Minutes 10-26-12

College of Arts and Sciences

Faculty Assembly 

October 26, 2012

Registering Attendance:

Anthropology: J. Zhao

Biology: D. Schultz

Classical & Modern Lang:W. Cunningham, M. Dalle, B. Fonseca-Greber, M. Groenewold, G. Hutcheson, D. LaLonde, A. Leidner, R. Luginbill, M. Makris, A. Mastri, W. Pfeffer, P. Sanchez, L. Wagner, W. Yoder

Communication: L. Della, J. Ferre, A. Futrell, J. Gregg, D. Seay, S. Smith

English: D. Anderson, M. Biberman, T. Byers, K. Chandler, A. Clukey, J. Dietrich, S. Griffin, P. Griner, K. Hadley, D. Hall, A. Jaffe, K. Kopelson, C. Petrosino, G. Ridley, S. Schneider, B. Williams,  E. Wise, T. Yohannes

Fine Arts: S. Jarosi, J. Kim

Geography/Geosciences:C. Day, J. Hadizadeh, C. Hanchette, K. Mountain, W. Song, M. Walker

History: M. Taylor, D. Vivian, L.S. Weissbach

Humanities: P. Beattie, S. Bertacco, P. Pranke, T. Soldat-Jaffe, G. Sparks

Mathematics: C. Biro, L. Larson, T. Riedel, P. Sahoo, D. Swanson, D. Wildstrom, S. Young

Pan-African Studies: T. Rajack-Talley

Philosophy: A. Kolers, D. Owen

Physics: D. Brown, C. Jayanthi 

Political Science: J. Abbott, J. Farrier, T. Gray, R. Payne, L. Rhodebeck

Sociology: J. Busch, C. Negrey

Theatre Arts: N. Burton, R. Vandenbroucke

Urban & Public Affairs: D. Simpson

Women’s & Gender St:C. Fosl, D. Heinecken, N. Theriot

Professor Byers, Chair, called the Assembly to order.

The minutes of the Assembly of September 28, 2012, were approved as distributed.

The Chair extended the Assembly’s thanks to Matt Elgin, a graduate student in Psychology, who had set up the program for the Assembly to use iClickers for voting.

The Chair stated that the business before the Assembly was the continued consideration of the motion to substitute Professor Heinecken’s proposal for a student course evaluation format, as amended by the Assembly in the meeting of September 28, for the evaluation currently in use.

The Chair asked if there were additional  items in the proposal which the Assembly wished to discuss.

The Chair recognized Professor Kopelson, who moved  the addition of a new question to replace  the original question 10 “The grading in the course was fair” deleted at the September meeting:  “The instructor followed the grading procedures that were outlined in the syllabus.”

Discussion included Professors Yoder, Kopelson, Hutcheson, and Heinecken.

Hearing no call for further discussion, the Chair put the question and the motion carried with 49 in favor, 12 opposed, and 2 abstaining.

The Chair recognized Professor Heinecken, who moved to change “course” to “instructor” in question 11:  “I would recommend this course to others.”  The motion was seconded.  Following further discussion, Professor Heinecken   accepted as a friendly amendment  a proposal to create separate questions:  “I would recommend this instructor to others” and “I would recommend this course to others.”

Hearing no call for further discussion, the Chair put the question and the motion carried with 57 in favor, 10 opposed, and 2 abstaining.

The Chair recognized Professor Pfeffer who moved the addition of a question “This course was useful for my studies.”  The motion was seconded.

Discussion included Professors Hutcheson, Griffin, Pferrer, and Theriot.

Hearing no call for further discussion, the Chair put the question and the motion failed with 5 in favor, 47 opposed, and 6 abstaining.

The Chair recognized Professor Weissbach, who moved that the spaces for comments on instructor strengths and weaknesses at the end of the form be phrased:  “Please comment on instructor and course strengths” and “Please comment on instructor and course weaknesses.”  The motion was seconded.

Discussion included Professors Hutcheson, Pranke, and Heinecken.

A substitute motion to phrase the questions “Please comment on instructor strengths and weaknesses” and “Please comment on course strengths and weaknesses” was made and seconded.  

The substitute motion carried with 45 in favor, 13 opposed, and 4 abstaining.

Professor Wise moved  the deletion of the word “please” from the two questions.  The motion was seconded.  Discussion included Professors Kohlers, Griffin, and Heinecken.

The motion to delete carried with 33 in favor, 28 opposed, and 7 abstaining.

Professor Pfeffer moved amending the motion to  have the direction read “Comment on instructor strengths and/or weaknesses” and “Comment on course strengths and/or weaknesses.”  The motion was seconded.

Hearing no call for discussion, the Chair put the question and the motion carried.

The Chair recognized Professor Burton who moved replacing response 3 on the question rankings (neutral) with “neither agree nor disagree.”  The motion was seconded.  Hearing no call for discussion, the Chair put the question and the motion carried. 

It was moved and seconded to delete  the word “greatly” on questions 6 and 7. The motion to delete carried.

The Chair recognized Professor Jayanthi who moved the substitution of “assignments” for “assigned readings” in question 7, as more applicable to the variety of homework activities in different disciplines.

Discussion included Professors Kopelson, Griffin, Yoder, Gray, Wise, Gregg, Kohlers, Petrosino, Jaffe, Luginbill, Owens, Weissbach, Bertacco, and Jayanthi.

Three suggestions were made for substitute motions.  The first would have replaced  “assigned readings” with “course work (readings, exercises, and other such assignments)” ; the second would have replaced “assigned readings” with “assigned readings and/or other assignments;”  the third would have replaced “assigned readings” with “course work and/or course materials.”  None carried.

Hearing no call for further discussion, the Chair put the question on the motion to replace  “assigned readings” with “assignments”  in question 7.  The motion carried.

The Chair recognized Professor Dietrich  who moved that the vote on the entire document  (1) include an affirmation that the questions regarding distance education courses and courses using  REACH Supplemented Instruction or  Learning Assistance  as now in use be a part of the document and  (2) specify that that the new evaluation form would go into use for Spring 2013

The Chair ruled that the distance education and SI/LA questions were not a part of the document and that their inclusion would have to be determined at a subsequent Assembly.

The Chair then put the question on the motion to accept the proposed student course evaluation format as amended.  The motion carried.

PDF: Course Evaluation Proposal as Amended in Assembly of 10-26-12

PDF: Course Evaluation Proposal as Amended in Assembly of 10-26-12