Faculty Senate was briefed at its meeting Mar. 28, on updates regarding the search to find a learning management system to replace TRACS.
Carlos Solís, associate vice-president of instructional technologies support, and Brian Shanks, director of learning spaces, updated senators on the new LMS and discussed concerns about transferring course contents from TRACS.
Solís emphasized that helping bring technology into the classroom is IT’s goal. IT is currently in the process of compiling the results of the LMS surveys administered in previous weeks. Technical phone interviews with potential vendors will follow once the results have been recorded.
Solís stressed the importance of questioning vendors on the mitigation of courses, either in self-serving manners or in batch-like processes.
“We are not taking vendors’ statements at face value until we can test them,” Solís said.
Solís, Shanks and several senators agreed that the switch to a new LMS will force certain courses to be revamped.
Senator David Nolan suggested that part of the training IT provides should be geared toward alerting faculty to the importance of preparing courses for this migration.
Sen. Janet Bezner reported on the Nontenure Line Faculty Committee, which recommended Tom Copeland, lecturer in the department of theatre and dance, be nominated for the 2018 Part-Time Faculty Excellence in Teaching Award. The Senate approved the candidate unanimously.
Faculty Senate received two applicants for the position of Fellow, a professional development opportunity for faculty members to work on special projects with the Senate. A sub-committee was created to review the applications.
Senators discussed and approved bulletin and agenda items for the upcoming President’s Academic Advisory Group meeting.