Minutes of the General Faculty Meeting

Wichita State University

Hubbard Hall, Room 208

May 13, 2003 at 10 a.m.

 

Pursuant to call, a general faculty meeting of the faculty of Wichita State University was at in Hubbard Hall, Room 208 on May 13, 2003 at 10 a.m. to consider motions coming from the Faculty Senate for changes to the General Education Program.

 

Note: At 9:30 a.m., prior to the General Faculty meeting, Pam Humphries, the Senior CollegeBASE coordinator from the Assessment Resource Center at the University of Missouri-Columbia, gave a presentation on the CollegeBASE testing modules.

 

I. Call of the Meeting to Order

Barbara Hodson, Faculty Senate Vice-president and presiding officer for the general faculty meeting, called the meeting to order at 10 a.m.

 

II. Appointment of the Parliamentarian and Election of the Secretary

Dwight Murphey was appointed as Parliamentarian for the meeting. Scott Goldy was elected as Secretary for the meeting.

 

III. Approval of the Minutes

The minutes of the March 12 and March 30, 1999 meetings were approved as distributed.

 

IV. Business:  Proposed changes to the General Education Program, passed by the Faculty Senate April 28, 2003

Peer Moore-Jansen, Chair of the Ad Hoc Committee of the Faculty Senate for the General Education Program, presented an overview of the work and findings of the committee.

Consideration of Motion 1:  (Faculty Senate Ballot Vote: Motion approved 24 yes, 11 no, 1 abstention, 4-28-03.)
The Faculty Senate requests that the faculty of Wichita State University approve during its next general faculty meeting the following change in the academic requirements for associate or baccalaureate degrees from Wichita State University.

"Wichita
State University will begin gathering student assessment data during the 2003-4 academic year. One instrument to be used during this trial period will be the CollegeBASE national general education examination.  Since CollegeBASE does not assess all aspects of General Education, additional assessment procedures may be developed by the WSU community or appropriate assessment instruments or procedures developed outside the university may be recommended for use by the university. Recommendations for the use of additional assessment instruments or procedures will be submitted to the Faculty Senate Executive committee, who may bring forward recommendations for additions to the "prototype assessment system". The General Education committee, the General Education coordinator, the College of Fine Arts and the Elliott School are specifically urged to consider this opportunity. Any additions to the "prototype assessment system" must be approved by the Faculty Senate. Approved additions shall be used during the semesters in which CollegeBASE is used.
During the fall semester of 2003 and the spring semesters of 2004 and 2005, the university will use the CollegeBASE national general education examination as one component of a "prototype assessment system" for General Education., including Basic Skills.
(i) In the fall of 2003, WSU will use CollegeBASE to test samples of approximately 200 students in each of the following groups:
(a) incoming freshmen;
(b) students starting their junior year (defined as students who have completed between 48 and 60 hours) who have taken all their Basic Skills courses at WSU; and
(c) students about to graduate.
Students who have taken some or all of their Basic Skills courses in high school as "concurrent enrollment" will not be included in the samples if they would constitute more than ten percent of the total sample in a category.  Appropriate sampling to assure randomness will be the responsibility of the administrator.
(ii) In the spring of 2004, the university will use CollegeBASE to test a sample of approximately one fourth of all the students who are have completed between 48 and 90 credit hours.
(iii) In the spring of 2005, the University will use CollegeBASE to test a sample of approximately one half of all the students who are have completed  at least 48 credit hours.
By February 1, 2006. the University will adopt by vote of the faculty a comprehensive assessment system for assessing the General Education program,  including Basic Skills. This system will consist of some or all of the following components:
(i) a nationally normed examination,
(ii) interviews with students,
(iii) student portfolio assessment,
(iv) other assessment procedures together with established criteria for satisfying each component of the assessment system. The criteria for successful completion of the assessment system shall also be determined by the faculty of Wichita
State University.
Beginning in the 2006-7 academic year, an  (amended 4-28-03) assessment system will be used by all Wichita State University undergraduate students who have completed at least 48 hours in university credit (including transfer credit) and have not successful completed this assessment. Beginning with the 2007-8 academic year, any student who was required to use the university assessment system in the previous academic year but failed to do so will not be allowed to enroll in courses at WSU until the student has used the assessment system
.

Dwight Murphey, a member of the taskforce gave an overview of motion 1. Discussion of the motion ensued.  D. Huntley moved to amend the motion by deleting the words “associate or” from the opening sentence. Seconded by K. Lancaster.

The first sentence of the motion would now read as:

 

“The Faculty Senate requests that the faculty of Wichita State University approve during its next general faculty meeting the following change in the academic requirements for associate or baccalaureate degrees from Wichita State University.”

 

The amendment was accepted.

 

K. Lancaster moved to amend the motion by replacing the dates 2003, 2004 and 2005 with spring of 2004, 2005, 2006 respectively and replace February 1, 2006 of with May 1, 2006. Seconded by E. Behrman.

 

The second and third sections of the motion would now read as:

 

During the fall spring semester of 20034 and the spring semesters of 20045 and 20056, the university will use the CollegeBASE national general education examination as one component of a "prototype assessment system" for General Education., including Basic Skills.

(i) In the fall of 2003, WSU will use CollegeBASE to test samples of approximately 200 students in each of the following groups:

(a) incoming freshmen;
(b) students starting their junior year (defined as students who have completed between 48 and 60 hours) who have taken all their Basic Skills courses at WSU; and
(c) students about to graduate.

Students who have taken some or all of their Basic Skills courses in high school as "concurrent enrollment" will not be included in the samples if they would constitute more than ten percent of the total sample in a category.  Appropriate sampling to assure randomness will be the responsibility of the administrator.

(ii) In the spring of 20045, the university will use CollegeBASE to test a sample of approximately one fourth of all the students who are have completed between 48 and 90 credit hours.

(iii) In the spring of 20056, the University will use CollegeBASE to test a sample of approximately one half of all the students who are have completed  at least 48 credit hours.

By FebruaryMay 1, 2006, the University will adopt by vote of the faculty a comprehensive assessment system for assessing the General Education program,  including Basic Skills. This system will consist of some or all of the following components:…

 

Discussion on the amendment ensued.  P. Cromwell moved for a close to the debate on the amendment. S. Goldy seconded. Motion to close debate on the amendment passed.

 

The amendment was defeated.

 

The discussion on the original motion continued.  P. Cromwell moved to close debate. S. Goldy seconded. Motion to close debate on the motion passed.  

A ballot vote was requested.

 

General Faculty Ballot Vote: Motion as amended defeated  yes, 22  no, 73  , 5-12-03.)

 

Consideration of Motion 2

 

Motion 2 originally read as:

 

The Faculty Senate requests that the faculty of Wichita State University approve during its next general faculty meeting the following:  Approved by the Faculty Senate 4-28-03 unanimously

 

A new Faculty Senate standing committee shall be created. The committee shall consist of 9 faculty members, chosen from each of the Faculty Senate divisions, and one student, with the General Education Coordinator and Chair of the General Education Committee as ex-officio non-voting members. The Faculty Senate General Education Assessment Committee shall be responsible for overseeing the administration of the university General Education assessment system.

 

D. Murphey moved to amend the motion by striking the word “administration” and replace with “development.” Seconded by K. Lancaster.

 

The motion would now read as:

 

A new Faculty Senate standing committee shall be created. The committee shall consist of 9 faculty members, chosen from each of the Faculty Senate divisions, and one student, with the General Education Coordinator and Chair of the General Education Committee as ex-officio non-voting members. The Faculty Senate General Education Assessment Committee shall be responsible for overseeing the administration development of the university General Education assessment system.

 

Discussion on the amendment ensued.  W. Vanderburgh moved to amend the amendment by adding the following to the final sentence “…which would be subject to the approval of the faculty.” D. Soles seconded. 

The motion would now read as:

 

A new Faculty Senate standing committee shall be created. The committee shall consist of 9 faculty members, chosen from each of the Faculty Senate divisions, and one student, with the General Education Coordinator and Chair of the General Education Committee as ex-officio non-voting members. The Faculty Senate General Education Assessment Committee shall be responsible for overseeing the administration development of the university General Education assessment system which would be subject to the approval of the faculty.

 

Discussion on the amended amendment continued.  The amendment was defeated.

 

By a voice vote, Motion 2 was defeated.

 

Consideration of Motion 3

 

The motion originally read:

 

The Faculty Senate requests that the faculty of Wichita State University approve during its next general faculty meeting the following change in the academic requirements for associate or baccalaureate degrees from Wichita State University.  (Approved  by the Faculty Senate 4-28-03)


"All Basic Skills requirements of the General Education program must be met by undergraduates enrolled in a Wichita State University bachelors or associate degree program within their completion of the first 48 credits toward the degree, not including guest student credit and AP credit. Students who do not meet this requirement will be allowed to complete the Basic Skills requirement in the first semester of enrollment subsequent to their having reached the 48 credit plateau. Students who transfer to the University with at least 48 credit hours earned from an accredited institution but who have not completed the Wichita State University's Basic Skills requirements shall have two semesters of enrollment from their first enrollment to pass Basic Skills classes with the required C-or-better grade. Students who fail to pass Basic Skills classes in a timely fashion as defined above shall not be permitted further enrollment at the University except for enrollment in the Basic Skills courses."

 

A friendly amendment was made to strike “associate or” and “or associate” from the motion as a clerical point of order. It was then determined that this would change the meaning of the motion and an official amendment was in order.  J. Swan made a motion to strike the words “associate or” and “or associate” from the motion. D. Huntley seconded.

 

The motion would now read as:

 

The Faculty Senate requests that the faculty of Wichita State University approve during its next general faculty meeting the following change in the academic requirements for associate or baccalaureate degrees from Wichita State University.

"All Basic Skills requirements of the General Education program must be met by undergraduates enrolled in a Wichita State University bachelors or associate degree program within their completion of the first 48 credits toward the degree, not including guest student credit and AP credit. Students who do not meet this requirement will be allowed to complete the Basic Skills requirement in the first semester of enrollment subsequent to their having reached the 48 credit plateau. Students who transfer to the University with at least 48 credit hours earned from an accredited institution but who have not completed the Wichita State University's Basic Skills requirements shall have two semesters of enrollment from their first enrollment to pass Basic Skills classes with the required C-or-better grade. Students who fail to pass Basic Skills classes in a timely fashion as defined above shall not be permitted further enrollment at the University except for enrollment in the Basic Skills courses."

 

The amendment was accepted.

 

Discussion on the amended motion ensued.

By a voice vote, Motion 3 Passed as amended.

 

Discussion of Motion 4


The Faculty Senate requests that the faculty of Wichita State University approve during its next general faculty meeting the following change in the academic requirements for baccalaureate degrees from Wichita State University.  (Approved by the Faculty Senate 4-28-03)

 

Definition of the requirements to be an Introductory course:
Each Introductory course must:
        (i) provide an overview of the multiple facets of a discipline,
        (ii) meet one general education goal,
        (iii) provide students with at least one outcome of the general education program,
        (iv) include the across-the-curriculum components (e.g. math, reading, speech) of the general education program and
        (v) incorporate the general education goal and outcome(s) noted in (ii) &  (iii) in the course assessment (e.g. grading) process.

 

Definition of the requirements to be an Further Studies course:
Each Further Studies course shall

        (i) have an Introductory course in the same discipline as a prerequisite,
        (ii) use this Introductory course as the basis for an indepth study of one or more aspects of the discipline,
        (iii) meet one general education goal,
        (iv) provide students with at least one outcome of the general education program,
        (v) include the across-the-curriculum components (e.g. math, reading, speech) of the general education program and
        (vi) incorporate the general education goal and outcome(s) noted in (iii) & (iv) in the course assessment (e.g. grading) process.

 

The I&P course requirement stays the same.

 

J. Brown proposed a friendly amendment to motion to replace the “across the curriculum components” (e.g. math, reading, speech) with “across the curriculum components (i.e. writing, speaking, numerical, and library as skills as appropriate.) J. Brown explained that this was the original language used by the committee. During the ensuing discussion J. Sheffield declared that the friendly amendment radically changed the motion in such a way that it should be an official amendment. J. Sheffield moved that the motion be amended with J. Brown’s wording. J. Brown seconded.

The amendment passed.

 

J. Stanga moved to table the debate due to the lack of time remaining in the meeting. D. Soles seconded.

Motion 4 was tabled.

 

B. Hodson called for a motion to adjourn. D. Murphey moved to adjourn the meeting. E. Behrman seconded.

 

The meeting was adjourned at 11:32 a.m.

 

Respectfully submitted,

 

Scott Goldy, Secretary of the General Faculty Meeting

Note:  Any member of the faculty may submit a written statement to be included in the minutes. Please forward such statements to Bobbi Dreiling, Administrative Assistant, Faculty Senate at bobbi.dreiling@wichita.edu or Campus Box #111.