1. CPEC's Ed.D. Study
Vice Provost Julius Zelmanowitz informed the APC about a study being undertaken by CPEC on the need for Ed.D.s
and Ph.D.s in education in California. This study is the result of legislation sponsored by CSU last year on the
need for more "applied joint doctorates." CSU leaders have indicated a desire to be able to offer such
degrees, especially the Ed.D., independently. Even though recent analysis by the Office of the President showed
that the supply appears to be right for the demand, there is public pressure for more training in educational leadership
for K-12 leaders. The Community Colleges are also sponsoring legislation to fund more Ed.D.s for future community
college leaders. The University offers a joint degree with several California State University campuses, and several
more are under discussion. CPEC's study is expected to conclude that there is a need for more Ed.D.s from public
universities.
APC members noted that there did not appear to be significant differences between the Ed.D. and the Ph.D. Some
suggested that an increase in subject matter doctorates might be appropriate rather than more Ed.D.s, or that there
be more emphasis on disciplinary content in the Ed.D. However, after discussion, there was agreement that the University
should continue to offer both the joint Ed.D. degree and UC stand-alone Ed.D. programs and that it would not be
appropriate to turn over sole responsibility for it to CSU. It was pointed out that UC is well-positioned to make
the case that academic leadership at all levels, including K-12, needs to be driven by intellectual/academic considerations.
It was also noted that in order to be successful in creating or expanding joint programs, financial incentives
need to be offered .
2. Teaching, Learning and Technology Center
Vice Provost Zelmanowitz shared a draft development plan for the UC Teaching, Learning and Technology Center (TLtC)
that is the result of universitywide consultation on a proposal developed at President Atkinson's request (see
APC Bulletin #45 for background, http://www.ucop.edu/planning/apc/apc45.html). The original concept has changed
from being course-centered to being more faculty-centered. Three strategies will be undertaken to build the linkages
that comprise the Center and to make more visible the robust campus-based activities that are already taking place:
a) convene disciplinary and cross-disciplinary groups of faculty to determine their interests in working together
to build focused communities of practice,
b) cevelop a "webzine", updated weekly, to highlight important faculty efforts in the introduction of
new technology into teaching and learning environments, and
c) institute an annual program of Presidential Awards for highest quality innovations in incorporating technology
into teaching and learning.
There was concern expressed that local applications are not easily exportable, in part because content is very
course-specific, and in part because they require common platforms. Vice Provost Zelmanowitz responded that when
the discipline groups identify something worth sharing, the Center could provide grants to resolve the platform
issues. There was also concern about the need for awards. Some members advised that funds be used to support activities
instead. The next step is for the draft proposal to be sent to the Academic Council and the Council of Vice Chancellors
for their comment.
3. UCTV Update
The University's public television station, UCTV, has been in operation for five months, and is now programming
24 hours a day, seven days a week. It was created in response to an opportunity at the end of 1999 before an overall
strategic plan could be developed. The UCTV Working Group that has been managing the implementation of the station
has created a proposal for the governance structure of the station, which the APC discussed.
The proposal proposes a strong station manager model so that a committee does not have to make programming decisions.
It proposes that the station report through an MRU model by being housed a campus, reporting through the Chancellor
to the Office of the President. To counterbalance a potential single-campus orientation, the proposal recommends
a very strong systemwide policy-oriented steering group, which, to be effective, will require strong faculty presence.
The proposal also recommends a high profile and visible external advisory group that would critique the station
from the perspective of the viewer. Finally, there should be early assessment by an external review team to correct
obvious shortcomings. The Working Group also suggested the creation of campus liaison teams that would serve as
resources for identifying potential program content, and resolving day-to-day issues related to program transmission.
The next steps for the station are to increase programming, to expand it to include more campuses (it currently
relies heavily on existing UC San Diego programs), and to get the station included on local cable in order to extend
viewership. Responses from viewers have been positive, showing most interest in programs that relate to them personally,
such as programs on specific health conditions. Suggestions from the APC were to include student-generated productions,
to use the program capability to provide AP courses, and to create a policy structure that anticipates such things
as constitutional rights (freedom of the press) issues.
4. Faculty Diversity
Sheila O'Rourke, Executive Director in Academic Advancement at UCOP, joined the APC to update the members on recent
reports regarding faculty diversity. She reported on systemwide data showing that the rates of hiring of underrepresented
minority and women faculty have dropped significantly in the four years following the Regents' Resolution SP-2
and Proposition 209. She noted that in light of the need to hire 7,000 new faculty in the coming decade,
it is crucial for campuses to identify the problems and implement effective solutions for increasing the gender
and racial diversity of UC faculty.
Executive Director O'Rourke shared a recent UC Davis report of the Chancellor's and Provost's Task Force on Faculty
Recruitment. The report identified the academic, economic and legal imperatives for achieving faculty diversity
and contained an extensive list of "best practices" for faculty recruitment centered around two central
recommendations. The first recommendation was that departments and programs be rewarded for past and present efforts
to improve diversity in hiring and retention practices. (The distinction between efforts and actual appointments
is important for compliance with Proposition 209.) The report suggested financial incentives including but not
limited to the awarding of faculty FTE, early release of FTE, and additional discretionary funds to be used for
graduate support or other purposes. The second recommendation was that deans, department chairs and program directors
be held accountable for their efforts to promote diversity. The Davis report can be found on the web at: http://chancellor.ucdavis.edu/
Executive Director O'Rourke also shared discussion from a recent joint meeting of campus academic affirmative action
administrators and the UC Committee on Affirmative Action and Diversity regarding the need for new types of affirmative
action in the Post-209 University. She acknowledged that there are many challenges, such as the legal constraints
of Proposition 209, competition from private universities for outstanding women and minority candidates, and a
limited pipeline of minority graduate students. However, she noted that there are many available strategies for
"acting affirmatively" that are in compliance with University policy and state law. She urged the APC
to raise the issues and continue the discussions on all campuses to help identify and communicate best practices
for maximizing diversity in faculty recruitment and retention. Several APC members noted that campus departments
and search committees need training with practical advice and examples that show what they can do to maximize diversity
in recruitment and hiring, because there has been so much emphasis on what they cannot do since 209.
APC members also suggested that it might be helpful to have a central website for all open faculty positions in
the University, as is currently done for staff positions.
Other strategies for promoting faculty diversity that were discussed were valuing diversity in the evaluation of
research, teaching and service that is part of merit and promotion reviews; making efforts to increase the pipeline
at the graduate level and "plug the leaks" in the pipeline by supporting junior faculty; and enforcing
existing non-discrimination policies by maintaining effective complaint procedures and conducting regular equity
reviews of pay and academic personnel practices.
5. Curricular Bloat
The APC discussed concerns brought by both the Academic Council and Undergraduate Deans about an ever-expanding
curriculum. The issue has two parts. First, there is concern that majors are continuing to add required courses,
which satisfies faculty desires to teach courses they are particularly interested in, and student desires for courses
that will make them competitive for graduate and professional schools. For example, it was noted that students
believe that medical schools require high GPAs and a large number of lab-oriented courses. The downside of these
increasing requirements is that they are often in expensive disciplines (e.g., biology), they add time to students'
progress toward a degree, and they squeeze out general education requirements.
The second part of the issue is that many campuses do not have a limit on the number of units an undergraduate
can take, and where there are limits, they are not enforced. Students who accumulate the most units are often the
best students who are trying, through minors and double majors, to make themselves competitive for entry to top-quality
graduate programs. There is reluctance on the campus to discourage these highly motivated students.
Discussion centered around the concern that there is little that can be done at a systemwide level about either
faculty or student behavior. However, there was interest in learning more about the fifth year experiences of students,
and in considering whether it was appropriate to replace the fifth year with a master's degree. It was agreed that
UCEP and the Council of Undergraduate Deans are the best groups to continue discussion of these issues, and that
the Council of Vice Chancellors could also become involved if given a strong mandate from the Senate.
6. Undergraduate Research Brochure
APC members reviewed a draft brochure being developed by the Office of the President that would serve dually as
a document to encourage undergraduates to participate in research, and as an advocacy document in Sacramento to
demonstrate that undergraduate education in a research university is both different and important. Member made
a number of suggestions for the next draft, including a recommendation to consider creating two separate documents
for the two purposes and a recommendation to include examples of undergraduate research from a wide range of disciplines.
They agreed that it is worthwhile to continue with the project.
7. Enrollment Planning
Assistant Vice President Sandra Smith updated the APC about the just-released Governor's May Revision to the Budget.
Contrary to expectation, it did not include funding for summer instruction, in spite of many expressions of support
for it in Sacramento. She also informed the APC that there will be a presentation to The Regents in September on
Long Range Development Plans (LRDPs), and a progress report in November on where we are with respect to our plans
to accommodate increased enrollments.