Minutes for the Faculty Senate Meeting
Monday, April 27, 2015
Senators PresenT:Adler, Ahmed, Barut, Brooks, Bryant, Castro, Celestin, Chang, Decker, Dehner, Hornm, Huckstadt, Hull, Hughes, Johnson, Klunder, Moore-Jdansen, Mosack Rokosz, Ross, Sh;aw, Taher, Trechak, Walker, Yeager, Yildirim
Senators Absent: Hanawalt Houseman, Hunsicker, Perry, Ramanan, Woods, Yao, Yu
Senators excused:Baker, Bergman, Close, Mason, Rillema
Summary of Action:
1. Accepted the Social Media Implementation for WSU as amended
2. Accepted Standing Committee Annual Reports (see Committee reports)
1. Call to order by President Mehmet Barut at 3:30 pm and ask that the order of the meeting be changed
7. Briefing: Strategic Planning and WSU Ventures 鈥� Cindy Claycomb, Asst to the President, Strategic Planning and Director WSU Ventures
鈥� Steering Committee is continuing to work on strategic development with representatives
from all of the colleges. The strategic plan is a living document and should drive
the actions that we take..
鈥� The committee is working to figure out how to measure if we are making progress
toward our goals. Developing a 'supermeasure'. The 7 goals are strategies to achieve
the university's vision and mission. They want to create a process of continuous feedback
and improvement.
* WSU Ventures [slides to be posted on Bb] 鈥� Cindy provided several examples of research
projects that were developed on campus.
* WSU Ventures helps with Intellectual property disclosures 鈥� Currently Engineering
has 16% and NIAR approx 15%. It would be good to see more in other areas too. There
is a lot of development being done in the university community that is not being protected
by IP disclosure.
鈥� Mission statement: to leverage the intellect and talent to benefit high achievers,
investors, the university community and the people of Kansas.
* Primary activities: knowledge transfer (through licensing outside the university),
economic development (new start ups built around our existing assets), sponsored research
(engage with industry to promote WSU research interests and use our facilities).
鈥� They can help evaluate ideas for potential marketing and can help connect with
industry sponsors. They are working closely with the Center for Entrepreneurship.
鈥� Benefits to faculty: recognition as a scholar, publications, opportunities for
your students, media exposure, new resources. (Inviting people to partner based on
what they are already doing, not necessarily taking on many new things).
* Looking for knowledge that has value to users outside the university, marketable
products, etc.
Q: What is the current profit sharing / revenue distribution agreement (RDA): 50%
to inventor(s), 25% to dept/lab, 25% to WSU Ventures; this is current practice and
she is not aware that it is negotiable in practice although it may be in theory.
Q: What about Student revenue sharing. If the creation comes out of classwork, then
an agreement must be negotiated, it is more negotiable because the university doesn't
own their intellectual property under these conditions.
Q: What about royalties? No royalties are taken by the university, it all goes to
the author
2. Informal Statements and Proposals
鈥� A faculty member had research projects from his students accepted at a conference
last year, but had a very difficult time finding funding to support undergraduate
conference travel. Is there such funding available on campus as part of the Strategic
Plan or Innovation campus? Money is available through the Undergraduate Research Grant
program (administered through the Honors College) https://wichita.edu/?u=honors&p=/undergraduatestudentresearch/
Members of student organizations can also apply for travel funds through SGA.
6. WSU Social Media Implementation Policy:(2nd reading) (attached to meeting notice and on Bb)
* Senator Dehner: For clarification: opening paragraph should include a link to AAUP
1940 statements as the basis for academic freedom principles. Accepted as a friendly
amendment
* Additional recommendation: At the end of section 6: in an effort to make sure that
recommendations would be followed except in exceptional circumstances. "This procedure
assumes that the committee's recommendations will generally be accepted, or modified
only for compelling reasons." Accepted as a friendly amendment.
* Discussion about appointment of the 5th member by the President of the University.
Proposed amendment: to go back to the original language to select 3 members of the
committee from the Peer group, and 1 from each of the other constituent groups. (strike
3b3). Approved.
* Discussion about whether the constituent President alone should make the committee
appointments. No modification made.
* Friendly amendment to 3.: "employee may request the respective constituent president
to replace any member due to conflict of interest."
Motion to approve the Policy as amended. Approved.
3. Approval of the Minutes of the meeting Monday, April 13, 2015. Approved.
4. President鈥檚 Report - Mehmet Barut
鈥� The COFSP decided to write a letter to KBOR instead of launching a public campaign.
The following points were emphasized:
* A proposed 2 year tuition freeze for the KBOR schools places higher education at
a critical juncture. Enrollment in our Universities has increased, costs have increased,
and unfunded mandates from state and federal laws continue to appear. This proposed
tuition freeze without additional funding is another substantial budget cut for higher
education that will negatively impact our students.
* Students scholarship funds would decrease, reducing opportunities for Kansas students.
Our universities will have to cut class sections and increase class sizes, decreasing
the quality of a Kansas education and degree. The hiring of new faculty members, who
are critically needed in programs where enrollment has increased, would not be possible,
and accreditation of some programs might be jeopardized. This will increase the likelihood
that our faculty members will seek jobs in other states.
* We believe that the proposed tuition freeze without additional funding from the
state would severely damage the higher education system in which generations of Kansans
have invested. We urge you to consider these points as you continue to advocate for
Kansas higher education.
* The Faculty Senate Executive Committee received an anonymous letter posing multiple questions about university budget priorities and organizational restructuring. The Ex Comm discussed the contents of the letter with VP Vizzini and feel that there is no action to be taken at this point. Vizzini stated that his door is open and welcomes any discussion that people want to have.
5. Committee Reports
A. Rules Committee- Peer Moore-Jansen, chair - no report.
B. Faculty Senate Standing Committee Annual Reports `
Court of Academic Appeals
Faculty Affairs
Faculty Support
General Education
Tenure & Promotion
University Admissions & Exceptions
鈥� Motion to accept the annual reports as posted online. Approved.
6. WSU Social Media Implementation Policy:(2nd reading) (attached to meeting notice and on Bb)
* Senator Dehner: For clarification: opening paragraph should include a link to AAUP
1940 statements as the basis for academic freedom principles. Accepted as a friendly
amendment
* Additional recommendation: At the end of section 6: in an effort to make sure that
recommendations would be followed except in exceptional circumstances. "This procedure assumes that the committee's recommendations will generally be accepted,
or modified only for compelling reasons." Accepted as a friendly amendment.
* Discussion about appointment of the 5th member by the President of the University.
Proposed amendment: to go back to the original language to select 3 members of the
committee from the Peer group, and 1 from each of the other constituent groups. (strike
3b3). Approved.
* Discussion about whether the constituent President alone should make the committee
appointments. No modification made.
* Friendly amendment to 3.: "employee may request the respective constituent president to replace any member due
to conflict of interest."
Motion to approve the Policy as amended. Approved.r.
Reminders:
鈥� Shocker Pride Celebration April 28 @ 3:30: Bob Ross, Elizabeth Behrman and Chris
Brooks receiving the President鈥檚 Distinguished Service awards.
鈥� Friday May 8 - Award Ceremony and General Faculty meeting (2:30 and 3:00) KBOR
Regent Wilks, Bardo and Vizzini remarks, with meeting to follow. Beggs Ballroom.
鈥� May 11 - final Faculty Senate meeting with elections for the Executive committee.