Faculty Council Meeting

Minutes for Meeting on May 1, 2006

12:15 PM, Woolworth Room

President:  Noreen Naiman                        Vice President:  Julie Graves               Secretary:  Tamar Castelloe

1.   Approval of Minutes from January meeting

      The vote on approval of the minutes from the January meeting was postponed until the next meeting.  Although a quorum  

      was reached a few minutes into the meeting, other issues were on the floor at the time.

2.   Announcements

            Steve Warshaw referred to an e-mail that was sent to all faculty asking for individuals who communicated with any member of

            the Board of Trustees (BOT) in writing in the last year to send him a message letting him know.  Steve wanted the faculty to

            know the reason why he wanted this, so he announced that an individual, who is not a member of the NCSSM staff, had requested

            the information, and we were complying with the Freedom of Information Act.

      3.      Structure of the UNC System Faculty Senate and Shared Governance - Dr. Achamyeleh Debela

      Dr. Debela is the chair of the Faculty Senate at NCCU.  He has met with Erskine Bowles personally a number of times since

      Bowles became UNC President.  Dr. Debela stated that Bowles’ main concerns include teacher education programs, nursing

      programs, and salary equity for the faculty.  Bowles feels that the legislature needs to learn more about what a “typical day” for a

      faculty member looks like.  Bowles asked committee members of the Faculty Assembly to return to their constituencies and ask

      two faculty members of their choice to write an essay about what they do on a daily basis.  Bowles will compile the papers and    

      submit them for the legislature.  He feels that the current education system needs to be improved.

      Dr. Debela remarked that NCSSM must abide by the rules and guidelines of the Standards of Shared Governance.  He stated that

      “[it] is not useful if communication comes after the fact.  It is essential that the understanding of this is mutual.”  He feels it is

      important that as NCSSM has its own unique culture, it must maintain it as well as participate in the larger “family.”

      Dr. Debela read from his paper, “The Faculty Senate & Shared Governance:  Towards a Dialogical Discourse for a Partnership

      Based on Trust and Respect,” which he prepared for a UNC Faculty Assembly committee planning meeting.  His paper is

      attached here as well as posted on the Faculty Council website:  “The Faculty Senate & Shared Governance"

      Dr. Debela feels that having a diversity of voices at the “table of shared governance” will have an effect system wide.  He sees

      that his primary goal as chair of his Faculty Senate is to strengthen collegial governance at NCCU.  Dr. Debela spoke about a

      former provost at NCCU who was removed from his position due to his lack of communication with the Faculty Senate, which

      resulted in inadequate equipment and resources for teaching.

      A faculty member asked how NCSSM will handle the changes involved in moving from a Faculty Council to a Faculty Senate.  Dr.

      Debela answered that NCSSM must embrace change so that it won’t take away from things that work.  “The culture that is useful

      should remain.”  He added that changes that allow NCSSM to function comfortably in the new system need to be made.  The

      Assembly is a body that attempts to address issues before they become problems.

      Another faculty member asked Dr. Debela the changes he foresees for NCSSM.  He answered that the Faculty Senate at NCCU

      is comprised of representatives from various departments.  Deans and chairpersons are asked to have their departments elect one

      representative (Senator) and one alternate.  Each Senator is asked to serve on a committee as well (Faculty Development,    

      Curriculum, and Policy, for example).  Ad hoc committees are formed if new issues arise that need to be addressed separately

      from committees already in place.  Each committee meets at least three times a semester.  They report directly to the Senate

      chair, and they make presentations to the full Senate at times.  If issues are passed in the Senate to go to the General Assembly

      of the UNC system, the Senators must present to them as well.

      President Bowles also meets with an Executive Committee comprised of each constituent’s Faculty Senate chair once a month. 

      Faculty members are represented by their Senate chair and 2 to 3 Assembly representatives, depending on the number of students,

      departments, FTE specifications, etc.

      Dr. Debela stated that the NCCU Faculty Senate contains 45 Senators and 45 alternates, and NCCU has 471 total faculty

      members.  Senators vote as representatives of their departments, as opposed to their “own will,” because Senators serve to

      represent their department’s point of view.  Dr. Debela also stated that decisions on issues such as curriculum and hiring (selection

      of faculty) are made within each department.  There are also committees that work on these issues.  He commented that faculty

      members have been hired as “experts” on their respective subjects.

      Dr. Debela stated that his Faculty Senate studied salary equity last year in a Senate committee, and a representative from the

      Senate and an administrator from Academic Affairs served as co-chairs.

      Dr. Debela closed by saying that the faculty at NCCU is trying to work against a confrontational, adversarial system and toward a

      democratic one.  He encouraged us to examine our own bylaws and constitution and compare them with the Standards of Shared

      Governance so that we can make any appropriate changes necessary to abide by them.

      4.      Research Update

      Tom Clayton announced that the pilot program of the Research Experience will be implemented next year.  A total of 50 juniors

      will work in two different tracks.  One begins in Miniterm and the other begins in the Spring trimester with a research course. 

      Both tracks are completed by students the    following (their senior) year.  The program will require that a half-time faculty

      member be hired in   both the Science and Humanities departments to give release time to instructors at NCSSM to work with      

      students in the program. 

      Tom asked that faculty members let their deans know if they are interested in working with students on their research project.

      5.      Questions about "D-policy"

      There was insufficient time to address this issue.

      6.      Faculty Council 2006-2007

      There was insufficient time to address this issue.

The meeting adjourned at 1:20 p.m.