Category Archives: Faculty Meetings

Faculty Meeting – IV15  4/3/15

McDowell Hall 112, 1:00 p.m. Friday

Agenda

1) Next session’s enrollment: 698

 2) Professional Development Retreat: Carolina Correa and Mark Smith

3) Committee Reports

• Testing – presented by Walt Babich
• Technology – presented by Scott Duarte
• Textbook – presented by Nonie Bell on behalf of Mikie Sarmiento
• Library – presented by Walt Babich
• Professional Development Taskforce – presented by Carolina Correa

4) ADS Search Update

5) Final Listening Test schedule

6)  The Delaware Chapter of People to People International 30^th Anniversary Dinner.  ELI is sponsoring (paying for) several seats at the event.  Please contact Baerbel Schumacher if you would like to attend. Keynote speaker: Senator Chris Coons.  He will honor Deogratians Niyizonkiza, Founder of Village Health Works.  “Deo” escaped the genocide of Ruwanda and Berundi, making it to NYC.  His life-affirming story was told in the book What Remains.  He graduated from Harvard’s School of Public Health and Dartmouth Medical School, returning to Barundi to establish a medical clinic. Date of dinner: Saturday, April 18, 6:00 – 8:00, Ed Oliver Golf Club, Wilmington.

Order of Business

Joe Matterer went over the agenda items.

Committee reports were presented.

Carolina Correa gave a brief overview of next week’s Professional Development Retreat. The morning will have a mixture of presentations and faculty and choose the workshop they would like to attend. In the afternoon, first Phil Rice will present on one method of dealing with vowels that can be integrated into all ELI classes. Then, Dr. Stevens and Joe Matterer will run a workshop on strategic interaction.

Notes taken by Erin Goertz

Faculty Meeting – III15  2/13/15

Memorial Hall 123, 1:30 p.m. Friday

News and Announcements

• Congratulations to Julie and her team for the “Americans Study Overseas” video series dealing with the problem of intra-cultural bullying.  It will be posted on the ELI Facebook page next session.

Agenda

• Confirmation of pilot courses –  After reviewing the course descriptions, learning outcomes, syllabi, and student comments on the pilot courses,  the Curriculum Committee recommends that these pilot courses be accepted —
  

  Newspapers VI,

  History V,

  American Culture IV,

  EAP Prep VI, and

  American Voices VI.

  A vote was taken and the pilot courses were approved by the faculty.

• Level III Writing curriculum – the Curriculum Committee revised the Level III writing curriculum after discussions with level III writing teachers.  This revision will clarify what should be taught in level III – e.g. paragraph and multi-paragraph writing.  There will be a vote in two weeks.  Nigel sent the proposal in email yesterday.
• New syllabus template for Levels IV and above – in compliance with the CEA accreditation the Curriculum Committee is recommending a syllabus template for the upper levels that will be consistent in the way course policies are explained.   It will have student-friendly language.  Nigel sent the Listening/Speaking and Reading/Writing templates in email yesterday.  Faculty should look at them and send Nigel the learning outcomes and course policies for their courses.  We would like to start using the templates in Session IV. There was some discussion about incompletes.
• Course timelines – each syllabus on the Facbook has to have seven and eight week timelines. Faculty should send them to Lowell.
• Faculty/family outing – Scott asked if there is interest in having a type of outing or trip where faculty could bring family members along.  Ken Hyde mentioned Lum’s Pond picnic as an option.
• Friday testing – this Session we will use the Michigan Test on the Friday testing day.  Teachers will bring their students to the SALC or Listening Lab.  Too many problems with Compass.
• Faculty Senate news – Leslie Criston commented on the Title IX sexual harassment policy.  If a teacher hears about an incident of sexual harassment or abuse from a student in an essay, journal, or private conversation, the teacher is required to report it.  She recommends we include the policy in the online Student Handbook.  Scott said it will be added to the revised online Student Handbook.  We should also offer suggested phrasing in the online Facbook that teachers can use if this situation arises.

  Ken Cranker mentioned the issue of new titles for full-time faculty controversy.  Scott said the Provost has already made these changes in the UD online Faculty Handbook despite the taskforce opposition.

  Leslie says there is an issue in the Senate about faculty senators being able to review the budgets in other departments.  Scott feels that’s not advisable.  An example would be a faculty member in another department asking why the ELI orders 200 buses a year for our students.

• Semester schedule – Mikie asked if there was any recent discussion about the ELI changing to a semester schedule.  Scott explained he has talked about this with faculty and administrators.  He says the proposal is not tabled but there are a lot of problems. Ohio University has done this and it’s hurting their enrollment.  Other IEPs that have adopted a semester schedule are planning to go back to eight-week schedules.  Sponsors don’t want to send their students to IEPs that use the semester schedule.
• Readers for 318 – Nicole reports the SALC is making plans for each teacher at 318 to have a set of readers that their students can sign out.

Notes taken by Lowell Riethmuller

Faculty Meeting – II14 12/5/14

Brown Lab 206, 1 p.m. Friday

News and Announcements

 A. Special thanks to Mikki Washburn and Baerbel Schumacher for outstanding coordination of the Proyecta 100,000 Mexican student/faculty group—and thanks to faculty who taught them so well in classes.

B. Thanks to all for attending Wednesday evening’s faculty/staff holiday party and a reminder of the

All-ELI holiday party Wednesday, December 17, Embassy Suites on S. College Ave. (near the football

Stadium) from 6:00 to 9:00 PM.  See Mikki Washburn if you are interested in participating in the ELI chorale.

C. Reminder: Level meetings at 2:15 PM.  See ODM for location of your specific meeting

D. Expected January enrollment: approximately 840.

Agenda

1. Update on Academic Development Specialists search—Part I, Scott

2. Explanation of end of session aural and reading final testing, Joe

3. Committee Midyear Reports: Curriculum, Nigel; EAP Taskforce, Nigel; Textbook, Mikie Sarmiento;

Library, submitted previously by Walt

4. Review of Revised workload agreement for full time faculty consideration.

Meeting Notes

Dr. Stevens reported that the Mexican Proyecta 100,000 program went very well.  We’re expecting a series of teacher-training groups to follow.

The year-end holiday party will be at the Embassy Suites Hotel on December 17 – in tent!

Session III 2015 enrollment expected to be about 840

The search committee for the Academic Development Specialist position sent its report to HR.

Joe spoke about the upcoming testing dates.  We will not be using COMPASS.  Instead we are use in-house learning-outcome based measurements.  The listening/speaking classes will use the Michigan Test, which will be on a CD.  The test packets go out next Wednesday.  The conversion forms will result in a letter grade, determined by the level.

Joe asked the teachers to test their computers and speakers and the CD ahead of time to be sure everything is working.

Committee reports

Please refer to the progress reports available here for full details.

Curriculum – to prepare for the CEA review Nigel said the Committee will be checking to see that all class syllabi contain clear learning-outcome goals. This will begin in January.  An ongoing goal is to deal with learning outcomes that have consistently not worked.

The Committee hasn’t received any new course proposals for review at this time.

Textbook – The Committee is concentrating on one skill at a time for the textbooks.  Mikie sent out a survey last week asking what pronunciation book each L/S teacher currently uses.  She’s requesting that the teachers send their feedback by Monday.

Mikie reminded the teachers that they can see the course textbook list that Joe prepares each session.  It’s on Facbook under “Course Resources.”

In the Committee report that was sent yesterday Mikie mentions new books being considered. She invites teachers to look through examination copies on the bookshelf at 189 W. Main and that the Committee will review any new texts that teachers recommend.

Other business

Leslie Criston reports that the peer review is now web-based.  Teachers who are up for peer review can attend a meeting in Gore 103 at 4:00 on Dec. 10.

Discussion for full-time faculty

Dr. Stevens talked about the revised Workload Agreement.  Basically there are two things he wanted to go over—a change in the language used in the Agreement and a change in the reference to work hours.  He said the Dean wants all department chairs to revise their workload agreement documents by expunging references to work hours, e.g. the ELI teachers’ full-time work load being 18 classroom hours a week. Now it’s a percentage of effort.

The Agreement itself is not changing, just the language used in the document. It does not impact anyone’s work agreement now or in the future.

Nigel commented that the ELI teaching hours don’t correspond to other units since some of us teach both regular ELI classes and credit-bearing classes. Scott added that the English department is expressing interest in our taking a larger role in the teaching of English 110 courses.

Another topic of discussion – how to deal with the problems in our late policy.  And whether or not to count a student absent who leaves the classroom for 10 minutes during class time.

Dr. Stevens is proposing a resolution for the faculty to vote on at a future meeting.

• Faculty take attendance at 8:15. They mark “L” for students who are not present. At 8:30 the “L” becomes an “A” for those who are still not present.
• There is an expectation that students will not leave the classroom during class time.
• Faculty are not permitted to give breaks during class.

Faculty Meeting – VI14 8/20/14

Williard Hall 319, 1 p.m. Monday

News and Agenda:

1. Predicted enrollment number: 760 (updated 8/19)
2. Karen extended the invitation to ELI faculty to attend the “UD Welcomes the World” –  invite sent out on-line.  Event is August 27^th 4 to 6 on the Wright House.
   1. Point made, if event could be held in a non-break week.
3.  C.      Karen asked faculty if they would be interested in working on the NAFSA Paul Simon Award.  Karen is collecting data in the area of Outreach & Partnership within our International UD partners on campus to potentially win this award.  Please contact Karen if you would like to participate.
4. ELI Drama and Film Performance tomorrow, Tuesday 8/19/15.
5. Scott Duarte explained his abstract and asked faculty to review information he sent out on-line so that the ELI can vote next meeting about research proposal: language production of board games with ESL students.
6. Grades for all graduating, multiple repeaters, students on probation due 3 p.m. from all instructors with morning classes, 4 p.m. for instructors with afternoon classes.  Leaving list sent out Tuesday afternoon, when database is open for final grade entry.  Paperwork for change status submitted by Wednesday.
7. All S contract faculty on duty for Intake on 8/28.

Monday

1.  Turn in iPads to Marie Hunt of ELI Finance Office if you are not teaching next session.  Please return all textbooks and other equipment by Friday to Chris 189, Jeanne 108, Rose 318.
2. Last remain intention forms, please forward to Jeanne or Chris.

Wednesday

1. Grades for level VI CAP, due 5:00 p.m. Wednesday.  CAP appeals due to Dr. Stevens same time.
2. Recommended day for administering course evaluations, if you have not already done so.  Please use the course evaluation script when administering evaluations.  Be sure name of the class and teacher is on the student scan sheet.
3. CAP Cohort classes should already have envelopes.
4. Final grammar exam.
5. Last day for final essays.
6. L/S Assessments.
7. Meeting regarding retained students with exceptional needs is Wednesday at 1:15 to 4:00 at 318 S. College in room 228.
8. Cohort engagement scores by 3 p.m.

Thursday

1. Program evaluations in L/S class, please return to Erin Goertz.
2. Graduating students final grades due in database as early as Wednesday, please use remote access.
   1. All remaining students grades due 3:00 p.m. for morning classes and 4 p.m. for afternoon classes.  Absolutely no exceptions.
   2. To give student incomplete, “I” only for students who scored lower than C-. The class percentage should reflect the grades earned for all skill areas (including the skill are where an “I” is assigned). Only students with an effort of 1 or 2 and 90% attendance (no more than 4 absences) are eligible for an incomplete. If the student is graduating, they cannot earn an “I” grade.
3. Last day of classes.  L/S classes 8:15-9:30; R/W class 10:00-11:15; Afternoon classes 1:00-2:30.
   1. Post grades
   2. Grading policy

Friday

1. Grades for continuing students entered by 12 p.m.
2. Graduation in Mitchell Hall at 3:30 p.m.  Coordinators are Sarah Petersen and Leslie Criston.

Procedures:  Sarah explained that students sit with RW teachers, rows will be labelled and a seating chart is available on screen.  Students receive scrolls on stage and then go back to RW teachers for certificates and transcripts.

Discussion about awards and students chosen according to categories.

Faculty Meeting – VI14 7/25/14

Memorial Hall 127, 1 p.m. Friday

News and Agenda:

1. Total enrollment is around 700
2. Scott and Karen are out next week, Joe is in charge
3. Email Joe if you are changing your teaching load for the upcoming sessions, let Joe know as soon as possible
4. Practicum course for Session I and Session IV, any faculty member who wants to volunteer to be a mentor let Joe know.

Please review the Proficiency Scale that was attached to agenda.  This is the form that all students and sponsors see after each session that provides summary of learning outcomes.

Resolutions:

Link to resolutions considered

1. Discussion was lead about application of homework that allows the teacher to measure the student proficiency and follow the CEA standards.
   1. Participation in class can be measure for quality and not quantity.
   2.  If you can measure within curriculum and meet learning outcomes then use homework exercise for grade.
2.  Brief discussion about attendance and punctuality, and speaking with student for long term absences as to better understand and help the student with success within the classroom.
   1. Allowing the student to have a better understanding of how the effort score relates to late or missed classes, so that habits can be changed going forward.
3. Discussion about proposed Effort Score Rubric and the wording within the 7/19/14 draft, some revision was expressed, changing the effort grade to effort score.
   1. Working to reword the rubric to allow better scoring for the student based on their efforts.
   2. Effort grades are very important to the retention/dismissal decision and effort is also shared with the sponsor for those students with sponsorship.
      Working with Registrar Office, Erin to create a drop down field in an existing grade form to allow the explanation of the effort score.
      Further thoughts on how the Effort Score Rubric should be weighted, suggestion that the last two measurements are weighed more than first two.
      Keeping a constant communication between teacher and student on how the student is being assessed.
4.  Allowing students to be able to review grades on all test or essays was recommended at mid-session, whether a paper copy or allowing students a code to view on-line.
   1.  Often is the claim by students they don’t know why they received a certain grade, since they did not see individual grades within a session.
5.  Always be prepared to explain the reason for effort score.
6.  Discussion about the weight graded assignments during the first half of session vs. the second half of session to clarify the term “at least twice that of those earned during the first half” will be revised to allowing for better end result of grading.
7. Technology Committee and ELI Registrar working on adapting a software program for more consistent grading and in long term to create a partnership with the upcoming conversion with UD PeopleSoft program.

 Voted: Suspend the rules for voting and allow electronic vote for Resolution 1, all were in favor.  Nigel will send out an email on Monday to allow for the electronic voting for Resolution 1.

Vote Update: July 31, 2014

The full-time faculty has passed the first resolution on last week’s meeting agenda (12 for; 2 against; 1 abstention).

Therefore, effective session I, we need to make sure that participation and homework exercises (including online practice exercises from Q, Azar, etc) are removed from all grades in all classes. They can still count towards students’ effort scores. The full text is at the end of this email.

Level coordinators: (and others)  this may require changes to syllabi:

* If you just need to change the section on grading and the list of class assignments, please go ahead and make those changes, put an August 2014 revision date on the first page, and email the new syllabus to Lowell for the ELI website. The curriculum committee does not need to see these changes.

* If you would like to change the learning outcomes for a course, those do need to be approved by the curriculum committee, and proposed changes should be sent to me as soon as possible, please, or on opening day of session I at the latest. For example, if participation in small-group discussions is going to be part of your speaking grade, there needs to be a student learning outcome in the syllabus that clearly meets the relevant curriculum objective for your level (please see the recently revised speaking curriculum on FacBook); then there needs to be a consistent and fair way to measure students’ achievement of the outcome (e.g. assessed discussions with a rubric).

This is the resolution that passed yesterday (July 30):

1.      Whereas factoring attendance, effort, homework exercises* or participation into grades distorts the measurement of student progress on learning outcomes; whereas CEA standards make a distinction between more objective measurements of language proficiency and the qualitative reporting of student effort, be it therefore resolved that effective September 1, 2014 ELI faculty members will no longer include attendance, effort, homework exercises, or classroom participation in the calculation of any grades in skill areas and that all syllabi be adjusted, if need be, to reflect this change in policy.  *For the purposes of this resolution, a distinction is made between exercises designed to help a student practice material addressed in class (e.g., completion of worksheets or textbook/online exercises) and assignments that (1) can be directly linked to learning outcomes and (2) assessed in such a way as to measure student progress toward meeting learning outcomes (e.g., such as asking students to write an original paragraph incorporating the use of a newly learned verb tense studied in class or recording an audio file of discourse focusing on the production and incorporation of linking and reduced forms).

Faculty Meeting III14

Memorial Hall 123, 1 pm on Monday, February 24, 2014

News and Agenda

A. Next session’s total enrollment: 696 (est); actual predicted IEP enrollment: 634.

B. Thank you, Michael Fields and Baerbel Schumacher, for doing such a splendid job coordinating the Brazilian teacher training program, Nicole Servais for teaching a new and highly successful methodology seminar, and for colleagues who taught them in their classes and provided training workshops.

C. Thanks to Jim Weaver for doing a splendid job coordinating the Seinan Gakuin University group.

D. Request for cooperating teachers for the MA TESL Practicum: Nigel

E. Wendy Clark would like to remind everyone of the new website she created to address common questions colleagues might have regarding payroll, vacations, policies, webforms, etc. The url is: sites.udel.edu/elihr

F. Transformation Grants available through the Center for Teaching and Assessment of Learning for “new instructional models that are not currently available, [approaches to] eliminate barriers identified in teaching, and help define the next generation of teaching and technology.”  Providing support for NNS of English in the classroom may be a proposal worth pursuing.  See Scott or Nigel if interested.

G. On February 19, Faculty approved two measures: Nigel Caplan’s research proposal and the proposal that the Listening grade for Film L/S VI no longer be acceptable as a qualifying grade for meeting CAP matriculation requirements.

H. Nominations for Graduation Awards