Dear colleagues,
Yesterday, at the SFUFA meeting, the mover of the motion to pursue certification claimed that Educational Goals (EGs), the initiative with which the VPA replaced Learning Outcomes and Assessment (LOA) last spring, would still constitute a significant increase in faculty workload, equivalent (if I remember the remark correctly) to a full-time faculty position. I don't understand that claim. I would be grateful if somebody could explain it to me.
Pasted below is the VPA's EG motion to Senate, dated April 25th, 2013. (I forwarded the whole accompanying memo to this list a couple of days ago in the context of discussion preceding the sfufa meeting.) I have read and re-read it. As far as I can tell, and as I have stated, it amounts to little more than an attachment to, or modification of, the External Review process. Notably, also, the motion explicitly states that resources for whatever work it entails "will be provided" by the VPA and support units.
As far as I am aware, this is where the LOA ball stopped bouncing. If that impression is incorrect, I would be grateful for its correction.
If, on the other hand, the below is indeed the final EG that the VPA laid on this issue, then I would be grateful if somebody could explain to me in what way it constitutes a significant increase in faculty workload. (With apologies for the puns.) Best wishes,
JD Fleming
Motion: <<That the quality of academic programs at SFU be enhanced through
the following practices
and processes:
1. each academic unit will develop a public statement of educational
goals for each
academic program prior to its next external review,
commencing with reviews in the
spring term of 2014;
2. commencing with reviews scheduled for spring term
2015, each academic unit will
include in the self-study for the external review an
evaluation of the success of the unit
in meeting the educational goals of its program(s), using
methods and evidence
selected by the academic unit;
3. resources for the development and evaluation of the statement of educational goals
will
be provided by the Vice-President Academic, together
with assistance from relevant
support units;
4. SCUTL will oversee these processes, and will
report annually to Senate on their
implementation and impact;
5. a thorough evaluation of the costs and benefits of the above
practices and processes
will be made for Senate in 2017 after the third year of
implementation, and Senate will
determine whether and on what basis they should
be continued.>>