Faculty and Staff

Faculty Senate approves report on full-time fixed-term faculty

The University Faculty Senate passed legislative reports recommending the establishment of policies and guidelines for full-time fixed-term faculty’s promotion and role in governance, and revising the credit by examination policy.

An advisory and consultative report outlined seven best practices for college guidelines for promotion of full-time fixed-term faculty: requirement for time in rank before promotion, person/group who may initiate a proposal for promotion, requirements for salary increases upon promotion, educational requirements, evaluation procedures, documentation and transparency.

The Committee on Faculty Affairs also reviewed responses from a select group of academic administrators and fixed-term faculty about the role of fixed term faculty in a unit’s governance, defined as participation in college and departmental committees.  

The report asked that the provost ensure that deans, in consultation with faculty, establish policies on promotion procedures and develop guidelines clarifying fixed-term faculty’s role in a unit’s governance, clearly communicate them to all faculty, request that unit leaders follow the guidelines, and lead revision of policies as unit practices evolve.

In fall 2007, more than 40 percent of full-time University faculty were in non-tenure appointments, mostly fixed-term.

In other issues, the current credit by examination policy had two options: "Credit by Examination" and "Credit by Undergraduate Proficiency Examination." But there was confusion over the differences between the two forms of credit.

The Senate Committee on Undergraduate Education recommended a revised policy allowing credit by examination to fulfill degree requirements for students who earn a grade of "C" or higher. However, academic units were not obliged to offer credit by examination, and the CBE option should not be available for courses already on a student’s record, credit already awarded from other accredited institutions or other means, or for credit earned through the College Entrance Examination Board’s Advanced Placement Program.

The Senate Committee on Faculty Affairs also conducted a forensic session on the first of three topic areas being reviewed in online course-ware ownership and copyright. Its report provides a history of how University policy has developed over time and the changes in online teaching. Six hypothetical scenarios and related questions were presented to illustrate the complex issues not addressed by the current policy.

The committee was seeking to identify faculty concerns that will guide Senate efforts in creating, adding to, or removing University policy on online education.
Future forensic sessions will look at contractual labor and responsibility for quality, revision and future use of online courses.

The senate also heard several informational reports including:

-- 2007-2008 updates on health-plan consolidation, health-care coverage for faculty, staff and retirees, wellness programs, long-term care plans, dental plan and other issues.

-- High school students enrolled nondegree in credit courses. The total enrollment of such high school students has increased significantly from 616 in academic year 2004-2005 to 1,339 during 2006-2007, mainly at campuses other than University Park.  About 63 percent of the seniors who enrolled in nondegree students in credit classes during spring semester 2007 applied for admission to Penn State.

-- Current status of security at all campus locations. Committeee chair Amanda Maple noted the report summarizes the administration of security all campuses; compares the police and security workforces across campuses; and describes the auditing process of police and security programs as dictated in Policy SY32.

-- 2007-2008 disputes involving 10 cases involving procedural fairness and their resolutions by the Senate Committee on Faculty Rights and Responsibilities.

All reports can be viewed at http://www.senate.psu.edu online.

Kevin Morooney, vice provost for information technology, also gave a special report outlining a plan for building a culture of computer safety at Penn State and protecting the privacy of University community members. The two-phase process, which is in support of Penn State's Information Privacy and Security (IPAS) initiative, includes the location and protection of personally identifiable information on University-owned computers and full-disc encryption to protect laptops that are stolen or lost.. A full story about his presentation is at http://live.psu.edu/story/34395 online.

Last Updated January 10, 2015

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