2010-11 Faculty Council Regular Meeting

1. 2010-11 Faculty CouncilRegular Meeting

2. Agenda • I. Report of the Secretary. • II. Approval of the Minutes. • Minutes of the regular meeting of December 6, 2010.

3. III. Communication with the President. • Comments. • Questions. • From Sue Heinzelman (associate professor, English) • One of the recommendations in the Gender Equity report was that each college or school develop a gender equity plan appropriate to its institutional identity and that such a plan be posted on the unit's website. Would you please let the Faculty Council know the status of this recommendation: i.e., what colleges and schools have posted a plan approved by the Provost's office and what have not?

4. Posted Gender Equity Plans Updated: January 24, 2011

5. Report of the Chair: ad hoc committee on “Faculty Excellence” • Initial charge: • to explain to the public what faculty productivity and accountability mean, how they are currently assured, and whether the University is determining this productivity in the best and most appropriate ways • to suggest ways to facilitate faculty efforts to further improve the productivity of both the faculty and the university • to suggest ways to further improve data-collection and other methods for assessing the productivity of the faculty and the university • Membership • committee will consist of approximately ten faculty members, and will elect its own chair once it is formed • term of service will be two years, but may be extended if deemed appropriate by future FCECs • Nominations for membership • FC members will be asked to submit nominations • nominees can be members of the FC or the University at large • final selection of members will be made by the FCEC

6. Report of the Chair: state budget & performance measures Legislative Budget Board Summary of 2012–13 Legislative Budget Estimates – House, p. 110 TABLE 23: SELECTED PERFORMANCE MEASURES: EDUCATION, UT

7. Report of the Chair: some bills filed so far relating to higher education Legislative bill tracker from Texas Tribune: http://www.texastribune.org/texas-legislature/texas-legislature/search-track-texas-legislation-in-82nd-session/ Senate: SB354 [many sponsors: Wentworth, Birdwell, Carona, Deuell, Eltife, Estes, Fraser, Harris, Hegar, Jackson, Nelson, Seliger, Williams ]: Relating to the carrying of concealed handguns on the campuses of institutions of higher education. SB228: Relating to reporting requirements for institutions of higher education conducting human stem cell research. SB282: Relating to eliminating certain reporting, planning, student developmental, and other requirements imposed on the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board or public institutions of higher education. SB29: relates to health care for postdocs and grad students SB298: to eliminate set-aside of tuition for financial aid (?) SB32 : Relating to the consolidation of related higher education programs governing tuition, fee exemptions, and waivers respective to specific target populations. (maintains TA/RA in-state tuition waiver) SB36: Relating to methods for increasing student success and degree completion at public institutions of higher education.

8. Report of the Chair: some bills filed so far relating to higher education Legislative bill tracker from Texas Tribune: http://www.texastribune.org/texas-legislature/texas-legislature/search-track-texas-legislation-in-82nd-session/ House: HB86: Relating to the carrying of concealed handguns on the campuses of institutions of higher education. HB104: abolish THECB HB136: Relating to restrictions on dropping courses at public institutions of higher education. HB154: Relating to a prohibition against human cloning and regulating other uses of human tissue by institutions of higher education; providing penalties. HB33: Relating to measures to increase the affordability of textbooks used for courses at public institutions of higher education. HB459: Relating to temporary limitations on the total amount of tuition charged to a student by a four-year public institution of higher education. HB464: Relating to the determination of resident status of students by public institutions of higher education. [“A person who is not authorized by law to be present in the United States may not be considered a resident of this state for purposes of this title”], see also HB623

9. Report of the Chair: survey to promote discussion of budget and faculty involvement in budget planning and setting of budget priorities • Survey is underway, will close January 28 • apologies for the typo in question 7… • 360 responses to date • consulted by dean on budget planning and prioritization: ~80% NO • discussion at college / school faculty meetings: ~60% NO • discussion at departmental level: ~50% YES • involvement in budget planning and prioritization : ~80% NONE to LITTLE • should faculty be more involved: 76% YES • 151 comments to date • fairly typical observation has been roughly: faculty are informed of budget concerns and decisions, but we are not consulted about what the budget should prioritize

10. Report of the Chair: state budget • LBB Legislative Budget Estimates, 2012–13, January 11, 2011, submitted to the 82nd Texas Legislature, HOUSE VERSION • [http://www.lbb.state.tx.us/Bill_82/1_Recommend/Bill-82-1_House_Recommend.pdf ] • LBB’s recommended baseline appropriations for the 2012–13 biennium: $156.4 billion • $31.1 billion smaller than 2010-11 (16.6% drop) • Total, UT-Austin Object-of-Expense Informational Listing, p. III-44 • includes special item support (e.g., MARINE SCIENCE INSTITUTE, MCDONALD OBSERVATORY, COMPETITIVE KNOWLEDGE FUND [aka Research University Development Fund: research universities receive $1 of state support for every $10 external research grants], etc.) • other possible cuts (if I read it correctly) in retirement contributions and health care premium sharing

11. Report of the Chair: state budget (from LBB-House) Mary Knight, Associate Vice President and Budget Director is here to help us understand what these numbers might mean…

13. Report of the Chair Elect. Unfinished Business—None. Reports of the General Faculty, Colleges, Schools, and Committees—None.

14. New Business. • Proposed Changes to the Voting Rights of the General Faculty in the Handbook of Operating Procedures (D 8512-8513) • CHAPTER 1 – FACULTY GOVERNANCE , Section I. GENERAL FACULTY • Authority and General Functions •  {No changes to this section.} • B. Membership • 1. Voting members of the General Faculty shall consist of the following: • a. All professors, associate professors, and assistant professors. • b. All instructors and [lecturers] non-tenure track faculty who have had a total of four or more continuous long session semesters of service at these ranks at The University of Texas at Austin[.] and who meet these criteria: • (1)are appointed at least 50% time as a faculty member at UT Austin during each of those four continuous long session semesters, • (2)have their primary academic home at UT Austin and not another UT unit, and • are not students. Cont.

15. c. Such officers as are designated in the UT System Board of Regents’ Rules and Regulations as being ex officio members of all institutional faculties of The University of Texas System. • d. Such other officers as the Board of Regents, upon recommendation of the president and the UT System chancellor may designate. • If a voting member’s appointment temporarily drops below the minimum amount of time required for voting membership due to an approved leave of absence without pay, the member’s voting status shall not be affected. • [2.] [A faculty member shall have voting status only on the basis of half-time employment or more at the University.] • [3] 2. Those faculty members designated in Section B.1 above shall retain their voting status while on modified service or phased retirement, but not upon full retirement. • [4] 3. Each voting member, of whatever rank, shall be entitled to one vote. • [5] 4. Nonvoting members of the General Faculty shall consist of the following: • a. All visiting professors, [and] visiting associate professors, visiting assistant professors, and visiting Harrington fellows. • b. All instructors and [lecturers] non-tenure-track faculty who have served for [less] fewer than four continuous long semesters. • c. All individuals holding [the] an emeritus title. [“professor emeritus” or “associate professor emeritus.”] Cont.

16. [6] 5. Non-voting members have the privilege of attending meetings with the right to speak but without the right to vote. • {No further changes to this section.} • Section V. COLLEGES, SCHOOLS, AND DEPARTMENTS • Colleges and Departmentalized Schools. • The voting members of the college or school faculty are the same as for the General Faculty (see Sec. I.B.l). • [Special] Dual titles such as professor of [home economics] human ecology and education indicate voting membership in both colleges or departments provided the faculty member holds a 50% appointment in each unit. • Standing committees of the colleges and schools shall be appointed by the respective deans, either annually or biennially. • 4.Colleges and departmentalized schools may create more liberal voting criteria provided the rules meet these minimal standards. These voting rules shall be reported to the provost and Office of General Faculty and reaffirmed or revised every three years. These rules shall operate for the entire academic year and shall be determined prior to the start of a fall academic year. Cont.

17. Departments and Non-Departmentalized Schools/Colleges. • 1. A faculty member shall have voting status in a departmentor non-departmentalized school/college on departmental/non-departmentalized school/college matters if: • a. He or she holds a full-time appointment in that department and holds the rank of professor, [visiting professor,] associate professor, [visiting associate professor,] assistant professor, instructor, or [lecturer] any non-tenure-track title. The assignment of a faculty member to an administrative post, released time for research, career development, an endowed chair or such other activities as may be approved by the president shall not jeopardize the voting status of the individual under this provision. Or • He or she holds joint appointments in two or more departments[,] in any of the ranks listed in subsection a. above; he or she holds joint appointments in two or more departments in any of the ranks listed in subsection a. above, the sum of which corresponds to full-time appointment in the University, and [holds any of the ranks listed in subsection a., above, and] the appointment in the represented department constitutes at least 50% of that time. • [(1)] [the terms of the original appointment accorded the faculty member voting status in the department or] • [(2)] [the joint appointment is subsequent to his initial appointment and comprises at least 50% time appointment in the department as detailed in the budget.] Cont.

18. 2.Non-Departmentalized Schools may create more liberal voting criteria provided the rules meet these minimal standards.  These voting rules shall be reported to the Provost and Office of General Faculty and reaffirmed or revised every three years.  These rules shall operate for the entire academic year and shall be determined prior to the start of a Fall academic year. • C.Academic Centers. • A faculty member shall have voting status in an academic center on center matters according to how the center determines its voting rights. These voting rules shall be reported to the provost and Office of General Faculty and reaffirmed or revised every three years. These rules shall operate for the entire academic year and shall be determined prior to the start of a fall academic year. • Rationale for change: • To clarify voting rights and to maintain equity in the voting rights for all non-tenure track faculty who meet the criteria described in the original HOP for instructors and lecturers.

19. A project sponsored by the Office of the President, the Office of the Executive Vice President and Provost, and the Division of Student Affairs 2011 Student Experience in the Research University (SERU): The Ultimate Student Survey

20. Developed by UC-Berkeley Center for Studies in Higher Education Administered online in the UC from 2002-present; large research universities outside UC began participating in 2008 Focused on understanding student experience at large research universities Designed as longitudinal study using census of all undergraduates Background

21. 21% of students answered initial questions (n=7,365), however only 15% of students persisted through the entire instrument • Representativeness • Good representation by ethnicity and college • Over-representation of females • Under-representation of Freshmen Spring 2010 SERU Pilot Results

22. Website for results: http://wwwtest.utexas.edu/seru/tool/ut.html Areas covered include: • Time allocation • Academic and Personal Development • Academic Engagement • Evaluation of the Major • Cost of Education • Background Information • Campus Climate for Diversity • Family Education Levels Spring 2010 SERU Pilot Results

24. 91% agree* that they feel they belong at this campus 90% are satisfied** with their overall academic experience 86% are satisfied** with the value of the education for the price they’re paying 86% say that faculty provide prompt and useful feedback on student work (% “yes”) Spring 2010 SERU SampleFindings *Agree = somewhat agree + agree + strongly agree **Satisfied = somewhat satisfied + satisfied + very satisfied

25. Launch date is Tuesday, February 1, 2011 • Over 35,000 undergraduate students will be invited to participate via email • Non-respondents will be re-contacted weekly • Some by contacts within Colleges/Schools • Response rates will be updated regularly and posted online • College Competitions planned • We hope to end data collection after Spring Break Plans for 2011

26. Getting a much higher response rate is critical Higher response allows us to drill down to the academic program level Higher response allows us to follow individual students longitudinally through their UT careers Response Rate

27. Encourage your students to complete the survey Mention the study to your colleagues and ask them to tell their students Ask about the college competition – keep track of college response rates Talk it up! Contact us for results or for more information YourHelp Is Important

28. Website for 2010 results: http://wwwtest.utexas.edu/seru/tool/index.html Lauren Ratliff, Research Associate, Office of the President Lauren_ratliff@yahoo.com (512)232-8280 Gale Stuart, Ph.D., Director of Assessment, Division of Student Affairs Gale.Stuart@austin.utexas.edu (512)232-9608 Thank you! For More Information

29. IX. Announcements and Comments. • A. Nominations for membership on the General Faculty Standing Committees, today through February 11. • B. Breakfast with the President, January 27 at the AT&T EECC, room 104, 7:00-8:30. • C.The annual Faculty Council photograph will be taken on February 14 at 2:00 on the south steps of the Main Building. • D. The annual meeting of the General Faculty will be held on February 14 at 2:15 in MAI 212 at 2:15. • The inaugural annual meeting of the School of Undergraduate Studies will immediately follow the General Faculty meeting on February 14 at 2:15 in MAI 212. • The next Faculty Council meeting will be held on February 14 in MAI 212 immediately following the inaugural annual meeting of the School of Undergraduate Studies. • X. Questions to the Chair. • XI. Adjournment.

30. The End