Faculty/Staff Meeting Minutes
Friday February 16, 2007 
CP 206C Conference Room

Attendance: O. Baiocchi, L. Wear, A. Urbanec, C. Calo, G. Mobus, M. Rosenfeld, A. Teredesai, B. Aguiar Neto, S. Chung, S. Hanks, E. Hong, B. Jeffrey, M. Muppa, I. Bichindaritz, D. Zimmerman, L. Crum, Z. Chavez, C. Rials, 

1.	Approval of Minutes

2.	Guest Speakers

Pat Spakes, Chancellor 
Alan Wood, Interim Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs 

Some key points of the discussion with Pat Spakes were issues that the mission of UW Tacoma and the UW Seattle campus are not the same.  If the accreditation is separate, will it be able to withstand public scrutiny.  Right now, the nursing program at UWT is accredited under the School of Nursing at UW Seattle.  In Seattle, the CES program is accredited.  However, in considering this, one must also note that national accrediting agencies have changed.  Pat stated, that “you have to take into account that universities have become less rigid, and have a different way of doing business.”  

Larry Crum noted that industry needs master’s level degrees.  However, the legislature wants more undergraduate degrees.  Three community colleges and one technical college are producing 4 year degrees. 

3.  Introduction of new staff

      Beth Jeffrey was introduced as the new Undergraduate Recruiter/Advisor she comes with 
      much experience from the Office of Enrollment Services.

4.	Updates –Orlando Baiocchi

A.	Status of Faculty Searches
	
The Applied Math Position has four finalists that will visit campus at the end of February or the beginning of March.  The location of the math professors and their reporting structure was discussed.  The discussion focused on whether they will be housed, under the Institute or under IAS. 

The new Computer Engineering Position will be advertised soon.

Steve Hanks discussed the process for the open Information Sciences Position.  The committee will be conducting phone interviews, checking references, and bringing in three candidates for interviews.

B.	Status of New Program Proposals  
The 20th and 27th are the dates for the budget request presentations to PARC for the new program proposals.  Twenty-six proposals were received.  The Institute’s proposals were highly ranked.  Certificate programs were not included during this round.  Graduate proposals are not being funded presently.  

C.	Tenure and promotion process

Chancellor Pat Spakes brought up the fact that there must be a period of healing first.  Quality measurements vary by faculty.  The faculty must be willing to do new things, innovative work that is complimentary of what the Seattle campus does.  There has to be broader research focus.  Teaching and research must align. Some faculty are leaving because, they don’t want to teach.  Some of these faculty bring recognition to the UWT.  This is a group of people that buy themselves out and don’t teach anymore.  One recent UWT faculty member has been awarded a one million dollar grant.  There is a tension between, the requirements for scholarship and building programs and a growing campus.  This must be taken in to account as part of the promotion and tenure discussion.

Pat stated, that “the legislature wants UWT to produce more undergraduate’s degrees.  That’s where the focus is right now.”  

Moshe commented that by time that faculty is up for promotion, there’s little output in research.  Some faculty are developing and teaching a number of courses and are not recognized for their efforts.  You cannot expect the faculty to maintain the same level of scholarship.  Some folks teach 3 to 6 courses, build and develop programs, recruit students, and teach.   However, they are not recognized for these accomplishments.  Will faculty who produce new programs and build the campus be denied tenure, because of lack of research?

B.	Graduate program review – Larry Wear, Steve Hanks, Alina Urbanec
	The review is ready and will be sent on time to the Graduate School in Seattle

5.	New Business

A.	Faculty Review Committees –
The process is beginning; peer groups were formed and will be reviewing junior faculty and lecturers.  Timelines were handed out.

Other 
 
1.	Staff searches:  Chris. Rials, Linda Kachinsky an advisor for IAS and Dan Zimmerman are on the search committee for the vacant advisor position, applications are being processed.
2.	NW Security Symposium is moving ahead, with an expected participation of approximately fifty.
3.   Goals sub-committee member is needed:  Alina volunteered
4.	Moshe Rosenfeld is not on sabbatical next year.  He is transitioning to retirement.