Academic Viewpoints: A Closer Look...A Different Approach
February 16, 2006

As a follow-up to our last post regarding the General Education Restructuring Team (GERT) model, and the possible impact on faculty, one member writes: “For fall, 2005 temporary Speech faculty members offered about 43 sections of SPE010, Fundamentals of Speech. At the same time the tenured and tenure-track Speech faculty members offered
about 28 sections of advanced courses (4 sections of advanced courses were taught by temporary faculty members or by faculty members from another department). GERT recommended that only tenured and tenure-track faculty members should teach required General Education courses.

If their recommendation were mandated there would be no Speech faculty to teach the advanced courses because they would all be assigned to teaching Fundamentals of Speech. In that case those advanced courses could not be taught or they would have to be taught by temporary faculty members or by newly hired tenure-track positions.

What other departments feel they may face similar challenges in reassigning tenure/tenure-track faculty to teach the proposed, required General Education courses?

The APSCUF Public Relations Committee
Academic Viewpoints 3, Release Date: 2/16/06

Academic Viewpoints: A Closer Look...A Different Approach
February 27, 2006

President Cevallos has promised us that no one will lose his or her job due to changes that may be made to our current general education model. We take him at his word and we are grateful for his pledge. However, job security is only the tip of the iceberg. Quality education, integrity of the disciplines, and academic freedom are issues we need to consider carefully.

For every advantage that the GERT model purports there are an equal number of unanswered questions concerning labor issues. For instance, will all the academic departments survive the General Education Model proposed by the restructuring team? A little over a year ago, a similar question was posed to President Cevellos at Representative Council and he responded by observing that over time many departments have been reshaped. Once it was common for all European universities to maintain departments for courses that are rarely taught today. He went on to note, that universities must adapt to the needs of the times.

How many “outdated departments” do we have at KU? Faculty may not lose their jobs, but the CBA allows management to reassign faculty to teach anything within their competence.

Before we vote on any changes to the General Education Model, the administration needs to detail the corresponding impact on each department’s integrity.

Could any departments be jeopardized under the GERT model?

APSCUF-KU Public Relations Committee
Academic Viewpoints 4, Release Date: 2/27/06

Academic Viewpoints: A Closer Look...A Different Approach
March 07, 2006

At the University Senate meeting this past Thursday, a discussion took place regarding General Education that we would like to reiterate for you.

• It was stated that a referendum to approve or veto the GERT model will occur sometime in April.
  

• President Cevallos stated that the GERT model as presented will not result in unreasonable new costs for Kutztown University. (No draft of a budget proposal for funding the GERT model was provided as promised by Dr. Rinker in an earlier public forum).
  

• Also, at this time President Cevallos is unwilling to consider any modification, alteration or alternative to the GERT model. Indeed, when asked during the discussion if the referendum could allow the faculty to vote for the GERT model or the APSCUF alternative, President Cevallos stated this would not be an option.
  

• At the request of Senate, President Cevallos will organize an open forum on the GERT model.
  

• Dr. Rinker stated that only at the time the GERT model is voted down, will the Administration review the faculty reasons and concerns for defeating the model.
  

• Lastly Bill Bateman contends the GERT model does not need to return to the UCC for review and approval contrary to APSCUF’s understanding. It is time to review information from an earlier KU APSCUF president communiqué: The CBA provides for a CONTRACT Curriculum committee. That committee's bylaws provide for a General Education sub-committee. This whole discussion began when the President asked Gary Brey and Helen Bieber to come to a meeting where he told us of his desire to restructure general education and the process he would use to do it. He told us he would form a committee and then send the committee's recommendations directly to a referendum. Both Helen and I immediately objected that his suggested process would be a violation of past practice. The current general education requirements were approved by APSCUF/KU Representative Council and signed at local Meet and Discuss. (Look at the top of the first page of the current General Education model. There is a notation: Approved by
  Representative Council).

In meetings of the General Education Restructuring Committee I have repeatedly reiterated this point. The Meet and Discuss team has taken this position, the APSCUF/KU Executive Committee has taken this position and the APSCUF/KU Representative Council has taken this position.

As Allida McKinley said in her e-mail, APSCUF is the process. Considering curriculum proposals through APSCUF is NOT going outside of the University governance structure, IT IS PART OF THE GOVERNANCE STRUCTURE).

APSCUF-KU Public Relations Committee
Academic Viewpoints 5, Release Date: 3/7/06

Academic Viewpoints: A Closer Look...A Different Approach
March 22, 2006

When asked about resources for the proposed GERT model at the last Senate meeting, Dr. Cevallos stated that minimal resources would be necessary to implement the GERT model. Dr. Cevallos said that the first year seminar class will require many sections of 25 students. He further stated that 73 percent of the classes we currently teach have 25 or fewer students.

Given fall 2005 freshmen enrollment figures, our analysis indicates that nineteen full time faculty will be required to teach the “many sections” of the first year Freshmen Seminar course of the GERT model. Note, this is just one course within the core requirements outlined in the GERT model.

In fall 2004, we offered 2,264 total classes. If you take a look at how many of these classes have 25 students or less, you get approximately 73 %. This 73 % includes 232 classes that did not run because they had zero students enrolled. This 73 % includes 262 courses that were Independent Instructions/Studies and other courses that do not require a classroom setting. This 73 % also includes 135 courses that are considered laboratory courses, with a restricted number of 25 or less because of room size restrictions.

Eliminating the 232 classes that did not run during fall of 2004, means that 64% of actual classes have 25 or fewer students. Excluding Independent Studies, Internships, and other non-classroom/lecture based courses, this means that only 52% of our classroom based courses have 25 students or less enrolled. Lastly, discounting courses that CANNOT have more than 25 students, such as many of the labs on campus, the number of lecture based classes on our campus with 25 students or less is only 46%.

Given the gap between APSCUF’s analysis of the data and the information presented at University Senate, coupled with a bleak financial forecast and other concerns discussed in the past we are not convinced Kutztown University faculty should support the GERT model.

APSCUF-KU Public Relations Committee
Academic Viewpoints 6, Release Date: 3/22/06

Academic Viewpoints: A Closer Look...A Different Approach
March 30, 2006

It’s your APSCUF too.

Had a busy semester? Busy academic year? Will the next academic year be any different? As faculty members, we are all incredibly busy. That is the nature of our profession and not something that is likely to change soon, if ever.

Most of us would agree that change is part of our university world, and big changes are on the horizon at Kutztown University. To meet state system mandates, the General Education Model must change. Will it be the GERT model, the Alternative APSCUF model, or a model yet to be determined? The large classroom building to the west of the library is literally on the horizon and is scheduled to be “on-line” in spring 2007. Are you ready to teach in a 100-seat classroom? 150 seat classroom? How will you support your colleagues who are slated to teach in this facility? Heard about the tough fiscal year ahead? Ready for the contract negotiations that are soon to start? For sure, changes are coming.

Do you have a voice in the changes you see all around you? Are you active in APSCUF? You can be. Your opinions about General Education, large classroom teaching, contract negotiations and the very nature of our teaching profession matter.

Fundamentally, APSCUF is about quality education for our students. None of us can afford to be too busy to lose focus of that commitment. Do you approve where your union is headed? Get involved. Want to see more union change? Get involved.

We need all faculty voices engaged in the serious issues we’ve presented in our “View Points” series this semester and will continue to broach in the future. Quality education, academic freedom and faculty rights are APSCUF’s priorities.

APSCUF-KU Public Relations Committee
Academic Viewpoints 7, Release Date: 3/30/06

Academic Viewpoints: A Closer Look...A Different Approach
April 06, 2006

Advising is upon us again. Even though it comes but twice a year, it seems more like ‘accounting’ than academics. Wouldn’t it be ‘loverly’ (as the lyrics go in My Fair Lady), if we had a simplified General Education model, one that offers depth and breadth and love of learning for our students: a model that helps us offer the best education that we can provide to our advisees.

We need a General Education plan that builds on Kutztown University’s strengths but also functions within its limitations. We need to have confidence in the planning process before we vote. We need to know how the changes will take place before we vote.

A change to our current General Education model is a good idea, and, indeed, necessary for our continued viability as an institution of higher learning. But we have to do it right. We need a more inclusive process of creation and a more thorough plan. Wouldn’t that be ‘loverly?’

We encourage you to attend today's forum and ask questions about the GERT General Education Model and how it will affect you, your students and the teaching/learning process at Kutztown University. The forum is at 3:00 p.m. in the Alumni Auditorium (McFarland Student Union Building, Room 183).

Academic Viewpoints: A Closer Look...A Different Approach
April 24, 2006

At the April 10th Meet and Discuss meeting the Provost reported that the president has asked for a vote of support or non-support for the proposed general education revisions. An outside firm has been hired to conduct the vote, and a letter will be sent out to faculty indicating when the vote is to occur.

APSCUF maintains the opinion that while general education revisions are needed, the GERT model is not suitable for the many reasons reviewed this past semester. At this time, we urge the faculty not to support the GERT model and to vote for non-support. We anticipate a non-support vote will result in a more inclusive dialog, one that addresses the many concerns and unanswered questions that have plagued the current process and product.

The APSCUF Public Relations Committee
Academic Viewpoints 9, Release Date: 4/24/06