Summer News

Summer in the provost office has been a time to finish some of the work that remained from the FY 14 academic year.  This included the details for re-ranking of some faculty positions based on the new promotion and tenure guidelines, beginning the formal search process for a dean of the School of Business Administration, transitioning to a new program approval process with the PSU Board of Trustees and the HECC (Higher Education Coordinating Commission), making course adjustments for summer session, and launching the Academic Program Prioritization Committee. It has also been a time to meet with individual faculty members and learn more from their perspectives, to work with Bob Liebman (presiding officer of the Faculty Senate) on a shared work

plan for OAA and the Senate, and to prepare for the FY 15 academic year.  I also personally had time for a week-long vacation to visit my parents in Rhode Island and to enjoy beautiful New England at the peak of summer.

The summer has brought with it some unplanned staffing changes. In July, Vice Provost Kevin Reynolds began serving as the interim VP of FADM.  Although we are feeling the temporary gap this creates in our office, we are grateful for Kevin’s willingness to accept this responsibility and for his continued close working relationship with OAA.  Kevin still serves as the Vice Provost for Internationalization. 

On August 11^th we had a reception to thank Carol Mack for her many years of administrative service to PSU.  Carol made the decision that as of September 16, 2014 she wished to return to the faculty to resume her teaching and scholarship.  Carol has been an amazing colleague to all of us and very effective in her role, so it is with regret that I announced her decision earlier this summer to AAUP, AFT and the Faculty Senate Steering Committee. Next week I will send a message to all faculty members sharing this news and to announce the start of an internal search for the Vice Provost for Academic Personnel and Leadership Development.  In addition to Carol’s departure, Charles Burck, our coordinator for academic support, is leaving this week to assume the position of executive assistant to the OUS Chancellor and help them through this final transition year. 

I realize this is a lot of unplanned change.  Do know that everyone in our office is committed to providing the high quality service you need during this time of staffing changes.   Let any of us know if we can provide information and assist you in your efforts, and do not hesitate to share your thoughts with us.

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Academic Program Prioritization planning begins

In the fall 2013, I proposed to the Faculty Senate that we engage in an academic program prioritization (APP) process (my October 2013 Faculty Senate comments and PowerPoint sides can be found at http://www.pdx.edu/faculty-senate/senate-schedules-materialst).  From the onset I stated that this would need to be a faculty-driven process and that it could only be done with the endorsement and work of the Faculty Senate.  Over the next several months there was quite a bit of conversation about Why we should do this? What would it accomplish? and What were the provost’s motives?.

These questions were followed by fruitful conversations whereby the faculty discussed the pros and cons of assessing the entire array of academic programs we offer and determining if that array reflects the university we wish to be now and in the future.  As many of you know, we have a very rigorous process for the approval of new programs, but we fall short in taking a university-wide view of programs once they are approved.

The Senate conversations (chronicled in senate minutes throughout FY14) led to a joint charge in June 2014 (see Appendix D-1 of June 2, 2104 senate materials- http://www.pdx.edu/faculty-senate/sites/www.pdx.edu.faculty-senate/files/FS_June_14_%20Agenda_finalRv%20%282%29.pdf ) from the Senate and me to create an Academic Program Prioritization Committee (APPC). I wish to applaud the Senate and the Senate Steering Committee for taking a leadership role in this critically important faculty responsibility.

The APPC had its first meeting in July.  Its members were selected by the president based on an open, university-wide nomination process and the recommendation received from the Faculty Senate Steering Committee and the Faculty Advisory Committee.  Committee members include:

Sy Adler, CUPA

Talya Bauer, SBA
Samuel Henry, GSE
Mark Jones, chair, MCECS

Karin Magaldi, COTA
John Rueter, CLAS
Lynn Santelmann, CLAS

ExOfficio:
Michael Bowman (in capacity of his Library faculty position, but there is also benefit in his role as chair of Faculty Senate Budget Committee)
Steve Harmon, Provost Office
Kathi Ketcheson, OIRP

The committee, the Faculty Senate Executive Committee, and I heard concerns expressed by some faculty members that there would be an absence of faculty input if this committee began its work over the summer.   We are all very sensitive to this concern; as was the faculty senate in recommending a summer start.  I know from conversations with the committee that there will be no decision making during the summer, but rather some preliminary planning so that conversations and the work can take place with all faculty early this fall.  The committee will soon have a website where its work will be made very public with ongoing opportunities for comments/suggestions.  In addition, they will host numerous open sessions throughout the year to make sure there is adequate input from all faculty. 

I will blog on this topic from time to time to share information and my views.   I welcome your views on this topic

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