Faculty Senate
Constitution, By-Laws and
University Manual Committee
Annual Report for 2000-01
The Constitution, By-Laws and University Manual Committee met on
November 3, 2000 and on April 10, 2001 and considered the following
matters which are now presented to the Faculty Senate.
I. INFORMATIONAL MATTERS
A. Graduate Faculty
Meetings
At the May 11, 2000 meeting of the Faculty Senate, Vice Provost
Rockett proposed a change to section 4.70.11 of the UNIVERSITY MANUAL
to permit graduate faculty meetings to coincide with the April and
December meetings of the General Faculty. This fall, the Faculty
Senate Executive Committee forwarded the proposal to the CBUM
Committee. The CBUM Committee reviewed Vice Provost Rockett's
proposal and agreed that a change to the UNIVERSITY MANUAL was not
necessary because the Vice Provost already has the authority to call
graduate faculty meetings when it is deemed appropriate, including in
conjunction with general faculty meetings.
The CBUM Committee was concerned about the difficulty of
achieving a quorum for graduate faculty meetings and suggested to
Vice Provost Trubatch that the quorum be reduced officially in
section 4.70.15 from 50 members of the graduate faculty to 25
members. The committee did note that a quorum of the graduate faculty
must be present to vote to reduce the number.
Ms. Grubman was asked to contact the Vice Provost for Graduate
Studies, Research and Outreach and the Deans of the Graduate School
and to suggest a procedure for accomplishing the changes.
B. Recognition of Student
Organizations
At the request of Assistant Vice President Dougan the CBUM
Committee discussed the addition of new sections to Chapter 9 of the
UNIVERSITY MANUAL on recognition of Student Organizations. They
agreed to the following changes that were subsequently accepted by
Dr. Dougan:
1. Add the following new sections 9.10.10 and
9.10.11 to the UNIVERSITY MANUAL:
9.10.10 Recognition of Student Organizations. The
University of Rhode Island recognizes the Student Senate, Inc. as the
representative of URI undergraduate students, and the Graduate
Student Association as the representative of graduate students.
9.10.11 Recognition of student organizations shall be
the responsibility of the Director of the Memorial Union in
consultation with the Student Senate for undergraduate student
organizations and the Graduate Student Association for graduate
student organizations.
2. Renumber existing 9.10.10-13 as
9.12.10-13 Intercollegiate Competition
C. Inclusion of Approved Centers into the
UNIVERSITY MANUAL
During the 1999-2000 academic year, the Faculty Senate, and
subsequently the President and the Board of Governors, approved the
establishment of two permanent new centers. In order to ensure that
these permanent new centers are in the UNIVERSITY MANUAL, The
Constitution, By-Laws and University Manual Committee agreed to
include the following new paragraphs in Chapter 3:
3.86.10 The John Hazen White Sr. Center for
Ethics and Public Service offers ethics and public service
programs for elected and appointed officials, public managers,
graduate and undergraduate students and citizen groups. The Center is
a critical component of a vision for learning which assumes public
universities must play a leadership role in creating a culture of
ethical and civic responsibility among students and the larger
community as part of their educational mission. The Dean of the
College of Arts and Sciences shall administer the Center.
3.87.10 The Center for Student Leadership Development
provides opportunities for students to become inclusive, effective
leaders in current and future career, community, and family roles.
The Center offers for-credit classes through academic departments and
co-curricular positions, workshops, conferences, and programs. The
Center also provides leadership and group development consulting
services to student groups. The Director of the Memorial Union and
Student Activities shall administer the Center for Student Leadership
Development.
D. Standing Committees of the Faculty
Senate and University
In response to a request from the Executive Committee of the
Faculty Senate, the CBUM committee agreed to form a subcommittee of
the CBUM Committee to review the committees of the Senate and
University and make recommendations to the President and the Senate
for streamlining the committee structure. The Subcommittee will
comprise Faculty and student members of the CBUM Committee and two
members of the administration (one appointed by the President; one
appointed by the Provost).
II. MATTERS THAT REQUIRE
CONFIRMATION
A. Field Trips
At the request of Assistant Vice President Dougan, the CBUM
Committee considered a change to a UNIVERSITY MANUAL paragraph on
field trips. In consultation with Dr. Dougan, the CBUM Committee
agreed to the addition of the phrase "or other duly authorized
representatives of the University" to the first sentence of
10.33.12 and a new third sentence defining "duly
authorized..."
The revised paragraph to read as follows (changes are in red):
10.33.12 A member of the faculty or
administrative staff or other duly authorized
representatives of the University shall accompany students on
all authorized class or student activity trips, except for trips
sponsored with Student Activities approval for recreational purposes
only. A duly authorized representative is a
student, faculty or staff member who is given written authorization
by a faculty or staff member of the university to accompany a class
on all authorized class trips. A student may receive
authorization to travel separately from his/her class or team if
he/she signs a waiver form releasing the University from all
liability and claims of every kind and nature arising from or
incidental to said separate travel.
B. Updates to the UNIVERSITY MANUAL
The CBUM Committee discussed the feasibility of maintaining the
most current version of the UNIVERSITY MANUAL on the Faculty Senate
website. It was noted that sections of the UNIVERSITY MANUAL are
changed and approved throughout the academic year and go into effect
long before the next edition of the UNIVERSITY MANUAL can be printed.
The CBUM Committee agreed to designate the web version of the
UNIVERSITY MANUAL as the Official UNIVERSITY MANUAL and to authorize
the Coordinator of the Faculty Senate to maintain it. The CBUM
Committee agreed that the updated printed changes to the UNIVERSITY
MANUAL should continue to be made available on a regular basis
acknowledging that printed copy can never be as timely as web copy.
The CBUM Committee therefore recommends that section
11.10.13 be amended to read as follows (changes are in red):
11.10.13 The Coordinator, Faculty Senate
Affairs shall be the editor of the UNIVERSITY MANUAL; shall maintain
an accurate current electronic copy of the UNIVERSITY MANUAL on the Faculty Senate website and publish
periodically printed copies incorporating all changes as of the date
of publication. The Coordinator
shall also assist the Constitution,
By-Laws and University Manual Committee to ensure that all changes
are properly incorporated.
Members of the CBUM Committee for 2000-01:
Joel Alban, undergraduate student
Gordon Dash, CBA
Michael Honhart, HIS (fall 2000)
Mimi Keefe, LIB
W. Donald Rankin, MUS
Fritz Wenisch, PHL, Chair
Muhammad Yunas, undergraduate student
Sheila Black Grubman, ex officio