ATI Priority 2, Group 1 Meeting Notes
February 27, 2007
Priority Group 2, Items 1-3 Related to Instructional Materials
In attendance: Brent Boyer, Brett Christie, Katharyn Crabbe, Anna Reynolds, Vanessa Franklin
- Reviewed “Instructional Materials Self-Study: Questions:
- Process for timely adoption of textbooks by faculty.
- The deadline is at least 6 wks prior to the start of the following term (need to compare this to REG dates)
- The campus has not yet passed a resolution or policy in the Academic Senate related to the timely submission of TR’s.
- The campus has informal measures of timeliness for faculty submitting TR’s (e.g., Bookstore, Associate Students). Not every faculty member uses Sonoma State University Bookstore.
- Bookstore communicates with departments regarding timeliness of TR’s.
- Approximately 45-50% of TR’s are submitted in a timely manner over the past 3 academic terms.
- What steps has the campus taken to inform faculty of submitting TR’s in a timely manner?
- The focus has been on how timely TR’s will result in increased availability in used texts and cost savings to students, but has not been related providing accessible materials to students with disabilities.
- Reminders are sent out from the bookstore, web site available for faculty. Deans are not involved in the monitoring process and there is not a centeralized method of tracking all books used by faculty.
- SSU Accessibility Website – Sonoma.edu/accessibility
- Timely Adoption of Textbooks
- Fullerton Model – Handout of the Adoption of Plan: New Process on Adoption and Ordering of Textbooks/Course Materials
- It was agreed that we should work closely with Fullerton to review their policies and procedures, and implement strategies such as having a centralized database of books
- Discussed the need to have text lists before 1st registration. Students are given priority registration list 1 week before registration 1 starts. Text would be unknown for students who are transferring in or who registration late.
- Discussed current difficulties in getting alt text from publishers due to copyright issues. Digital textbooks now being sold via the bookstore. It was suggested that the bookstore & DSS work together to have Students utilize this alternate text source.
- Discussed if textbook deadlines or scheduling should be completed first for new process of obtaining texts for alt media production. Vanessa stated that she has academic calendar dates through summer ’08. It was suggested that Vice Provost office should set deadline for faculty to order texts within timelines set by Vanessa’s scheduling classrooms. However, department budget projections would need to be completed before courses set and texts ordered. Vanessa to check and see if any idle time between dept decision making and her scheduling rooms that could be used to speed up deadline for ordering texts.
- Discussed book titles to be provided by faculty before registration is completed.
- 75% of students enroll during first registration, this figure does not include transfer, late admits or changing classes.
- Discussed possibility of gathering data on how many book orders are in by first registration for Fall ’07 (deadline of Apr 18) and Summer ’07 (deadline of March 16).
- If large percentage of books ordered on time than DSS students would have their book list ready for first registration.
- Discussed some questions for Fullerton contact:
- How many weeks to produce schedule of classes?
- Obtain compliance to current guidelines for first registration.
- What is process for late hiring of faculty for text orders.
- Vanessa felt it would be a good idea if SSU has list of courses before scheduling completed, so 90% of courses could be set 2 weeks before scheduling classes. Currently, GE classes remain the same and a fair [percentage of major core classes are set. Further discussion is needed on this topic.
Next Meeting
Tuesday, March 27, 1-2:30 pm in Stev 2046.