The Boulder Faculty Assembly welcomed CU Boulder Chancellor Phil DiSfefano to its Oct. 1 virtual meeting. In DiStefano’s remarks, he recognized that the recent decision to move to online learning for two weeks to bend the curve on the COVID-19 infection rate has been difficult on the campus community and that he is hopeful we can return to in-person learning.
The chancellor also said that while the university is focused on the pandemic, one of the most challenging crises in generations, CU Boulder is also taking quick action and making real progress to be a more inclusive and just university. From a recommendation from the IDEA Plan, campus has formed the IDEA Council—previously known as the Council for Community and Inclusion—and reported that the council is already addressing the eight actions for change. “Our actions must be clear and tangible and lead to real results,” he said.
The campus census revealed lower enrollment than in previous years because of the pandemic. “We are evaluating the budget impacts of this and will provide an update to the campus as early as next week,” said the chancellor.
In closing, the chancellor recognized that this is a challenging time for everyone. And, as one who has seen the university as a professor, dean, provost and chancellor, he knows the university has the foundation of cooperation and talent to get through this. “We will emerge stronger because of this experience and better off from it,” he said.
Highlights
Pass/fail policies for fall 2020 and spring 2021 under review
Katherine Eggert, senior vice provost and associate vice chancellor for academic planning and assessment, reviewed the temporary pass/fail policies made for last spring and asked for ideas, recommendations, and input from faculty by noon on Monday, Oct. 5, to help academic leadership decide on pass/fail policies for fall 2020 and spring 2021. Currently, the pass/fail policies for fall 2020Ěý are posted on the Office of the Registrar website.
Resolution on teaching modality
A resolution was passed to support academic units, departments and programs to make their own decisions for determining the format in which courses are taught and who will teach them. The ideal being that wherever possible, individual preferences regarding teaching modality be respected and that instructors not feel pressured by their decisions or have them held against them.
Motion to change faculty FRPA
A resolution to support changes to the Faculty Report of Professional Activities (FRPA), to recognize diversity activities in faculty evaluations, was approved. This resolution is in response to the IDEA Plan’s recommendation that the Office of Faculty Affairs implement and recognize diversity in the performance review process when considering personnel at major career points, such as reappointment and promotion, as well as annual performance reviews.
For a copy of the approved meeting minutes, please emailĚýbfa@colorado.edu.
