Lincoln University of Pennsylvania
Faculty Meeting Minutes

Tuesday, April 6, 2004
Dickey Hall Auditorium

Dr. Nelson convened the meeting at 4:10 PM.

I. REPORT FROM THE STUDENT GOVERNMENT ASSOCIATION . . . Nosakhere Griffin-El

I just want to say that it was an honor to serve and address my elders the first Tuesday of each month. I learned a lot this semester from working with Dr. Millette, Dr. Poe, Dr. Nwachuku, Dr. Nelson, and Dr. Chikwem. I would also like to congratulate the officers just elected to the Student Government Association for the 2004-2005 academic year: Abraham Hoff, president; Zchagiel Monroe, Vice-President of Internal Affairs; Brian Dowling, Vice-President of External Affairs; Clifton Thomas, Treasurer; and Shari Hathaway, Secretary.

II REPORT FROM THE PRESIDENT . . . . . . . .Dr. Ivory Nelson
We are clearing off a space to build a new dorm. We are going to fund the new dorm by selling bonds; this is the first time that Lincoln University has sold bonds. We plan to sell them as investment grade bonds. Thus, we are presenting our bond sale to such institutions as Standard and Poors and Moody's. In addition, we are starting to wind down on the infrastructure project. We are trying to get the subcontractors to do all things that they promised to do.

Moreover on April 14th, I along with the three other presidents of the state-related higher education institutions in the Commonwealth, are going to Harrisburg in order to try to get our funding restored.

Dr. Venerable . . . how many fulltime faculty do we have at the meeting? Dr. Venerable: We have 53 present. Dr. Nelson: We now have a quorum.

III. ACTION ITEMS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Dr. Venerable, Presiding
Dr. Venerable: Are there any additions to the agenda?

Dr. Prigg: Yes, I would like to add three items: One, concerning the Lindback prize not being awarded; the rotation of chairs; and any faculty member who wants to chit-chat about our "situation."

The items were added as discussion items.

A. Approval of Minutes from the March 2, 2004 meeting.

The minutes were approved subject to corrections and additions. In the first paragraph of "II. Report from the President," the minutes originally read: "Lincoln's program, when measured in this way, has shown a great deal of improvement" should be "when measured in this way it has reflected its true measure, its true merit, and its true light." "III. Action Items" should be "-one over the quorum number" instead of "-one short of a quorum." Also, "III Action Items" should have included the following addition, "Dr. Millette made a motion to table consideration of the minutes. The chair ruled the motion out of order. The chair appealed to the Parliamentarian who concurred with the chair. A motion to recess was substituted and was turned down."

B. Recommendation from the Curriculum Committee………..Dr. B. M. Henderson

1. BIO 100-Introduction to Biology:

Dr. Royer spoke for Dr. Henderson. Dr. Royer placed BIO 100 for the faculty's consideration. Dr. Royer stated that BIO 100 Introduction to Biology was designed to better prepare students for BIO 103, that BIO 100 was only for biology majors that placed into EDU 100, and that, in addition to preparing students for BIO 103, BIO 100 was designed to get students excited about biology.

Dr. Prigg: Is this course designed to substitute for another biology course in the biology curriculum?

Dr. Royer: No, this will not be an additional biology requirement nor will it substitute for a current biology requirement.

Dr. Shabazz: Dr. Royer you said that you do not consider this a remedial course, but this is a remedial course. I've been on record against remedial courses. Many of the things that are in the course description could be taken care of out of class, or in class. This is a How to Study Science course.

Dr. Royer: I don't consider this as remediation. We are not retaining most of the students in biology after the first year. The students need more preparation.

Dr. Chapp: What will the students come away with or what should they come away with. For example, can you say that the students will come away with A, B, and C?

Dr. Millette: I'm just wondering why this course, why now? Does it say something about the university? Does it say something about recruitment or about the caliber of our students. Hampton brings students in during the summer to get them prepared for the academic year.

Dr. Royer: We are trying to get a grant to do this in the summer.

Dr. Louden: When I ask students, "what science is?" They don't know. Only ten percent of the students know what a hypothesis is? Only a few students know what a cell is?

Dr. Sekoni: What I'm opposed to is students getting college credit for how to read a textbook.

Dr. Treisner: This course is good for students just interested in biology.

Dr. George: I just wanted a clarification-educational skills, what does that mean?

Dr. Favor: Why are we voting for a course-I was looking at the Journal of Black Education, according to which Lincoln University only graduates 39 percent of its students while Spelman graduates 70 to 76 percent. We are going backwards. Students have to take too many credits as it is. Many students take five years to graduate.

Dr. Prigg: We have talked about "experimental" courses becoming permanent. When students realize that this does not count toward graduation they will be unhappy.

Dr. Venerable moved that BIO 100 Introduction to Biology be referred to the Educational Policy Committee. The motion was seconded and was passed.

2. EDU 311-Methods of Teaching Social Studies in Elementary School and EDU 314-Methods of Teaching Science in Elementary School:

Dr. Oliver: Good Evening. This may or may not be a marriage in heaven-my colleagues will decide this matter. The Pennsylvania Department of Education has mandated that EDU 311-Methods of Teaching Social Studies Elementary School and EDU 314-Methods of Teaching Science in Elementary School be part of the curriculum for teachers. We have to implement this 2004 or 2005. It is a burden for our students since they have to buy two textbooks. Nevertheless, we have to teach these subjects in order that our students be able to compete internationally. We removed speech for education majors; if we lean toward the sciences, we could conscript someone from the sciences.

Dr. Prigg: Has the state mandated these courses or the subject matter? Won't students have to buy two textbooks.

Dr. Oliver: We admit that students need some remedial help-so they compete favorably.

Professor Davis: the state has mandated that these two courses be on their transcript.

Dr. Millette: Why wasn't this brought before the Educational Policy Committee?

Dr. Thomas: We need this change in curriculum to meet the state's mandate.

Dr. Treisner: I move that the faculty accept these courses and extend to the Educational Policy Committee and the Curriculum Committee the implementation and logistics. The motion was seconded and was passed.

IV. DISCUSSION ITEMS
Dr. Prigg commented that he was taken aback at the failure to choose anyone for the Lindback Teaching Award. Dr. Button remarked that she did not see the connection between the number of applications and a person's history of teaching excellence.

The meeting was adjourned at 6:05 PM.

Respectfully submitted, Donald J. Bradt Faculty Secretary