1
STATE UNIVERSITY OF WEST GEORGIA
FACULTY SENATE MINUTES
(Corrected and Approved February 26, 1999)

DATE: November 20, 1998

CALL TO ORDER: Dr. Michael Crafton, Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs, called the meeting to order at 3:00 P.M. in the Lecture Hall, Richards College of Business. Dr. Chester Gibson served as Parliamentarian.

MEMBERS PRESENT: Sheila Abraham, Susan Boes, David Boldt, Jim Burton, Ray Crook, Swarma Dutt, Larry Frazier, Lynne Gaskin, Randy Hendricks, Bob Hilliard, Chris Huff, Farooq Khan, Cecilia Lee, Will Lloyd, Magdy Metry, Mark McManus, Marc Miller, John Myers, David Osborn, James Taylor, Gary Wenzel, Ara Volkan, Carol Wilson for Kathryn Grams, Bob Pierce for Joan Hubbard, Elaine Roberts for Gwen McAlpine, and Ann Richards for Elena MustakovaPossardt.

APPROVAL OF MINUTES: The minutes of the October 16,1998 meeting were approved (Miller).

REPORTS:

  1. Committee on Undergraduate Academic Programs, Committee #1(Chairperson.- Mark McManus)

    2. Marc McManus reported that UAPC approved the following course recommendations:
    1. Change prerequisites for SPAN 4500, 4501, 4502, FREN 4500, 4501, 4502.
    2. Add PSYC 4290 Moral and Social Development.
    3. Add ACCT 3285 Professional Seminar, ACCT 4242 Strategic Information Systems and Risk Management, ACCT 4262 Contemporary Auditing Topics, FINC 4571 Derivative Markets, MKTG 3808 Business Research.
    4. Add FINC 4571 to Finance Selective list.
    5. Record the Finance Selective list as follows: Select three, at least two of which must be in FINC: ECON 3410, 3460,4410,4440, FINC 4521, 4532, 4542, 4571, RELE 3705.
    6. Remove FINC 4532, 4542 from Required Courses (Required: ACCT 4202, FINC 4531, 4541, 4561, MGNT 4660).
    7. Add ACCT 3285 Professional Seminar (zero hours) to the ACCT-B.B.A.requirements.
    8. Add MKTG 3808 Business Research to the Business Core for B.B.A. Accounting, Administrative Systems, Business Information Systems, Economics, Finance, Management, Marketing, Real Estate (total of 27 hours, 9 courses) and eliminate one (3 hour course) Business Elective (3 courses, 9 hours remain: 2 courses must be outside Business).
    9. Modify title and description of FINC 4531 and FINC 4532.
    10. Modify prerequisite of FINC 4542.
    11. Deletecourses: ACCT')201,ACCT4221.

      12.  
    Mr. McManus presented the following program proposals for action by the Faculty Senate:
    1. Actuarial Science Track in the MATH B.S. program. (Attached) The motion was approved unanimously.

      2.  
    2. B.A. program in Global Studies. (Attached)

      3. Paul Masters called attention to a garbled sentence in the first paragraph of the first page of the proposal and passed out corrected copies (Attached). The motion passed unanimously.
  1. Committee on Academic Policies and Procedures, Committee #2 (Chairperson: Marc Miller

    2.  
    1. Marc Miller submitted for approval the following changes in the Grade Appeal Policy: (See attached.)

      2.  
        1. Strike second sentence of first paragraph of "Grade Appeal Policy" StateUniversity of West Georgia Undergraduate Catalog, pace 166: "A grade originally assigned may be changed only with the consent of the faculty member responsible for the grade, unless the change is made for process reasons only."
        1. Remove item 5, Appendix E, in the UnCatalog of the State University of West Georgia.: "Upon finding for the student, the subcommittee will in each instance attempt to counsel the faculty member to voluntarily redress the grievance. In the event such counseling is ineffective, the committee may recommend disciplinary action against the faculty member to be taken by the appropriate administrative official (page 44)."
        1. Add the following items:
  1. If the subcommittee finds in favor of the student, the instructor will be notified and provided the opportunity to voluntarily chance the student's grade based on the recommendations of the subcommittee. If the instructor refuses, the VPAA will be authorized by the subcommittee to make the recommended grade change. The VPAA will then notify the student, the faculty member and the members of the subcommittee.

    2.  
  2. The faculty member will be notified in writing and has 10 days to appeal the decision to the full Faculty Senate through the Academic Policies and Procedures Committee. The full Faculty Senate, meeting in executive session, may then by simple majority affirm or disaffirm the Appeals Committee and the VPAA's decision to change the grade.
  
For information-The committee is setting up a subcommittee to address the appeals process for Grades and Admissions. This will result in future changes to the Faculty Handbook.

Debate on the motion centered on grade assignment as an expression of faculty, autonomy and on the roles of the instructor, the department chair, and the VPAA in the process of grade appeal. Mike Aarons said that grade assignment was "the last bastion of faculty autonomy." Carol Wilson, chair of the Grade Appeals Committee, said that the committee believed that a mechanism for grade change should be in place because there have been situations when a grade clearly needed to be changed, but the faculty member refused. Under the current policy, there is no formal process for grade change beyond the departmental level.

Jane McCandless and Ann Richards presented copies of the AAUP document, "The Assignment of Course Grades and Student Appeals." (Attached). Dr. Richards stated that AAUP considers grade appeal to be a faculty decision by the instructor, the department head, or a committee made up of peers who are familiar with grading criteria within the discipline.
      After much discussion the proposal was tabled. (11 yes, 7 no)
    1. The APP Committee asked for approval of the following proposal concerning class absence: Insert at the end of the paragraphs in the section titled "Class Absence," pp. 111-12, State University of West Georgia Undergraduate Catalog. (See attached.)
        2.  
        "A student shall be excused from class for official University sanctioned events. An officially sanctioned event shall be defined as an event where the student's presence is required for participation and not just attendance. Student must document the absence through official university sources to the satisfaction of the instructor. The student must make arrangements with the instructor in advance of the absence. The student has the responsibility to complete the obligations and requirements of the course as defined by the instructor. To the extent feasible, the instructor should offer reasonable opportunities to make up missed work. In so far as the instructor's absence policy does not conflict with this excused absence policy, all other absence policies of the instructor shall apply."
    Dr. Miller said that in rare instances students had been required to attend university sanctioned events and had received low grades because of missing classes. Discussion centered on the definition of "official event," the possibility of student abuse of official absences. The value of university sponsored events such as sports or debate was argued against the student's responsibility to attend classes. The language of the proposal was criticized as being vague and contradictory, but Dr. Miller stated that the document was left ambiguous so that the instructor could apply his/her own standards.

    After extended discussion, the motion failed. (yes 9, no 13)-
     

    At this point, Dr. Sethna arrived at the meeting and took the podium.
     
    1. The APP Committee asked for approval of the following items concerning Technology Policy:

      2.  
    1. Affirm the vision, goals and objectives for technology use at the State University of West Georgia. This policy is presented in the appendix.(Attached)

      2.  
    2. Recommend the appointment of an ad hoc committee with the following objectives:
           
        1. Oversee the implementation of the goals and objectives.

          2.  
        2. Recommend the formation of a permanent committee for technology policy within the faculty senate structure. (See attached documents.)


      The motion passed unanimously.
       

    1. The APP Committee asked for approval of the following changes in the Repeat Policy as stated in the State University of West Georgia Undergraduate Catalog. (Attached)

      2.  
      1. Strike the current two paragraphs in the section entitled "Repeating a Course to Replace a Grade" (page 121),

        2.  
      1. Add the following paragraph:

        2. "A student may repeat a course taken at West Georgia in order to replace an earlier grade. The academic standing and graduation GPA will be based on the last attempt at all courses taken at the institution."
      The motion passed unanimously.
       
    1. The APP Committee asked for approval of the following changes in the Final Examinations Policy as stated in the State University of West Georgia Undergraduate Catalog. (Attached)

      2.  
      1. Strike the paragraphs relating to Examinations on page 115 of the catalog.

        2.  
      2. Add the following policy under a title of Examinations:
"Final examinations are held at the end of each term in accordance with a published schedule. No final examinations may be given in advance of the date scheduled unless authorized by the dean of the appropriate college. If a student has more than two final exams scheduled in a single day, he or she may reschedule all but two of them through the cooperation of faculty members, department chairs, college deans, and if necessary, the Office of VPAA. During the term of his or her graduation, an undergraduate student may be excused from final examinations at the discretion of the instructor of each course in which the student is doing passing work." Dr. Miller explained that the proposal strikes the language in the Catalog that requires all classes to have final exams. Discussion involved questions about requirements for exams. Early exams are allowed with permission of the Dean. The student does not have the option to not take the final if it appears on the syllabus, nor does the student have the right to demand that a final exam be given. The instructor's policies given in the syllabus are a contract with the student.
    The motion passed.
     
    1. Dr. Miller gave the following items of information:

      2.  
      1. Freshman Admission Requirements. (Attached)
      2. Revised Summer Semester 1999 Calendar. (Attached)
      3. Resolution presented by the Student Goverm-nent Association. (Attached)


    Dr. Sethna asked that suggestions be sent to Dr. Miller to work through the details of the tabled and defeated proposals.

          Committee on Student Activities, Committee #6 (Chairperson: Lynne Gaskin)
    Lynne Gaskin withdrew the following proposals until the Chair of the Student Judiciary Committee can meet with the Committee on Student Activities.
    1. Recommendation to revise the "Student Conduct Code and Disciplinary Procedures" to delete phrases that refer to behavior "on university premises or at university sponsored activities" and "on or near the campus" (Section 4.00 Disorderly Conduct, .0 1,.02; Section 7.00 Alcohol Beverages, .01, .03, .05, .06; Section 8.00 Drugs, .01, .02; Section 11.0 Theft, .01; Section 12.00 Misuse of Property; Section 14.00 Identification Cards, .02)

      2.  
    1. Recommendation to revise the "Conduct Code and Disciplinary Procedures for Student Organizations" to add, "Student Organizations should realize that they may be held accountable through the university discipline system for their behavior, whether on or off campus, when an offense is directed at the university, a member of the university community, or another student organization and is a violation of the Student Conduct Code or the Registered Student Organization Code of Conduct."
 OLD BUSINESS: None

NEW BUSINESS: None

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

      1. Dr. Sethna announced that PAC opposes the resolution of the SGA. There are already two breaks during Fall Semester. In many years it is impossible to have an additional fall break and a Reading Day. The Reading Day takes precedence over the desire to have a Fall Break.
      2. New gowns with school colors have been selected for the Fall 1998 commencement.
      3. Dr. Sethna apologized for his late arrival due to a plane delay.
ADJOURNMENT: The meeting, adjourned at 4:45 P.M.

Diane H. Sharp

Executive Secretary of the Faculty Senate