Kennedy
Presiding: Dr. Joe
Saliba
Senators Present:
Beck, Bickford, Biers, Castellano, Doyle, Eloe, Gauder, Gerla, Gorton,
Gould, Hallinan, Hartley, Kearns, Kocoloski, Morman, Partlow,
Pestello, Putka, Pyles, Rapp, Roecker
Phelps, Sargent, Telfair, Watras, Youngkin
Guests: McCabe,
Quill, Rogatto, Taylor
1.
Opening
Prayer
Megan Telfair began the meeting
with a prayer to St. Valentine.
2.
Roll Call
Twenty-five of thirty nine
Senators were present.
3.
Approval of Minutes
The minutes of
4.
Announcements
Laurie Quill and Philip Taylor,
members of this year’s Leadership UD class, introduced themselves and explained
the program. The program is currently
accepting applications for next year’s class.
5.
Committee Reports
Student Academic Policies Committee: Megan Telfair reported that the group met in
January and will be reviewing the following issues this semester:
a.
End of term evaluations: SAPC, in collaboration with SGA, will review
the evaluation process, as directed by Academic Sendate
document I-99-07.
b.
Summer scheduling:
There is a lack of continuity in the timing of course offerings. George Doyle presented his proposal for
summer course scheduling; SAPC is looking into the possibility of helping
establish summer schedule guidelines, in consultation with Patsy Martin and Tom
Westendorf.
Academic Policies Committee:
John Rapp outlined the issues that the APC will be addressing this
semester.
a.
Online registration problems:
Concern was voiced about the current online registration system and its
attendant problems. Consultation with
the Registrar’s Office found that the current online registration program will
be replaced soon with a new system. The
APC is considering what its involvement, if any, is with this matter.
b.
Schedule adjustment day: Adjustment
days are proving to be problematic for out of town professors and there are
other complaints about the schedule.
This semester the APC will be reviewing the issue in the context of the
whole academic calendar.
c.
Thematic clusters: This issue is
also on the APC agenda for the semester.
Faculty Affairs Committee: Harry Gerla noted that the committee is ready
to finish up a couple issues from last semester.
a.
Non-tenure track research professorships: Last semester the committee reviewed a
proposal to allow for the creation of non-tenure track research
professorships. Following some suggested
changes, a modified proposal was sent back to the FAC. The committee recommends that the Academic
Senate support this revised document.
b.
With the passage of Senate Document
c.
Policy on Fair, Responsible and Acceptable Use of
Electronic Resources: The FAC provided
Tom Skill some feedback on this policy.
His office is receptive to the recommendations and will be incorporating
the changes.
d.
New Business: The FAC will be
reviewing part-time and non-tenure track faculty figures this semester.
6.
Proposal for Quantitative Reasoning Competencies
John Rapp, on behalf of the Academic Policies
Committee, presented Senate Document No. I-03-01 to the
Academic Senate for a vote.
He noted that two open meetings have been held on
this issue and that questions were primarily administrative in nature.
Joe Saliba made a motion to replace the existing QRC
plan, 00-10-A and 00-10-B, with the proposal outlined in document 03-01.
Paul Eloe stated that the
Math Department supports this new proposal.
Q: Unlike
other competencies, this one seems to require multiple classes. Can you please explain?
A. A student
must complete three modules before graduation:
Algebra, Statistics and Mathematical modeling. Students can satisfy the Algebra and
Statistics modules by successfully completing online exams. The coursework in MTH114 and MTH207 will
prepare the students for these online exams.
Q: What about
high school Advanced Placement credits?
A: This
proposal includes considerations for AP credits; see pages 6 & 7 of the
draft. AP credit, however, may not
always fulfill all three modules.
Q: Is it
possible for students to skip the online exams?
What happens then?
A: Students
can take the online exam for Module 1 before they arrive on campus through the
Virtual Orientation. Additionally they
will work with the Assistant Deans in communicating the importance of the
online exams to students.
Favor: 21
Oppose: 3
Abstain: 0
7.
Proposal to Create Non-Tenure Track Research
Professorships, I-03-02
Harry Gerla, on behalf of the Faculty Affairs Committee, presented
Senate Document No. I-03-02 to the Academic Senate for a vote.
Previously, the Academic Senate was asked to lend its
support for the creation of such research professorships. The FAC approved the action with additional
recommendations, primarily that such professorships be closed to tenure track
faculty, and that the activities of these research professors be excluded from
the performance record of the “home department.”
Several issues were raised while considering the
proposal: one, that
the competition faced by tenured and tenure track faculty for grants would
increase. The FAC felt that if such were
true, such competition is healthy and enhance the quality of the
proposals. Secondly, the objection was
raised that only persons who engaged mainly in teaching should be given any
sort of professorial title. FAC felt
that it was not a reason for not approving the document.
Resolution:
That the Academic Senate support the creation of non-tenure track
research professorships.
Q: Even though
this is a non-tenure track position, it is the AAUP’s
position that 7 years and teaching experience qualifies one for tenure. Could someone with a non-tenure track
research professorship make the claim for tenure after all?
A: Visiting
and research professors are not part of the academic ranks. Rather, they are more like administrative
faculty.
There was a suggestion to strike the “Full” from
“Full professor” on page 3 of the proposal.
This friendly amendment was so approved.
Favor: 24
Oppose: 0
Abstain: 0
8.
Proposal for University Degree Requirements for
Minimum UD Credit Hours, I-03-03
John Rapp, on behalf of the Academic Policies
Committee, presented Senate Document No. I-03-03 to the
Academic Senate for a vote.
Both the Undergraduate and
Graduate student bulletins specify minimum credit hours a student must complete
by taking University of Dayton courses. Language in the bulletins note that the credit hours must be
taken “at the
The proposal seeks to
clarify the policies by changing the current language to the following
phrase: “taken from the
Joe Saliba made a motion
that the Academic Senate approve the phrase “taken
from the
Q: What about students who finish courses at
home?
A: Deans have the final say. This new policy does not affect these
situations.
Comment: The use of “from” means the University
becomes more abstract. Will such a word
diminish UD as a place? Maybe a more
appropriate term is “through”?
Favor: 23
Oppose: 0
Abstain: 1
9.
ELC Discussion Groups
Joe Saliba provided an informational update on the
ELC, which was reorganized by Dr. Curran into 3 subcommittees. The Budget subcommittee will be chaired by
Tom Burkhardt; Strategic planning (positioning and
image) will be run by the Provost’s Council; and the Living spaces/residences is to be organized by Bill Schuerman.
The meeting was adjourned
at
Respectfully submitted: Heidi Gauder,
Secretary of the Academic Senate.