Faculty Caucus August 15, 2003

Concerns expressed / possible course of action

I. Faculty Caucus

• What does a Faculty Caucus accomplish?
• Concerns are recorded and sent to Senate and available to the Administration.
• What is actually accomplished?
• We should establish a means to report back on what was achieved. Agreed that these notes should be reviewed at the end of the year.
• Would faculty benefit from an email forum which would allow an ongoing Faculty Caucus?
• Yes. We will arrange one on the Outlook folders.

II. Growth of Administrators

• Growth of administrators at WCU in comparison to faculty growth.
• Issue was brought to the attention of Faculty Senate through a letter from Gretchen Bataille.
• Need to address this issue with factual information.
• How many administrators are paid through UNC General Administration?
• How is a new administrative position justified?
• Where does money come from for new administrators?
• What data does Gretchen Bataille have on this imbalance?
• Budget showing administrative and faculty salaries (BD 119) should be available online.
• Has there been any progress in establishing a method for the evaluation of WCU administrators?
• Council on Faculty Affairs is charged with addressing these issues

III. Salary Adjustment

• WCU pays market price to attract faculty to the university.
• As the market changes, does WCU adjust salary offers?
• Does WCU what to perpetuate these market differentials between disciplines?
• What are the consequences of doing this?
• Newt needs to have task force to study salary inequities. This will be addressed this fall. Task Force is being formed.

IV. Student Demographics

• What is WCUπs focused growth plan? What portion of the proposed growth is projected to come from distance education?
• Is there a projected decrease in college-bound students after 2010?
• If there is a decline in student demographics what happens to the campus budget with the continuing costs of building maintenance?
• What are the SAT scores for all North Carolina college-bound students? Are these available online?
• How does WCU count declared majors, junior and seniors only? When freshmen declare a major will their departments be able to count them as majors?

V. Student behaviors and Student Convocation

• Thereπs a perceived need to improve the quality of student behaviors in and around classes. Behaviors mentioned were student to student civility and the attention students are willing to give to studies.
• What is the rationale for freshman convocation? Does WCU still have a freshman convocation? Why are changes in freshman convocation made with no faculty input in the process?

VI. Involvement of faculty in building decisions affecting classrooms and offices

• The McKee building renovation had several problems: no router for e-mail, no sound system, and no hot water. How can faculty learn from McKeeπs experience and not repeat it?
• Is there a liaison between people who use the building and those who construct it?
• Who is responsible for insuring the users of the building are both listened to and heard?

VII. Information technology and Faculty

• Who handles training for new faculty who will be using e-classrooms this fall? Are they trained before they begin teaching?
• How well is the new Information Technology model working? Does the staff have the time to meet the needs?
• These are issues the Faculty Affairs Council will study.

VIII. Departmental Vision Statements and Advising

• Advisement has received increased attention. Dr. Fred Henson has been promoted to Senior Vice Chancellor in charge of Advisement.
• Faculty Advisement Committee will begin work soon
• Newt reminded faculty that the Departmental vision statement presents a real need for full faculty participation in shaping their own future.

IX. Faculty Governance

• Current WCU faculty culture includes pride in not being involved in governance.
• Need to change faculty culture
• Number of faculty who willing participate in governance is dwindling. Is this related to the growing percent of part-time faculty?
• Will the Council on Faculty Affairs continue to work on the task of defining what is a faculty load?
• Yes. That is part of their charge.

X. Intellectual Property and Technology Transfer

• Faculty need to be aware of issues concerning intellectual property, specifically those related to writing courses and putting them online. This is a campus and a state issue.
• A committee will be established. Rich Kucharski is heading it up. The issue is currently being referred to as technology transfer.

XI. Pay for Print

• Pay for Print is coming to WCU campus. It will have implications for students printing course materials. How about syllabi, notes, exercises, and items printed in the computer classrooms?
• Printed materials can be sold through the campus bookstore.

XII. Sylva By-pass

• What will be the impact of 10,000 students on the county
• Can WCU facilitate a community discussion

XIII. Student Newspaper

• The WCU college newspaper is a collection of materials from other sources.
• Where is the opportunity for students to write opinion pieces on local issues?

* One faculty expressed concern over the shortened fall term.