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Scenes from Faculty Senate

Minutes for Faculty Senate Meetings

November 21, 2002

Number 3

1. The regular meeting of the Faculty Senate was called to order at 3:08 p.m. in the Cherry Auditorium, Chester Kirk Building, Chairperson Arakelian presiding.

All members were present except Senators Cobb, Dholakia, Feldman, Felner, Finizio, Kester, Lee, Mitra, Morin, Mundorf, Oviatt, Rice and Singer; Vice Presidents Beagle and Dougan; Deans Farmer, Letendre, Mazze and Taggart (Vice Provost McCray, Deans Seemann and Shukla were represented by their designees); Ms. DiBiasio

2. Chairperson Arakelian asked if there were any additions or corrections to or questions about the Minutes of Faculty Senate Meeting #2, October 24, 2002. There were none.

Chairperson Arakelian ruled that in the absence of additions or corrections, the Minutes were approved as distributed.

3. REPORTS OF OFFICERS AND EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

A. Announcements:

  1. Chairperson Arakelian welcomed Commissioner Jack Warner to the meeting and thanked President Carothers for sponsoring the reception at the University Club following the meeting.

  2. Chairperson Arakelian explained that he had been troubled by the provision of the Senate By-Laws that permitted an extension of debate by a third of those Senators voting to extend debate. He said that allowing a minority to keep the majority from doing what they want is contrary to parliamentary procedure as stated in Sturgis' Standard Code of Parliamentary Procedure.

    Chairperson Arakelian informed the Senate that he would ignore the 1/3 provision for extending debate, which could be challenged if Senators were so inclined.

  3. Chairperson Arakelian also informed the Senate that the first of the three discussion topics had run its course on FacSen-L. No Senator who was not on FacSen-L chose to join the list and discussion. Six people participated in the discussion of the role of athletics at URI, two of whom are senators.

B. Vice Chairperson Hollinshead said that the minutes of Executive Committee Meetings #6, #7 and #8 appeared on pages 3-9 of the Agenda. She asked if there were any questions.

Vice Chairperson Hollinshead and Provost Swan responded to questions about the minutes of the Executive Committee's meetings.

4. REPORT OF THE PRESIDENT

A. President Carothers announced that, as indicated on the Agenda, he had approved all of the legislation that had been forwarded to him after the October 24 meeting of the Faculty Senate.

B. President Carothers reported that the University's budget looked a little better for mid year than had been expected. He also reported that there would be a slight increase in income from tuition and fees because there had been an increase in undergraduate admissions. He noted, however, that there had been a significant decrease in numbers of part-time, non-matriculating undergraduate and graduate students and the University was attempting to understand why this had occurred.

The President also reported on efforts to work with the new Governor's transition team and noted that Deborah Smith, Secretary of the Board of Governors, had served as chair of Governor-elect Carcieri's campaign and was now heading his Inauguration.

President Carothers announced that another group of College of Engineering Dean candidates would be on campus for interviews and encouraged people to make them feel welcome. He also noted that the first women's basketball game was scheduled for the Ryan Center that week and urged that people support women's basketball at URI.

President Carothers said that parking would be transferred from SPIR to Operations. He said that while the University was advertising for a new director, Robert Drapeau, the Director of Security would be responsible for parking administration. The President said that he expected that there would be an improvement in the enforcement regulations in the spring and expressed some optimism that the University might be able to collect fines from violations of University parking regulations sometime in the future. He explained that currently the fines were collected and retained by the State Traffic Court.

President Carothers asked if there were any questions. Discussion of the parking situation at the Fine Arts Center followed.

5. REPORTS OF STANDING AND SPECIAL COMMITTEES

A. Senator Kaufman presented the Four Hundred Seventh Report of the Curricular Affairs Committee, which appeared on pages 10-11 of the Agenda. He said that Section I of the report was informational and asked if there were any questions. There were none.

Senator Kaufman said that Section II required confirmation by the Faculty Senate and moved approval.

After discussion, the motion carried.

Senator Kaufman announced that Section III was a joint report of the Curricular Affairs Committee and Graduate Council on 400-level courses and courses for the Pharm.D.

He said that parts A and B required confirmation by the Faculty Senate and moved approval of part A. The motion carried.

Senator Kaufman moved approval of part B. The motion carried

B. Vice Provost Trubatch presented the Curricular Report No. 2002-03-3 from the Graduate Council to the Faculty Senate, which appeared on page 12 of the Agenda.

She said that Section I was informational and asked if there were any questions. There were none.

Vice Provost Trubatch said that Section II required confirmation by the Faculty Senate and moved approval of Section II. The motion carried.

C. Senator Hickox presented the Academic Standards and Calendar Committee Report #02-03-1: Modifications to the Approved Academic Calendars for Spring 2003, Fall 2003, and Spring 2004; Posthumous Degrees, which appeared on pages 13-14 of the Agenda.

Senator Hickox moved approval of Section I, items A and B, changes to the Spring 2003 and Fall 2003 calendars. The motion carried.

Senator Hickox moved approval of Section I, item C, proposed changes to the Spring 2004 calendar.

Following discussion, the motion carried.

Senator Hickox moved approval of Section II, the addition of the following new section 8.22.50 of the UNIVERSITY MANUAL:

8.22.50 Posthumous Degrees. Upon request the President shall award a posthumous degree to any student who dies having completed at least three-quarters of the credits necessary to complete the degree requirements for the student's major

After discussion, Provost Swan moved to amend the motion to read as follows (changes are in italics):

8.22.50 Posthumous Degrees. Upon request and vote of the faculty the President may recommend to the Board of Governors that a posthumous degree be awarded to any student who dies having completed at least three-quarters of the credits necessary to complete the degree requirements for the student's major

Following discussion, the amendment carried.

After discussion, Senator Leo moved to amend the motion by deleting everything after "dies." The motion failed for lack of a second.

Following discussion, Senator Newman moved that the proposed section be referred back to committee for clarification with regard to the distinction between undergraduate and graduate students.

After discussion, the motion to refer to committee carried.

D. Senator Hickox presented the Academic Standards and Calendar Committee Report #02-03-2: Proposed Calendar for 2006-07, which appeared on pages 15-16 of the Agenda and moved approval.

Following discussion, Senator Havener moved to refer the calendar back to committee.

After discussion, the motion to refer to committee failed 16 to 19.

Following discussion, the main motion carried. (The approved calendar for 2006-07 is attached to the minutes of this meeting.)

6. SPECIAL FORUM

Commissioner Warner addressed the Faculty Senate on the Board of Governors' goals for higher education in Rhode Island and responded to questions from members of the Senate. [A version of the Commissioners' remarks can be found at http://www.ribghe.org/commstatement.htm]

Chairperson Arakelian said that the time for the meeting had expired and invited the members of the Senate to gather after the meeting at the University Club for a reception for Commissioner Warner sponsored by President Carothers.

The meeting was adjourned at 5:00 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,
Sheila Black Grubman

Proposed Academic Calendar for 2006-07

November 2002

The Academic Standards and Calendar Committee recommends that the Faculty Senate adopt the following calendar for the 2006-07academic year. There are an equal number of MTWRF class days each semester and the total number of weeks for each semester satisfies Federal Financial Aid guidelines.

Fall 2006

Labor day, classes do not meet
offices are closed		 M Sept. 4
Advising Day T Sept. 5
Classes Begin W Sept. 6
Last day to "early drop" F Sept. 15
Last day to ADD classes and to add Pass/Fail option T Sept. 19
Columbus Day, classes do not meet M Oct. 9
Mid-semester M Oct. 23
Last day to CHANGE from Pass/Fail option M Oct. 23
Midterm freshman grades due in Enrollment Services T Oct. 24
Last day to drop classes T Oct. 31
Election Day, classes do not meet,
offices are closed		 T Nov. 7
Tuesday classes meet W Nov. 8
Veteran's Day observed, classes meet, offices are closed
Thanksgiving Recess, classes do not meet RFSU Nov. 23-26
Classes End M Dec. 11
Reading Day TW Dec. 12-13
MTWRF 18-22
Final grades due by 1:00pm in Enrollment Services W Dec. 27
Official date of December Graduation F Dec. 29

Spring 2007

Advising Day F Jan. 12
Martin Luther King Day, classes do not meet M Jan. 15
Classes begin T Jan. 16
Last day to Drop "early drop" classes R Jan. 25
Last day to Add and to Add Pass/Fail option M Jan. 29
Mid-semester W Mar. 7
Last day to CHANGE from Pass/Fail option W Mar. 7
Midterm freshman grades are due in Enrollment Services R Mar. 8
Spring break, classes do not meet, offices are open Mar. 12-18
Last day for students to DROP classes M Mar. 19
Classes End M Apr. 30
Reading Days TW May 1-2
Final Examinations RF May 3-4
M-F May 7-11
Final Grades due in Enrollment Services by 1:00pm T may 15
Commencement U May 20