Mānoa Faculty Senate Executive Committee
Minutes of October 20, 2008

Mānoa Faculty Senate Executive Committee
Monday – October 20, 2008; Hawaiʻi Hall 208
Present: Wakayama, Crookes, Hilgers, Ross, Keil, Tiles, Crosby
(secty Mitsutani)

2:30 Meeting with Kathy Cutshaw

Discussion of hiring procedures to apply to “executives”. VC Cutshaw pointed out that there are no longer “E&M” positions. All M-category (management) positions have been changed to be part of the general category of “executive”.  SEC had proposed procedures that would apply to the hiring of major positions on UHM campus which were intended to head off the problems that emerged in the hiring of the VCAA. These procedures might not easily apply to what we used to call managerial positions, said Cutshaw.

SEC tried to identify wording that would work to preserve the older distinction, such as “at the level of Deans, Directors, and above”, in any statement of policy for hiring to apply to major positions on the campus.

It was decided to return the draft policy to CAB for possible rewording consistent with this distinction.

SEC meeting

1) Minutes of previous meeting were approved.

2) Chair’s report

MET meeting: Dean of Students reviewed homecoming, Neal Milner reviewed issues in the Ombuds Office; Cutshaw reviewed budget issues; the Sakamoto-Morton committee has met for the second time and discussed the use of consultant firms that will advise on the topic of revised formula for funding UH System campuses. They have not decided on a firm but we note that this was the process used on a previous occasion and resulted in a report that ignored the different missions of individual campuses.

The Senate Resolution requesting faculty input into the search for the UH System president was not placed on the BoR agenda for its next meeting. The SEC Chair will present it during the period of the meeting for Open Comment. SEC discussed additional arguments supporting this position.

3) Processes for PBRC review of documents concerning PBRC reorganization

These were reviewed.

4) A&S reorganization

Further discussion occurred, but with no resolution of the uncertainties surrounding this topic as it stands at present.

5) Status of the FAR

FAR Peter Nicholson cannot fulfill his duties while on sabbatical. There will need to be a replacement found, in order to be in compliance with accreditation requirements. SEC will raise the matter with the Chancellor.

6) Singapore TIM matter

Interim VCAA sent a substantial response to SEC’s letter expressing concerns about these developments. SEC accepted his response. SEC went on to discuss the role and membership of the Distance Education Committee. It also considered establishing policy that would appropriately trigger the attention of the SEC to new programs, either in general, or any proposals that are exceptional new developments in program offerings.

4:00 Meeting with VCAA staff (Bee Kooker, Wendy Pearson) and Interim VCAA Quigley on the topic of program review.

a) SEC had some questions on the draft self-study documents for program review developed by OVCAA. The basic thrust of the discussion concerned the need for program review to influence the year to year planning process of a university, while not overburdening regular faculty with demands for data or the planning and review staff with demands for analysis.

b) SEC communicated its appreciation of the OVCAA’s response to the SEC communications concerning the TIM Singapore initiative. SEC discussed the processes specified in existing or to be specified in future OVCAA documents for validating the fact that faculty in colleges have been involved in consultations prior to program proposals arriving at VCAA office or higher up.

c) SEC asked VC Quigley about the status of the Distance Education Committee. It may be a System committee in practice. VC Quigley felt that it should probably be subject to oversight by Faculty Senate. He will look into the status of the committee.

Respectfully submitted,
Graham Crookes

Contact dave at math.hawaii.edu with comments regarding this site.