In June, 1997, at the request of the incoming University Senate president, a Senate Task Force was formed to undertake a comprehensive review of the university committee structure and make recommendations for change to the University Senate. The members of the task force were: Dave Hubin
Anne Leavitt
Gene Luks
Randy McGowen
Jan Medrano
Jack Rice
Gwen Steigelman
Ann Tedards, chair
The major topics discussed included:
Need for a new faculty committee to serve as an overview body concerned with undergraduate education
Clarification and expansion of the charge to the Committee on Committees
Continued senate action on the 1996 Report of the Committee on Committees which recommended numerous changes in the university committee structure, including length of terms of service on committees and procedure for determination of chairs of committees
Suggestions to improve communication among related committees and between committees and the senate
Need to foster faculty participation in university governance and enhancement of faculty rewards/recognition for committee service
I. Proposal for two new committees: the Undergraduate Council and the Committee on Courses
Background Statement
The University of Oregon is a public comprehensive research university committed to excellence in undergraduate education. Our undergraduate education mission is to engage students in a coherent, focused, liberal arts-based program of study from which they will gain a life-long love of learning and the ability to "question critically, think logically, communicate clearly, act creatively, and live ethically." (UO Mission
Statement, 1995)
A successful undergraduate program welcomes students into the intellectual life of the campus community; guides students through an integrated curriculum that progresses from introductory through capstone learning experiences; creates meaningful opportunities for students to actively engage in the modes of inquiry that define a research university; and prepares students to be active participants and effective leaders in a democratic society. (UO Statement of Philosophy, Undergraduate Education,
1996)
Proposal
In order to ensure that all university policies and procedures, curricula, personnel, and teaching decisions that affect undergraduate education are consistent and defensible when compared to these statements, and to enhance faculty involvement in the development of the undergraduate academic program, the Senate Task Force on University Committee Structure, jointly with the UO Committee on Committees, propose that:
The Undergraduate Education and Policy Coordinating Council and the University Curriculum Committee shall be abolished.
There shall be established a new council, to be known as the Undergraduate Council, charged with reviewing, evaluating and enhancing the quality of the University's undergraduate program. This Council shall regularly report its actions and recommendations to the Senate and other duly authorized governing bodies as necessary to uphold and enhance the quality of the undergraduate academic program.
This council shall undertake its reviews in consultation with respective department heads and/or program directors and shall regularly work in conjunction with standing committees that have responsibilities relating to undergraduate education.
The membership of this Council shall be:
8 elected faculty
1 School of Architecture and Allied Arts
1 College of Business
1 College of Education
1 School of Journalism and Communication
1 School of Music
3 College of Arts and Sciences (1 each from Humanities, Social Sciences, and Natural Sciences) 1 Chair, Committee on Courses
1 Chair, Academic Requirements Committee
1 Chair, Scholastic Review Committee
1 Chair, CAS Curriculum Committee
3 Ex officio, nonvoting
1 Registrar
1 from Office of Academic Affairs
1 from Division of Student Academic Affairs
2 Students (1-year terms)
Members (except students) shall serve staggered, 3-year terms.
The charges to this Council shall include:
1. Review and promote the objectives and purposes of undergraduate
education and assure that all policies and procedures, curricula, personnel
and teaching decisions that affect undergraduate education are consistent
and defensible with the institution's undergraduate education mission.
2. Participate, on behalf of the university faculty, in planning the
development and improvement of the instructional program of the
institution, in consultation with the president, other university officers
of administration, and with relevant department heads and program directors.
Identify opportunities to create new programs and screen all college and school proposals for new academic majors, minors, degrees, and certificates.
Provide advice and assistance to academic units in planning new programs, with special attention to the relation of such programs to general curricular and academic policies of the University and to overall plans for the development of the institution's undergraduate instructional program.
Study existing courses and curricula, reviewing the quality of undergraduate components of departments and schools/colleges, and present recommendations for revision to deans and department heads.
Review, evaluate and propose revisions for general education requirements.
3. Monitor and respond to general academic policies, especially those which have an interactive impact on undergraduate programs across the University. Identify, develop and advocate new and revised baccalaureate degree policies as appropriate.
4. Establish criteria and outcomes to determine the success of the overall undergraduate program and review the program and its various components in light of these criteria and outcomes.
Review and evaluate existing programs for advising, including student use of the curriculum, role of faculty in advising, preparation of faculty for advising, and rewards/recognition for advising.
Review and evaluate student assessment and learning outcomes to assure that the undergraduate curriculum provides learning experiences that expose students to substantive discipline-based knowledge and builds students' abilities.
Provide regular evaluation and monitoring of transfer-credit policies, grading standards, and practices.
5. Monitor the academic coherence, quality, and standards of the undergraduate academic program to assure that the quality and rigor of instruction and evaluation are consistent across the curriculum.
There shall be established a new committee, the Committee on Courses.
The membership of this committee shall be:
5 (or more) appointed faculty -- no two from the same department, nor more than
two from the same school or college, with the exception of up to four from the College of Arts and Sciences (no more than 2 from any one of the three CAS divisions of natural sciences, social sciences and humanities) 4 Ex officio, nonvoting
1 Editor of the Undergraduate and Graduate Bulletin
1 Director of Academic Advising, or designee
1 Registrar, or designee
1 Dean of the Graduate School, or designee
1 Student (1-year term)
Members (except student) shall serve staggered 3-year terms.
The charges to this committee shall include:
1. In consultation with relevant departments, screen all proposals for new courses and course changes;
2. Consult with the Undergraduate Council on curricular patterns of concern; 3. Report its recommendations to the university faculty through the University Senate
(quarterly reports); and
4. .Advise the university editor on the content and structure of the University of Oregon
Undergraduate and Graduate Bulletin.
II. Revised charge to the Committee on Committees
The following shall supersede Faculty legislation of February 7, 1962, February 10, 1988, and April 10, 1991 concerning the Committee on Committees:
The University Senate, acting on the recommendation of its Nominating Committee, shall appoint a Committee on Committees and designate a chair. The senate shall appoint members of the Committee on Committees for the following academic year no later than its last meeting of Spring term.
The Committee on Committees shall report to the senate president its recommendations for the personnel of all appointed faculty committees established by faculty legislation. With senate approval, the senate president shall convey these recommendations to the university president, who shall notify faculty of their appointments before the conclusion of the academic year. In order to facilitate timely discussion of these nominations, the recommendations should be submitted to the university president by May 15.
The Committee on Committees shall, at the request of the university president, recommend the faculty personnel of any other committees the university president may designate.
The Committee on Committees shall conduct periodic reviews of the operations of all institutional committees on which faculty serve. As appropriate, it shall report its findings and recommendations to the senate.
III. Change in terms of service on appointed faculty committees
Except as otherwise noted in legislation, appointments to faculty committees shall be for two-year terms, staggered so that approximately one half of the membership returns each year. If a vacancy occurs during the first year of service and does not need to be filled immediately, the succeeding appointment shall be for the second year of the term. When a vacancy occurs during an academic year and a replacement is immediately needed, the Committee on Committees shall designate a replacement to serve the remainder of that academic year.
IV. Procedure for election of committee chairs
Unless otherwise noted by legislation, chairs of all faculty committees shall be elected before the end of spring term by the current committee membership (outgoing and returning) from the roster of members who will be returning for a second year of service. If a chairperson is elected or appointed to the committee for a second consecutive full term, the chairperson may be re-elected and shall thus serve as chair for three years.
V. Committee Effectiveness
In order to improve the effectiveness of the university committee structure, the task force proposes that an annual joint meeting be held during Orientation Week, or the first week of classes of fall term, each year with the Senate Executive Committee, the Committee on Committees and the chairs of all faculty (academic) committees. This meeting will serve as an orientation for all committee chairs and will include at least the following agenda items:
Notice of place on monthly senate agendas for committee reports, announcements or items for discussion
Explanation of procedure for initiating motions/resolutions in the senate
Discussion of end-of-year reports from previous year
Discussion of the Committee on Committees Web site and other means of communication to the faculty
VI. Faculty Rewards and Recognition of Committee Service
The task force discussed the importance of faculty involvement in the governance of the university and identified a need to enhance the recognition faculty receive for their service. Noting in many cases a shift in balance towards a greater percentage of faculty time devoted towards service as faculty members gain tenure and longevity at the university, the task force supports the inclusion of statements regarding service to the university in guidelines for post-tenure review, especially. It also recommends that a statement of policy be included in the Faculty Handbook which clarifies this progressive increase in service to the university, proportional to a faculty member's longevity at the institution. Thus, a junior faculty member may choose to undertake no service during the first three to five years of teaching, enabling the faculty member to focus on excellence of teaching and research. However, a tenured associate or full professor should be expected to enga!
ge in some degree of service, depending upon the individual and the department. It was suggested that department heads meet annually with individual faculty members to outline a plan for balancing teaching, research, and service for each upcoming year, including the concept of a progressive increase in service.
The task force also recommends that a new procedure be implemented whereby at the end of each academic year university committee chairpersons shall fill out a form indicating the active members of their respective committees. These forms shall be submitted to the senate president who shall forward them to the university president. The university president shall send a letter of recognition to each faculty member who served. Copies shall be sent to deans and department heads for inclusion in each faculty member's personnel file.