NUMBER 2

MINUTES

Faculty Senate Meeting

October 26, 2000

1. The regular meeting of the Faculty Senate was called to order at 3:12 p.m. with the ringing of the Novgorod Bell in room 113 White Hall, Chairperson Peters presiding.

All members were present except Senators Arakelian, Ariew, Armstrong, Burbank, Hebert, Karow, Koza, Krausse, Specker, Sullivan and Zhang; Vice Presidents Beagle and McCray; Deans Crocker, Luzzi, Mazze, Taggart and Yoder (Deans Brownell and Kim and Registrar Strobel were represented by their designees); Mr. DeMaria.

2. Senator Hickox moved approval of the Minutes of Faculty Senate Meeting #1, September 28, 2000

Chairperson Peters asked if there were any additions or corrections to or questions about the Minutes. There were none.

The motion to approve the Minutes of Meeting #1 carried.

3. REPORTS OF OFFICERS AND EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

A. Announcements.

1) Chairperson Peters introduced Ms. Jeanne Moore who reported on the November 7 Bond Issue and the status of efforts to promote Bond Issue #4. She asked members of the Senate for volunteers to work at polling places and to distribute "Yes on 4" materials." She said that additional campaign items were available though her office in the Carlotti Building.

2) Chairperson Peters introduced Danielle LaChance from the Student Senate Academic Affairs Committee, who along with members of the Student Senate, informed the Faculty Senate about Student Senate committees and activities this year and responded to questions from the floor. The members of the Student Senate who participated in the presentation along with Ms. LaChance were Kathy Vaccaro, Megan Weber, Andrew Coles, Shaun Carr and Chris McMahon.

B. Vice Chairperson Goldsmith said that the Minutes of Meetings #3 through #6 appeared on pages 3-13 of the Agenda. She asked if there were any questions.

Vice Chairperson Goldsmith, Chairperson Peters and President Carothers responded to questions about the minutes

C. Vice Chairperson Goldsmith presented the report of the Executive Committee.

1) She moved approval of the following additional committee appointments for 2000-01 as of October 26, 2000:

ACADEMIC STANDARDS AND CALENDAR

Barbara Luebke, JOR, (02), Chair

CONSTITUTION, BY-LAWS AND UNIVERSITY MANUAL

Gordon Dash, CBA, (02)

HONORARY DEGREES

Josephine Moreno, TMD, (02)

Michael Rice, FAVS, (02)

The motion carried.

Vice Chairperson Goldsmith announced that Margaret Ordonez, TMD, has been elected Chair of the Council for Research. She also informed the Senate that President Carothers had appointed Jose Amador, NRS, to the Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity Committee and Marquisa LaVelle, APG, to the Athletics Advisory Board from the list of nominees forwarded by the Senate after our last meeting

Vice Chairperson Goldsmith said that the Faculty Senate Office maintains a list of committees and their members on the web through the Faculty Senate home page: http://www.uri.edu/facsen/. She noted that a great deal of information was available through the Faculty Senate's home page and encouraged members of the Senate to visit the site and make suggestions for additional information they would like to have available on the web.

2) Vice Chairperson Goldsmith moved that the Faculty Senate adopt the resolution that appeared on the cover of the Agenda.

Discussion ensued during which an editorial change was made to the resolution.

When the time for discussion expired, Senator Vangermeersch moved to extend debate for 2 minutes. The motion carried.

After discussion, Senator Leo moved to terminate debate. The motion carried.

The motion to adopt the resolution carried. The approved resolution reads as follows:

The University of Rhode Island is a secular institution established to serve the general public interest and the interests of all the people of Rhode Island.

University-sponsored commencement ceremonies are intended as a public acknowledgement of the educational accomplishments of its students and as such are an extension of the University's secular character...

Therefore, be it resolved:

That the Faculty Senate of the University of Rhode Island endorses a policy that excludes prayer and other religious practices as part of the formal program of University-sponsored commencement exercises.

4. REPORT OF THE PRESIDENT

A. President Carothers noted that he had approved Faculty Senate Bill #00-00-1 pending approval by the Board of Governors.

B. President Carothers reported that the University expected a comprehensive plan on parking within the next few days. He said that he would forward the recommendations to the University Traffic and Parking Committee for consideration.

He then responded to questions about the parking situation and possible options that might be brought forward by the consultants. This included a cost-benefit analysis of a parking garage, a change in the parking configuration from the center of classes to the periphery and the imposition of a fee for parking.

C. President Carothers then introduced Vice President Dennis Stark.

Vice President Stark presented the State of the Budget address for '01 using a series of slides prepared by the Budget Office. These slides are available on the web at http://www.uri.edu/busfin/facsen01.html.

Vice President Stark, with the assistance of Ms. Barrett responded to questions during and immediately following the presentation. He also encouraged members of the Senate to contact his office if they have further questions.

5. REPORTS OF STANDING AND SPECIAL COMMITTEES

A. Senator Hickox presented the Three Hundred and Eighty-Eighth Report of the Curricular Affairs Committee, which appeared on pages 14-18 of the Agenda. He said that Section I was informational and asked if there were any questions. There were none.

Senator Hickox said that Section II required confirmation by the Faculty and moved approval of Section II. The motion carried.

Senator Hickox said that Section III was a joint report of the Curricular Affairs Committee and Graduate Council on 400-level courses. He noted that part A was informational and asked if there were any questions. There were none.

Senator Hickox announced that part B of Section III required confirmation by the Faculty Senate and moved approval. The motion carried.

B. Vice Provost Trubatch presented Curricular Report No. 2000-01-2 from the Graduate Council to the Faculty Senate, which appeared on page 19 of the Agenda.

Vice Provost Trubatch moved approval of Report No. 2000-01-2. The motion carried.

C. Professor Bide moved approval of the following recommendation of the University College and General Education Committee:

Add GEO 120 "Geology of US National Parks" to the Natural Sciences (N) area of the General Education Program.

The motion carried.

6. UNFINISHED BUSINESS

Chairperson Peters noted that there was no unfinished business.

7. NEW BUSINESS

Chairperson Peters asked if there was any new business.

A. Vice Chairperson Goldsmith moved that the Faculty Senate adopt a resolution in support of Bond Issue #4.

The motion carried.

Following is the resolution adopted by the Faculty Senate:

Be it Resolved: that the Faculty Senate of the University of Rhode Island urges the voters of the state to continue their support of public higher education by approving Bond Issue #4 on November 7.

B. Senator Wood explained that he would not move approval of the resolution on donor names appearing on transcripts that he had intended to present. He said that he would wait to see the new transcripts before proposing any resolution about them.

The meeting was adjourned at 4:48 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,

Sheila Black Grubman

for ROBERT STROBEL,

Secretary