Academic Cabinet
January 16, 2008
#8

Present: Beryl Brubaker, Marie Morris, Ervin Stutzman
Absent: Ken L. Nafziger

1. Opening :
After sharing of issues and concerns, Beryl led in prayer.

2. Faculty constitution :
Beryl reported that she took a draft of a faculty assembly constitution to the Senate for discussion last Monday. The Senate took an action to enlarge the scope of the constitution to include not only the Faculty Assembly, but the constitution of the Senate as well.

There has also been some conversation about changing the academic structure to include three schools, rather than the current divisions of undergraduate, graduate, and seminary. Some Senate members are energized by this conversation, so this idea may be pursued further. It was decided to encourage interested faculty members to discuss this matter with President Swartzendruber.

Beryl discussed the importance of having administrators work together with Senate on academic affairs.

3. Review of Continuing EducationUnits:
The policy on Continuing Education Units approved in 2002 was reviewed. Minor edits were made to the policy. The policy produced by SACS in 2000 will be attached to the current policy.

4. Proposal Regarding Faculty Credentials :
Marie and Beryl suggested a few changes to Section 3.1.1. regarding the requirements for entry into long-term contracts, as well as eligibility for promotion. It was agreed that wording that considers the equivalent value of professional credentials and experience, such as the M.S.W., M.B.A., nurse practitioner, educational certification, and counselor licensure when accompanied by extensive practical experience would be valuable. This conversation will be pursued with several department chairs to see if they would support the above changes and recommend the adoption of a change in policy to the faculty assembly.

5. Inequities/inconsistencies across divisions :
It was noted that there are differences between departments regarding the ways they load/reimburse faculty members for supervision of internships, practica, and/or their work during the summer. Differences were also noted in compensation for mileage for adjunct professors commuting from a distance. It was agreed to research the current practice within our areas of responsibility and bring our findings to a future meeting. The plan will be to develop a policy that will bring greater consistency to our practices across divisions.

Respectfully submitted,
Ervin Stutzman