ASFS Motions

Pending Motions

Past Motions

Motion passed by the ASC on 4/13/2021 regarding faculty hiring priorities in the College

The Arts and Sciences Council calls on the administration of the College to place the highest budget priority on replacing the tenured faculty that retired in the past year. While Instructors can carry out much of the undergraduate teaching responsibility of tenured and tenure-track (TTT) faculty, the loss of the latter represents an unacceptable erosion of the College’s capacity for research and creative work.

A decreased output of research and creative work is expected to place a strain on departmental budgets through loss of DAICR. More importantly, the College is likely to suffer from a diminished reputation as a component of an R1 institution. This result in turn could make it difficult to retain talented TTT faculty and recruit outstanding graduate students. Opportunities for collaboration in research and creative work are lost with the retirement of tenured faculty, and failure to replace them represents a missed opportunity to benefit from the new ideas and innovative technologies that are brought to the College by newly hired Assistant Professors.

The intimate familiarity of TTT faculty with advances in their discipline is an invaluable component of many undergraduate courses. Reduction in the number of such faculty will have further negative impacts on education in the College through reduction in the number of graduate students that can be trained, and of research experiences for undergraduate students. Such experiences are a major recruiting incentive for the best students, as well as an important pathway to admission to graduate or professional schools.

Failure to replace retired tenured faculty may also lead to a greater imbalance among Divisions within the College, because there would be an incentive to allocate scarce TTT lines to units that bring in the most funding for research or creative work. This imbalance would be harmful to the College as a whole, as its ability to deliver a Liberal Arts education depends on the strength of all of its Divisions.

The College is committed to increasing the diversity of its TTT faculty to a much greater extent in the present than it has been in the past. Failure to replace retired tenured faculty therefore represents the loss of an invaluable opportunity to increase the diversity within this group.

As pointed out by the Colorado Chapter of the AAUP in its December 12, 2020 letter to Dean White, tenure and the prospect of tenure are an indispensable component of academic freedom. The protections of tenure allow TTT faculty to challenge students in the classroom and contribute to shared governance in ways that would otherwise risk job security. We do not support increasing the proportion of faculty who not only lack such security, but are compensated at a significantly lower rate than those on the tenure track.

The recent pandemic has highlighted the rigidity of the College’s budget and we support the concept of increasing flexibility through investment in better support for the faculty, staff and students that remain. Such support will not offset the loss of TTT faculty that has occurred, however. We recommend that as the budget of the College improves, the gains be used to restore the TTT faculty to its pre-pandemic size. (Departments reserve the right to prioritize the hiring of instructor-rank faculty.) Alternative sources of funds for improved support and flexibility should be explored exhaustively at the campus level to prevent a damaging loss of faculty and even departments at the next economic downturn.

Motion passed by the ASC on 4/13/2021 establishing College policy on the hiring of non-TTT faculty by units that do not serve as tenure homes

This policy does not address the hiring of faculty members within departments or within programs that serve as tenure homes. It concerns only the hiring, in the College of Arts and Sciences, of non-tenured/non-tenure-track (non-TTT) faculty members, visiting or otherwise, by College entities that do not serve as tenure homes. When such hiring occurs, the successful candidate must be sponsored by an academic department in Arts and Sciences. Departmental sponsorship consists in explicit approval by the sponsoring department’s faculty. Regarding the nature of such approval, the sponsoring department’s review process should reflect what that department would do if the department were itself to hire someone to fill a position of the sort in question; in other words, the department should review candidates in a way that is commensurate with the nature of the non-TTT faculty position in question and should apply the standards the department would apply were it to make its own such appointment.

In some cases, there exists a substantial faculty body composed primarily of tenured or tenure-track members (e.g., a faculty advisory board to a center, a program’s executive committee, or the collection of RAP directors) roughly equivalent to a department in size and scholarly achievement and that constitutes a nexus of (possibly interdisciplinary) expertise directly relevant to the position being filled. Such a group may play the role of a sponsoring faculty body, in place of a department. In which case, the body in question must follow a review procedure that a majority of the faculty members involved agree would be acceptable in their home departments. (This exception in no way negates the right of departments to decide who teaches courses with their departmental prefix. That right is retained by departments.)

Beyond the context of units that serve as a tenure home, non-faculty-members should play only a limited role in the hiring of faculty members. (This policy is not intended to discourage the solicitation of input from staff, students, or other campus constituencies, which can be very helpful during the hiring process.) Of paramount importance is that nondepartmental units minimize the participation of (nonfaculty) donors or donors’ representatives in the hiring process. If a unit that does not serve as a tenure home places nonfaculty members of any kind on a hiring committee, the following, minimal form of delineation is required: a final round of hiring deliberations, as well as the vote to which it leads, must be held in a closed session, that is, a session of voting members only.

Motion on the next steps for the Strategic Plan document

FAS vote on next phase of ASC Strategic Plan Action.

Motion: That ASC form a Task Force with faculty, staff and student involvement to review and modify the current draft of the ASC Strategic Plan document to ensure that current concerns of faculty, staff and students have been heard and considered; and that an update on such modifications be brought forward to the April ASC/FAS meeting for discussion prior to prioritization and implementation.

This motion was approved by the Faculty of Arts and Sciences December 11, 2019

Vote to endorse the SPC and form an advisory task force

On November 13, 2018, the ASC approved the following motion:

That ASC vote to endorse the vision and direction in the current version of the Strategic Plan, and to request that the ASC Chair form an advisory Task Force to recommend on the prioritization of a set of activities that will address the implementation of this Strategic Plan. The Task Force will present its findings to ASC members for discussion and possible revision, targeting a final vote on adoption by ASC no later than the final ASC All-Hands meeting on April 16, 2019.

Adding SAC chair as an ex-officio member

On November 13, 2018, the ASC approved the following motion:

The chair of the Staff Advisory Committee will be invited to all ASC meetings as an ex-officio member.

Parlimentarian

On April 17, 2018, the ASC approved the following motion:

Motion to implement the by-laws of the ASC by appointment of a Parliamentarian. Prof. Barbara “Babs” Buttenfield has been nominated so serve as Parliamentarian until July 2019.

There were no additional nominations.

Adding CMCI Faculty Council as an ex-officio member

On April 17, 2018, the ASC approved the following motion:

Shall we invite—at the status of ex-officio non-voting Observers—the Chair of the CMCI Faculty Council or its designated representative?

Change in term limits for chair

On January 23, 2018, the ASC approved the following change to the bylaws, Article IV, 5. 2. :

The Chair will serve a one-year term commencing with the start of the next academic year following election. The Chair may not serve more than three consecutive terms.

New ex-officio member

Shall the chair of the CMCI Faculty Council be awarded the position of ex-officio member of the Arts and Sciences Council?

Temporary replacement of ASC chair

Shall the following secession of members of the Executive Committee be designated in the event the ASC chair is not available: 1. Leslie Irvine (Sociology; Chair of Curriculum); 2. Patricia Rankin (Physics); 3. John Gibert (Classics) to expire July 1, 2018?

Recognition of the BFA chair as an ASC ex-officio member

On November 14, 2017, the ASC approved the following motion:

That the Chair of the Boulder Faculty Assembly be recognized as an Ex-Officio member of the Arts & Sciences Council.

In Support of DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) Students

On November 14, 2017 the ASC approved the following policy position:

 “The College of Arts and Sciences of the University of Colorado, Boulder recognizes the importance of a diverse student body to our collective goals as outlined in our recently unveiled Vision Statement. We celebrate the important contributions of all students without exception and regardless of their immigration status. Our students are a priceless asset to the Boulder community, to Colorado, and to our nation. The Arts & Sciences Council further recognizes that impediments to the success of DACA students should be viewed as obstacles to us all, and as such, challenging any and all erosion of rights to any group in our community is our collective responsibility.“

Voting members of the FAS

On 4.17.14, the ASC has approved the following resolution:

Be it resolved that the term “voting members” in the sentence “The voting members of the FAS are the voting members of primary units in the College of Arts & Sciences.” (article II of the ASC bylaws) must be interpreted as follows: 

‘Voting members’ refers to those faculty members who have voting rights in their own department or unit according to its bylaws. 

It is up to each department or unit to define the term “voting rights.”

 Be it further resolved that each year (in late spring or some time during the summer) the ASC will ask each department or unit to provide a list of faculty members with voting rights.  

 Be it further resolved that each department or unit will be asked to confirm its list of faculty members with voting rights before any FAS vote.

AAH Degree Name Change

The Curriculum Committee of the College of Arts and Sciences hereby moves that the Department of Art and Art History’s proposal to change the name of their conferred B.A., B.F.A., and M.F.A. degrees from “studio art” to “art practices” be approved.

Residential Academic Program Representation

The Arts and Sciences Council will acknowledge the Residential Academic Programs as an Academic Unit and accept a representative from this unit.

BA in Computer Science

“The Curriculum Committee of the College of Arts and Sciences met on Dec. 7th, 2011 to consider a proposal from the School of Engineering for a BA in Computer Science offered in the College of Arts and Sciences. After considering the materials and having received revised submission from the proposing committee, the Curriculum Committee voted 10 (yes) – 0 (no) – 1 (abstained) in favor of the proposal without an exemption from the Natural Science Core.”

The motion was approved at the April 19, 2012 meeting with a vote of 14 yes, 1 no and 4 abstentions

Film Studies

The Curriculum Committee submits the following motion:

The Arts and Sciences supports the Films Studies Program change to the Film Studies Department.

The motion passed unanimously at the March 17, 2011 meeting.

Instructor Review

That the College introduce an additional level of review by the ASC Personnel Committee for instructor reappointment cases that receive a negative vote.

The current arrangement relies upon the Grievance Committee to act outside of its appropriate scope of duties.  We believe the Personnel Committee can better adjudicate these cases without becoming unduly burdened.  The procedure outlined below follows as much as possible those in place for comprehensive review, promotion and tenure, and promotion to full professor cases.

In the event of a positive review, the case will go to the appropriate associate dean for approval.  In the event of a negative outcome at the PUEC, unit, or chair/director level, the case will go to a sub-committee of the Personnel Committee and from there to the associate dean.  If the decision is negative, the instructor will have fourteen days from the time of notification of the negative decision to request a review of her/his case.  The case will then go to the ASC Personnel Committee (minus the sub-committee) for review.  The Personnel Committee makes its recommendation in accordance with criteria for instructor reappointment established by the Office of Faculty Affairs, to wit, excellence in classroom teaching or in classroom teaching in combination with other student-oriented activities.  If the Personnel Committee concurs with the negative outcome, it will make its recommendation to the dean.  If the committee disagrees with the negative decision, the case will return to the associate dean for further consideration.  Upon receipt of the associate dean’s reconsideration, the Personnel Committee will review the case again and make its recommendation to the dean.  

Motion was approved unanimously at the February 17, 2011 meeting.

Core Curriculum Changes

Current statement

7. United States Context (3 semester hours). Courses fulfilling the United States Context requirement explore important aspects of American culture and society. They stimulate critical thinking and an awareness of the place of the United States in the world by promoting an understanding of the particular world views which the diversity, environment, culture, history, values, and expression of the United States have fostered. Courses familiarize students with the United States and enable them to evaluate it critically.

These courses teach an appreciation of American culture while inviting students to ask probing questions about American values and ideals. How have Americans derived a sense of identity from geography, language, politics, and the arts? How do Americans view and influence the world beyond their borders? How have the rights and responsibilities of citizenship changed over time? How have Americans dealt with opposing values in their culture? Completing this requirement, students will develop both a better understanding of the American present and past, and a considerable interest in the American future.

Revised statement approved by the ASC Curriculum Committee, 3/19/2009

7. United States Context (3 semester hours). Courses fulfilling the United States Context requirement explore important aspects of culture and society in the United States. They stimulate critical thinking and an awareness of the place of the United States in the world by promoting an understanding of the world views that the environment, culture, history and values of the United States have fostered. They are required to include some discussion of the realities and issues related to matters of ethnic and racial diversity that characterize the nation’s ongoing experience. These courses familiarize students with the United States and enable them to evaluate it critically.

These courses teach an appreciation of United States culture while inviting students to ask probing questions about values and ideals that are understood to be an integral part of the United States. Some of the questions that might be addressed in these courses are: How have citizens and other residents of the United States derived a sense of identity from geography, language, politics, and the arts? How do people in the United States view and influence the world beyond the nation’s borders? How have the rights and responsibilities of citizenship changed over time? How have U.S. citizens and residents in the United States dealt with opposing values? Completing this requirement, students will develop both a better understanding of the United States, present and past, and a considerable interest in the nation’s future.

Current statement

6. Cultural and Gender Diversity (3 semester hours) Courses fulfilling this requirement increase the student’s understanding of the world’s diversity and pluralism through the study of two broad and interrelated areas: (1) the nature and meaning of the categories of race, ethnicity, and gender; and (2) cultures other than those of Europe and the United States. This requirement explicitly identifies an awareness and understanding of pluralism as essential to a liberal education.

(1) Gender and Ethnic Diversity. Courses in this area are designed to expand the range of each student’s understanding of the origin, definition, and experience of the categories of gender, ethnicity, and race. They apply new approaches to knowledge and scholarly enquiry and explore the ways in which nonsexist and nonracist language expand understanding of social groups. They are concerned with recovery of knowledge about individuals and groups excluded from traditional studies of societies and share the fundamental goal of identifying the way these social categories define and therefore shape human thought and experience.

(2) Non-Western Cultures. [no change] These courses are designed to expand the range of the student’s understanding of cultures that are not derived principally from the western experience. A comparative perspective introduces students to the commonality and diversity of cultural responses to universal human problems. Each course seeks to cultivate insight and respect for diversity by requiring students to explore a cultural world quite different from their own. Courses satisfying this requirement are intended to portray culture in the most integrated sense, including aspects of material adaptation, social pattern, ideas and values, and aesthetic achievement.

Revised statement approved by the ASC Curriculum Committee, 3/19/2009

6. Human Diversity (3 semester hours). Courses fulfilling this requirement increase the student’s understanding of the world’s diversity and pluralism through the study of one of two broad and interrelated areas: (1) the nature and meaning of diversity and the experience of marginalized groups; and (2) cultures other than those of Europe and the United States. This requirement explicitly identifies an awareness and understanding of pluralism as essential to a liberal education.

(1) Gender, Ethnic and Social Diversity. Courses in this area are designed to expand the range of each student’s understanding of the experience of individuals and groups who, because of such fundamental components of identity as race, ethnicity, gender, or other characteristics, have been historically marginalized by society and placed outside the mainstream. Generally courses will explore the ways in which marginalization has occurred and the reasons for this marginalization. The intent is to expand understanding of these social groups with the goal of identifying the way social categories shape human thought and experience.

Notice of motion regarding replacing the bubble-sheet or machine-readable (paper) method of grade reporting with a web-based (electronic) method

WHEREAS in 2010 the new Campus Solutions Student Information Systems will be implemented, requiring as it does a decision regarding the manner in which student grades will be reported; and

WHEREAS the new Campus Solutions Student Information System software, unless it is modified (at an estimated cost of $42,240), will not allow for the current system of optical scanning and uploading of manually-marked grade sheets; and

WHEREAS the proposed electronic grade reporting system is less costly, more efficient, and in other documented ways preferable to the current system; and

WHEREAS the transition to the electronic system has been given a unanimous recommendation by the College deans;

THEREFORE, the Arts and Sciences Council moves:

That the proposed system of recording grades electronically replace the current system when the Campus Solutions SIS comes on line in 2010.

Motion was adopted at ASC meeting on October 30, 2008

Motion regarding a name change for the Department of Psychology

WHEREAS the faculty of the Department of Psychology have made a reasonable request to change the name of their department from Psychology to Psychology and Neuroscience; and

WHEREAS a significant majority of that Department (30 to 1) supports this change; and

WHEREAS the dean of the College of Arts and Sciences has reviewed this request and asks the Arts and Sciences Council to recommend that the change be made;

THEREFORE, the Arts and Sciences Council moves:

That the name of the Department of Psychology be changed to the Department of Psychology and Neuroscience.

Motion was adopted at ASC meeting on September 25, 2008

CU101

WHEREAS ARSC 1001 has not proved itself as a mandatory course that aims to address the full range of issues (including diversity, alcohol and socially responsible behavior, and community engagement) that led to the formation of the CU101 Task Force,

WHEREAS other means in addition to ARSC 1001 must be developed to address these issues,

WHEREAS the CU101 Task Force needs to be reconfigured to include broad representation from the ASC and its constituent faculty beyond those with research or administrative commitment to these issues while maintaining some continuity between the preceding Task Force and the newly configured one,

WHEREAS new strategies for addressing diversity, community engagement, and socially responsible behavior need to be developed by the reconfigured Task Force during the coming academic year while ARSC1001 is offered for Fall 2008 in a limited number of sections (not more than 12 sections) as an elective, 2 credit hour course in sections that meet the college’s minimum enrollment for a course section capped at 20 students,

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT the Arts and Sciences Council votes with the expectation that Task Force will be reconfigured for Fall 2008 and that by Fall 2009 the Task Force will present a set of alternative programs and means to foster diversity, community engagement, and socially responsible behavior amongst our student population,

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT the Arts and Sciences Council recommends to the ASC Curriculum Committee that ARSC 1001 should be renewed for credit for the fall semester 2009 only.

The motion was approved at the April 24, 2008 meeting of the Arts and Sciences Council

Resolution in support of Quality for Colorado Initiative

Whereas the faculty of the College of Arts and Sciences of the University of Colorado at Boulder is fully committed to providing high-quality instruction at both the undergraduate and graduate levels; and

Whereas the faculty is also dedicated to performing research, scholarly, and creative work of the highest quality; and

Whereas the faculty recognizes the difficult challenges posed by the limited funding available to the University, and the resulting pressure to increase enrollment and to reduce admission standards; therefore let it be

Resolved, that the Arts and Sciences Council strongly endorses the Quality for Colorado initiative proposed by Chancellor Byyny, which proposes to further strengthen our flagship campus by raising admission standards, eliminating the linkage between enrollment and funding, and increasing resident tuition to a level typical of our peer institutions. We believe that these steps are necessary to provide the resources needed by the College to successfully pursue excellence in teaching, research, and service; and to further enhance the contributions the College and its faculty make to the citizens of the State of Colorado and the nation.

Resolution was adopted at the ASC meeting on Sep 20, 2001

Resolution regarding Priority for Faculty Merit Raise Pool

Whereas the faculty of the College of Arts and Sciences earn salaries that are significantly below those prevailing at our peer institutions; and

Whereas the Arts and Sciences Council recognizes that the financial resources available to the Boulder campus and to the College are limited; and

Whereas the Council further recognizes that there are many competing demands on these resources, including startup and matching funds, the libraries, graduate part-time instructor salaries, and information technology upgrades; as well as faculty salaries; and

Whereas the Council believes that attracting and retaining a high-quality, dedicated faculty is fundamental to the success of the College in both scholarly work and teaching; and

Whereas this cannot be done without competitive market-level salaries and without appropriately rewarding meritorious job performance; therefore let it be

Resolved, that the Arts and Sciences Council believes that realizing competitive faculty salaries by fully funding merit-based raises in accordance with Recommendation #4 of the Faculty Recruitment and Retention Task Force Report (a merit raise pool of approximately inflation plus 2.5%) should be the highest priority of the College, Campus, and University administration. We further affirm that merit raises should be awarded on the basis of the Regents’ Compensation principles, and that a continuing effort must be made to achieve a fair balance between ordinary and extraordinary merit. In particular, we believe that every faculty member whose performance meets normal expectations should receive an annual raise at least equal to the increase in the cost of living.

Resolution was adopted at ASC Meeting on Nov 8, 2001

Motion regarding the Honor Code

Whereas the faculty of the College of Arts and Sciences is responsible under the Laws of the Regents for maintaining high standards for academic ethics in the College; and

Whereas the Arts and Sciences Council strongly supports the efforts of the student Honor Council to develop a student-administered Honor Code to educate and enforce academic ethics in the College; therefore let it be

Moved, that the Arts and Sciences Council refers the draft Honor Code Constitution and Honor Code Bylaws dated 6 November 2001 to the Faculty of the College of Arts and Sciences for adoption as the official policy of the College; and let it also be

Moved, that the Arts and Sciences Council endorses the draft Honor Code and recommends its adoption by the Faculty.

Motion was adopted at ASC Meeting on Nov 8, 2001

Motion regarding the Arts & Sciences Student Government Invitation

Whereas the Arts and Sciences Council recognizes that communication between students and faculty is of the utmost importance; and

Whereas the Council values the opinions and unique viewpoints of students in the College; and

Whereas the Council wants to further student awareness of issues affecting both faculty and students in the College; therefore let it be

Moved, that the Arts and Sciences Council invites the Executives of the Arts and Sciences Student Government to attend all ASC meetings as non-voting guests of the Council.

Motion was adopted at ASC Meeting on Nov 8, 2001

Faculty Motion regarding the Proposed Honor Code

WHEREAS the Faculty of the College of Arts and Sciences is responsible under the Laws of the Regents for maintaining high standards for academic ethics in the College; and

WHEREAS the Faculty supports the student-initiated proposal to implement an Honor Code in the College in order to increase awareness of and respect for the principles of academic ethics; therefore

The Faculty of the College of Arts and Sciences hereby adopts the Honor Code Constitution and Honor Code Bylaws dated 6 November 2001 as integral parts of its policy on academic ethics, effective beginning in the fall semester of 2002.

Adopted at ASC Meeting on Nov 29, 2001

Resolution regarding the American Studies Program

WHEREAS the Arts and Sciences Council recognizes the valuable educational opportunities provided to students in the College by the American Studies Program; and

WHEREAS the Council understands that the limited financial resources available to the College have made it difficult to adequately support the American Studies Program, or to increase the number of faculty teaching in the Program; and

WHEREAS the Council believes that the course of action holding the greatest promise of providing increased support and expanded academic opportunities for students in the Program is to merge American Studies with an established academic department in the College; and

WHEREAS the focus of scholarly work in the area of American Studies shares much in common with areas of research conducted by faculty in the Department of Ethnic Studies; and

WHEREAS the Ethnic Studies Department has expressed willingness to merge with the American Studies Program and to create an academic track suitable for American Studies students; therefore let it be

RESOLVED, that the Arts and Sciences Council supports the creation of a merged academic unit to offer courses and other academic programs in the areas of American and Ethnic Studies.

Adopted at ASC Meeting Nov 29, 2001

Resolution of the Committee on Diversity and Academic Community in support of the Report of the Ad-Hoc Committee on Retention, Career Management, and Academic Community

WHEREAS the faculty of the College and Sciences of the University of Colorado at Boulder acknowledges the vital contributions to teaching, research, and service made by Instructors and Senior Instructors in most departments of the College, and

WHEREAS the faculty is committed to building and strengthening academic community and diversity at all levels of the College, and

WHEREAS the faculty recognizes the need for incentives to facilitate the professional development of Instructors and Senior Instructors, and the need to establish a review and promotion process for Instructors; thereby let it be

RESOLVED, that the Arts and Sciences Council recommends that the Dean extend the $1000 College accounts to Senior Instructors, and that each department and program establish a procedure whereby Instructors will be eligible for promotion to Senior Instructor after seven years of service. We believe that these measures are necessary to acknowledge the importance of Instructors to the College and the University, to enhance the pursuit of excellence in teaching, research, and service, and to strengthen our academic community.

Approved at ASC Mtg Nov 29, 2001

Faculty Motion regarding the Proposed Honor Code and Amendment to the Bylaws

WHEREAS the Faculty of the College of Arts and Sciences is responsible under the Laws of the Regents for maintaining high standards for academic ethics in the College; and

WHEREAS the Faculty supports the student-initiated proposal to implement an Honor Code in the College in order to increase awareness of and respect for the principles of academic ethics; therefore

The Faculty of the College of Arts and Sciences hereby adopts the Honor Code Constitution and Honor Code Bylaws dated 6 November 2001 as integral parts of its policy on academic ethics, effective beginning in the fall semester of 2002.

In order to implement the Honor Code, the Faculty Governance Bylaws of the College of Arts & Sciences shall be amended as follows:

Article V, Section F, Subsection 1 currently reads:

1. Academic Ethics

This committee considers student ethics cases and meets as the need arises. It is to continue under its 1995 rules. At least six faculty members of this committee are selected by the ASC from the faculty at large.

The above text shall be replaced by:

1. Academic Ethics

The ASC will select one member to serve as the College of Arts & Sciences representative to the Campus Ethics Committee in accordance with Section G of the Honor Code Constitution. Individual academic ethics cases will be considered in accordance with the Honor Code Bylaws.

Approved at A&S Faculty Meeting on December 13, 2001

Feb 2002 – Result of faculty vote: 214 in favor, 15 opposed

Motion: Changes to the Residence Requirements of the College of Arts & Sciences

The Arts and Sciences Committee on Courses submits the following motion:

  1. The following limitations on undergraduate degree requirements in the College of Arts and Sciences should be removed:
    1. “Complete the last 30 credit hours in University of Colorado courses on the Boulder campus as a degree student in the College of Arts and Sciences.”
    2. “Courses taken at a junior or community college are not credited toward graduation at the University of Colorado after the students have completed a total of 60 credit hours (or 90 quarter hours) of course work at all institutions.”
    3. “Courses taken at the Colorado Springs campus or at the Denver campus (excluding Metropolitan State College and Community College of Denver courses) in the summer only count toward resident credit.”
  2. The following undergraduate degree requirements in the College of Arts and Sciences should be adopted:
    • “Arts and Sciences students must complete a minimum of 45 credit hours in University of Colorado courses on the Boulder campus. Of these 45 credits, a minimum of 30 credits must be in Arts and Sciences upper-division credit hours completed as a matriculated student in the College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Colorado at Boulder and at least 12 of these upper-division hours must be in the major.”
  3. The following limitation on undergraduate degree requirements in the College of Arts and Sciences should be added:
    • “A maximum of 6 credit hours taken at other University of Colorado campuses (UC-Denver and UC-Colorado Springs) can be counted toward the minimum 45 credits required on the Boulder campus.”

Motion passed at ASC Meeting Feb 28, 2002

Motion: Grievance Committee Rules of Procedure

Revised on May 1, 2002

WHEREAS, the ASC Grievance Committee is charged with advising the Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences regarding faculty grievances of salaries, merit evaluations, and related matters; and

WHEREAS, it is important for the Grievance Committee to have well-defined and equitable procedures for consulting with both the grievant and the other parties involved in a grievance, and for developing its recommendations regarding the cases brought to it; therefore let it be

MOVED, that the Arts and Sciences Council adopts the draft Grievance Committee Rules of Procedure dated 1 May 2002 to replace the existing procedures as adopted by the Arts and Sciences Council on 8 May 1997; and that the new Rules of Procedure shall take effect immediately.

Motion was approved at ASC Meeting May 2, 2002

Resolution Reaffirming Support for the Quality for Colorado Initiative

October 9, 2002

WHEREAS, the University of Colorado at Boulder aspires to be ranked among the top ten public research universities in the nation as part of President Hoffman’s Vision 2010 Plan; and

WHEREAS, the current shortfalls in state revenue and the resulting cuts in state funding to the University will require drastic cuts in the University’s operating budget, which will have dire consequences for the College of Arts and Sciences, interfering with our ability to make progress towards our educational and research goals; and

WHEREAS, the Boulder campus in general and the College of Arts and Sciences in particular, are increasingly dependent on tuition revenue; and

WHEREAS, in-state tuition at the University of Colorado at Boulder is far below the typical level for AAU public universities, ranking fourth from the bottom of the 29 institutions in that peer group; and

WHEREAS, it will be impossible to maintain quality and to achieve our goals without substantial additional investment of financial resources; and

WHEREAS, the Arts and Sciences Council, on behalf of the Faculty of the College of Arts and Sciences of the University of Colorado at Boulder, has previously endorsed the Quality for Colorado Plan proposed by Chancellor Byyny and President Hoffman for the Boulder campus;

THEREFORE LET IT BE RESOLVED

THAT the Arts and Sciences Council reaffirms its strong support for the Quality for Colorado Plan, which we believe will enhance the quality of the College of Arts and Sciences by increasing available resources for improving the undergraduate experience and raising faculty salaries to a competitive level, while maintaining accessibility and diversity by increasing the funds available for financial aid; and

THAT the Arts and Sciences Council believes that the need to implement Quality for Colorado is more urgent than ever as a result of the impending cuts in state general fund support for the University; and

THAT the Arts and Sciences Council urges the Colorado Commission on Higher Education, the Colorado Blue Ribbon Panel on Higher Education, the Colorado Legislature, the Joint Budget Committee, and the Governor to support the Quality for Colorado Plan for the Boulder campus and to implement it as soon as possible.

Resolution was adopted at ASC Meeting on Oct 10, 2002

Motion from A&S Curriculum Committee permitting students to declare Two Minors

February 2003

Prompted by a request from a faculty member in Biology, the Curriculum Committee has unanimously approved a motion to allow undergraduates in the College of Arts and Sciences to declare a maximum of two minors, replacing the current limit of one minor. To become effective, this change in policy would have to be ratified by the ASC. Debate on this issue in the Curriculum Committee was lengthy, wide-ranging, and animated. Here are the major objections that were raised and debated:

Objection: A second minor might require only one additional course (e.g. a MCDB major wishing to add a second minor in CHEM), in which case it would not truly broaden the student’s education.

Rebuttal: The same is sometimes true with the existing single minor, and in any case having credentials in closely related fields may help a student get into a highly competitive graduate program.

Objection: Additional minors may generate unwanted enrollment pressures in some departments. Rebuttal: Departments can always increase their minor requirements to address this problem.

Objection: The SIS system can handle only one minor, so advising staff will have extra record-keeping work.

Rebuttal: Relatively few students will declare two minors, and the advising staff can handle it.

Objection: The existing minor policy is working fine, so don’t tinker with it.

Rebuttal: Students can already earn two minors in two different Colleges (e.g., Business and A&S). If they have done all the work for two minors within A&S they should be given credit for it.

Objection: Double minors will only enhance the students’ resumes.

Rebuttal: Enhancing one’s resume is a worthwhile goal, especially these days.

Motion was adopted unanimously at the ASC Meeting Feb 20, 2003

Motion regarding Course Forgiveness

February 2003

Whereas: Course Forgiveness offers reasonable and helpful recourse for students at CU to re-take selected classes and replace poor grades with better ones;

Whereas: Course Forgiveness has been strongly advocated by the student government at CU and by the CU Boulder administration;

Whereas: Many peer institutions have established Course Forgiveness policies;

Whereas: CU’s pilot program for Course Forgiveness has largely achieved its stated goals; and

Whereas: The number of students re-taking classes at CU Boulder under Course Forgiveness has been extremely small during the pilot program.

Be it resolved:

The University of Colorado should make Course Forgiveness a permanent policy, with the following restrictions:

  • An undergraduate student may use Course Forgiveness for no more than two courses during his or her tenure as a CU student, and a graduate student may use Course Forgiveness for no more than one course;
  • Undergraduate students may apply Course Forgiveness only to courses in which the initial grade was D+ or lower, while graduate students may apply Course Forgiveness only to courses in which the initial grade was C+ or lower;
  • Students retaking classes under Course Forgiveness must declare their intention of applying Course Forgiveness by the last date of the “Add” period at the beginning of the semester in which they are retaking the course;
  • Once a student has declared his or her intention to use Course Forgiveness in a specific course, that decision is irrevocable;
  • Course Forgiveness shall not be allowed for any course where the student either admitted to or was found guilty of violation of the CU Boulder Honor Code.

Motion was approved at ASC Meeting Feb 20, 2003

16 members in favor, 5 members opposed motion.

Resolution on Faculty Computer Purchase Program

February 2003

WHEREAS access to appropriate computer technology is vital to our responsibilities as scholars and educators and

WHEREAS the Faculty Computer Purchase Program, the sole source of funding for many faculty to obtain these tools so vital to our jobs, has recently been halted for one year, thereby delaying the replacement of outdated systems, and

WHEREAS ITS has taken the opportunity of this pause to request input into the reshaping of that Program,

THEREFORE be it resolved that the ASC strongly urges Information Technology Services to adopt the following policies regarding the Faculty Computer Purchase Program:

  • First, that purchasing be decentralized and handled through the departments on a model similar to the current $1000 research accounts, so that in the year you are eligible for the FCPP, $1200 would be deposited in the account, to be used at the faculty member’s discretion. Unused funds could be rolled forward from year to year. Eliminating permanently the practice of penalizing users one-third of the normal level of support for not purchasing one of the approved systems within the FCPP will promote trust between ITS and the faculty and decentralizing purchasing will eliminate one layer of bureaucracy within ITS, permitting scarce resources to be reallocated.
  • Second, that ITS should seek to maximize choice within the program by offering, in addition to the small number of suggested system configurations from one manufacturer that have been the norm, the option of purchasing with their FCPP funds all or part of a computer, including hardware, software, and peripherals, from any state-approved vendor as long as the items meet a set of minimum standards to be determined in consultation with the faculty;
  • Third, in the absence of any compelling evidence that supporting more than one brand of computer actually increases support costs, that ITS should support all brands and vendors that meet the aforementioned minimum standards;
  • Fourth, that if ITS can provide evidence of significant increased support costs for off-list hardware, a separate stream of users should be identified who are willing to forego ITS support in return for the freedom to purchase with FCPP funds the hardware and software that best suits their needs.

Resolution was approved unanimously at ASC Meeting Feb 20, 2003

Arts and Sciences Faculty Resolution: Request for Consultation Regarding Lester Library Closure

February 2003

WHEREAS, library facilities on the Boulder campus are central to the research and scholarly work of the Arts and Sciences faculty; and

WHEREAS, the Oliver C. Lester Library of Mathematics and Physics is an important part of the University Library, accounting for some 5% of all circulation on the Boulder campus; and

WHEREAS, the Lester Library is extensively used by both undergraduate and graduate students, many of whom have signed a petition opposing its closure; and

WHEREAS, affected faculty in the College of Arts and Sciences have not been provided with an opportunity to contribute in a meaningful way to the decision to close the Lester Library;

THEREFORE LET IT BE RESOLVED

THAT the Faculty of the College of Arts and Sciences respectfully request, in the spirit of shared governance, that the Chancellor and Provost postpone any decision regarding closure of the Lester Library until:

FIRST, the Arts and Sciences Council is able to review an assessment of the short- and long-term costs and benefits of closing the library, as determined by Dean Williams and library administration; and

SECOND, a reasonable opportunity has been provided for affected faculty and students to consider this assessment and to discuss with Dean Williams and other library administrators the impact they believe this action will have on their academic and scholarly work.

A&S faculty vote by mail ballot – Feb 2003

Motion passed: 217 in favor, 37 votes against motion.

Space Resolution

WHEREAS a burgeoning student body has stretched university classroom resources to the limits and a corresponding growth in instructional staff has led to a severe shortage of office space, and

WHEREAS current budget difficulties have exacerbated this situation by delaying needed capital projects, and

WHEREAS currently program plans are often proposed, evaluated and prioritized with little or no consideration given to their contribution to overall campus space needs,

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED

THAT the Arts and Sciences Council calls upon the Boulder Campus Planning Commission to include in each feasibility study and program plan involving new building or significant renovation on campus an assessment of current campus needs for classroom space and office space for teaching faculty, and a statement concerning the contribution of the proposed project toward meeting these needs. We further urge the Boulder Campus Planning Commission and the Chancellor’s Executive Committee, in approving such plans and prioritizing them for implementation, to give first consideration to their impact on campus needs for classroom and teaching faculty office space.

Motion was approved at ASC Meeting Oct 23, 2003

18 votes in favor, 1 vote against

Motion from the Curriculum Committee: Name Change of BA Degree

In conjunction with the reorganization of the Department of Environmental, Population, and Organismic Biology (EPOB) into the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology (EBIO), and the reorganization of the Department of Kinesiology (KINE) into the Department of Integrative Physiology (IPHY), the Arts & Sciences Curriculum Committee has approved a change in the name of the BA degree in Kinesiology (KINE) to the BA in Integrative Physiology (IPHY) and a change in the name of the BA degree in Environmental, Population, and Organismic Biology (EPOB) to the BA in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology (EBIO).

Motion was approved unanimously at ASC Meeting on Feb 12, 2004

Resolution re: Fall Break and the Academic Calendar

October 21, 2004

Whereas: The academic calendar has significant and direct impacts on teaching and student life, and

Whereas: The Professional Rights and Duties of Faculty Members and Rules of the Regents clearly empower the faculty in matters of academic policy, and

Whereas: Chancellor Byyny, representing the CU Boulder administration and faculty, committed to UCSU Tri- Executives in a memorandum of understanding dated April 29, 2004, to “engage in good faith negotiations with UCSU to set or alter campus policies to be more accommodating to the student interest; including the pay-to-print policy, the absence of reading days, preservation of fall break, the athletics fee and establishing a tuition and fee advisory board to the chancellor,” and

Whereas: Representatives from across the campus, including UCSU representatives, faculty and administrators, met on several occasions to discuss the fall break and the academic calendar during the spring of 2004, and

Whereas: The outcome of the aforementioned meetings was that fall break, as it currently is scheduled, has significant negative impacts on teaching and the academic experience of students, and there was no evidence that fall break is an effective means of improving the health of students,

Be it Resolved: That the College of Arts and Sciences Council calls upon Provost DiStefano to enact the following academic calendar changes:

  1. move fall break to the week of Thanksgiving such that Thanksgiving break is extended to include the Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday prior to Thanksgiving, and
  2. add a reading day to the fall calendar

Approved at ASC Meeting Oct 21, 2004

16 members voted in favor, 1 abstained

Resolution re: CCHE Performance Contract

October 21, 2004

Whereas: President Hoffman and a team of CU administrators are currently engaged in performance contract negotiations with the Colorado Commission on Higher Education (CCHE), and

Whereas: The draft contract released by the Colorado Department of Higher Education on October 6, 2004 includes several proposed agreements that could significantly impact curriculum and teaching within the College of Arts and Sciences on the Boulder campus, and

Whereas: Curriculum and teaching are essential to the mission of the University of Colorado-Boulder as the flagship public research university in the state, and

Whereas: The Rules of the Regents charge the faculty with principal responsibility for academic and scholastic policy,

Be it Resolved: That College of Arts and Sciences Council calls upon President Hoffman and her negotiating team to remain resolute in their negotiations with CCHE to assure that CU- Boulder faculty rights and responsibilities with regard to academic and scholastic policy are preserved.

Approved at ASC Meeting Oct 21, 2004

17 in favor, 0 against, 0 abstain

Motion: CU Boulder Chancellor Search

January 13, 2005

Whereas, University of Colorado-Boulder Chancellor Richard Byyny announced his resignation and President Elizabeth Hoffman has asked the campus for nominations for an interim chancellor to serve no less than two years,

And whereas, recent events related to athletics, finances, and alcohol abuse and violence against women on campus, have disrupted the campus and caused serious damage to the reputation of the University of Colorado at Boulder,

And whereas these issues remain unresolved,

And whereas the health and well-being of the University of Colorado Boulder, as the flagship campus in the University of Colorado system, has far reaching implication for all components of the University of Colorado system,

And whereas, selecting a chancellor after conducting a national search provides the University with the opportunity to recruit an outstanding new leader who can then address serious unresolved intellectual as well as fiscal and ethical issues and guide the Campus forward as it works to restore its reputation,

And whereas, the campus has an immediate need for strong and committed leadership and this need cannot be met through appointment of a "long-term" interim chancellor,

Be it resolved that the Arts and Science Council urges President Hoffman to initiate a national search for chancellor of the Boulder campus in Spring Semester 2005, with the goal being that the new chancellor will be on campus no later than January 2006.

Motion was approved unanimously at ASC Meeting on January 13, 2005

Motion: CU Boulder Interim Provost Search

February 2, 2005

Whereas, Provost Phil DiStefano has agreed to serve as Interim Chancellor of the Boulder Campus subsequent to the resignation of Chancellor Richard Byyny,

And whereas, Interim Chancellor DiStefano has requested nomination for Interim Provost,

And whereas, Todd Gleeson, Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, has been nominated to serve as Interim Provost,

And whereas, if Dean Gleeson were selected to serve as Interim Provost the College of Arts and Sciences could be without permanent leadership for 18-36 months; the length of service hinging on the completion of the Chancellor’s search, as well as a Provost search, should Interim Chancellor DiStefano be a candidate (and selected) for Chancellor,

And whereas, Dean Gleeson’s leadership within the College is highly valued by the faculty,

And whereas, it would be highly disruptive for the College should Dean Gleeson be selected to serve as Interim Provost,

And whereas, previous Chancellors have run the campus without the assistance of a Provost; the Provost position having been created in spring 2000,

And whereas, the Arts and Science Council thinks that Interim Chancellor DiStefano is capable of leading the Boulder Campus for 12-18 months without an Interim Provost,

Be it resolved, that the Arts and Science Council strongly recommends that the Provost position be left unfilled until the Chancellor’s search is complete.

Vote conducted by email on Feb 2, 2005:

17 in favor, 3 abstained

ASC Resolution on Issues of Academic Freedom and Due Process: Raised in the Case of Professor Ward Churchill

Whereas the University of Colorado’s fundamental mission is the discovery, critical evaluation, and free dissemination of knowledge both as an intrinsic good in its own right and for the sake of the larger society of which the university is part;

And whereas the discovery, critical evaluation, and free dissemination of knowledge depend on the university’s overriding, unconditional, and fearless commitment to seek out, express, and publish the truth to the best of our ability;

And whereas the pursuit, expression, and publication of the truth demand the freedom of all members of the community to seek the truth wherever they find it and to speak the truth as they see it, without fear or favor;

And whereas the principles of academic freedom and of freedom of speech that sustain the university in the fulfillment of its fundamental mission define the faith that we, as members of the university, have undertaken to keep with ourselves, with our students, and with the wider public we serve;

And whereas the most basic duty of all officers of the university, including the President, the Chancellor, and the Board of Regents, is to create, foster, and defend an environment in which ideas may be openly exchanged even in the face of widespread doubt, incomprehension, and hostility—mindful in this of the charge laid out in the Faculty Handbook, and recently cited by Pre sident Hoffman, that faculty members' "efforts should not be subjected to direct or indirect pressures or interference from within the university," and that the university itself "will resist to the utmost such pressures and interference when exerted from without";

And whereas disagreement, and even heated disagreement, is itself integral to the process of free and open debate without which the pursuit of knowledge cannot take place;

And whereas the work of Professor Ward Churchill, like that of all university faculty, has undergone regular internal and external review by scholars in his discipline for the purpose of annual merit evaluation, promotion and tenure, and ongoing post-tenure review, thereby eliminating the need for the extraordinary ad hoc review mandated by the Board of Regents and initiated by the Chancellor;

And whereas the investigation of Professor Churchill’s scholarly record has been initiated in direct response to criticisms of his ideas and in the absence of any evidence of specific professional or academic misconduct on his part;

Be it resolved that, as elected representatives of our colleagues in the College of Arts and Scien ces, we, members of the Arts and Sciences Council, defend Professor Churchill’s right to express what he believes to be the truth, whether we personally or collectively agree with him or not; And be it further resolved that we protest the Board of Regents’ and the Chancellor’s decision to open an investigation of Professor Churchill’s writings and ideas with the express intent of de termining if his conduct provides grounds to dismiss him from his position as a tenured member of the faculty;

And be it finally resolved that we demand that the investigation of Professor Churchill’s scholarly record be stopped immediately as violating the moral principles and the standards of due process enshrined in the Faculty Handbook, the Laws of the Regents, and the very idea of the university itself.

ASC vote conducted by email on 2/11/05:

22 in favor, 2 against

Arts & Sciences Faculty Resolution on Issues of Academic Freedom and Due Process: Raised in the Case of Professor Ward Churchill

Whereas the University of Colorado’s fundamental mission is the discovery, critical evaluation, and free dissemination of knowledge both as an intrinsic good in its own right and for the sake of the larger society of which the university is part;

And whereas the discovery, critical evaluation, and free dissemination of knowledge depend on the university’s overriding, unconditional, and fearless commitment to seek out, express, and publish the truth to the best of our ability;

And whereas the pursuit, expression, and publication of the truth demand the freedom of all members of the community to seek the truth wherever they find it and to speak the truth as they see it, without fear or favor;

And whereas the principles of academic freedom and of freedom of speech that sustain the university in the fulfillment of its fundamental mission define the faith that we, as members of the university, have undertaken to keep with ourselves, with our students, and with the wider public we serve;

And whereas the most basic duty of all officers of the university, including the President, the Chancellor, and the Board of Regents, is to create, foster, and defend an environment in which ideas may be openly exchanged even in the face of widespread doubt, incomprehension, and hostility—mindful in this of the charge laid out in the Faculty Handbook, and recently cited by Pre sident Hoffman, that faculty members’ “efforts should not be subjected to direct or indirect pressures or interference from within the university,” and that the university itself “will resist to the utmost such pressures and interference when exerted from without”;

And whereas disagreement, and even heated disagreement, is itself integral to the process of free and open debate without which the pursuit of knowledge cannot take place;

And whereas the investigation of Professor Churchill’s scholarly record has been initiated in direct response to criticisms of his ideas and in the absence of any evidence of specific professional or academic misconduct on his part;

Be it resolved that, as elected representatives of our colleagues in the College of Arts and Scien ces, we, members of the Arts and Sciences Council, defend Professor Churchill’s right to express what he believes to be the truth, whether we personally or collectively agree with him or not;

And be it further resolved that we protest the Board of Regents’ and the Chancellor’s decision to open an investigation of Professor Churchill’s writings and ideas with the express intent of de termining if his conduct provides grounds to dismiss him from his position as a tenured member of the faculty;

And be it finally resolved that we demand that the investigation of Professor Churchill’s scholarly record be stopped immediately as violating the moral principles and the standards of due process enshrined in the Faculty Handbook, the Laws of the Regents, and the very idea of the university itself.

FAS vote conducted by email March 17, 2005

Vote: 118 in favor, 54 against, 6 abstained

Resolution Regarding Arts & Sciences Budget Decisions: Principles and Procedures

WHEREAS, the current shortfalls in state revenue and the resulting cuts in state funding to the University require drastic cuts in the University’s operating budget, which will have dire consequences for the College of Arts and Sciences, interfering with the faculty’s ability to make progress towards educational and research goals; and

WHEREAS, the faculty of the College believes that it has a primary responsibility, under all circumstances, to sustain the quality of undergraduate and graduate education;

WHEREAS, the first reference in the Colorado statutes to the mission of the Boulder campus emphasizes its unique role as a comprehensive university that emphasizes research, graduate education, and undergraduate education ([CRS 23-20-101 (I)(a)]: “The Boulder campus of the University of Colorado shall be a comprehensive graduate research university with selective admission standards.”)

THEREFORE LET IT BE RESOLVED

THAT the Arts and Sciences Council, on behalf of the College of Arts and Sciences of the University of Colorado at Boulder, has a voice in determining the revenue-based reductions and cuts that will be made; and

THAT the ASC believes that the reductions and cuts should be those that have the least possible effect on the research and educational missions of the College; and

THAT both graduate and undergraduate education are foundational to the mission of the University, and that because of the mandate that the University of Colorado to be a comprehensive graduate research university, graduate programs and graduate students must be supported under even the most difficult financial circumstances; and

THAT tenure-granting departments provide graduate instruction and are therefore central to defining and upholding disciplinary standards of research and teaching and that the integrity of those departments must be protected; and

THAT the faculty is responsible for the College curriculum, and therefore changes that alter the curriculum must be done in agreement with the faculty according to established procedures; and

THAT the College should have as its priority reducing those services and activities that do not pertain directly to sustaining the research mission of the College or the curricular needs of graduate and undergraduate education.