REGULAR MEETING OF THE
UNIVERSITY OF DELAWARE FACULTY SENATE

Meeting Minutes

November 6, 2006

 

104 Gore Hall                                                                                      4:00 pm

 

Members excused:

 

I.      Adoption of the Agenda: Approved

II.      Approval of the Minutes of October 9, 2006: Approved

III.      Remarks: Provost Dan Rich discussed the University of Delaware’s Commitment to Delawareans.  This initiative is a road map for college preparedness.  Delawareans who complete the published guidelines are almost guaranteed admission to the University.  These are not the minimum requirements for admission.  A new brochure will be sent to Delaware schools and University faculty describing the guidelines.  This road map is an important part of the Delaware 2015 plan.  Delaware applicants are not competing against out of state applicants or other Delaware applicants.  Acceptance is granted if Delaware applicants are predicted to be successful. 

Dr. Rich announced that the graduate programs review process is underway.  Data from the last 15 years are being collected.  Once the analysis is completed, it will be shared with deans and faculty.  The University currently spends $60 million on graduate student support annually.  The University is committed to providing additional support to graduate programs.  Dr. Rich promised to keep the faculty updated on the review process.  A question was asked from the floor if the University of Delaware received compensation from financial lenders.  Dr. Rich answered that the University does not receive any compensation from lenders offering financial aid to students.

Havidán Rodríguez, Vice-Provost for Academic Affairs reported on several on going initiatives.  A review of precollegent programs has identified 22 programs; a task is reviewing how they serve Delawareans.  A task force on teaching assistants has been collecting data on teaching effectiveness, preparing future faculty, and how to enhance training.  The assessment initiative is on going; it is being directed by the Office of Educational Assessment (http://assessment.udel.edu), staffed by Karen Stein and Kathleen Pusdecker, and the Educational Assessment Council.  There are approximately 40 assessment faculty fellows.  The Academic and Student Affairs council is cochaired by Havidán Rodríguez and Cynthia Cummings, Associate Vice President for Campus Life.  A goal of the council is to promote and develop initiatives aimed at building a community of scholarship and enhancing the learning environment.  Additional initiatives at the University include the Center for Teaching Effectiveness, General Education, and IT instructional grants currently being solicited and the ENGL 110 essay analysis, via the University Writing Center and a number of University forums, etc.  An initiative for mentoring junior faculty, particularly women and faculty of color, is underway.  Goals of the initiative are to provide guidance and support primarily for junior faculty in the promotion and tenure process.  It is hoped that the initiative will improve recruitment and retention of faculty.  More information can be found at http://mentoring-initiative.udel.edu.   A similar program is being developed for mentoring graduate students.

Dr. Rodríguez discussed the capstone experience (CE), stating that one goal is to integrate knowledge students developed during their undergraduate education at the University of Delaware.  An additional goal is to help departments collect assessment data.  The CE can occur in current courses, honors theses, senior seminar, service learning, etc.  The Provost’s Office will continue to work with the Faculty Senate, deans, etc. to develop and implement CE for all students.  A document will soon be placed online describing the CE.  Send comments about CE to Dr. Rodríguez (havidan@udel.edu).  In the Periodic Review Report, the goal for having a requirement for all students to complete a CE is 2008.  The criteria for the discovery learning experience will also be available soon. 

IV.      Announcements: Senate President Dallas Hoover announced that guidelines for developing a first year experience (FYE) are online at the Faculty Senate web site.  (http://www.facsen.udel.edu/sites/fyeguidelines.aspx).  Faculty and departments developing a FYE course should consult this website.

V.      Consent Agenda

A.     Announcements for Challenge:  None

B.     Resolutions: None

VI.      Regular Agenda

A.     Old Business:  None

B.     New Business: None 

I.      Introduction of New Business

Such items as may come before the Senate.  (No motion introduced under new business, except a motion to refer to committee, shall be acted upon until the next meeting of the Senate.)

None

Adjourned 4:45.

Submitted by Donald Lehman