THE UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE AT CHATTANOOGA
FACULTY COUNCIL MINUTES
February 6, 1992
Signal Mountain Room
University Center
ELECTED MEMBERS PRESENT: Dave Anderson, Stephanie Bellar, Tom Bibler, Martha Butterfield, Stan Byrd, Terry Carney, Joe DePari, Robert Duffy, George Helton, Arlie Herron, Doug Kingdon, Irene Loomis, Ed McMahon, Gail Meyer, Betty Pickett, Marea Rankin, Edgar Shawen, David Shepherd, James Stroud, Gavin Townsend, John Trimpey, Margaret Trimpey, Jeannette Vallier, Donald Weisbaker, Terry Zivney
ELECTED MEMBERS ABSENT: Pedro Campa, David Carrithers, Don Cassell, Debbie Ingram, Fred Nixon, Peter Pringle, Tapan Sen, Ken Venters, Robert Wilson
EX-OFFICIO MEMBERS PRESENT: Jane Harbaugh, Fred Obear, Sandra Packard, Charles Renneisen
AMONG THE GUESTS PRESENT: Eugene Bartoo, Brenda Davis, Paul Gaston, Richard Hannah, Leland Robinson, Roy Stinnett, Mary Tanner, David Wiley
Summary of Actions
Council received information items and approved curriculum changes in
Engineering, English, Sociology, Nursing and Curriculum and Instruction.
Council tabled the issue of Evaluation of Department Heads pending receipt of the report
from the Committee on Student Evaluation of Faculty.
Call to Order
President Butterfield called the meeting to order at 3:20. She announced that Professor Doug Kingdon has been appointed to replace Professor Anne Hunt on Faculty Council for this semester because of a class conflict.
Approval of Minutes
The minutes of the meeting of January 16 were approved without correction.
Committee Reports
Curriculum Committee
Professor Doug Kingdon (chair) reviewed information items from Engineering and
prerequisite reductions for ENGR 248 and 470, removal of prerequisites for ENGL 333,
information items from Sociology, Anthropology, Geography relative to Sociology 250,
proposals for two new courses from Nursing and the elimination of Business Education and
Vocational Home Economics as concentrations in Secondary Education.
Motion 1: To approve the proposals. Moved by Professor Bibler, seconded by Professor Weisbaker.
A question was raised concerning the review course Nursing 440 pushing a course
out of the Nursing curriculum. It was stated that, if elected, this would become an
additional course taken beyond the normal curriculum.
Motion 1 was approved unanimously by voice vote.
Announcements
President Butterfield announced that the graduate students have elected a caucus
to form a Graduate Student Association. A memorandum stating the goals of this proposed
organization is attached.
Faculty from the University of Iowa have produced a note on "Managing Your TIAA-CREF Accounts." The UTC Bookstore will be asked to order the book.
Chairs of Committees are reminded that their reports are due to Faculty Council by April 1.
President Butterfield announced that she has charged an ad hoc committee of used Admission Committee Chairs (Meyer Chair, Shawen, Darken, Carney) with reviewing the Admissions evaluation process and reporting recommendations to Faculty Council as soon as possible.
Old Business
President Butterfield raised the issue of whether there had been closure on the issue of the treatment of English AP scores of 4 or 5. A resolution from the English Department was read that credit for English 121 and either English 131 or 133 will be awarded for those scores. The body did not elect to pursue the question further.
Professor Mary Tanner, President of the Council of Department Heads, asked that the Faculty Council approve or disapprove the revised proposed policy for the review of Department Heads. This policy is attached to the minutes. Professor Tanner reviewed this proposed policy for the benefit of Council. After some debate on the nature of the evaluation, the following motion was made.
Motion 2: Accept the proposed policy for Review of Department Heads. Moved by Professor Zivney, seconded by Professor John Trimpey.
Motion 3: Amend article 3c of the proposal to provide a report of the evaluation to both the faculty of the Department and the Dean. Moved by Professor Zivney, seconded by Professor Anderson.
An issue was raised as to where the program review reports (which would contain evaluations) go? They go to outside reviewers, the Dean, Dr. Ernst and the Provost. The issue of proposed changes to Student Evaluation of Faculty was brought up, with the observation that changes in that evaluation process might signal some change in these considerations. After a discussion of the efficacy of summary reports on evaluations versus raw data, a motion to table was introduced.
Motion 4: Table the issue of Department Head Evaluation. Moved by Professor Bibler, seconded by Professor Shawen.
Motion 4 passed by voice vote.
The President stated that the report of the Committee on Student Evaluation of Faculty will be considered before further consideration of the Department Head evaluation proposal.
Final Announcement
President Butterfield observed that the letter writing initiative ought to be continued regardless of the apparent problems with the student campaign. The Legislature needs to be reminded that there is a significant body of voters who are concerned about education.
Adjournment
Council adjourned at 4:30 PM.
Respectfully submitted,
Terrance M. Carney, Acting
for Peter K. Pringle, Secretary
