Abstract of Jan. 28, 2013, Faculty Senate meeting

Karen Stout, Faculty Senate president, called senators to order at 4:05 p.m. Senators accepted senate minutes of Jan. 14, 2013, and standing committee minutes, including approval of the nursing program from the Academic Coordinating Commission minutes of Jan. 8. Senators accepted ATC minutes of Nov. 28; a proposal to add a faculty representative from Extended Education to their membership is a handbook bylaw change requiring additional votes to take place at future senate meetings.

President Stout's announcements:

• The AAUW is seeking a female faculty representative, and is working to get a “Smart Start” program off the ground. No membership dues are required and service includes attending board meetings or social gatherings about once a month. Please contact karen.stout@wwu.edu.
• A faculty member is requested to provide perspective on the Access Control Management Committee, which oversees ways to make the campus safer through electronic (i.e., keycard) means.

President Bruce Shepard's announcements:

• Western will continue to partner with the Washington Student Achievement Council, which is involved in supporting higher education in the legislature.
• More than sixty students who spent the MLK holiday in Olympia as ambassadors of Western are to be commended. This and the combined efforts of faculty, alumni, and parents are leading legislators to champion the support of higher education.

Vice Provost Steven VanderStaay, sitting in for Provost Catherine Riordan, announced that the provost and Dean Carbajal have approved the move of Women Studies to the College of Humanities and Social Sciences, and a director’s search will be conducted next year.

Steven Garfinkle, United Faculty of Western Washington president, praised the achievements of constituencies involved in legislative activity in the last four years and encouraged continued involvement with Western Advocates and FYI-PAC, both joint efforts on behalf of Western.

Victor Celis, Associated Students vice president for academics, reported on the student legislative agenda and requests feedback on the student tech fee, which is up for renewal in 2013.

Presentations:

• Glen Tokola, student editor in chief of Occam’s Razor, was commended by senators on his plans to expand the journal, which is an opportunity to publish fine academic works from undergraduate students. Tokola asked faculty to allow students in class to present the guidelines for submissions. Faculty can also nominate papers to the email address occam.wwu@gmail.com.
• Results of the Canvas pilot: Derek Yip-Hoi, chair of the Academic Technology Committee, along with Vice Provost and CIO John Lawson and John Farquhar and Frank Roberts from ATUS, reported to senators on Canvas, a proposed replacement for Blackboard. The faculty and student pilot responses to Canvas have been favorable overall. ATC will make a decision on migration options in two weeks after gathering additional feedback.

Motion to approve the RN-to-BSN program. President Stout held a vote by hand count to accept the ACC minutes of Jan. 8. That passed. The vote conveys Senate approval of ACC decisions communicated in the ACC meeting minutes, which include acceptance of the Nursing Program and its curriculum.

Senate adjourned at 5:44 p.m.

APPOINTMENTS AND ELECTIONS – Jackie Caplan-Auerbach, Officer

• To Faculty Senate: Timothy Fitzpatrick for Milica Jovanovic, for Spr Qtr 2013
• Vacancies: 1 CBE representative to serve on ATC
• 1 At-Large faculty (teaching GURs) to serve on Committee on Undergraduate Education (CUE)
• 1 faculty representative to Access Control Management Committee (replacing Lorrie Brilla)
• 1 female faculty to serve on the AAUW
• Senators voted to approve the 2013 Election Calendar.