Skip to Page Content

 
 

Faculty Assembly

REPORT ON THE APRIL 12 MEETING OF THE COLORADO FACULTY ADVISORY COMMITTEE (CFAC)
Richard Blade, Vice Chair and UCCS Rep

SELF INTRODUCTIONS AND DESCRIPTION OF LOCAL PROBLEMS

Most of the institutions are having financial problems. Of general concern were the increases in health insurance premiums. A number of people complained about how the increase in part time faculty and controlling administrators (e.g. requiring that regular faculty be on campus 40 hours per week) is causing trouble. Wayne Artis (chair of CFAC) said that it was a myth that it was not financially possible to reduce the fraction of part time faculty. PPCC has made it a priority to increase the fraction of full time faculty and is dorng it.

REPORTS FROM COMMITTEE REPS

1.  Distance Education

Tract Collins reported that the Distance Education Coordinating Council (DECC) has been moribund since January. CCHE seems to be totally focused on the statewide online registration/info system called uMentora. It is a huge job because of the problems of interfacing to the very different databases of the different institutions. The CFAC voted to ask Foster to resurrect the DECC.

Work is still being done on online statewide library resources.

Telecourses no longer receive State support, but online courses do.

Tract Collins reported that her efforts to create a faculty award for the best online course of the year, something that Jeff Richardson had originally supported, had been quashed. Mike Martin said that Apple Computer would contribute the $5K award money, but would only do it for a person who had used the Apple computer. Obviously that was unacceptable. Someone suggested that Apple be approached to provide an Apple computer to the winner instead of the cash.

Wayne Artis announced the Teaching with Technology conference at CU June 4-6.

2.  GE-25 General Education

Gala Jo Slauson and Sue Ellen Canton reported that the committee had been frustrated with bate and switch meeeting agendas, and that there were no more meetings scheduled, despste the fact that things were being done and presumably attributed to the committee. They said the issues involving oral communications, lab sciences, and technology competency areas (i.e. how to fund for such massive programs) still have major issues. They said a substitute for CU President Betsy Hoffman wasn’t even allowed to sit at the table. (Only OFFICIAL members sit there.) They strongly recommended that the course application forms be ALL that is required for the small approval committee to approve. Complete course syllabi (a) are redundant, (b) constantly change, (c) present an unreasonable challenge to read by the very small group that approves the courses, most of which don’t have expertise in the focus areas, and (d) constitute a significant issue about academic freedom to teach the courses as desired as long as the proper components are present The CFAC discussed how the compliance was monitored, and suggested that compliance should be done at the chief academic officer level of the individual institutions. It was pointed out that Tim Foster assures people this is NOT an attempt to construct a statewide core curriculum, but Sharon Sampson, the CCHE staffer in charge, has referred to it that way on a number of occasions.

3.  Quality Indicators

Though institutions may not like QIS, at the moment there seems to be little controversy over it. Both Jim Westerman (QIS Committee rep) and Wayne Mis praised Ray Keift, the CCHE staffer in charge, for his effective handling of the committee.

DISCUSSION WITH TIM FOSTER (after lunch)

1. When Blade asked Foster why telecourses did not receive state funding but online courses did, Foster said sending videotapes doesn’t allow for sufficient student interaction. When Blade asked about dosed circuit TV, Foster responded that that was a grey area.

2. When CFAC recommended that course syllabi not be submitted to the GE-25 implementation committee, Foster responded that there needs to be evidence of how the requirements are being implemented.

3. Asked about whether admission window should be lowered from the current 20% (i.e. 20% of the students do not have to satisfy the admission requirements), Foster responded that they are a long way from having the information necessary to make such a decision.

4. Asked about how the CCHE feels about colleges getting independent local boards, Foster responded that CCHE generally favors such boards, at least in the case of the state college system, because the state college system is too bureaucratic. For example, the CCHE is MUCH faster in approving degree programs.

REPORT OF JIM JACOBS OF THE CCHE REGARDING FUNDING OF HIGHER EDUCATION

1. Much statistics on the website. Examples: Colorado rated 7th in nation in per capita income, shared 1st place with Massachusetts on level of education. 46th in state taxes per $1K income. Very low in HS grads, particularly males and minorities, going on to college anywhere. Endowments: Harvard=$18B, Princeton has $IM per student, Pomona in California has $1 B. Foster commented that a lot of the statistics presented make different assumptions, so it is difficult to make comparisons. Much of the data comes from financial aid.

2. Jacobs got much of the history of funding higher education from 3 key people, one of which was John Bliss. Looked at 10 year expenditures of institutions.

3. Looking at recommending more flexibility in the spending of money, but less money from state.

4. TABOR significantly limits tuition. Now DU tuition $20K/yr while CU tuition $2.8K/yr.

5. While 10 years ago enrollments did increase as a result of recession, not true now. The huge enrollment increases that we currently see are likely due to all HS seniors taking ACTs so the scores are readily available to apply to colleges. If not required, lots of students never get around to taking the ACTs.

ELECTIONS

Wayne Artis agreed to serve another year as chair. Blade agreed to serve another year as one of two vice chairs.   Westeman agreed to be the other vice chair. Various people agreed to serve as secretary, treasurer, and various committee assignments. The group also agreed to re-instate the $10/yr dues to cover travel expenses for those who are not being reimbursed by their institutions.

INFORMAL DISCUSSION AFTER THE MEETING

Jim Westerman approached me about Western State becoming a branch of CU. In particular, they have a lot of students wanting a specific 5 year program, and they are not allowed to offer anything that requires more than 4 years. I responded that becoming part of CU is probably not practical politically, but that I felt UCCS would ~come a discussion about some kind of shared program, though I didn’t know the political constraints.