Discussions of budget cuts, the University’s level of satisfaction with Moodle and the administration’s continued efforts to keep accreditation filled the Atchafalaya Room on Wednesday afternoon.The Faculty Senate held their first meeting of the spring semester with Stacia Haynie, vice provost of Academic Affairs, and representatives from the Moodle development and management team as guests.Kevin Cope, Senate president, commended Chancellor Michael Martin’s considerations of the faculty in light of recent budget cuts.
“The faculty continues to be represented in this process,” Cope said. “I would certainly like to commend [Martin] for his efforts to stay in touch with me and the executive committee. The difference between his administration and its predecessor is the difference between night and day.”Haynie was present to discuss accreditation. The University’s accreditation is reaffirmed every ten years by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, Haynie said. The University received accreditation in 2004, and five-year reports are required to be submitted midway through the period.For many University colleges the progress reports are due in March.”It’s important that we demonstrate to SACS that we are using the information [from the 2004 accreditation] to improve,” Haynie said. “SACS also requires an institution to determine what students are learning in [their] degree.”Among other issues, Haynie said the general education courses will be reassessed.”Every department or unit that is offering a general education course has to determine how that course will [aid in achieving University goals],” Haynie said.Accreditation is an important factor in determining funding, according to Haynie.   Representatives from the Moodle development and management team were present to discuss grade-book calculations, adding teaching assistants to courses, technology jargon and the best ways to contact the University’s Moodle experts.According to several representatives present at the meeting, a team of developers are devoted fulltime to managing the integration of Moodle.
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Contact Lindsey Meaux at [email protected]