Chairs Council Minutes

November 21, 2002

Present: Faye Vowell, Magdaleno Manzanarez, Ken Ladner, Deb Nordquist for Gwen Cassel, Mary Baumhover, Pat McIntire, Bertha Benavidez, Ben Tucker, Gloria Maya, Lloyd Cowling, Donna Rees, Linda Baldwin, Junius Logan, Jerry Harmon, Katherine Woodard.

• Announcements: Sheryl Gribble is looking for tutors for JPPO after School Learning Program. All interested are encouraged to attend the Academic Chairpersons Conference described in the brochure sent to all chairs previous.
• Faye Vowell circulated her calendar for Chairs to set up MBO meetings to discuss their MBOs and any issues and concerns especially in regard to probationary faculty. Chairs need to bring only untenured faculty MBOs and their own. If someone's performance is unsatisfactory, he or she must be given notice of this in a letter before Thanksgiving.Tentative decisions by the department chair on recommendations for tenure and/or promotion are made at this time based on current and previous performance and conv eyed to the VPAA. Affected faculty must get copies of this letter also.
• Faye Vowell asked for feedback on policy changes. The next policy committee meeting will be December 3. Pat McIntire asked for an agenda item to be added to the Policy Committee agenda on criminal background checks for nursing students.Faye Vowell suggested that she forward a copy of the policy to the policy committee and ask that it be acted upon.
• Faye Vowell reviewed the approved faculty positions that can be advertised for Fall 2003. The group participated in an exercise to create the Criteria Matrix to be used in deciding what new faculty positions will be added. The criteria were ranked as follows:
• 1. Accreditation Requirements
• 2. Adjunct Load
• 3. Number of majors/minors
• 4. Existing Vacancy
• 5. Discipline/student/faculty ratio
• 6. Program Expansion
• 7. Community Needs (including the Extended University)
• 8. New Programs
• 9. Job Market Demands
• 10. Curriculum coverage as identified by assessment outcomes.
• A central list of fully online courses, in order for WNMU to market online courses, send Donna Rees and Gail Gruber information about any online courses that departments are teaching for the spring 2003. WNMU is a member of the New Mexico Virtual College and we can add our courses to that website.Faculty reimbursement on travel--actual vs. per diem--Mary Baumhover. Chairs would like forms that make this designation clear. Faye Vowell will forward this request to Chris Casey.
• Reminder: On the Academic Council agenda for the next meeting will be an item about current problems with Purchasing. Please write out these problems and we will compile and discuss.
• Ken Ladner asked that Faye Vowell verify the validity of a statement that Lab Fees for Summer I have been rolled over into this semester; however, next summer session I will not be rolled over into the next academic year.
• Dr. Harmon urged all Chairs to check in with representatives to Teacher Education Committee who have new criteria regarding endorsements.
• Dr. Tucker announced band concert on Sunday at 3:00 p.m.
• Faculty load reports were handed out--any suggestions or changes can be sent to Dr. Logan.
• Full meeting adjourned at 3:15. Chairs hiring for Fall 2003 met with Dr. Vowell. A copy of the existing hiring policy was handed out. We are trying to do one large ad in the Chronicle. ERFs and job descriptions due before Chronicle deadline in December. Want to get in a December issue i f possible and if not in a January Chronicle. Faye Vowell urged chairs to appoint Search Committees now and get them approved and have their orientation with Affirmative Action, create standard questions, criteria grid and reference questions. Committees are encouraged to call references. According to the policy, Chairs and coordinate interview schedules. If departmental search committees choose to do this, please put this request in writing to HR. Our goal is to advertise in December, close in January and have offers out by spring break.