Welcome to the 2004-2005 academic year. Below is an update on Faculty Senate (FS) related activities that occurred over the summer, a preliminary list of goals of the Faculty Senate Executive Committee (FSEC), and information on how you can keep informed of FS activities and become more involved in FS decision-making.

Throughout the summer, FSEC members, Senators and other faculty continued to work on various committees:  

• The FSEC met several times planning Fall FS meetings, recruiting people to serve on various committees, and preparing for Joint Strategic Planning Committee (JSPC) meetings.  Working with Provost Swan, the FSEC secured additional faculty representation on the Space Enhancement, Design and Allocation (SEDA) committee as well as the Web Policy Committee. Discussions were held with Vice President Weygand regarding parking concerns and the possibility of resurrecting the Campus Security and Parking Committee.

• FSEC members attended three Board of Governor’s (BOG) meetings, and monthly SEDA meetings.

• Promoting shared governance, FSEC members attended three tutorial overview workshops and two regular JSPC meetings covering the topics of JSPC planning, URI budget process, and Capital Improvement Projects. I’m pleased to note that several budget recommendations made by last year’s FSEC to the JSPC are reflected in the 2006 budget request from President Carothers to the BOG. Specifically, the URI budget request included enhanced funding for the Library, for PeopleSoft support, for research and outreach, and for new scholarship funds for junior and senior students who have significantly improved their GPA since freshmen year.

• FSEC members, faculty and administrators attended two workshops on student learning outcomes assessment, one at the Alton Jones campus and one at an AAC&U Institute in Utah. Two committees, formed from these workshops and led by Interim Vice Provost Swift, drafted a suggested list of Expected Student Outcomes and a time-line for assessment implementation, as mandated by the BOG.

• An FSEC member attended meetings to refine an Academic Program Assessment instrument being developed using Tom Murphy’s factor analysis method. The goal was to develop a comprehensive, fair and facile evaluation instrument that will (1) assess URI academic programs using a weighted combination of financial data as well as program quality indicators including instruction, scholarship, service and growth potential, (2) provide accurate and balanced information in a format and timeframe conducive to planning and budget decision-making, and (3) replace the controversial Program Contribution Analysis (PCA) and streamline the cumbersome Program Quality Review (PQR). Mr. Murphy accepted the FSEC invitation to present an overview at our first FS meeting.

• The FSEC and Graduate Education and Research Committee (GERC) worked with the President’s Office, the Provost’s Office and The Graduate School to investigate the different types of funding used to support graduate students and the value that graduate students add to URI and the state via their teaching, research and administrative work. GERC will be piloting a survey soliciting this information from departments.

• FSEC members, faculty, staff and administrators participated in the President’s Commission on the Status of Women (PCOSW). The PCOSW met with President Carothers to recommend a Family Leave Policy for faculty that the PCOSW, the Women’s Equity Committee and ADVANCE had drafted. In July, President Carothers sent a letter to Commissioner Warner supporting the proposed policy.

• Faculty and administrators on the Ad Hoc Committee on Admissions to the Providence Campus met several times over the summer and once with the FSEC to expedite the possible start of undergraduate degree programs offered to traditional students at the Providence URI campus.

After several discussions, the FSEC has identified the following preliminary list of goals for the upcoming academic year. We welcome your input and suggestions.

• Identify substantive, and possibly unvoiced, faculty concerns.

• Promote greater faculty engagement in development of policies and shared governance at all levels.

• Increase resources for improving classrooms and classroom support services.

• Seek mechanisms to continue to improve funding and resources for the Library.

• Improve facilitation of interdisciplinary research endeavors through centers and partnerships.

• Take a pro-active role in the design and implementation of the BOG mandated Student Learning Outcomes Assessment.

• Monitor adherence to policies and procedures whenever re-organizations are contemplated.

• Continue to serve in an advisory role to JSPC on faculty issues.

• Influence the priority of JSPC’s budget recommendations for next fiscal cycle.

• Continue an active role in the development of Tom Murphy’s Program Assessment instrument to ensure that it fairly represents factors related to program quality as well as revenue.

• Work with the administration to promote the value of graduate education and research to the University and state of RI. Seek ways of making graduate student tuition charges on research grants more competitive with those of other universities who either waive tuition of research assistants or reduce out-of-state tuition to in-state levels.

Finally, please consider volunteering your time and expertise by serving on FS committees. For information on meeting times, committee reports, legislative action, names of Senators, etc., you can consult the Faculty Senate web site: http://www.uri.edu/facsen/ or join the Senate listserver: FACSEN-BUS@PETE.URI.EDU. Please contact a Senator or any of the following FSEC members to discuss questions, concerns, or suggestions you have regarding issues related to FS or JSPC.

Since much of the work of the Faculty Senate is handled during meetings of its various committees, and since shared governance on JSPC works better when the FS can respond within URI and state administrative deadlines, it is vital that you remain informed and that you keep your Senators updated regarding matters of interest to faculty and students.  “When apathy wins, everyone loses…”