Professional Faculty Interests Committee

Voting members present: Peter Eschbach, Justin Fleming, Carly Johansen, Kate Moses, Rich Riggs, Jason Tanenbaum, Jennifer Thornhill, Carlea White, Katheryn Yetter
Voting members absent: None

Introductions & Welcome to the 2023-2024 year

Review of 2022-2023 Initiatives

• The committee is disseminating three surveys to professional faculty – career progression, professional development, awards and recognition. The first has been disseminated; the remaining two will be disseminated in fall 2023. Survey findings may inform focus areas for 2023-2024.
• A few of the conversations and ideas in 2022-2023 were
  • Working out of class as a form of career development leading to career progression opportunities.
  • How to incentivize nominations; types of awards (e.g., peer to peer, unit level, university level); awards processes, honorarium for awards, creative non-cash awards like time off, sports tickets, parking spots, breakfast with the president.
  • Types of professional development
  • Updating position descriptions

Update on Professional Faculty Interests Committee Survey Project

• Preliminary findings
  • Jennifer Thornhill presented some preliminary findings. Comment data will be coded so that major themes are shared without identifying information disclosed.
• Possible focus areas for 2023-2024
  • Surveys #2 and 3# will have a question about location so respondents don’t put “OSU-Cascades” as the “unit.”
    • Hope to get done in September and October.

Items for the Good of the Order/Guest Speakers to Invite

• Possible guest speakers:
  • Mike Mandzuk or his designee on what makes Professional Faculty different from classified employees.
  • Katie Fast on classification legislation and what’s changed since the university became its own entity in 2014.
  • Sherm Bloomer on finances and our different pots of funding (although we realize he’s in a new position with OSU-Cascades).
  • Ed Feser on a topic TBD.
• Do we have an “alphabet soup”-type document for all of the OSU acronyms? Idea for good of the order.
  • How can we ensure that the interests of Professional Faculty are adequately represented within the Faculty Senate, which historically exists to facilitate shared governance between academic faculty and the administration? Do research on other university/college shared governance structure.
    • Is there any budget for Professional Faculty recognition? Even a small token of recognition (like a coffee card) can go a long way in helping people feel valued. Foundation fund?
    • Do other universities have high retention rates for Professional Faculty? Carlea White will share a resource that has some relevant information.

Adjourn