MINUTES OF THE ACADEMIC SENATE

April 19, 2002

KU 310, 3:00 p.m.

Presiding: Dr. Brian Conniff

Senators Present: Armstrong, Bartley, Biers, Conniff, Crum, Doyle, Dunne, Gerla, Good, Gould, Hallinan, Hartley, Ilg, Mullins, Pedrotti, Pestello, Phelps, Pyles, Roe, Ruggiero, Saliba, Sargent, Watras, Youngblut, Youngkin

Guests: Aitken, Beck, Burkhart, Johnson (for Morman), Kocoloski, Krabbe, Morel, Rogatto, Telfair

1. Opening Prayer

Brian Conniff began the meeting with selected passages from W.H. Auden’s poem, “September 1, 1939.”

2. Roll Call

Twenty-five of thirty-nine Senators were present.

3. Approval of Minutes

The minutes of February 15, 2002 were approved with some wording changes.

4. Announcements

Pat Johnson was in attendance for Paul Morman.

Introduction of SGA Academic Senators: The new SGA academic senators, who will become voting members of the University Academic Senate in September 2002, were introduced. They are Gisella Aitken, Nick Beck, Dan Burkhart, Adam Kocoloski, Laura Krabbe, Matthew Morel, and Megan Telfair. All academic senators also introduced themselves.

It was noted that the Executive Committee of the Academic Senate will be meeting Dr. Curran on Monday, April 29. If anyone has any issues or concerns that should be brought up at the meeting, please contact Brian Conniff or any other members of the Executive Committee.

5. Committee Reports

Faculty Affairs Committee: Harry Gerla distributed a summary of activities for Spring, 2002. The committee will continue work on the following issue and a proposal will be brought to the full Senate in Fall, 2002.

Maternity/paternity leave and the tenure clock. The FAC drafted an amendment and additional language changes for the current University Policy on faculty tenure. The reasoning is as follows: 1) the current policy does not fully reflect the grounds for leave as outlined under the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993; 2) the current policy does not specify that the policy for stopping the tenure clock applies to faculty members in cases when they are eligible to take leave but choose not to; and 3) faculty members who wish to stop the tenure clock during the time when they would be eligible for leave must give appropriate notice within the same time frame as if they were planning to take leave.

Other actions taken by the committee this semester:

1. Resolution of support for a proposal by the Office of Human Resources to amend the Tuition Exchange Program; the resolution sought to clarify program eligibility when more than one parent is employed by the University. The Senate approved this resolution.

2. Resolution asking the Executive Committee of the Academic Senate to change its policy and allow faculty members taking a leave or sabbatical to decide in advance if they will vote or abstain on amendments to the Constitution of the Academic Senate. The ECAS agreed to change its policy and the Provost’s office will send a letter to faculty members about to go on leave or sabbatical informing them of their right to vote and giving them the option to abstain in advance. George Doyle asked if the same principle would apply to votes on policies related to academic freedom and tenure. After a brief discussion, it was decided that the same principle would apply. Harry Gerla will make this clarification to the FAC, ECAS and the Provost’s office.

Student Academic Policies Committee: Sean Bartley distributed a summary of the committee’s efforts this semester.

18^th credit hour. Of particular note, the SAPC is working on a proposal to revise full-time tuition to 18 credit hours instead of 17. The SAPC hopes to coordinate this effort with the Executive Committee of the Academic Senate and the Student Government Association, so that both units will include this issue in their budget requests to the ELC in Fall, 2002. A proposal will be brought to the full Senate in the Fall.

Additionally, the committee reviewed summer course scheduling times and academic advisor evaluations. On the latter issue, the SAPC sent a proposal to the Provost’s Council requesting a “formal” advisor evaluation for next year.

Academic Policies Committee: Jim Dunne reported for the APC. A summary of activities was circulated.

General Education Program. Two groups are reviewing sections of the General Education Policy. The first group, headed by Dave Biers, is looking at Section II, Rationale and Goals. Recommendations will be forthcoming in Fall, 2002. The second group has drafted changes for Section V, Administration.

After the next academic year the APC intends another review of Thematic Clusters.

University Competencies Program. Dunne reported that progress has been made in all four areas, although there are problems with the Quantitative Reasoning competency. The APC just received a document outlining the difficulties with the implementation, which the committee has not had time to review. He expects that in Fall, 2002, the APC will bring to the full Senate any changes or recommendations relating to the Quantitative Reasoning competency.

Academic Calendar. The APC is following the development of the academic calendar.

Consultation across academic units. The committee reviewed communications about curriculum changes that had been distributed between the Associate Provost and all Assistant Deans.

6. Senate Document 1-02-02, Revision of Section V, Administration of the University’s General Education Policy, April 1991.

Jim Dunne, on behalf of the Academic Policies Committee, submitted a proposed revision to Section V of the University’s General Education Policy. This revision outlines division of responsibilities between the Associate Dean for Connected Learning in the College of Arts and Sciences, who will be responsible for the day-to-day administration of the General Education Program, and an Associate Provost, who will assume a broader responsibility for General Education University-wide. The revision also speaks to assessment in measuring program effectiveness and reflects the new title of the University Committee on General Education and Competencies.

Questions

Inconsistencies in date were noted in the University Committee on General Education and Competencies section.

It was recommended that part 6 of the committee membership be changed to read (suggested changes underlined), “The Chairperson of the Competency Implementation Subcommittee is also a voting member of the University Committee on General Education and Competencies until at least July 1, 2005, at which time the subcommittee might cease to exist.” This change would more accurately reflect the time frame outlined in part 12 of the committee responsibilities.

Vote on the issue

For: 25

Opposed: 0

Abstained: 0

7. Presidential Transition

Fred Pestello offered the Administration’s thanks to the Academic Senate and to the Executive Committee of the Academic Senate for participation in the presidential search. He noted that the transition is going well, that Dr. Curran is on campus about every other week for a day or so.

Brian Conniff also thanked the Senate for its work as well as Jane Rogatto for all of her efforts.

The meeting adjourned at 3:40 p.m.

Respectfully submitted: Heidi Good, Secretary of the Academic Senate