture for details). We are doing everything from #3 on down.

Next steps (see picture).

4. Protect 1st Amendment rights and be advocates for our own ideals. So, it’s not an either/or situation. Rights and responsibilities and principles of all. We have had several controversial speakers on Campus, and our training has put us ahead of the game on this issue. None of the requirements in the Act present substantive challenges to our policies or practices. We will continue to work with the Provost’s office to comply and update with reports, and comply with the letter and spirit of the law.

Spoma: we have a good policy on campus now. UNCG has made positive strides re Free Speech. There was a societal concern about not enough conservative speakers. She isn’t sure where we are with training, but AAUP is working on this and being open to hearing voices of dissent and listening to them as long as they are not hurtful to others. Faculty assembly is on this and there is a policy in process, but this has nothing to do with the amendment. Those are two different matters.

Comment: it’s terrible that First Amendment (free speech) allows hate speech. UNCG Constitutional Review Update - Stephen Yarbrough, Chair - Ad hoc Committee on Constitutional Review and Government Committee Chair

Article 4 a 7, which he read. Gave further updates on the constitution review process and products, among other articles with simple word changes to correct title or new references for other item to stay abreast with changes at the University

There will be a senate forum on November 14th, next Wednesday to revise and review the constitution - proposed by ad hoc committee. An email will be sent to the entire General Faculty that we need to review carefully. This is a major revision that hopes to make Shared Governance stronger. Resolution FS#11.14.2018-1: To Revise the Policy Manual - of the University Of North Carolina Greensboro Investment Fund, Inc. Olav Rueppell, Senator, Liaison, Sustainability Council

This is not a committee of the Faculty Senate, so a motion was needed.

SRI (sustainable responsible impact) and ESG (environmental social corporate governance) investing are the goals. The financial losses are miniscule in following this strategy. Discussion on impact on students. Motion: should the committee provide a periodic update to faculty Senate: Show of hands Ayes have it (there were about 4 - 5 Nays). The amendment is approved.Therefore, the resolution is slightly different but not substantively so.

Vote on the resolution: Resolution carried unanimously as amended.

Spotlight on Innovations: Student Rating of Instruction - in Online Courses for Course Design - Laura Pipe, Associate Director of the UTLC, Director of Teaching Innovations UTLC received a grant from the IDEA center on using STE as formative evaluation for online course design. The grant received evaluated how to frame questions that students will answer, on course design.

Uses standardized questions from 3 (see picture). Pilot program includes 17 groups broken into 3 clusters, 1st one - traditional methods, 2nd standardized 3rd adds peer-review component

Faculty Senate Dialogue on Faculty and Shared Governance in Times of Change: Wade Maki and Anthony Taylor (Facilitators), Senators and ad hoc Committee on Constitutional Review Faculty Shared Governance in a time of change - just amongst ourselves, Provost Dunn was not present. Wade Maki asks what’s working?, so they can take it back to the ad hoc committee. Q. The # of senators,36 was from the beginning, should that number be reevaluated and considered. A: The constitution does not set the number. The target number of senators can be changed.

Q: Can Faculty Senate have input into the number of, addition of the new administrative positions created in the University? A: The provost manages the budget, so it’s not within the purview of the Faculty. It was in the Faculty Government Committee of the Faculty Senate. Chancellor has to seek counsel and advice of faculty government committee. It’s never been sought before, but it’s there. It’s not in the shared governance document. So, it got taken out of the new constitution. There are different opinions: Senate must have firm control over some things, e.g. curriculum, but not in other things, e.g. administration.

Q: Recently more decisions have been taken by admin that have crossed the line into faculty territory (e.g. more teaching evaluations, citing ‘emergency’). But no reciprocity towards evaluating admin. Also, is there more effort in the constitution to stake out what faculty have authority over? So why did we take out language on shared governance in the new constitution? A: we have listed out items where faculty have taken action. New constitution shapes relation between faculty and Chancellor and the latter decides any disagreement. We did not have that authority in the old constitution though the language was there.The Admin can always seek our input on decisions. There are things we have to approve: curriculum and instruction. Budget: not faculty’s purview. Vigorous questioning and disagreement occurred. Chancellor and Provost are in turn and is subject to the dictates of the system and have taken actions in response to that.

Q: should we have more senators?A: we should have representation per Unit/School. There are not enough senators to do everything including fill committees, and senators should know their constituents and disseminate information to them.

Announcements and AdjournmentForum attendance is important, November 14th.Next Fac Senate meeting is Jan 2019.

Motion to adjourn made, seconded and passed unanimously.

Respectfully submitted: Sudha and Kathryn