NUMBER 3

MINUTES

Faculty Senate Meeting

November 16, 2000

1. The regular meeting of the Faculty Senate was called to order at 3:11 p.m. with the ringing of the Novgorod Bell in room 113 White Hall, Chairperson Peters presiding.

All members were present except Senators Armstrong, Burbank, Felner, Hebert, Karow, Koza, Krausse, Laux, Lee, Mitra, Nippo, Rodgers, Specker and Wang; Vice Presidents Beagle, McCray and Stark; Deans Luzzi, Mazze, Taggart and Yoder (Deans Brownell, Crocker, Joseph and Kim and Registrar Strobel were represented by their designees) Mr. DeMaria.

2. Senator Hickox moved approval of the Minutes of Faculty Senate Meeting #2, October 26, 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 #2 carried.

3. REPORTS OF OFFICERS AND EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

A. Chairperson Peters announced that the Classroom Management Team has established a new listserv CLASSROOM-L to serve as a public forum for posting news and information related to the general assignment classrooms at URI. He suggested that faculty members who are interested in subscribing to the list, contact Ms. Palm at Janie@uri.edu.

B. Vice Chairperson Goldsmith said that the Minutes of Executive Committee Meetings #7 through #9 appeared on pages 3-9 of the Agenda. She asked if there were any questions. There were none.

C. Vice Chairperson Goldsmith moved approval of the following additional committee appointments for 2000-01:

CAC SUBCOMMITTEE ON STUDENT WRITING

James Loy, APG, (02)

UNIVERSITY APPEALS BOARD

Paula McGlasson, THE, (02)

The motion carried.

4. REPORT OF THE PRESIDENT

A. President Carothers said that he had approved all of the legislation forwarded to him after the last Faculty Senate meeting. The list will be included on the cover of Agenda for the December 14 meeting.

B. President Carothers thanked everyone for helping to achieve successful referendum on Bond Issue #4. He said that he wanted to recognize Ms. Jeanne Moore publicly for her extraordinary efforts to get the bond issue approved. He noted that the recent bond issue campaign was the last to be coordinated by Ms. Moore who is retiring in January.

President Carothers announced that groundbreaking for the renovations to Ballentine Hall was scheduled for the next day. He invited faculty to attend the groundbreaking and the panel discussion, which will be held at 1:30 p.m. in the Galanti Lounge. He noted that construction on the surge building was on target and should be ready for the College of Business Administration before the beginning of the spring semester.

The President said he had just returned from Greece with a group of URI faculty and staff. He reported on two related initiatives that are underway. President Carothers said that the Hellenic Studies project would provide for a building to house the Center for Humanities, as well as faculty offices, classrooms, and a theatre. He also informed the Senate about an opportunity for the University on the Isle of Rhodes and said that he would furnish more information to the campus community shortly.

After a brief discussion period, President Carothers wished everyone a happy Thanksgiving holiday.

C. Dr. Jayne Richmond, Interim Dean of University College and Special Academic Programs, reported to the Senate on first year students. She used a series of slides in her presentation. In addition, Dean Richmond provided the Senate with a handout titled "Multiple Lenses Through Which to View New Students."

Dean Richmond's report was followed by a period of questions and discussion.

5. REPORTS OF STANDING AND SPECIAL COMMITTEES

A. Senator Hickox presented the Three Hundred and Eighty-Ninth Report of the Curricular Affairs Committee, which appeared on pages 10-15 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 Senate and moved approval of Section II.

Following discussion, a motion was made to amend the report by removing item A, 1, b. The amendment carried.

The motion to approve Section II as amended 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. 2000-01-3 from the Graduate Council to the Faculty Senate, which appeared on pages 16-17 of the Agenda.

Vice Provost Trubatch noted that the entire report required confirmation by the faculty Senate and moved approval of Report No. 2000-01-3. The motion carried.

C. Vice Chairperson Goldsmith presented the Report of the Program Quality Review Oversight Group, which appeared on pages 18-19 of the Agenda and reported on the recent activities of the Oversight Group.

She moved approval of the amendment to section 8.86.30 and the addition of section 8.86.34 recommended by the Program Oversight Group.

Following discussion, Senator Vangermeersch requested and received permission to add "faculty" editorially after "program" in the last sentence of 8.86.30.

After discussion, the motion carried.

The approved changes to the University Manual read as follows: (additions are in green):

8.86.30 Report. In general terms, the report prepared as a result of a program quality review should have four basic parts: a descriptive section; an evaluative section; a recommendations section; and a summary section. These are described in 8.86.31-34 below. The program faculty, in consultation with the steering committee, shall prepare the sections described in 8.86.31-33. The section described in 8.86.34 shall be prepared by the steering committee.

8.86.34 Summary. The Steering Committee shall prepare a short summary of the most important points in the report and any observations or thoughts on the evaluation and recommendations contained in the report. These observations shall serve as a peer assessment of the process and its outcome and shall be conveyed with the report as described in 8.86.40-41.

D. Professor Bide presented the University College and General Education Committee Report #2000-01-1: Recommendations of the President's Commission on General Education, which appeared on pages 20-28 of the Agenda. He explained that the first part was informational and asked if there were any questions about Part I. There were none.

Professor Bide said that Part II of the report required confirmation by the Faculty Senate. He then moved approval of Part II on pages 24-28.

Discussion ensued.

Senator Rosen requested that Part II be divided and considered in four separate parts: Framework, Core Definitions, Definitions of Integrated Skills, and Implementation Plan.

There was objection to dividing Part II.

A motion was made to divide Part II. The motion failed, 24-25

Following discussion, Chairperson Peters ruled that while the four sections would be considered separately, Part II would be voted on as a whole package.

Discussion ensued on "Framework."

Following discussion, Senator Wood moved that the word "logically" be removed after "writing" and "speaking."

After discussion, Senator Leo moved to amend the amendment by replacing "logically" with "critically" and adding "critically" to the five remaining skills. The amendment to the amendment failed

Discussion resumed on the amendment.

When the fifteen minutes for discussion on the amendment expired, a motion was made to extend debate for 15 additional minutes. The motion carried.

Discussion resumed on the amendment.

Following discussion, Senator Wood moved to terminate debate on the amendment. The motion to terminate debate carried.

The amendment failed 16-14.

Discussion of "Framework" resumed.

After discussion, Senator Holmes moved that the paragraph beginning "In addition," be amended by replacing "skills" with "areas of emphasis."

After discussion, the amendment carried.

The Senate resumed its discussion of "Framework" as amended.

When the time for the meeting expired, Chairperson Peters declared the meeting adjourned.

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

Respectfully submitted,

Sheila Black Grubman

for ROBERT STROBEL,

Secretary