UNDERGRADUATE COUNCIL MEETING
October 24, 2005
Rowe Conference Room, Knight Library
Present:
Mary Ann Beecher, Andrew Bonamici, Herb Chereck, Deborah Exton, Kelsea Feola, Hilary Gerdes, Peter Gilkey, Dave Hubin, Anne Laskaya, Martha Pitts, Julie Newton, Steve Pologe, Kathy Roberts, Ron Severson, Margarita Smith, Karen Sprague, Mark Thoma, Heiner Linke, Paul Engelking, Glenda Utsey
Absent:
Malcolm Wilson, Wendy Mitchell, Kate Wagle
Guest:
JoAnna Gray, Co-Chair of the Accreditation Self-Study Committee
Announcements:
Minutes:
The Chair asked the Council for approval of the October 10th minutes.
Ron Severson moved that the minutes be accepted.
Mark Thoma seconded the motion.
The minutes of October 10, 2005 were accepted by acclamation.
Agenda
The Chair distributed to the Council copies of the schedule for the upcoming visits by Provost candidates (Attachment A). He encouraged all members of the Council to attend the Public Presentation and the Academic Perspective forum of each candidate. He emphasized that the selection of a Provost is one of the most significant administrative decisions to be made and urged the Council to be actively engaged in the selection process.
The Chair asked for Council members to volunteer to ask questions of the candidates, He advocated using the same questions for each. Questions were solicited from the Council members.
The following questions were proposed:
o What budget model does the candidate prefer? What principles would be used in allocating resources?
o It was noted that there has been enormous decentralization in budget processing at the University of Oregon. Does the candidate see changing this system?
o Is it the Business Model that drives the University or is it Academic Ideals?
o Should there be private resources for public institutions without strings attached? How can we keep private resources from undermining the public mission?
o Is education a public good or a private good?
o What is general education?
o There are large numbers of students being left out of education; UO is close to becoming an “elite” school. How can we overcome this? How do we address access?
o Does faculty research activity enhance undergraduate education? In what way do we provide opportunities to undergraduates that differentiates us from the typical liberal arts college?
o What is the candidate’s definition of diversity?
o How does diversity apply to the recruitment and retention of students? How does diversity play into promotion, tenure and retention of faculty?
o What is the candidate’s understanding of “cultural competence”?
o How does the candidate, as Provost, value fine arts programs? How does s/he see the University supporting these endeavors?
The Chair stated that these questions will help educate the candidates on the concerns and issues significant to the UO community. He encouraged the members to continue exchanging ideas on how to formulate the questions outside the meeting venue. The final questions will be collected and distributed to those members attending the Academic forums during the candidates’ visits.
Update on the data to be used in the Self-Studies for existing degree programs:
There was no information available. The Chair will continue to request the data from Marian Friestad.
Update on Grade Inflation Report
Mark Thoma presented a recap of the data he had collected from the Registrar’s Office in the Spring of 2005. He noted that the UO ranks in the middle of national comparators with respect to the rate of grade inflation.
The Chair said it is a good idea to get the factual data of the report to the Senate, at least in preliminary form, as quickly as possible.
Mark responded that premature publication of the data could lead to misunderstanding. Several members of the Council agreed and advised against releasing the report until Mark has been able to study the data and answer several questions that had been raised in Council meetings last year.
The Chair requested a fuller report for the next UGC meeting.
UGC Topics for This Year
The Chair presented a list of topics for the Council to consider this year:
a) Use of Ed Tech Funds – the Chair invited Andrew Bonamici to lead a discussion on Educational Technology. The new CIO might be invited to attend the meeting where this is presented.
b) College High programs
c) OUS initiatives – the Chair distributed copies of the EDP (Excellence in Delivery and Productivity) Task Force report
(http://www.ous.edu/workinggroups/EDP/group_EDP.htm
d) Academic Integrity
Topics for the Accreditation Self-Study
Ron Severson asked whether the Council had completed its proposal of Accreditation Self-Study topics. He was concerned that the initial discussion at the previous UGC meeting had generated a number of good ideas, but these had not been refined and organized. Council members agreed that further discussion was needed to focus on a few key topics, and indicate how sub-topics fit within them. This will be done at the next Council meeting.
The Chair proposed that JoAnna Gray be invited to sit in on the Undergraduate Council meetings during discussion of accreditation issues. He stated that her presence would be useful to the Council’s work.
The Chair stated that the next meeting will open with a debrief of Council members’ interactions with the Provost candidates.
The meeting was adjourned.
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The next meeting is scheduled for Monday, November 7, 12:00pm, Rowe Conference Room, Knight Library.