Packet Section & Sub-Section

Packet topics, including links, as applicable. Motions to send to IFO FA Council

Voting Documentation

Action Items

Action Item 1of 6, Section V, item A on page 2 of 19

Positions on IFO exec: RFVP, CFVP, IFO Statewide board representative. See letter below from the nominating committee.

Hello All,

In accordance with our operating procedures, the Nominating Committee is now accepting nominations, either of yourself or of a qualified colleague, for positions on our faculty association Executive Committee.

The following positions will be open at the end of Spring semester 2023 for one-year terms:

                 Resident Faculty Vice President (2023-2024)

Community Faculty Vice President (2023-2024)

 Position descriptions for these are attached, and candidates are encouraged to talk to previous holders of the position for which they are nominated.  Nominations are due at noon February 17th.

Interested candidates are asked to prepare a written response to the following questions:

1.  How are you implementing the vision and values stated in our mission statement?

2.  What are your strongest qualifications for the position?

These statements will be published in the March IFO packet.

 Please send nominations to Ailesha Ringer (Ailesha.Ringer@metrostate.edu).

In addition, at our April IFO Council meeting, Council members will be selecting our representative to the statewide IFO board.  Nominations for this position are also invited.

Best,

UED members will consider individuals who might accept a nomination.

Action Item 2 of 6, Section V, item B on page 3 of 19

Call for volunteers

We had a lot of turnover between this semester and last, please look at these vacancies and see if you can fill them.

Mission, Vision, and Values Taskforce

VP of HR and Employee Experience Search

Faculty and Staff Giving taskforce

Pilot testers for Right now CRM tool for advising

UED Acknowledges the importance of service and what value it adds to the IFO, however, at this time, UED does not have to capacity to submit representation for all requested action. However, UED would like to submit Yvonne RB-Banks for membership on the Urban Education Committee.

Action Item 3 of 6, Section V, item D on page 3 of 19

Call for proposals! Present at Metro’s Spring Faculty Conference:

Looking Back, Looking Ahead: Advancing Engagement, Effectiveness, and Inclusion                                    

We invite your proposals for the virtual conference, an opportunity to share important knowledge and practice. Additional details and program applications available HERE. Submissions due by Feb 11, 2023.

UED faculty will consider submitting proposals.

Action Item 4 of 6, Section V, item E, on page 4 of 19

Call for Nominations: Minnesota Campus Compact Presidents’ Awards due on Monday, February 20, 2023

Bring recognition to the achievements of your colleagues and students! Each year, Metro State University recognizes outstanding contributions in civic and community engagement by students, faculty, staff, collaborative teams, and community organizations through the Iowa & Minnesota Campus Compact Presidents’ Awards.  

The three award categories include:

The President's Student Leadership Award

The President's Civic Engagement Leadership Award

The President's Community Partner Award

A list of Metro’s past award recipients is located here.

For more details or any questions, please contact Susan Hilal at Susan.Hilal@metrostate.edu.

Click here for more info

UED will consider potential candidates.

Action Item 5 of 6, Section V, item F on page 4 of 11

Faculty Participation in Commencement

Faculty participation at commencement has been dwindling over the past few years and since covid has become quite low. Both in-person ceremonies in the Fall 2022 had fewer than 10 faculty present. Please discuss in your units ideas which would make you more likely to attend commencement. Submit those ideas in your minutes. 

UED recommends the commencement committee provide refreshments in the faculty room, create a list of graduates for each school/department, signs to promote the ceremony, and designated faculty parking or bus.

Action Item 6 of 6, Section V, item G on page 3 of 19

Committee/ Council Representation Query

In your IFO FA college/unit meeting please discuss representation on FA committees, University committees, and councils. Specifically, whether college/unit based representation should be a requirement for specific FA committees/university committees/councils or if we could potentially change select opportunities to at-large representation.

Discuss whether this should be the case for:

University Committees/Councils

FA Committees

This information will help form a packet item which would allow us to critically examine our representation so as to not overburden small units. 

UED supports each unit determining essential committees that impact their unit needs. If serving on IFO committees are made mandatory, this should be accompanied by a minimum 1 credit release and a 2-committee maximum.

Motions

Motion Item 1 of 11, Section VII item B on page 5/6 of 19

FIC Motion: That administration simplify the Professional Development Grant (PDG) application process language outlined in Faculty Personnel Matters so that PDG applicants submit their applications directly to their dean.

Rationale: The current FPM language suggests that a college faculty committee reviews and ranks grant applications, with deans providing their own recommendations to the provost. However, this seems to be a historical artifact and does not reflect current practice. Further, faculty are not interested in evaluating the merits of individual grant applications or adjudicating disputes resulting from different interpretations of the process, such as the deadlines or when proposed activities may occur; the Provost’s Office should do this

UED agrees and supports the motion: ruling out any potential bias.

Motion Item 2 of 11, Section VII item B on page 6 of 19

 FIC Motion: That administration consult annually with the Faculty Issues Committee about:

• The potential Professional Development Grant (PDG) maximum award amounts based on a faculty member’s status (e.g., CF, probationary, tenured), rank (e.g., assistant, associate, full), and/or activity (e.g., attending versus presenting, domestic versus international).
• The PDG process and criteria detailed in Faculty Personnel Matters

UED agrees and support.

Motions 3 of 11, section VII, item A, page 6 of 19

CLA Motion: The CLA IFO requests that the grievance response to the recent CLA Article 4 grievance be made public and available.

We agree and support: particularly if it is not in violation of FERPA, cause trauma or harm, or embarrassment to individuals.

Motions 4 of 11, section VII, item D, page 6 of 19

• Fic Motion: the faculty issues committee recommends to the provost that the following statement be included in the provost’s syllabus template for dual/cross-listed courses: “this course is dual/cross-listed and has undergraduate as well as graduate students. only students that are registered/enrolled in the abcd 5xxg section will receive graduate-level credits. graduate students who enroll in the undergraduate section (and thus pay the undergraduate tuition rate) will not receive graduate level credit (and the course will not show up on a graduate degree audit to support graduate level graduation).”
• Rationale: it has been reported in faculty issues that occasionally graduate students register for the lower cost undergraduate section of a dual/cross-listed undergraduate/graduate course and then later expect graduate credit.
• Question for academic units to discuss about the motion (above): should the statement in the above motion go in the syllabus template, the online registration system (eservices), or both?

UED supports the online registration system.

Motions 5 of 11, section VII, item E, page 6 of 19

FOCC Motion: That the Metro State Faculty Association asks that the Metro State Safety and Security Committee includes a representative from the Faculty of Color Caucus as a standing member.

UED agree and supports the motion.

Motions 6 of 11, section VII, item F, page 6/7 of 19

DLIP Motion: that DLIP work together with faculty issues committee to review the CLA community faculty report to determine the following issues:  whether the form contains embedded biases concerning the use of a syllabus; whether it contradicts policy 3.22 and procedure 3.22.1, (on course outlines and course syllabi); whether the form needs to include an end-date; and the possible misuse of the syllabus to make unwarranted determinations about course offerings and teaching evaluations.

Rationale: DLIP was furnished the document (CLA Community Faculty Report – version 1) for evaluation of CLA CF due to fears that it was possibly biased and could be used for coercive and punitive reasons. There were concerns that the syllabus could be used to evaluate the faculty’s teaching and other matters, in that it fails to state criteria and standards to be used.

UED supports, adding an end date should be included in the syllabus.

Motions 7 of 11, section VII, item G, page 7 of 19

DLIP Motion:  DLIP requests that IFO Council approve our request to meet with the Provost to discuss improper uses of the faculty syllabi repositories in each college.  

Rationale: DLIP has received reports that the repository isn’t being used as stated in Procedure 3.22.1 and that the repository is not transparent to faculty in terms of how their property is being used, for how long, and for purposes beyond that stated in the procedure.

UED supports the motion.

Motions 8 of 11, section VII, item H, page 7 of 19

E&D Motion:  E&D committee requests that the FA nominating committee implements the Faculty Association Equity Inclusion Plan, Focus II: Policies Procedures and Organizational Structure, Priority I. Diversity FA leadership in the selection of Vice President and A representative on the IFO Board of Directors.

Background – FA adopted the equity and inclusion plan – includes diversifying faculty and faculty union leadership. Not much effort has been made in this matter and it is important to remind the FA that diverse voices are needed in the elections committee, conveners and recruiting committee.  

UED supports the motion.

Motions 9 of 11, section VII, item I, page 7 of 19

E&D Motion: That the Metro State Faculty Association asks Administration for the Metro State Safety and Security Committee to include a representative from the Faculty of Color Caucus as a standing member.

Background – the FOC workgroup has been working on this in all 7 campuses statewide. There should be an FOC voice on Metro’s Safety and Security committee as a standing position. E&D committee should be informed about events that take place involving FOC – including any investigations. We believe the FOC also has a unique perspective and should have their voice heard in the Safety and Security Committee.

UED supports the motion.

Motions 10 of 11, section VII, item J, page 7 of 19

E&D Motion:  In order to live into the promise inherent in the phrase ‘radical inclusivity’ we request that Administration provide more detail about how they will hear diverse voices, including those of the faculty, in their planning and revising of institutional structures and decision making.

Background – the E&D Committee believes that rethinking administrative committee structures in order to listen to under-represented voices is required to be in accordance with the definition and characteristics of Radical Inclusivity presented at the Fall 2022 Convocation.

UED supports, also want to know how radical inclusivity is being discussed with faculty.

Motions 11 of 11, section VII, item K, page 7 of 19

E&D Motion:  In order to live into the promise inherent in the phrase ‘radical inclusivity’ we request that Administration provide more detail about how they will hear diverse voices, including those of the faculty, in their planning and revising of institutional structures and decision making.

Background – the E&D Committee believes that rethinking administrative committee structures in order to listen to under-represented voices is required to be in accordance with the definition and characteristics of Radical Inclusivity presented at the Fall 2022 Convocation.

UED supports the motion.

Adjournment

1:30pm