Table of Contents
Archived 2004-2005 Resolutions
Resolution 2004-2005-1 Library Scholarly Literature
Whereas, access to the scholarly literature is vital to all members of the academic community, and
Whereas, many commercial publishers continue to increase institutional subscription prices to journals by amounts that far outpace the rate of inflation, and
Whereas, such business practices undermine the core academic values of promoting the dissemination of and unrestricted access to scholarship and research and are unsustainable for and detrimental to the University of Central Florida Libraries, and
Whereas, faculty senates at other research universities have recently endorsed resolutions addressing these same issues; therefore
Be it resolved that the UCF Faculty Senate, calls on administration, faculty, staff, and students to increase support for a publishing system more conducive to scholarly communications, no matter what the format of transmission, by supporting refereed journals and publishers whose business and pricing practices are reasonable and sustainable, and follow practices that increase the availability of scholarly communication.
Approved by the Faculty Senate on October 21, 2004.
Transmitted to Provost Terry Hickey on October 22, 2004.
Approved by Provost Hickey on November 23, 2004.
Resolution 2004-2005-2 Sabbatical Policy
(Not Approved)
Whereas, a common and accepted part of university faculty life is the sabbatical;
Whereas, it is an opportunity for professional growth and intellectual accomplishment through study, research, writing, and travel
Whereas, sabbatical leaves provide for critical professional development and thereby enhance the faculty member’s value, contribution, and worth to the university and its programs; and
Whereas, such activities not only serve to improve a faculty member’s expertise in a given area but can also enhance teaching and research skills,
Be it resolved that the University of Central Florida shall provide sabbatical leaves as follows:
- (a) a full academic year (two semesters) at a (minimum) of three quarters the academic year salary or (b) one semester at full salary; the total number of sabbaticals shall be calculated at the rate of 1 per 20 tenured and tenure earning faculty members.
- an unlimited number of full academic year (two-semester) sabbaticals at half of the academic year salary will be available to eligible faculty members;
- tenured faculty members will be eligible for sabbaticals after completion of at least 6 years of full-time service to UCF in the respective colleges on a pro rata basis; faculty members will be eligible to apply for another sabbatical after 6 years from the completion of a sabbatical.
- full benefits will continue for all types of sabbaticals.
The recommended procedures for this resolution will be attached.
Approved by the Faculty Senate on November 18, 2004.
Transmitted to Provost Terry Hickey on November 19, 2004.
Returned by Provost Hickey on December 8, 2004:
“Arlen, I am returning the Faculty Senate Resolution 2004-2005-2 Sabbatical Policy. I trust both the Personnel Committee and the Faculty Senate understand that sabbatical leaves are subject to collective bargaining. Given this fact, it would be inappropriate for me to forward this resolution to the president. I should also point out that the BOT and UFF bargaining teams have reached tentative agreement on the issue of sabbaticals.”
Resolution 2004-2005-3 Regarding Minimum Qualifications for Participating In Graduate Education
Whereas, participation in graduate education demands advanced levels of formal education/training and experience, and
Whereas, various accrediting organizations stipulate that participants in graduate education activities possess advanced levels of formal education/training and experience in order to maintain certification, and
Whereas, the university’s strategic plan, “Pathways to Prominence” calls for the university to “Increase Prominence in Graduate Studies,” and
Whereas, The University of Central Florida does not currently have a comprehensive university-wide set of minimum qualifications for participating in graduate education,
Be it resolved that The University of Central Florida will incorporate a university-wide set of minimum qualifications governing participation in graduate education.
Click here to see the recommended procedures for this resolution.
Approved by the Faculty Senate on January 27, 2005.
Transmitted to Provost Terry Hickey on January 28, 2005.
Approved by Provost Hickey on March 17, 2005.
Resolution 2004-2005-4 Recycle TIP Funds
(Not Approved)
Whereas, University of Central Florida Teaching Incentive Program (UCF-TIP), a successor to the Florida Legislature funded TIP program, rewards faculty for teaching productivity and excellence;
Whereas, in all previous years,TIP awards from those faculty who have retired or otherwise left UCF were recycled as new TIP awards;
Whereas, the UCF-TIP was developed through a collegial process between the Office of Academic Affairs and the Faculty Senate;
Whereas, UCF faculty have been actively involved in this successful program through participation in the TIP Selection Criteria and Procedures Committee and the TIP Selection Committee;
Whereas, few other faculty-driven programs exist to reward outstanding teaching performance;
Be it resolved that in any given academic year, if any former recipients of state-funded TIP or UCF-TIP awards retire or otherwise leave UCF, the award(s) will remain within their respective colleges or units for recycling as additional UCF-TIP awards for the following academic year.
Approved by the Faculty Senate on January 27, 2005.
Transmitted to Provost Terry Hickey on January 28, 2005.
Returned by Provost Hickey on February 2, 2005:
“Arlen, I am returning the Faculty Senate Resolution 2004-2005-4 Recycling TIP Funds. I trust both the Personnel Committee and the Faculty Senate understand that the topic of this resolution is subject to collective bargaining. Given this fact, it would be inappropriate for me to forward this resolution to the president.”
2004-2005-5 Creation of Colleges, Schools, and Other Academic Units
Whereas, the administration is responsible for establishing and supporting structural growth, creating and enforcing university operational policies, and acting as the final authority responsible for efficient and effective use of resources, and
Whereas, the faculty senate is the basic legislative body of the University and plays a critical advisory role to the president and Board of Trustees regarding university growth and prosperity that effects academic and general educational policies,
Be it resolved that the university administration shall consult with the Faculty Senate when a determination is being considered to alter the university educational environment through the creation and administration of colleges, schools, and other degree granting units; and that whenever possible affected faculty, with consultation, be given the choice of which unit to be affiliated with when such institutional change takes place.
Approved by the Faculty Senate on January 27, 2005.
Transmitted to Provost Terry Hickey on January 28, 2005.
Approved by Provost Hickey on March 17, 2005 with the following comments:
“Arlen, I am returning Faculty Senate Resolution 2004-2005-5 [Creation of Colleges, School, and Other Academic Units] forwarded to me on January 31, 2005. I support the intent of this resolution; i.e., that the administration “consult with the Faculty Senate when a determination is being considered to alter the university educational environment through the creation and administration of colleges, schools, and other degree granting units.” However, concern remains regarding the statement that “whenever possible affected faculty, with consultation, be given the choice of which unit to be affiliated with when such institutional change takes place.” I anticipate that instructional assignments alone would make it difficult, if not impossible, for faculty to choose their academic affiliation independent of departmental, college, and university needs. Therefore, I propose replacing the third paragraph of the resolution with the following:
Be it resolved, that the university administration shall consult with the Faculty Senate when a determination is being considered to alter the university educational environment through the creation and administration of colleges, schools, and other degree granting units. Even though instructional responsibilities and other related factors may make it impractical or impossible for affected faculty members to choose their academic affiliation when such changes take place, the university administration agrees to consult with the affected faculty members. In those instances where a faculty member’s instructional and scholarly expertise makes it possible and appropriate to change academic units, and when the directly involved administrative officials agree to the proposed change in academic affiliation, the university administration will consider allowing a faculty member to choose his or her academic unit-of-affiliation.”
Resolution 2004-2005-6 Salary Compression and Inversion
(Not Approved)
Whereas, salary compression is an internal problem initiated by external market conditions, and when salary differential between junior and senior faculty is smaller than it should be, compression occurs;
Whereas, salary inversion occurs when salary compression, left unexamined or unadjusted, results in junior faculty salaries greater than senior faculty salaries;
Whereas, issues of salary compression and inversion are a national problem and exist among senior faculty at the University of Central Florida;
Whereas, the Association of American University Professors (AAUP) has urged that “the faculty should actively participate in the determination of policies and procedures governing salary increases,” and has documented that economic gains of faculty in public higher education lag behind those of private-sector professors;
Whereas, the University of Central Florida has demonstrated a commitment to, and set a precedent for, addressing salary regression and retaining administrators through the use of internal salary adjustments;
Whereas, salary compression threatens the integrity of faculty ranks, and morale and retention issues for faculty at the University of Central Florida are also tied to salary differentials;
Whereas, sustained competitive parity in compensation is crucial in maintaining competitiveness in academic quality with comparable institutions and is a goal of nationally ranked research universities;
Be it resolved that the University of Central Florida shall develop policies to resolve salary inequity and compression issues by addressing at least the following:
- that average faculty compensation should be brought to and maintained at no less than 95% parity with comparable institutions;
- that assuming Above Satisfactory or higher performance, funds be allocated and a plan put in place so that individual faculty salaries move to, and remain at or exceed, the CUPA-HR mean and/or another nationally established and recognized authority based on rank and discipline;
- that Colleges, as a matter of policy, make salary adjustments for compression and inversion and market value for qualifying faculty members of senior rank in Departments that have made senior hires at the ranks of Associate and Full Professor;
- that in the future Colleges review and make internal salary adjustments between and within ranks of a department at the time of a senior hire (including Department Chair) or on an annual basis
Approved by the Faculty Senate on January 27, 2005.
Transmitted to Provost Terry Hickey on January 28, 2005.
Returned by Provost Hickey on February 2, 2005:
“Arlen, I am returning the Faculty Senate Resolution 2004-2005-6 Salary Compression and Inversion. I trust both the Personnel Committee and the Faculty Senate understand that the topic of this resolution is subject to collective bargaining. Given this fact, it would be inappropriate for me to forward this resolution to the president.”
Resolution 2004-2005-7 Citation Indices
Whereas, citation indices are being used by Florida’s universities and by Florida’s BOG to inform hiring, promotion, and tenure decisions and to make evaluative judgments concerning faculty and institutions, and
Whereas, some journals in various fields, e.g. humanities, arts, and social sciences, are often excluded, journal articles in press are not included in databases, lag between appearance of a citation and appearance in the index occurs, and journals are not consistently indexed nor indexed retrospectively when added to databases, and
Whereas, most citation indices only include peer-reviewed journals and frequently exclude incorporate peer-reviewed books, peer-reviewed book chapters, conference proceedings, technical reports, and dissertations, and
Whereas, publication of books and of book chapters is highly desirable by much of the academic community and, in fact, serves as a more desirable form of publication than a journal article for some members of the academic community,
Be it resolved that if citation indices are used relative to the faculty or the institution of the University of Central Florida, their limitations will be addressed; for example, books and book chapters from university and reputable commercial presses shall be included along with other indicators of accomplishment.
Approved by the Faculty Senate on March 31, 2005.
Transmitted to Provost Terry Hickey on April 4, 2005.
Approved by Provost Hickey on June 1, 2005.
Resolution 2004-2005-8 Blue Book
Whereas, the first tenet of the UCF Creed states, “Integrity: I will practice and defend academic and personal honesty”;
Whereas, the Faculty Handbook states that “UCF is committed to a policy of honesty in academic affairs”;
Whereas, the Faculty Senate Steering Committee recommended the establishment of the UCF Ethics Task Force to recommend policies that will further ethical behavior on campus;
Be it resolved that the UCF Ethics Task Force recommends that the following statement be endorsed by the Faculty Senate to be printed on UCF Blue Books and to be used by faculty on other student evaluation materials as faculty see fit.
PROPOSED BLUEBOOK ETHICS STATEMENT (To be printed on each bluebook used at UCF) I have abided by the UCF Creed, neither giving nor receiving unauthorized aid in preparation of this academic work.
__________________________
Student Signature
Approved by the Faculty Senate on March 31, 2005.
Transmitted to Provost Terry Hickey on April 4, 2005.
Approved by Provost Hickey on June 1, 2005.
Resolution 2004-2005-9 Syllabus Note
Whereas, the first tenet of the UCF Creed states, “Integrity: I will practice and defend academic and personal honesty”;
Whereas, the Faculty Handbook states that “UCF is committed to a policy of honesty in academic affairs”;
Whereas, the Faculty Senate Steering Committee recommended the establishment of the UCF Ethics Task Force to recommend policies that will further ethical behavior on campus;
Be it resolved that the UCF Ethics Task Force recommends that the following two statements be endorsed by the Faculty Senate for voluntary inclusion on faculty members’ course syllabi.
SHORT VERSION
As reflected in the UCF creed, integrity and scholarship are core values that should guide our conduct and decisions as members of the UCF community. Plagiarism and cheating contradict these values, and so are very serious academic offenses. Penalties can include a failing grade in an assignment or in the course, or suspension or expulsion from the university. Students are expected to familiarize themselves with and follow the University’s Rules of Conduct.
LONG VERSION
UCF faculty support the UCF creed. Integrity – practicing and defending academic and personal honesty – is the first tenet of the UCF Creed. This is in part a reflection of the second tenet, Scholarship: “I will cherish and honor learning as a fundamental purpose of membership in the UCF community.” Course assignments and tests are designed to have educational value; the process of preparing for and completing these exercises will help improve your skills and knowledge. Material presented to satisfy course requirements is therefore expected to be the result of your own original scholarly efforts.
Plagiarism and cheating – presenting another’s ideas, arguments, words or images as your own, using unauthorized material, or giving or accepting unauthorized help on assignments or tests – contradict the educational value of these exercises. Students who attempt to obtain unearned academic credentials that do not reflect their skills and knowledge can also undermine the value of the UCF degrees earned by their more honest peers.
UCF faculty members have a responsibility for your education and the value of a UCF degree, and so seek to prevent unethical behavior and when necessary respond to infringements of academic integrity. Penalties can include a failing grade in an assignment or in the course, or suspension or expulsion from the university. See http://goldenrule.sdes.ucf.edu/ for more information about UCF’s Rules of Conduct.
Approved by the Faculty Senate on March 31, 2005.
Transmitted to Provost Terry Hicky on April 4, 2005.
Approved by Provost Hickey on June 1, 2005.