A plan to assess the strengths and weaknesses of UB's general education program was passed by the Faculty Senate Executive Committee at their meeting Wednesday in Capen Hall.
The committee also listened to President John Simpson talk about the latest SUNY tuition plan, and its members welcomed Peter Nickerson for another two-year term as chair.
The goal of the general education review is to let teachers know whether they are sufficiently addressing educational goals developed by SUNY, said Michael Ryan, UB's new vice provost for undergraduate education.
"Though (the process) may be tedious, it provides a mechanism for us to have meaningful feedback and to make improvements in the instruction of undergraduates," Ryan said.
Next fall, UB's assessment office will begin randomly sampling test results from students in general education classes and comparing those results to the educational goals.
Courses in information management, natural sciences, social sciences, and World Civilizations will be evaluated next year, according to the draft plan of the General Education Assessment Review group.
The process will not be a burden on teachers, said Carol Tutzauer, assistant director of assessment for undergraduate education. Administrators will analyze the tests and provide each teacher with an itemized report. She stressed that the reports will not affect personnel decisions such as promotion and pay.
"The intention is not for the report to be an accountability tool," she said. "In no way does this become a record in the instructor's personnel file."
Tutzauer presented the plan to the committee along with Peter Gold, an associate dean of the College of Arts and Sciences. Both administrators appeared relieved when the committee approved the plan after about 30 minutes of questions.
"Let's just say this has been a long fight between SUNY and faculty," Tutzauer said.
SUNY initially proposed a statewide test to see if students were meeting general education standards, she said. Faculty resisted the idea, but ultimately agreed to a plan that would allow each campus to monitor whether their courses were meeting the educational goals.
The next step for the plan is approval by the General Education Assessment Review group, which is a body of SUNY professors who "review the reviews," Tutzauer said. She added that she expects the group to approve the plan in March.
President John Simpson addressed another hot issue in the relationship between UB and SUNY - the state's latest plan for a tuition hike.
Simpson said he supports the general framework of the plan, which would hike tuition $600 next year. After that, each new freshman class would pay more tuition, but students in that class would pay the same rate for four years.
Knowing what the tuition will be in a given year will give UB more freedom to plan for its future, Simpson said.
"It is about making the university quasi-independent from Albany," Simpson said. "It gives us the ability to plan predictably."
The proposal calls for the state to increase SUNY funding in line with the tuition increase, and Simpson said the state's fulfillment of this obligation is key to making the plan work.
Simpson also said that as the state raises tuition, it also must find more money for financial aid programs like the Tuition Assistance Program.
"Increases in TAP are legislatively separate, but must be part of the conversation," he said.
Simpson also told the committee he has interviewed finalists for two major positions in the administration, Vice President for Research and Vice Provost for Faculty Affairs.
The field of candidates for Vice President for Research has narrowed to 10 or 11 candidates, he said. The new hire will replace Jaylan Turkkan, who left UB in the summer of 2004.
Fewer candidates remain in the search for Vice Provost for Faculty Affairs, which is a new position. Simpson said he wants the new vice provost to help develop a uniform code of conduct for faculty, an idea that each of the finalists supports.
The committee also learned Wednesday that its chair, Peter Nickerson, would keep his job for two more years.
Elections Committee chair Will Hepfer said while senators nominated four people to face Nickerson in the February election, two declined and one did not respond. When Hepfer announced that Nickerson would run unopposed, the group erupted in applause.
"I guess I'll get to keep the Faculty Senate plane for another two years," he joked.
Photo: Courtesy of Matthew Messina, from the RMBERS' Instagram page
