FACULTY SENATE COMMITTEES

About Faculty Senate Committees

• All Faculty Senate committees are advisory to the Faculty Senate.
• Graduate Studies, Honors, and International Education and Services are advisory to the directors of those units
• Four Faculty Senate subcommittees function as curriculum committees: the Graduate Committee oversees graduate courses; the Honors Committee oversees honors courses; the General Education Committee oversees general education courses; and Curriculum Committee oversees all other courses.
• Terms of service for all representatives (unless noted otherwise) are two years. Academic units are responsible for monitoring their own terms of service.
• Ex-officio committee members are non-voting members.
• It is not advisable to assign first or second year faculty or faculty on sabbatical to the proposal-intensive Curriculum, General Education or Honors committees.
• Division chairs should report any decisions to opt out of a Faculty Senate committee to the Faculty Senate president by the first Faculty Senate meeting of the current academic year

Committee Chair Duties

• Reserve room for monthly meetings.
• Maintain current committee member roster and report roster to Faculty Senate via the Portal interface.
  • Roster management directions and links
• Maintain current committee member roster with names, degree programs, email, phone numbers and office numbers.
• Maintain committee Canvas shell and/or Google Drive folder (if used).
• Prepare agendas for monthly meeting.
• Distribute agendas to committee members at least three days prior to meeting.
• Respond to questions and requests from committee members (email, phone, or in person).
• Respond to faculty questions and requests regarding committee processes (email, phone, or in person).
• Additional committee-specific duties as described in each committee

ACADEMIC TECHNOLOGY AND RESOURCES COMMITTEE (ATRC)

The ATRC was dissolved by Faculty Senate in December of 2022.

ACADEMIC REQUIREMENTS COMMITTEE (ARC)

ARC was dissolved in July of 2019. Resources created by the committee can be accessed here.

COMMITTEE ON COMMITTEES

Meets: Not currently active.

Members: Up to five faculty elected from Faculty Senate

Charge: Advise Faculty Senate on matters pertaining to structure, charge, and functioning of committees

CURRICULUM COMMITTEE (CC) (home) (members))

Meets: 3rd Tuesdays, 3:30 p.m. Representatives: One faculty from each division (COE, LAS & LIB) Students: Up to 2 Ex-Officio (non-voting): Academic Catalog Consultant, Registrar’s Office representative, Faculty Senate student note taker Committee Chair: Annie Ittner

The Curriculum Committee shall:

1. Review of curricular matters, including proposals for new courses, programs, and degrees, and modifications or elimination of existing courses, programs, and degrees; 2. Examine the curricular implications of policies and procedures; 3. Monitor university procedures for establishment and change of curriculum in order to promote efficiency and effectiveness; 4. Report recommendations and findings to the Faculty Senate.

Committee Member Duties

• Review undergraduate curriculum proposals in advance of meetings.
• Meet as a committee and discuss each undergraduate curriculum proposal, then vote to recommend or to not recommend the proposal to Faculty Senate.

Committee Chair Duties

CC specific

• Invite faculty sponsors (for undergraduate proposals) to meetings as needed.
• Post agendas, and minutes from student note taker to Faculty Senate Curriculum Committee folder for public viewing.
• Using the curriculum portal, forward results of meeting to Faculty Senate within 48 hours of monthly meeting to assure timely inclusion of approved proposals on Faculty Senate agenda.

Committee Appointments

• Divisions appoint or elect committee members per division representative list.
• Committee members vote for committee chair; term is one academic year.

EXECUTIVE (members)

Meets: Week prior to Faculty Senate meetings

GENERAL EDUCATION (GEC) (home)(members)

Meets: 3rd Tuesdays, 3:30 p.m. Representatives: One faculty from each division (COE, LAS & LIB) Students: Up to 2 Ex-Officio (non-voting): General Education Director, Registrar’s Office representative Committee Chair: Jeff Templeton

The General Education Committee shall:

1. Provide oversight of Western Oregon University’s general education program, which includes working with faculty, staff, and students to ensure that WOU offers a comprehensive, accessible, and dynamic general education curriculum that is aligned with institutional learning outcomes. 2. Manage information, processes, and requirements for proposing courses for the general education program; conduct regular review of criteria and update application materials, as needed. 3. Review curriculum proposals for the general education program according to the established criteria. 4. Maintain a resource bank for general education course design, based on voluntary submissions from faculty and work with the Center on Academic Innovation to provide resources that support general education instruction. 5. Provide assistance and consult with the Registrar on matters pertaining to general education curriculum and transfer articulation. 6. Coordinate committee functions with relevant campus stakeholders (e.g., Faculty Senate Executive Committee, Curriculum Committee, Academic Requirements Committee, etc.).

Committee Member Duties

• Review designation curriculum proposals in advance of meetings.
• Meet as a committee and discuss each designation curriculum proposal, then vote to recommend or to not recommend the proposal to Faculty Senate.
• Carry out the oversight GEC charge which may include aligning general education and designation courses with adopted university learning outcomes, or other work and / or review of university general education requirements.
• Bring GEC ideas and recommendations to divisions for feedback.
• Finalize GEC recommendations to present to Faculty Senate.

Committee Chair Duties

GEC specific

• Meet with Faculty Senate president and / or administration to discuss GEC charges.
• Invite faculty sponsors (for designation proposals) to meetings as needed.
• Post minutes to Faculty Senate General Education Committee folder for public viewing.
• Using the curriculum portal, forward results of meeting to Faculty Senate within 48 hours of monthly meeting to assure timely inclusion of approved proposals on Faculty Senate agenda.
• Present vetted (through divisions) GEC recommendations at Faculty Senate.

Committee Appointments

• Divisions appoint or elect committee members per division representative list.
• Committee members vote for committee chair; term is one academic year.

GRADUATE STUDIES (GRAD) (home)(members)

Meets: 3rd Tuesdays, 3:30 p.m. Representatives: LIB, BS, COE (1), LAS (1) and one representative from each graduate program: MA HIST, MM MUS, MA CJ, MS MIS (BE or CS), MSED, MS IT, MS SE, MAT, MS RMHC, MA IS, MA DHHE Graduate Students: Up to 2 Ex-Officio (non-voting): Center for Academic Innovation representative, Graduate Studies Office (note taker), Graduate Office Assistant Committee Chair: Melanie Landon-Hays

Charge The Graduate Programs Committee includes membership representing each graduate program on campus and serves as an extension of the Faculty Senate on matters concerning graduate curriculum and university admission standards. It makes recommendations to the Faculty Senate concerning a) graduate courses; b) graduate program changes; and c) university graduate policies. In addition, the Graduate Programs Committee serves as an advisory committee to the Director of Graduate Programs. It reviews and decides upon graduate student petitions and advocates for graduate programs at WOU.

Term of Service on this committee is three years, except for ex-officio members.

Committee Member Duties

• Review graduate curriculum proposals in advance of meetings.
• Meet as a committee and discuss each graduate curriculum proposal, then vote to recommend or to not recommend the proposal to Faculty Senate.
• Review and make changes to graduate office policies.
• Update or write graduate capstone exit requirement manuals such as thesis manuals.

Committee Chair Duties

GRAD specific

• Invite guests to speak about graduate programs, opportunities and policies.
• Attend Faculty Senate meetings as needed.
• Coordinate with the Graduate Studies office as appropriate.
• Ensure agendas include list of current graduate proposals.
• Solicit, collect and forward outstanding graduate student award nominations.
• Invite faculty sponsors (for graduate proposals) to meetings as needed.
• Using the curriculum portal, forward results of meeting to Faculty Senate within 48 hours of monthly meeting to assure timely inclusion of approved proposals on Faculty Senate agenda.

Committee Appointments

• Divisions appoint or elect committee members per division representative list.
• Committee members vote for committee chair; term is one academic year.

HONORS (home) (members)

Meets: 3rd Tuesdays, 3:45 p.m. Representatives: CA, DEL, HEXS or DSPS, HUM, NSM, SS and 0 – 2 from BE, BS, CS or LIB Students: SO Honors, JR Honors, SR Honors Ex-Officio (non-voting): Honors Program Director, Honors Program Assistant Committee Chair: Jaime Cloud

Charge: The Faculty Senate Honors Committee serves in a review and advisory capacity with regard to the college’s academic Honors Program and its director. The committee will assist and advise the Honors Director with the evaluation of thesis proposals, the selection of Honors courses, and additional evaluation, Honors, and assessment requests. The Honors Committee is the curriculum committee for the Honors Program and makes its recommendations directly to the Senate Executive Committee.

Committee Member Duties

• Review (occasional) Honors curriculum proposals.
• Meet as a committee and discuss each honors curriculum proposal, then vote to recommend or to not recommend the proposal to Faculty Senate.
• Review Honors Theses Proposals (approximately 30 per year).
• Review Honors Colloquia Course Proposals (approximately 8 per year).

Committee Chair Duties

HONORS specific

• In collaboration with the Honors director, advance Honors initiatives for student recruitment and retention.
• Attend Faculty Senate meetings as needed.

Committee Appointments

• Divisions appoint or elect committee members per division representative list.
• Committee members vote for committee chair; term is one academic year.

INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION & SERVICES (IESC) (home)

Meets: N/A Representatives: One faculty from each division (COE, LAS & LIB) Students: Up to 3 Ex-Officio (non-voting): International Education and Development Assistant VP, International Student Academic Support director, National Student Exchange (NSE) Programming representative Committee Chair: unfilled

Charge The purpose of the International Education and Services Committee is to promote international learning, teaching, and service experiences. The committee provides faculty oversight for international education, services, and programs and facilitates communication between academic divisions and the Directors of International Education and Development, National Student Exchange (NSE) Programming, and International Student Academic Support.

Committee Member Duties

• Support the National Student Exchange (NSE), Teach abroad and Visiting Scholars programs at WOU.
• Select recipients for the International Cultural Services Program scholarships.
• Collaborate on the recruitment and integration of international students.
• Assist in the organization of and presentations at International Education Week.

Committee Chair Duties

IESC specific

• Maintain IESC webpage
• Post monthly meeting minutes to IESC webpage.
• Attend Faculty Senate meetings as needed.

Committee Appointments

• Divisions appoint or elect committee members per division representative list.
• Committee members vote for committee chair; term is one academic year.

ASSESSMENT FACILITATION STEERING COMMITTEE (AFSC) (home)

Faculty representatives: Six faculty recommended by the Faculty Senate Executive Committee Administration representatives: LAS dean, COE dean, Center for Academic Innovation director, Service Learning and Career Development director, Office of Institutional Research (TBA) Committee chair: Faculty member recommended by the committee membership and affirmed by the Provost; Mission: The Assessment Facilitation Steering Committee (AFSC) is a university standing committee that is led by faculty and charged with advising the Provost on matters related to university assessment processes related to student learning outcomes for general education (GELOs), undergraduate (ULOs) and graduate degree programs, and minor and certificate programs. The AFSC will not oversee accreditation activities for academic units subject to external accreditation; its role in such activities will be supportive in nature.

Committee Appointments

• Division chairs forward names and background (in assessment) statements of interested faculty to Faculty Senate Executive Committee; Executive Committee summarizes and forwards selections to Provost.
• Faculty chair and faculty vice-chair elected by committee.

BOARD OF TRUSTEES (home)

Faculty representative: One faculty trustee recommended by Faculty Senate and appointed by the Oregon governor Please see WOU Board of Trustees home for additional information

CAMPUS MASTER PLAN COMMITTEE (CMPC) (home)

Faculty representatives: Four faculty recommended by the Faculty Senate Executive Committee Please see Campus Master Plan home for additional information

FACULTY ATHLETIC REPRESENTATIVE (FAR)

Faculty representatives: Two faculty recommended by the Faculty Senate Executive Committee

FOUNDATION BOARD (home)

Faculty representatives: One faculty recommended by the Faculty Senate Executive Committee Please see WOU Foundation Board home for additional information

JOINT COMMITTEE ON EVALUATION (JCE)

Faculty representatives: 2 COE, 3 LAS, 1 LIB Committee chair: Faculty member recommended by the committee membership and affirmed by the Faculty Senate Executive Committee and the WOUFT Executive Council Charge (updated per JOE chair on 4/11/18): The WOU Federation of Teachers and the Faculty Senate recognize that course and instructor evaluations are a contractual matter best examined by a representative committee of faculty members. The Joint Committee on Faculty Evaluation will disseminate its findings to the Faculty Senate and the WOUFT Executive Council in order to inform future negotiations of contract language regarding evaluations. The purpose of the Joint Committee on Evaluation is to oversee the electronic course evaluation instrument for WOU; including creating question banks for the evaluation instrument, monitoring the reliability and validity of the evaluation instrument, and overseeing current issues associated with the evaluation instrument and the question banks.

UNIVERSITY BUDGET ADVISORY COMMITTEE (UBAC) (home)

Faculty representatives: Four faculty recommended by the Faculty Senate Executive Committee Please see UBAC home for additional information

UNIVERSITY COUNCIL (UC) (home)

Faculty representatives: Faculty Senate President, WOUFT President, Strategic Planning faculty co-chair and one at-large faculty recommended by the Faculty Senate Executive Committee Please see UC home for additional information

UNIVERSITY TECHNOLOGY ADVISORY COMMITTEE (UTAC) (home)

Faculty representatives: Faculty Senate Executive Committee representative, ATRC chair (or designee) and two at-large faculty recommended by the Faculty Senate Executive Committee Please see UTAC home for additional information.

CAMPUS COMMITTEES

Additional campus committees with faculty committee members

ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE SHOWCASE PLANNING COMMITTEE (home)

Please see AES planning committee home for additional information

FACULTY DEVELOPMENT (home) (members)

Meets: 3rd Tuesdays, 3:30 p.m. (October, November, February, April and May only), HL 301A Representatives: One faculty from each division with less than 20 faculty and two faculty from each division with 20 or more faculty (COE, LAS & LIB) Ex-Officio: Provost’s Office , Executive Director of WOU Foundation The Faculty Development Committee was established as part of the collective bargaining agreement between WOUFT and Western Oregon University. The purpose of the committee is to provide a peer review process for the allocation of funds for scholarly and creative faculty activities.

INSTITUTIONAL REVIEW BOARD (home)

Representatives: BS, HEXS, HUM, NSM, SS, DSPS, TE-2, TRI (EDP), TRI (DB) Ex-Officio: Off-­campus representative (2) Term of Service on this committee is three years, except for ex-­officio members.

PASTEGA AWARDS (home)

Representatives: LAS faculty (2), COE faculty (2) Student: Undergraduate (1), Graduate (1) Ex-Officio: Provost’s office coordinator Term of service on this committee is one year, except for the Provost’s office coordinator Each year’s winners of the Pastega Awards for Excellence in Teaching and Research become de facto co­-chairs of the following year’s committee. If both winners come from the same college, then no additional faculty from that college serve on the next year’s committee. (Neither college shall have more than two representatives.) The committee solicits applications/nominations either in winter term and makes its decisions early in spring term, allowing for the Pastega celebration events to occur in May. The committee is convened by the coordinator from the Provost’s office.

PROGRAM FOR UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH EXPERIENCES, EXECUTIVE (home)

Representatives: LAS faculty (4), COE faculty (2), LIB, At-large (3), Honors Program Director, PURE Insights Managing Editor Term of Service on this committee is three years, except for ex-­officio members. Members can choose to serve an additional three-­year term but must be approved by a majority of executive committee members. In the program’s by–laws, the education and at large positions are defined as “up to two”; the LAS positions are defined as “up to four.”

STUDENT CONDUCT (home)

Please see Student Conduct home for additional information

STUDENT GRIEVANCE AND CONCERNS (Student Affairs) (Student Grievance Procedure)

Representatives: LAS faculty, COE faculty, Professional Staff (2) Student: 1 Ex-Officio: Vice President, Student Affairs The Student Grievance and Concern Committee shall: 1. Review current formal and informal academic and non-­academic grievance procedures; 2. Consider and act upon grievance petitions; 3. Educate the college community about the grievance process; 4. Investigate and alert the Faculty Senate and the campus community of issues concerning students which the Committee believes are of significance to faculty.

UNIVERSITY DIVERSITY & INCLUSION ADVISORY COMMITTEE (home)

Please see UDIAC home for additional information

WHO’S WHO / DEWEY SMITH

Representatives: LAS faculty (3), COE faculty (3), Professional Staff, Student Leadership & Activities, Honors Program Director Student: 2-Who’s Who only Ex-Officio: Vice President, Student Affairs Who’s Who Among Students Awards: To select junior, senior, and graduate students for nomination to “Who’s Who Among Students in American Colleges and Universities” based on their participation and leadership in academic and extra-curricular activities, their citizenship and service to WOU and/or for their community, and their promise of future contribution to society. Dewey & Smith Awards: To select the Outstanding Graduating Man in honor of Delmer R. Dewey, Dean of Men at Oregon College of Education in the early 1950’s, and to select the Outstanding Graduating Woman in honor of Julia McCulloch Smith, an 1895 graduate of Oregon Normal School. The Julia McCulloch Smith award was created in 1939 and the women to whom this award was given needed to possess great proficiency in scholarship, great success in student activities, high development of character and intellectual attainment, strong powers of inspiration and leadership, and the noble qualities of womanhood. The Delmer Dewey award began in 1954 to honor an outstanding graduating senior man. Outstanding Graduate Student Award: To select a graduate student who has had superior achievements in scholarship and academics during graduate studies, and who demonstrates positive character, leadership and initiative during coursework and upon entry into his/her profession. The Outstanding Graduate Student Award began in 2008.