UNIVERSITY OF DAYTON
DAYTON, OHIO

MINUTES OF THE ACADEMIC SENATE

December 7, 2001 - KU 310, 3:00 pm

Presiding: Betty Youngkin
Senators Present:  Bartlett, Bartley, Castellano, Conniff, Cox, Crum, Dandaneau,  Doyle, Dunne, Eimermacher,  Erdei, Galioto, Gerla, Gould, Hall, Hary, Ilg, Kearns,  Massucci, McKenna, Morman, Fran Pestello, Fred Pestello, Phelps, Saliba, Sargent, Youngkin, Yungblut

Guests: Armstrong, Biers, Good, Gorton, Hallinan, Hartley, Roe, Ragatto, Ruggiero

1. Opening Prayer:  Betty Youngkin read a short adage from W. H. Auden

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

3. Approval of the Nov 19, 2001 minutes:  The minutes were approved with one correction.

4.  Introduction of Academic Senators:  The incoming senators, who begin their terms in January, introduced themselves.  The present senators introduced themselves.

5.  Proposal Concerning Placing Suspension Notation due to Disciplinary  Violations on the Academic Transcript:

The President’s Council supports a policy that “Level 3 Suspensions for disciplinary reasons will be noted on the student’s permanent academic transcript.”  They asked for consultation from the Academic Senate.

The Student Academic Policies Committee recommended two main items.

1. Level 3 Suspension should not be placed on the academic transcript because the type and degree of disciplinary violations are not defined.
   
2. A committee should be formed to define what violations apply to the three levels of suspension.

A motion was made and seconded to separate the issues.  The vote was

 For      21     Against       0       Abstain       1

 The motion passed.

Further discussion nullified the vote to separate, and the vote on the complete document was taken.

    For       23      Against      0       Abstain       0

    The issues passed.

6.  Proposal to Allow Graduate Transfer Credit of a B- or Better:

The Graduate Council had reviewed its policies affected by the university’s change to a +/- grading system and found only one area that needed clarification.  To that end the Academic Policies Committee proposed that graduate credit in courses earning a B- and above be accepted for transfer.

There was no discussion.  A vote was taken.

     For      23      Against        0       Abstain    0  

     The issue passed.

7.  Announcements:

1. On January 4, 2002 the Academic Senate will meet to elect new members to the ECAS.  They will then elect a President, Vice-President, and Secretary from the newly formed ECAS.  After the elections the three standing committees of the Senate will meet to review their meeting times and issues. 
2. After today’s meeting senators are requested to stay for a group picture.

8.  Provost Report:

1. The Provost thanked all the senators for their work over the past year.
2. The Provost noted that the November budget meeting was cut short to allow for discussions concerning the presidential search.  As a result, the faculty did not have an opportunity to ask questions and some have asked for another open meeting.  After discussions with the ECAS, it was decided not to have another open budget meeting, because the issues associated with the presidential search were more important.  However, the Provost would be willing to answer individual questions if asked.
3. If a 6 % tuition increase is passed by the Board of Trustees, the operating budget will be increased by $5.1 million.  However, the budget demands for the coming year are unusual in a couple respects.  The increased health cost to the university and a large debt accumulated from Information Technology improvements will take a major bite out of the $5.1 million.  The Provost stated that those two issues and requests for new programs results in $6 – 8 million chasing the $5.1 million available.  After discussions with the ECAS he has decided to recommend a 3% pay raise and put many of the requests for new programs on hold.

9.  Committee Reports:

Faculty Affairs Committee – The main issues that the FAC considered in the fall of 2001 were: Evaluation of Non-academic Administrators, Full-time and Part-time Instructional Staff Guidelines, Proper Use of Student Assessment of Instruction of Faculty, Voting by Full-time Faculty on Sabbatical Leave, Tuition Exchange Program, and Extension of Seven Year Period for Obtaining Tenure.

Academic Policies Committee – The main issues for the APC during the fall of 2001 were: Freshmen Computer Requirements, Online Registration, and Effects of the New +/- Grading System.

Student Academic Policies Committee – The main issues considered by the SAPC were: Participating in the Graduation Ceremonies before Earning the Necessary Credits to Graduate, and Notation of Disciplinary Action on the Academic Transcript.

10.  Presidential Search:

It was reported that the Presidential Search Committee met to consider the response of the Academic Senate and others to the two presidential nominees.  Their decision was to extend the search to find other qualified candidates, to expand the search committee to include two deans, two senior faculty and a seventh board member, and to increase confidentiality for the candidates.  In addition one of the original board members who was initially on the search committee was replaced.  This results in a search committee of seven board members, one vice-president, two deans, and four faculty members – six new members.

On behalf of the Search Committee, Senators Sam Gould, Paul Morman, and Joseph Saliba presented the following statements to the Academic Senate:

1. The perception out there that we can't revisit the work to date of the committee isn't true.

2. The leadership of the search committee has been open to full discussion of all candidates.

3. We had access to the files and an open discussion during which we were able to hear the rationale used by the committee in the exclusion of finalists.  We understand the rationale, find it reasonable, and believe it to be in the best interests of the University and the search process to support the Executive Committee's decision.

4.There were candidates not rejected who chose not to come to campus because our process was too open.  They can be reconsidered.

The presidential search committee is asking for open forums to receive input from all members of the UD community.  Based on the results of the forums the search committee and the ECAS will formulate procedures for confidential interviews with the presidential candidates.

It was announced that the ECAS has decided to hold the first open forum at 2:00 pm on Friday, December 14, 2001.  The second will be held after the Academic Senate meeting at 4:00 pm on January 4, 2002.  It was emphasized that both of these meetings are open to all faculty, staff and students.

The new members of the search committee answered the following questions.

1.   How is confidentiality being changed?

The first process required on-campus interviews.  Because of this, well-qualified people did not apply.  Now, the interviewing process will be off-campus with a select group of individuals who will be asked to sign an oath of confidentiality.

2.   Did the new members of the search committee agree that the previous candidates, who did not qualify, were truly unqualified?

The new members of the search committee had access to the files, and supported the decisions made – see above prepared statement, #3.

3. The final candidate that comes to the campus might meet with a bad reaction.  What happens then?

It is recognized that this may happen, but hopefully the new procedure will work better than the old one.  The new procedure is as follows.

1. Candidate must satisfy the new search committee
2. Candidate must satisfy the Corporation of Marianists
3. Candidate will be interviewed by the ECAS
4. Candidate will be interviewed by senior administrators
5. Candidate must be approved by the Board of Trustees

The ECAS and senior administrators will each be asked to give a written assessment of the candidate(s).  The search committee will make a recommendation to the Board of Trustees, who will choose the final candidate.  The final candidate will then come to the campus.

4. There has been little discussion of important issues.  It is hard to see how the candidate’s final day on the campus will play out.

The open forums must bring up important issues and shape the substance of how the interviewing process will be carried out.

5. We need to address issues before the January forum, which may be too early.

There will be a December 14 forum.  Maybe the January 4 forum can be delayed.

6. It was noted that the ECAS would not be able to seek advice from the faculty; they are on their own.  When will CV’s be made available to the ECAS?

The timeline has not been firmed up on this yet.

7. We need a consensus from the faculty coming from the open forums.

  8.  There is no specific consultation allotted for the students.  Will students be able to address nonacademic issues with the candidates?

There are two students on the ECAS.  The search committee will consider the student’s request for more time to address student issues.

 9.  The students should hold their own forum and shape their own concerns.

 10.Students would like to have representation every step of the way.

 11.The ECAS forums are for the entire UD community, but will students be able to get their points across?

 12.Perhaps the December 14 forum will determine whether it is necessary to have a separate student forum.  Other meetings could be scheduled after the January 4 forum.

 13.Will the search committee go to the candidates’ home campuses?

At the present time a definitive answer is not available.  The search committee will discuss this matter with the consultant, and determine a process for this procedure.

 14.It is important for ECAS members to gather information from their constituents.

 15.Should students bring up non-academic issues?

      Yes, if they want to.

 16.We need a student group to discuss students’ concerns only.

            The search committee is listening.

 17.Is the January 4 meeting too early?

            On January 4, or before, we need to clarify possibilities of other forums.

 18.How are the references of candidates being handled with a high level of security?

            The references will be reviewed before the 1-2 day sessions with the representative groups only.

 19.Will the search committee talk to people other than the references?

            Yes.

11. Final Announcements:  President Betty Youngkin thanked all the senators for serving this past year.  Everyone was cooperative when asked to help on special issues that arose.

12.  Adjournment:  The Senate meeting was adjourned at 4:30 pm.