Faculty Senate Executive Committee Actions |
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February 18, 2014, Volume 60, No. 23 |
The following is published in accordance with the Faculty Senate Rules. Among other purposes, the publication of SEC actions is intended to stimulate discussion among the constituencies and their representatives. Please communicate your comments to Vicki Hewitt, executive assistant to the Senate Office, either by telephone at (215) 898-6943 or by email at senate@pobox.upenn.edu
Faculty Senate Executive Committee Actions
Wednesday, February 12, 2014
Chair’s Report: Faculty Senate Chair Dwight Jaggard reported that the Faculty Senate Committee on Committees will meet to fill committee vacancies for next year and he asked SEC members to submit suggestions. He reminded SEC members that the March 19 SEC meeting will be held in Meyerson Conference Room in Van Pelt Library. He also reminded the committee that Provost Vincent Price and Vice Provost for Faculty Anita Allen will attend the March SEC meeting and he asked SEC members to submit any questions for them in advance. He noted that the issue of University divestment from tobacco companies will be voted on at the February 19 meeting of University Council. He encouraged SEC members who are also members of UC attend the meeting. He then gave a brief update on the activities of each Faculty Senate committees.
Past Chair’s Report: Faculty Senate Past Chair Susan Margulies reported that she attended an Academic Planning and Budget Committee meeting and reminded the Senate Executive Committee that she is bound by a confidentiality agreement not to discuss the work of the Academic Planning and Budget Committee outside of the committee.
Discussion on the Tobacco Divestment Proposal: Associate Professor of Philosophy Michael Weisberg gave a brief background on the proposal for tobacco divestment. He stated that tobacco use is one of the biggest threats to world health, and highlighted the fact that tobacco companies work to make their products as addictive as possible and market them aggressively to children in the developing world. He argued that benefitting financially from tobacco companies is antithetical to the University’s mission of education, health and research. He noted that most of our peers have already divested from tobacco companies. Drs. Frank Leone and Robert Schaller from the Perelman School of Medicine also spoke briefly in support of divestment, emphasizing that tobacco manufacturers make their products addictive with full knowledge of the harmful health effects and the difficulty of breaking a nicotine addiction. Deputy Dean and Nicholas F. Gallicchio Professor of Law William Bratton argued that the best way to effect change in tobacco companies’ activities is by staying invested and taking a shareholder activist approach. He said that although tobacco divestment is unlikely to have much of a financial effect on the University’s endowment, it could have a slippery slope effect, encouraging divestment on other social issues. He also spoke of the importance of not limiting the choices of Penn’s endowment portfolio managers and he cited the primary duty of the Trustees as ensuring the financial health of the institution.
SEC members and the group then intensely discussed the probable financial effects of divestment, the public message the University sends with its decision, grant funding that asks about University policies on tobacco investment, how tobacco use disproportionately affects communities of color and other ethical issues around divestment.
A motion was put forward that SEC support the proposal for tobacco divestment brought to the University Council and recommend the Trustees accept it. This motion was seconded and unanimously approved by the committee. The results of the vote will be sent to the President and Provost.
Discussion on AAU Undergraduate STEM Education Initiative and Innovative Teaching Strategies: Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences Dennis DeTurck, Associate Dean for Undergraduate Education in SEAS Beth Winkelstein, Department Chair in Physics & Astronomy Larry Gladney and Graduate School of Education Professor Rebecca Maynard spoke to the committee on the AAU Undergraduate STEM Education Initiative and other efforts to adopt innovative pedagogical methods to enhance student-centered learning in the classroom. The pilot program focuses on the basic sciences, engineering, mathematics and economics. Some of the challenges to expanding the program are the lack of appropriate classroom spaces on campus and the need for multiple instructors or teaching assistants. The program will be assessed for effectiveness beginning next fall. Students will be randomly assigned to either traditionally-taught or SAIL (Structured Active In-class Learning) sections and student grades, evaluations, interviews, and choice of subsequent classes will be compared.
SEC members and the group then discussed using these methods in academically-based service classes, the ideal class size for these methods, the difference between SAIL and “flipped classrooms,” and working with the Center for Teaching and Learning to learn more about these initiatives.
New Business: SEC member Gustavo Aguirre distributed a letter he had written for consideration of SEC at a future meeting.
Vote on the Proposed Faculty Handbook Change requested by the Health Schools: The Senate Executive Committee discussed the proposal from the four Health Schools to clarify the role and duties of the Clinician-Educator track. After careful consideration and a lively discussion, the committee voted unanimously to approve this proposal.
Discussion on Student Mental Health: Associate Vice Provost for University Life Max King, Director of Counseling and Psychological Services William Alexander, President of the Undergraduate Assembly Abe Sutton, and undergraduates Julie Bittar and Elana Stern spoke to the committee on the state of student mental health at Penn. Bill Alexander noted that CAPS received additional funding to permanently increase the size of its staff and operating hours, but that almost all of CAPS’ resources go to clinical treatment. CAPS did not have resources to support public health initiatives such as outreach, education and training initiatives. Julie Bittar reported that an informal survey of undergraduates centered on three themes: problems with CAPS, such as long wait times and referrals to outside providers; educational policies that discourage students from seeking help, such as leaves of absence and incomplete grades; and the mental health environment on campus.
SEC members and the group then discussed academic stress on students, potential stigma of those seeking help for mental health issues, how faculty can handle potential triggers in classwork, training for faculty and academic advisors in referring students to resources for help and suggestions on how other institutions handle mental health issues.
Related: Council Open Forum Topics
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