West Virginia Northern Community College 

Minutes:                                                                                                                                                                           March March 7, 2008

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Present: S. Baricska, S. Beck, R. Berry, D. Cresap, C. Dale, T. Danford, M. Davis, F. DeCaria (presiding), D. Ferrell, D. Folger, D. Goeddel, M. Goldstein, S. Gress, R. Guy,  K. Herrington, L. Ingram, J. Keyser, M. Marlin, C. Morris, B. Peterman, D. Poffenberger, C. Riter, C. Rogerson,  S. Rychlicki, V. Slider, C. Teaff, J. Tully, T. Vavra, M. Watson, G. Winland, D. Yadrick

 

Excused:  E. Evans, S. Hupp, C. Kefauver, R. Lucki, T. Ramsey, J. Remias, D. Roth, D. Ryan

 

Absent: K. Atkins, D. Bartley C. Cornforth, C. Eastham, M. Grubor, D. Hans, A. Kuca, R. Malek, L. Miller, R. Pusz, P. Sharma, L. Shelek, C. Stokes, C. Tyska, J. Van Fossen

 

Guests: V. Riley

The meeting was called to order by President Frank DeCaria at 1:40 pm in the telecom rooms on three campuses.

Minutes of the February meeting were approved as posted on the Senate web page.(T. Danford / M. Watson)

M. Goldstein reported for ACF:

- legislative sessions ends March 8th

- a copy of bills would be sent

 

V. Riley reported:

1. online course development:

Administration is aware there are issues.  We are currently working without a policy and procedural guidelines need to be developed.  There is a moderate pace of growth, and Dr. Riley noted the importance of online programs.  Forward movement will continue while noting concerns. 

Dr. Riley asked for submission of proposals for online course development in specific areas and more courses will added for next year.

 

D. Goeddel questioned if previous courses would stay intact, and Dr. Riley answered yes.

M. Watson inquired if “next year” meant the fall, and Dr. Riley answered yes – additional online courses are on schedule.

 

 

2. Board of Governors:

Current programs under review will be in April or May, in time for approval.

Dr. Riley will work with program coordinators and division chairs for programs that are up for review.

 

3.  Merit:

Dr. Riley asked for confirmation of committee members: M. Davis, D. Folger, L. Ingram, C. Kefauver, T. Vavra.

Dr. Riley stated that Dr. Olshinsky has appointed Mike Koon as the administrative representative.

 

4. Emeritus status:

Dr. Riley inquired about the guidelines for determining Emeritus status and requested that assembly send a recommendation for the criteria to nominate/select faculty for Emeritus. 

D. Poffenberger asked about benefits, and Dr. Riley said there are none.  D. Poffenberger noted that they are sometimes offered computer resources or office space.

F. DeCaria inquired about the policy of other colleges.

Dr. Riley suggested that because the title is based on merit, the merit committee draft the guidelines.

S. Rychlicki inquired whether Northern already had guidelines somewhere, and T. Danford answered that there are some.  Dr. Riley asked where they were archived. K. Herrington suggested they were in the library archives.

Dr. Riley wanted to know which group would be responsible.

DeCaria suggested merit committee.

 

Motion: Recommendation that merit committee include question of Emeritus for the purpose of determining procedure or criteria for selection.  (D. Poffenberger/T. Danford).

Motion approved.

 

C. Dale proposed a dedicated testing center:

Northern is currently offering classes online with campus testing.  In Wheeling, the tutoring center administers tests (Dale noted they are doing a good job).  The LRC administers the tests on other campuses.  Dale suggested that they shouldn’t be responsible.  With online classes we’ll need more space.  The Wheeling tutoring center is not a good environment because it is not quiet. Also, students are in a room in the tutoring center that is isolated behind a closed door and students might have access to materials without anyone’s knowledge. The ideal would be a dedicated center with a full time proctor to check id at the door. 

 

Poffenberger agreed and Danford suggested it is a reasonable request and would help with quality control issues.  Rogerson also noted that it could merge with special needs.  Slider agreed that it would be good for videotaped courses as well.

 

Goeddel noted that because some are computer based, computers would need to be available.

 

DeCaria said that an online curriculum could be available for students and that Northern could also be a dedicated testing center for online courses from other institutions.

 

Concerns were raised with about space.

 

C. Dale also suggested that it be staffed with a proctor.  Other schools have them.

 

T. Vavra concurred that the tutoring center does as well as they can as does disabilities, but they don’t have a good location and all problems could be solved with one central location.

 

DeCaria suggested that the recommendation for a testing center could be for distance education courses.  Dale suggested that it should be a testing center for the entire school not just for distance education.

 

Motion:  Faculty assembly recommends the establishment of a dedicated testing center on each campus staffed with appropriate individuals to ensure quality control during testing of students.  (Danford / Dale)

Motion approved.

 

T. Vavra presented report from budget committee:

No new information from Charleston.  Committee had met two weeks ago and there was no new information about salary until legislature decides. L. Bandi thinks the budget should eventually be balanced.

Dale and Roth proposed that the base level be raised by $1500 which would cost $90,000.  President has $77,000 now and there could be more.  None has been allocated for merit and most will go into salary.

M. Davis said that salary schedule is available through ACF’s webpage through WV auditor’s page.

 

Executive board nominations:

Those with most votes:  F. DeCaria, C. Harbert, C. Stokes, T. Vavra, D. Ryan, and M. Davis. 

T. Vavra declined as did J. Tully and S. Beck.

L. Ingram replaced T. Vavra.

 

Executive board:

Term ending in March 2009: T. Danford, S. Rychlicki, C. Dale, C. Rogerson, G. Winland, D. Cresap.

Terms ending in March 2010: F. DeCaria, C. Harbert, C. Stokes, L. Ingram, D. Ryan, and M. Davis.

 

 

Computer Issues:

Resolved issue about blocking – faculty should contact Sue Pelley with request.

 

T. Danford reported for Board of Governors:

Board met February 28th.  Rules were approved and P. Carmichael sent copies of rules for Program Review, Student Ids, and Bookstore.

Rule on rules was passed.

Send any comments about rules on bookstore to T. Danford or P. Carmichael

Note: Selling instructor’s copies of books is a violation of state law 18b1014 2006

 

No decision on merit amounts until budget is complete.

 

P. Sharma spoke about distance education issues:

Distance education committee: C. Teaff, T. Craig, C. Cornforth, D. Poffenberger, D. Ryan, and S. Gress

1. lack of system implementation on part of staff

2. decisions concerning programming are made by staff and not faculty

3. New Martinsville campus has no tech. help

T. Danford noted that the new network domain was supposed to be accessible from anywhere, but it is not.  It can’t be accessed from the EC tech podiums.  There are only 4 copper wires from the hub on the first floor for the whole building and funds are not in Pelley’s budget to correct.

P. Sharma concurred that we need systematic change.  We knew about the wires and that faculty would be using it.  Changes are made that disrupt teaching/learning.  Change can be good, but it should be done systematically.  Sharma does commend administration for making forward progress with technology.

4.  Webpages used by college for online courses can’t be easily changed and any updates have to be done at college

5.  Ideas and creativity are curtailed through web censorship.  Faculty are doing research and it’s not for entertainment.

6. Unreliable communication systems such as email and voicemail.  Systems do not work for faculty or students.  Students complain.

wvnorthern has not been available since March 1.  Messages are not forwarded to new accounts.

7.  email messages are autoarchived and it is difficult to retrieve them.

There were questions about why this should be done before the end of the semester.  Dale noted that during training they recommended that autoarchive take place at end of semester.  Herrington agreed that once every four months was sufficient.

8.  Faculty could be asked to teach online courses whether they want to or not. 

P. Sharma requested faculty feedback.  Is it okay under any circumstances to require faculty to teach classes online.

DeCaria noted that the policy is not defined and needs to be resolved.  Administration cannot force faculty to teach online.

Herrington suggested that this was not academic freedom.  Overheads were to be phased out to powerpoint, but people still use them.  No one has the right to say they cannot be used.

9.  student quality in online courses is a concern.

Faculty teaching over ten years have seen a decline in student ability and behavior.

 

Recommendations:

1. systematic change implemented before semester

2. technology committee be activated to address issues, committee exists

3. timely and clear communication about how changes will affect process and procedure

4. communications system that works online all the time

5. monetary compensation for developing online courses that is equal to effort

6. lightspeed is for k-12 and should stay there.  there are issues with bandwidth

7. a helpdesk should be available for students

8. staff members should be trained on each campus

9. open orientation on Vista 3 and 4

10. screen students for online readiness

11. create rules and procedures concerning email, feedback and discussions

 

M. Watson suggested that student retention and success should be evaluated by faculty who know what workd. 

Decisions should be left with program director.

 

DeCaria suggested that recommendations be forwarded to Dr. Riley.

 

K. Herrington reported for curriculum committee:

New curriculum: Justice, Criminalistics, Forensics CRJ 199  will be held in Weirton in Fall as a restricted elective and maybe in Wheeling

It’s too late for changes for catalogue.

Committee is not meeting March 14th.

 

D. Poffenberger made a motion to acknowledge the dedication of Frank DeCaria over the past year.

 

otion for adjournment by DeCaria, seconded by Cresap.

Respectfully submitted,

Crystal Harbert

Faculty Assembly Secretary