West Central Reporter

Western Illinois University Faculty Senate met March 3.

Here is the minutes provided by the senate:

SENATORS PRESENT: J. Albarracin, D. Banash, M. Bean, B. Bellott, J. Choi, S. Cordes, S. Czechowski, G. Delany- Barmann, R. Filipink, J. Franken, D. Hunter, I. Lauer, M. Maskarinec, D. Oursler, B. Perabo, C. Pynes, J. Robinett, R. Sawhney, F. Tasdan, E. Taylor, K. Zbeeb (via teleconference)

Ex-officio: Billy Clow, Interim Provost; Heather McIlvaine-Newsad, Parliamentarian

SENATORS ABSENT: T. Lough, M. Stinnett

GUESTS: Martin Abraham, Tom Blackford, Ginny Boynton, Amy Carr, Jack Elfrink, Buzz Hoon, Sue Martinelli-Fernandez, Mark Mossman, Lorette Oden, Joe Roselieb, John Smith, Ryan Spory, Araceli Villagomez

I. Consideration of Minutes A. February 18, 2020

MINUTES APPROVED AS DISTRIBUTED

II. Announcements

A. Approvals from the Provost

1. Requests for New Courses

a. ANTH 180, Cannabis Culture: The Anthropological Study of Cannabis, 3 s.h.

b. ANTH 205, Drugs and Culture: From Magic Mushrooms to Big Pharma, 3 s.h.

c. HIST 358, History of Drugs, 3 s.h.

d. LAS 420, Senior Seminar in Cannabis and Culture, 3 s.h.

e. REL 180, Religion and Drugs, 3 s.h.

2. Request for New Interdisciplinary Minor

a. Cannabis and Culture 3. Request for Change of Major

a. Exercise Science

4. Request for General Education Designation

a. ANTH/REL 225, Myth and Ritual, 3 s.h. B. Provost's Report

Interim Provost Clow announced that he and other members of the administration met with University Professionals of Illinois (UPI) representatives this afternoon to discuss the University’s response to the coronavirus. He added that UPI President Bill Thompson sent out an email to their members this afternoon. Interim Provost Clow introduced Joe Roselieb, Executive Director of Auxiliary Services and Risk Management, to provide more details about WIU’s coronavirus response.

Mr. Roselieb related that risk management for WIU’s campuses is approached in many different ways. He said that things are changing fast every day, and it is hard to predict what will happen. He related that, from a public relations perspective, when students return from spring break, they will find digital signage in the residence halls regarding the coronavirus, and there will be more press releases issued. Mr. Roselieb said the University plans to drive home common-sense responses such as washing hands and covering mouths when coughing. The University has developed a

website,.wiu.edu/ , to answer frequently asked questions and provide resources. The website includes a link to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and other health-related sites, as well as recommendations from the Illinois Department of Public Health. Mr. Roselieb has spoken with Study Abroad many times, and together they developed a good direction for them to follow. He told senators that his office is evaluating what it would look like if there was a confirmed case of the coronavirus at WIU and has set up an isolation area in conjunction with University Housing. Mr. Roselieb also plans to start meeting with members of the faculty about how a confirmed case on campus might affect educators.

Interim Vice President for Student Services John Smith, who also serves as Director of Beu Health Center, recognizes the coronavirus is getting a lot of attention, but explained it is actually another type of flu virus. He told senators that about 600 students have contracted the flu so far this year, and he would expect much the same numbers for the coronavirus, but the difference is that there is a vaccine for the flu, which is why higher numbers of coronavirus cases are being reported. He related that, put into perspective, there have been approximately 21 million cases of flu reported worldwide since October 2019 and about 93,000 cases of coronavirus with approximately 3,000 deaths. Interim Vice President Smith related there have been 18,000 deaths from the flu in the United States so far this year, so the coronavirus is not really any scarier than the flu virus, and he does not know why the media has hyped it up so much more than it really is. He stated that the average person at this meeting will end up with a cold or the symptoms of the flu, while most students will probably be really healthy and may not notice they have the coronavirus. He added that older individuals who suffer from diabetes and heart disease are those who are more likely to end up with something seriously wrong as a result of the coronavirus.

Interim Vice President Smith told senators that in order to get someone tested, the University would have to be able to link that person to an outbreak area; otherwise, the individual will be treated as if they have the normal, seasonal flu. He related that the individual who tested positive for the coronavirus at the University of California-Davis had no connection with any outbreak or infected person, so the individual would not have been able to have been tested if this had occurred in Illinois. Interim Vice President Smith stated that a letter with information about the University’s planned response to the coronavirus will be going out to students’ parents, another letter to all faculty and staff with a request that faculty read the letter to their students, and a third message will go out on WesternOnline. He said the University is trying to be very proactive and will likely establish Bayliss Hall as an isolation center for individuals who may have to be quarantined for 14 days. Interim Vice President Smith related that one individual at WIU will be traveling to Japan, which is a Level II area, and he has spoken to this person about self-quarantining for 14 days after returning. He stated that as of right now, no study abroad trips have been cancelled due to the coronavirus, and none will be traveling to countries that are above a Level II.

Senator Albarracin asked if Chicago is considered to be an outbreak area since there have been cases reported there. She wonders if individuals who have connections with Chicago should be tested. Interim Vice President Smith responded that only four people in Chicago have the coronavirus as of this morning, and they have all been isolated. He is not sure how the last two individuals contracted the virus, but they are husband and wife. He added that Chicago is not considered to be an outbreak area yet.

Senator Czechowski observed that WIU building service workers have been cut very low. She brought Clorox wipes to her classroom yesterday and wiped down her tables, but she wonders if there will be enough building service workers to be able to clean all of the areas. Interim Vice President Smith responded that the administration has met with building service workers twice and have been assured that they will be able to keep up. He said that building service workers are now wiping down doorknobs in addition to their regular cleaning. He promised that the University will continue to be diligent in its cleaning efforts, but there may also come a time when the administration needs to ask individuals in the classrooms to wipe down the tables. He said the World Health Organization is recommending a ten percent bleach solution to sanitize surfaces; it is unknown at this point whether the virus can stay alive on surfaces for two minutes or for nine days.

Emeritus History professor Ginny Boynton asked if there has been coordination between the University and community leaders, such as Mayor Inman or the Macomb City Council. Interim Vice President Smith responded this has not occurred at this point, but he does plan to reach out to the Mayor and McDonough District Hospital. What he worries most about regarding the community is nursing homes and isolating them to prevent spreading the virus.

Chairperson Pynes asked if any of the methods outlined will be done differently for the Quad Cities campus. Interim Vice President Smith replied that he will travel to WIUQC tomorrow to meet with five or six people at 1:00 p.m. in order to go over the same steps that are being discussed with Faculty Senate.

Senator Bellott asked if students with young children should be particularly worried about the virus and whether they should continue to come to class. Interim Vice President Smith replied that he would take the same precautions with young children as is recommended for the elderly and infants during any flu season, which includes keeping them away from sick people. He does not think there is any need to go above and beyond the normal precautions.

Interim Provost Clow remarked that as the coronavirus news evolves, the University will learn more about what it needs to do. He said the administration will ask for everyone’s help and consideration if, for instance, faculty have a class that is half gone even though the institution has not had an outbreak. He noted that, alternatively, there may be a faculty member who comes down with the coronavirus and must be quarantined for 14 days; classes cannot be cancelled, so the administration is trying to work on some policies to address these situations. Interim Provost Clow related that the administration talked about some options with UPI, but they are currently navigating uncharted waters.

Senator Cordes asked, if the University is looking into policies that require wiping surfaces down, whether this response be continued with the rest of the flu season. He wonders why the University has not already been doing this if there have been so many cases of the flu already. Interim Vice President Smith said he agrees, and at Beu Health Center prevention – washing hands, cleaning surfaces, not touching the face – is stressed a lot. Senator Cordes observed that, unless it spins rapidly out of control, the coronavirus will become a flu. He asked if, since viruses seem to mutate every year, there should always be a wipe down policy in place for classrooms. Interim Vice President Smith responded that every year Beu Health Center works closely with Facilities Management to convey what that year’s flu symptoms are like. Beu keeps track of the number of positive flu cases at the University between the months of October through December. Interim Vice President Smith stated that this number times four or five is the number of cases that the University expects to see from January through the end of March or early April. He stated that Beu then advises Facilities Management on ramping up cleaning and has been doing so for 15 years, although it is not really publicized. He remarked that faculty and staff also often wipe down their own areas. Interim Vice President Smith stated that everyone is doing the best they can with the available resources; these steps have been followed every year but they are now being brought to the forefront because the media is pushing news about the coronavirus.

Senator Tasdan asked how many days of quarantine are required since he is hearing the coronavirus can incubate five to 20 days or more. Interim Vice President Smith responded that 14 to 28 days is recommended. He stated that if an individual has been somewhere with an outbreak, the 14-day quarantine would start from that date; if after the 14 days the individual has no symptoms, it should be fine to leave quarantine, but if the person has a fever or cough the quarantine should be extended another 14 days.

Ms. Villagomez asked what the recommendation is for students who might be pregnant. She wonders if the recommendation for them is the same as for students with children. Interim Vice President Smith responded that it is; at this point, there are no indications that pregnant women should do anything different than normal precautions against the flu or any other viral illness. He added that students with other contraindicators along with their pregnancy should speak to their doctors; Interim Vice President Smith would not want to give any specific recommendations without knowing a full medical history.

Senator Perabo observed that the coronavirus is substantially more contagious than other viral illnesses, which is why individuals should take more precautions than in other flu seasons. Interim Vice President Smith responded that the death rate for the coronavirus is running 2-3 percent, but it may go higher because there is no vaccine yet. He recalled that the H1N1 virus killed at a much higher rate until vaccines started to become available, after which the rate dropped. He noted that many people have already had the normal flu vaccine, which is why the rate may be lower, and the World Health Organization is trying answer that question. Senator Perabo remarked that China shut down a province of one million people, so it is not just the media making something up but a potentially serious issue. She added that China’s government may have been wrong about its seriousness, but it seems that they have been able to flatten the curve of the infections.

Dr. Boynton stated that, while she appreciates Interim Vice President Smith’s attempts to calm everyone’s fears, she thinks the fatality rate for flu is 0.1 percent while the fatality rate for the coronavirus is 3.4 percent. Interim Vice President Smith responded that the fatality rate for the flu is normally around two percent, and the fatality rate for the coronavirus is 2-3 percent. [Note: Interim Vice President Smith corrected his statement in an email to Dr. Boynton following the meeting, acknowledging the difference in death rate for the coronavirus, which is now 3.4 percent, and the death rate from the influenza virus, which is about 0.1 percent.]

Chairperson Pynes expressed his appreciation to Interim Vice President Smith and Mr. Roselieb for the information and promised to help try to keep faculty, staff, and students informed.

C. Student Government Association Report

(Araceli Villagomez, SGA representative to Faculty Senate)

SGA at today’s meeting will vote on student fee proposals for the academic year. Ms. Villagomez told senators that the Budget Office has requested to increase the student fee rate by.0213 percent, from $92.98 per credit hour to $94.96 per credit hour.

Ms. Villagomez reminded senators that Women’s History Month runs from February 27 through March 31, and SGA plans to sponsor some events during the month.

D. Other Announcements

1. Illinois Board of Higher Education Faculty Advisory Council Notes from January 2020 Meeting

(Amy Carr, WIU Representative to the IBHE FAC)

Dr. Carr reminded senators that dual credit is when students can get simultaneous credit for high school and college while dual enrollment, which is what WIU mostly does, is when students get college credit for a course taken while in high school. She stated that dual credit/dual enrollment is getting a lot of bipartisan support at the state level, and Governor Pritzker mentioned dual credit in his budget address. Dr. Carr related there was a hearing today on Bill Brady’s Senate Bill 2977, The Collegiate High School Act, which would require each public community college, in cooperation with each school board in its designated service area, to establish one or more collegiate high school programs for students enrolled in the 11th grade. The bill would also require every high school to offer the option of achieving am AA or AS degree to be completed solely in a high school setting. Dr. Carr said that while there is a lot of opposition to this bill, and she is not sure it will go anywhere, this is the second year in a row it has come up.

Dr. Carr related that the Faculty Advisory Council is developing a position paper on this topic that will include perspectives from a lot of people, including those from community colleges who have more experience in this area. She said the main concern with dual credit is that it is often taught by high school teachers. The state of Illinois has passed a law that says high school teachers can qualify to teach dual credit courses if they just plan to get a master’s degree, and there are a lot of issues with that. Dr. Carr said other concerns include limiting the options of students to explore majors and minors in college by encouraging them to “knock out” their Gen Ed courses in high school.

Dr. Carr referenced an email from Melette Pearce, who teaches at Black Hawk College and serves on the IBHE Faculty Advisory Council. Ms. Pearce pointed out in her email that students who take dual credit classes in high school rather than attending a community college are limited in their ability to engage with diverse college populations; high school classes are often comprised of students of similar age, race, and socioeconomic class, which Ms. Pearce says makes these students’ worlds remain very small. Ms. Pearce’s email states that “We are constantly struggling with maintaining academic standards in dual credit courses taught in high schools by high school faculty. My favorite story is about the dual credit anthropology course that was being taught by the high school Spanish teacher who did not have any graduate level coursework in anthropology.” There’s also the challenge of trying to evaluate the high school faculty. That has been met with resistance, and sometimes it is not practical because they are only teaching during five hours when the community college faculty are teaching. She also points out that if a high school teacher’s dual credit class is not going well, the whole community college is also associated with that, and there may be the perception that the community college offers poor instruction. Ms. Pearce’s email adds that “Once upon a time, many of the dual credit students were honor students. Recently those standards have changed, and enrollment is open to the general school population based on parental consent and a nod from the counselor, regardless of the student’s academic performance, level of maturity, or desire to learn.” Dr. Carr remarked that there is a lot of pressure from parents for their children to have the option of dual credit classes. Ms. Pearce’s email notes that “Maturity and the desire to learn are almost of greater concern than academic achievement. These issues have led to unnecessary student outbursts (verbal and physical) in class regarding the content we are allowed to cover and how we cover it. For example, one of our professors found himself kicked out of the high school because he suggested in class that the Neanderthals were real. This disagreed with the student’s belief system, and the parents petitioned the school to have the professor removed (successfully).” Dr. Carr observed that principals of high schools will have a say about what professors can teach.

Dr. Carr noted that dual credit courses offered in high schools are held wherever there is a classroom available; there have been communication classes taught in science laboratories around Bunsen burners or in athletic areas. She said there are a lot of questions associated with dual credit classes, and she wants the University to be aware of some of the narratives she is hearing at IBHE Faculty Advisory Council meetings because it will take a lot of widespread effort to resist the spread of dual credit and to think about how it can be done in a better way. Katie Stuart, a state representative from Edwardsville, has asked if there could be a statewide limit on how many of these types of courses can be transferred.

Senator Tasdan asked if college professors can teach dual credit courses in high schools without certification. Dr. Carr replied that high schools have ways of getting around that right now more than community colleges can, although this may change in future. She stated that high school teachers are supposed to be working toward their master’s degrees in order to be able to teach dual credit, but they can teach four to six years before they would be prohibited from continuing to teach these courses. Dr. Carr also noted that as these courses are shifted more to high schools, there may be fewer institutional spaces for scholarship in liberal arts fields because of the limited time available to high school teachers (who may not seek to do scholarship in liberal arts fields in the first place). Chairperson Pynes asked if university and college professors are not allowed to teach dual credit courses if they do not have a high school teaching certificate. Dr. Carr clarified she had thought Senator Tasdan was asking if high school teachers could have less qualification than college professors to teach dual credit. She stated that university and college professors can teach dual credit in high schools even though they do not have the specific high school certification and training.

Senator Sawhney asked if these concerns also apply to Advanced Placement (AP) classes; Dr. Carr replied that they do not. She added that AP classes seem to be viewed more favorably in the conversations she has been hearing; because they have evaluations at a national level, they are more rigorous.

Associate Provost Mark Mossman formerly taught a dual enrollment course at Cambridge High School. He pointed out that when a university professor goes into a high school to teach a dual enrollment course, that professor is teaching students that have been admitted to the university, so they are, in essence, college students. He said there is no need to get a certain level of certificate because the assumption is that the professor is teaching a college course. He noted that in order to be admitted, the high school students must meet the standards of the university, so there is a stark difference between dual credit and dual enrollment. He believes this movement is growing because higher education costs so much. Associate Provost Mossman explained that when the University developed its dual enrollment program, it was developed for high school junior or senior honors students who are on their way to college anyway, so it is a service for their communities. He noted that if one or two of the students decide to go to WIU after graduation, it pays for the course of instruction. Associate Provost Mossman stated that, alternatively, dual credit courses are where a high school teacher teaches a college course as well as a high school course; a student might take a high school course at 2:00 p.m. and then take a college-level course at 3:00 p.m. taught by the same teacher, so it is an entirely different situation. Dr. Carr added that sometimes the same high school class will have some students taking it for dual credit while others are not. Dr. Carr thinks this is the kind of data that will probably lead to a change in policy about these courses around the country.

Senator Sawhney asked if high school students have to take an exam to get credit for these courses. Dr. Carr replied that they do not; they are just like a college course. Senator Sawhney remarked that when students take a college course they have to take exams to show that they have successfully completed it (rather than just sitting in the classroom and not participating) in order for the course to be listed on their transcripts. Dr. Carr stated that dual credit courses are required to have an approved syllabus, but there is no formal test as there is for an AP course. She reiterated that dual credit is counted just like a college course. She added that some dual credit courses are guaranteed to transfer (for gen Ed or general elective credit), but they are not always applied to the requirements of a specific major, so there is a distinction there, too.

Senator Hunter asked what actions the Faculty Advisory Council are recommending. Dr. Carr replied that they are still sorting it out; there is bipartisan support for dual credit, so there a lot of pressure by some in higher education to not even voice concerns. She does not think there is a clear path at this point. Dr. Carr thinks changing the culture about General Education is something that needs to occur, but it is very hard to do. Senator Hunter remarked that his four children all had at least 12 hours of credit transferring into their colleges. Dr. Carr pointed out that the dual credit hours being transferred in vary in quality depending on the school. She said that a colleague from Lincoln Trail Community College says that when students come to that college to take the courses, they do better than when they transfer in courses taken in high school. She observed that limiting how much students can transfer in, however, is very hard to do. Senator Hunter asked if the Faculty Advisory Council is developing a position paper. Dr. Carr replied that they are, but it is very much in the development stage right now. She told senators if they have any ideas to email them to her.

Chairperson Pynes said he would like to put a finer point on Senator Sawhney’s question because he thinks it is very important. He pointed out that AP courses require students to take AP exams, even though WIU has lowered the number a student much achieve on the exam in order for it to count for university credit. He stated that if there is no way to verify that the student learns what they are supposed to learn in a dual credit course taught by a high school teacher at the high school, that is concerning. He hopes that the IBHE Faculty Advisory Council points out that there is a gaping hole in terms of accountability.

Interim President Abraham remarked that one thing that is missing from the conversation is that dual credit courses are certified by the university or college that is offering them, just like any other course they would offer. He stated that whether the dual credit course is taught by a high school teacher, an instructor who is designated by the college or university, or a university professor, they are expected to be a college course. Interim President Abraham stated that in his former position in Ohio, in many cases the expectation was that the faculty from the university would prepare the syllabus and the exams that the students would take and, in that way, ensure that the content was substantially similar to what they would receive at the university. He agrees that the experience of taking a college class at a high school versus at a university is different, but the university or college should be expected to assure that the academic content is rigorous and covers the material that it is expected to cover. Dr. Carr remarked that this is the intent, but it does not always work this way.

Senator Sawhney related that his son took courses at WIU and got credit for them at his high school, which he thinks would be a better method because that provides WIU access to these students actually coming to the university. Dr. Carr noted that the university or college offering dual credit is supposed to certify the high school teacher and certify the course, but they are finding that the high school teachers resist being evaluated. She stated that Black Hawk College is experiencing pressure from high school teachers to be able to teach upper-level courses as well. She stated that, from a faculty perspective, allowing high school teachers to teach these courses represents outsourcing faculty labor. She pointed out that it is very different to have a professor teach high school students at the university, as Senator Sawhney described, in that regard.

Senator Filipink pointed out that the Illinois Articulation Initiative (IAI) represents a large loophole since it allows these courses to be automatically transferrable to universities within the IAI system. He stated that while dual credit courses are supposed to be certified by colleges and universities, in many cases they are not, although they are still being flushed through due to IAI. He stated that this was fine for the community colleges while they were benefitting from it, but they are less happy about it now that they are not benefitting from these courses since they are increasingly being taught by high school teachers.

2. Chairperson Pynes asked senators to remind their colleagues that the purpose of the Senate Nominating Committee annual interest survey is to find service work that they want to do. He added that it makes SNC’s job significantly easier if faculty take the time to complete the survey. The survey deadline is March 6.

3. Chairperson Pynes reminded senators, as discussed in the Executive Committee minutes, that Faculty Senate will be one of the sponsors for Rockython (formerly Dance Marathon) this year. Senators who are interested in contributing can give their donation to the Senate Recording Secretary or to Chairperson Pynes after today’s meeting or in campus mail to the Faculty Senate office.

4. Interim President Martin Abraham is scheduled to speak to Faculty Senate at 4:00 p.m. on Tuesday, March 24 in the Union Capitol Rooms.

5. Recently completed elections for Fall 2020 seats on Faculty Senate resulted in the following faculty being declared elected:

• College of Business and Technology: Mark Bernards, Agriculture

• College of Education and Human Services: Todd Lough, Law Enforcement and Justice Administration

• Macomb Senator At-Large: David Banash, English

Ballots were sent out this week to vote for two senators from the College of Arts and Sciences. The candidates are:

• Marjorie Allison, English

• Rebekah Buchanan, English

• Lee Brice, History

• Amy Carr, Liberal Arts and Sciences

Three fall seats remain to be filled: one seat for the College of Education and Human Services and two seats for the College of Fine Arts and Communication. The deadline for petitions to fill those three seats has been extended to March 17. Election notices for these positions and petition forms are attached to this email and can also be found

at ://www.wiu.edu/faculty_senate/elections.

6. Workshops on “How to Better Serve DACA, Undocumented, and Immigrant Background Students” will be held on March 5, 16, and 26 from 12:00-1:00 p.m. in the Multicultural Center. Presenters will include Julia Albarracin, Political Science; Melissa Telles, Associate Director of Admissions; and Marcy Olague-Jamaica, College Student Personnel graduate student. The workshop will provide an introduction to the intricacies of immigration law, the rights of immigrants, and the particular needs of WIU immigrant students. Register online at ://www.wiu.edu/CITR/.

III. Reports of Committees and Councils

A. Senate Nominating Committee (Jeremy Robinett, Chair)

1. Faculty Nominations

SENATE COUNCILS AND COMMITTEES

Council on General Education (CGE)

Robert Kelly, LEJA replacing Joyce Runquist 2021 At-large

Council for Instructional Technology (CIT)

Clifton Ealy, Math/Philosophy replacing Jim Olsen Spr 2020 only A&S

UNIVERSITY COUNCILS AND COMMITTEES:

Campus Violence Prevention Committee

Patricia Vandermeulen-Walton, LEJA 2023 At-large

FYE Leadership Committee

Elgin Mannion, Soc/Anth replacing Joyce Runquist 2021 At-large

University Technology Advisory Group (uTAG)

Joel Gruver, Agriculture replacing Joyce Runquist 2021 B&T

There were no additional nominations, and the slate of candidates was declared elected.

B. Committee on Provost and Presidential Performance (CPPP)

(Feridun Tasdan, Chair)

1. Update on Survey

Senator Tasdan reported that the annual provost performance survey was released on February 25 and remains active for 21 days. Two reminder emails will go out to eligible faculty: on March 6 and three days before the final date to complete the survey (March 16 at 4:30 p.m.). Senator Tasdan anticipates receiving the results of the survey from the Center for Innovation in Teaching and Research (CITR) one or two days after it closes. The Committee will then work to prepare a report for the Executive Committee meeting of March 31 with the goal of reporting the survey results to Faculty Senate on April 7. He asked that senators encourage their colleagues to participate in the survey. Chairperson Pynes recommended that if a faculty member does not think they have received the survey, they should do a search for “CPPP” in their mail.

C. Budget Transparency Committee (BTC) (Betsy Perabo, Chair)

1. Update and Minutes

Senator Perabo related that the BTC was asked to identify a few of the major issues they discussed over the course of the year and share those with Faculty Senate. She said the Committee highlighted four at their last meeting about which they wished to raise some concerns.

a. Senator Perabo related that BTC has concerns about the FY 19 Athletics budget deficit since they brought in $4.7 million and had expenditures of $7.9 million. She said the FY 20 budget anticipates $8.4 million in revenue and $4.2 million in expenditures. She related that the BTC has talked about the expenses of the Division I athletics designation, but they also realize there are costs associated with leaving the division. If WIU were to leave the Summit League, for example, it would cost approximately $1 million, according to recordings from closed Board of Trustees minutes, although BTC has not independently verified that figure. Senator Perabo related that Associate Vice President for Budget and Finance Letisha Trepac pointed out to them when she met with the BTC on January 29 that not every student-athlete receives a full scholarship, many still pay for their room and board, and there is positive publicity associated with having a higher profile football team, as has been seen with a former Leatherneck playing in this year’s Super Bowl. Associate Vice President Trepac told the BTC that task forces have been created in the past to consider options for the Athletics program, but because of turnover there has not been a move toward any major changes. Senator Perabo related that the BTC thinks, in the interest of transparency, it would be a good idea to look at the conclusion of any task forces, the Business Services analysis of Athletics mentioned by Associate Vice President Trepac, and any other publicly available materials on this topic. She said the BTC does not have any recommendations at this point but thinks a closer analysis of the costs and contributions of Athletics should be raised. She said BTC also spent time discussing the kinds of benefits, both financial and otherwise, available for athletic competitions that could be extended into other areas, such as artistic or academic competitions, which could be emphasized in addition to athletics.

b. Senator Perabo related that a lot of faculty are concerned about student access to advising and counseling services. She said the BTC believes that providing appropriate levels of support is both the right thing to do and an important element related to WIU’s interest in recruiting and retaining students. She noted that Athletics provides very good support for student-athletes because of the smaller load for their advisors and counselors. She said the BTC wonders if this success could be replicated in the larger population. Senator Perabo noted that there have been some declines in Advising; the University Advising and Academic Services Center expended $731,000 in FY 19 and has budgeted for $578,000 in FY 20. She said this is complicated because different programs and departments have their own advisors, so these figures are not necessarily reflective overall. She added that the Counseling Center’s budget also decreased for FY 20.

c. Senator Perabo related that the BTC discussed operating at a deficit versus the structural budget deficit. She said the BTC would like to know whether the five percent increase that is anticipated from the state will go toward closing the gap between the two deficits or whether the University will be able to hire faculty in areas where existing faculty are teaching overload due to unfilled positions.

d. Senator Perabo reported that an issue which has come up repeatedly is the lack of an institutional grant writer position. She stated that if the University cannot hire an institutional grant writer at the appropriate level, the BTC would like to look into creative solutions to make available the level of support that this position would provide. She related that Faculty Senate has heard from the administration that a position of this type would need to be civil service, and that designation would be too low to hire the right kind of person. Senator Perabo believes that WIU is losing out on important sources of grant funding. She said the BTC would like to know how other state institutions handle this – how do they classify their grant support staff, could faculty be tasked to provide grant support and given ACEs for this along the model of CITR, etc.

Chairperson Pynes remarked that when he proposed the creation of an ad hoc Budget Transparency Committee in 2016-17, which became the current standing committee, he thought it was important that the faculty take some ownership and responsibility for understanding the budget. He also thought creating such a committee would reduce the need to bring the Budget Director to Faculty Senate meetings. Chairperson Pynes said he could not be happier about Senator Perabo’s leadership of the Budget Transparency Committee and thinks it is a nice model; the Committee has tackled some difficult topics, and this service is harder than it looks. He commended the BTC for digging into things that he thinks faculty may have avoided in the past. He hopes the BTC continues in future to have senators serve who are dedicated to understanding the structural issues and thinking hard about how the budget works. Chairperson Pynes added that the minutes of the BTC produced by Senator Perabo are posted on the Faculty Senate website

( ://www.wiu.edu/faculty_senate/committees/facultysenate/btc.php) after they are approved by the Committee. He stressed that it is important to understand the difference between the structural budget and the expenditure budget. He believes it is good for faculty to remember that when the Budget Director talks about one thing and the President or Provost talk about something else, they are talking about two different kinds of budgets.

IV. Old Business – None

V. New Business

A. For the Good of the Body – None

Motion: To adjourn (Lauer)

The Faculty Senate adjourned at 4:50 p.m.

http://www.wiu.edu/faculty_senate/meetings/Minutes%203-3-20.pdf