UNIVERSITY OF DAYTON
DAYTON, OHIO

MINUTES OF THE ACADEMIC SENATE

September 7, 2001
KU 310, 3:00 pm

Presiding: Betty Youngkin

Senators Present:  Bartlett, Bartley, Castellano, Cherrington, Conniff, Cox, Dandaneau, DeConinck,  Doyle, Dunne, Eimermacher,  Gerla, Gould, Hary, Ilg, Kearns, Lechleiter, Massucci, McKenna, Morman, Fran Pestello, Fred Pestello, Petrotti, Phelps, Saliba, Youngkin, Yungblut

Guests: Armstrong, Grothouse, Jacobs, Jukanovic, Miller, Molnar, Montgomery, Owen, Roe, Rogatto, Skill

1. Opening Prayer:  The meeting was opened with a moment of silence and a reading by Betty Youngkin from “Gift from the Sea” by Anne Morrow Lindbergh.

2.  Roll Call:  Twenty-seven of thirty-seven senators were present.

                Note: The Academic Senate meeting is now being videotaped as a pilot program for the year 2001-2002.  The tape will be aired on Flyer TV. 

3. Introduction of SGA Academic Senators:  Senator Bartley introduced the new SGA academic senators, who will become voting members of the University Academic Senate in January, 2002.  They are Tim Armstrong, Jenn Grothouse, Maria Jukanovic, Alison Montgomery, and Jared Roe.

4. Introduction of Senators and Guests:  All academic senators and guests introduced themselves.

5.  Approval of Minutes:  The minutes of April 27, 2001 were approved as written.

6. Remarks from the Provost:  Dr. Fred Pestello pointed out that based on national test scores, this year’s freshmen class was the best ever.  UD also had a waiting list of hundreds of students.  Fred attributed our success in part to the concept of the Learning Village.

                 In addition to keeping the momentum of the Learning Village going the Provost stated his five main goals for this year are:

1.        Review the areas of graduate education and funded research.

2.        Simplify the decentralized budget (MMB) and fully implement it.

3.        Promote diversity initiatives on the campus.

4.        Continue to strengthen the Catholic and Marianist Identity of the university along with the Catholic Intellectual Tradition. He stated that the College is developing a vision as the vital center of the campus, with the professional schools as important partners in nurturing the Catholic Intellectual Tradition.

5.        Provide a smooth transition for the new president.

                Fred stated that he enjoyed his past experience with the senate in the early to mid nineties, and mused that one of his main reasons for running for the Provost was to get back on the senate.  He pointed out that the senate requires collaboration among all members of the UD community, and that its committees operate well.  He did state, however, that one of the senate’s weak points was communication to its constituencies.

7. Committee Reports: 

Faculty Affairs Committee – Senator Gerla reported that the main issue for the FAC is to reconsider the Research Professorship.  Critical comments have been received from the natural science faculty.

Student Academic Policies Committee – Senator Doyle reported that the SAPC was just assigned two new issues to investigate.  First, the President’s Council has proposed that Level 3 Suspensions be recorded on the student’s academic transcript, and would like advice from the senate.  Second, the university has decided to eliminate the August graduation ceremony, and would like the senate’s opinion on allowing potential August graduates the opportunity to “walk” at the May graduation.

Academic Policies Committee – Senator Dunne reported that many of the APC issues were standing oversight of various committees such as General Education and Competencies.  Their immediate major issue was to propose action on several policies that are affected by the new C- grade to begin use in the fall semester of 2002.  The APC’s tentative suggestions are:

1.        Allow C- to satisfy the general competencies.

2.        Allow C- to be a satisfactory grade in option 2 courses.

3.        Allow C- to be accepted for transfer credit.

4.        Do not include C- as part of the retake policy.

5.        Do not change the GPA’s used for good academic standing.

6.        Do not change the 2.0 GPA needed for graduation.

7.        Do not change the GPA needed for various graduation honors.

8.  Human Resources Reorganization:  Paula Miller discussed the recent reorganization of Human Resources.  She pointed out that the Office of Affirmative Action was transferred to Legal Affairs.  She further referred to a three-page handout that showed some of the decentralization that has occurred and the individuals responsible for the various functions that fall under Human Resources.

9. Health Care:  Kathy Molnar addressed the present problems that the university is facing with the conflict between Anthem and the Premiere Health Partners/Miami Valley Hospital.  Without PHP, UD personnel would lose 105 physicians; that accounts for 31% of our doctors.  Without MVH, we would lose 50% of our in- and outpatient care.  Ms Molnar is not hopeful for a settlement between Anthem and PHP/MVH, but pointed out that the situation is a community problem, not just a UD problem.  She emphasized that UD is trying to preserve as much physician continuity for as many families as possible.

                One alternative company that the university is considering is United Healthcare.  Unfortunately, they are also in hard negotiations with PHP/MVH, and may be in the same position that Anthem is in next year.

                A table of health care cost for a family using the mid-option plan illustrated that the monthly cost has decreased from $171 in 1993 to $89 in 2001.  Costs are likely to increase by double-digit percentages next year.  It is also likely that co-payments will increase substantially.  Anthem has pointed out that UD’s co-payments are well below the industry’s average.  It was also mentioned that the greatest cause of a high health insurance rate increase could be attributed to UD’s prescription cost, running almost twice the national average.

                When questioned about the large proposed increases in ER and Urgent Care co-pay, Ms Molnar explained that UD’s co-pay has been very much below the standard.

                A question about using other large insurance companies was answered by pointing out that Dayton is too small for some of the big insurance carriers. 

                A question was asked about the demutualization process that is presently being undertaken by Anthem.  Human Resources is still trying to understand the situation, and probably will not be in a position to advise individuals as to how to vote on the process, or whether a cash or stock settlement would be the best option.

10.  Update on Presidential Search:  Fred Pestello reported on the presidential search.

1.        August 1 was the closing date for applications.

2.        The search committee is pleased with the applications.

3.        Narrowing down to final candidates is now being done.

4.        Confidential off-campus interviews will be conducted in October.

5.        Open on-campus interviews will be conducted in November.

6.        A decision will be reached in December.

7.        An announcement will be made in January.

11. The senate meeting adjourned to separate meetings of the senate subcommittees at 4:15 pm.