NUMBER 5
MINUTES
Faculty Senate Meeting
January 25, 2001
1. The regular meeting of the Faculty Senate was called to order
at 3:07 p.m. with the ringing of the
Novgorod Bell in room 113 White
Hall, Chairperson Peters presiding.
All members were present except Senators Boyle, Felner, Grilli,
Hebert, Karow, Kaufman, Malik, Mundorf, Paton and Specker; Provost
Swan; Vice Presidents Beagle, McCray and Stark; Deans Gandel, Kim,
Luzzi, Mazze, Taggart, Wright and Yoder (the Dean of the College of
Continuing Education and the Registrar were represented by their
designees); Mr. DeMaria.
2. A motion was made to approve the Minutes of Faculty Senate
Meeting #4, December 14, 2000.
Chairperson Peters asked if there were any additions or
corrections to or questions about the Minutes. There were none.
3. REPORTS OF OFFICERS AND EXECUTIVE
COMMITTEE
A. Chairperson Peters said that there were three new
Senators and one new ex officio member of the Senate for the spring
2001 semester:
*From the College of Arts and Sciences, Senator Rosa
Maria Pegueros is replacing Michael Honhart and Senator Linda Shamoon
is replacing Louis Kirschenbaum.
*From the College of Business Administration, Senator Mark Lehrer
is replacing Russell Koza.
* Tom Dougan, Interim Vice President for Student Affairs, is also
joining the Senate as an ex officio member.
B. Vice Chairperson Goldsmith said that the Minutes of Executive
Committee Meetings #13 and #14 appeared on pages 3-7 of the Agenda
and asked if there were any questions.
Chairperson Peters, Vice Chairperson Goldsmith, and Vice Provost
Lord responded to questions about items contained in the Executive
Committee's Minutes.
4. REPORT OF THE PRESIDENT
A. President Carothers said that, as noted on the
Agenda, he had approved all of the
legislation forwarded to him after the last Faculty Senate meeting
and had supported both resolutions.
B. President Carothers expressed his appreciation to everyone for
their response to the closing of the Chafee Building and other moves
between semesters. He said that it was a tribute to the University
Community that the opening of the spring semester went as smoothly as
it did. President Carothers explained that there wouldn't be enough
time to answer questions about Chafee and Ballentine and referred
everyone to the University's website.
President Carothers reported on the status of the cap on
positions and the freeze on hiring and responded to questions from
members of the Senate.
The President said that there has been a decline in transfer
student enrollments. He reported that the preliminary recommendations
of the Joint Ad Hoc Committee on Enrollment Growth had encouraged an
effort to increase retention of existing students and attract
additional transfer students rather than enroll more freshmen.
President Carothers noted that the shortage of housing on campus
affected the number of returning and transfer students. He announced
that the Board of Governors was being asked to consider proposals for
privately developed and run residence halls and apartments on campus.
President Carothers then responded to questions about his report.
5. REPORTS OF STANDING AND SPECIAL
COMMITTEES
A. Senator Hickox presented the Three Hundred and
Ninety-First Report of the Curricular Affairs Committee, which
appeared on pages 8-10 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 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 II required
confirmation by the Faculty Senate and moved approval. The motion
carried.
Senator Hickox said that Section III was a joint report of the
Curricular Affairs Committee and the Academic Standards and Calendar
Committee on section 8.22.20 of the University Manual. He then
moved that section 8.22.20 be amended to read as follows:
8.22.20 Any student who has met the
requirements for two different bachelors degrees will be granted both
degrees and will be issued two diplomas.
Following discussion, the motion carried.
B. Vice Provost Trubatch presented Curricular Report No.
2000-01-5 from the Graduate Council to the Faculty Senate, which
appeared on page 11 of the Agenda.
She said that part I was informational and asked if there were
any questions. There were none.
Vice Provost Trubatch announced that part II required
confirmation by the Faculty Senate and moved approval. The motion
carried.
C. Professor Luebke introduced Academic Standards and Calendar
Committee Report #2000-01-2, which appeared on page
12 of the Agenda and moved approval
of the following change to the University Calendar for spring 2001:
Add Saturday, 5 May, to the Final Exam Schedule
for the Spring 2001 semester.
Professor Luebke explained that this change requires an exception
to section 8.70.23 of the University Manual, which states that
"Saturdays and Sundays may not be used as final examination days."
Discussion ensued.
After discussion, Senator Hickox moved, on behalf of the
Executive Committee, to substitute the following calendar change for
the one on the floor:
Add Thursday, 3 May, to the Final Exam Schedule
for the Spring 2001 semester.
Senator Hickox explained that this change requires an exception
to section 8.70.22 of the University Manual, which states that
"A minimum of two week-day reading days will be scheduled after the
last day of classes."
Discussion ensued on the motion to substitute.
Senator Rosen asked if the Senate could amend a calendar change
on the floor without referring it to the Academic Standards and
Calendar Committee for review. Chairperson Peters explained that the
Academic Standards and Calendar Committee had reviewed the proposed
change prior to the meeting and had found it acceptable. He ruled
that a vote by the Senate was in order.
Following discussion, the motion to substitute carried 23-13.
The substitute motion was approved.
The approved Final Examination period for spring 2001 is May 3-4,
7-11.
D. Senator Schwartz introduced the Council for Research Report
#2000-01-1: Funding for Proposal Development Award and Faculty
Development Award, which appeared on page
13 of the Agenda.
Senator Schwartz moved approval of the following resolution
recommended by the Council for Research:
RESOLVED, that the Faculty Senate urges the
President of the University to provide the Council for Research
$200,000 per year in funds that can be used to support faculty
initiatives in proposal development and faculty professional
development for the purpose of encouraging individual and
partnership-related research and scholarly purposes.
Following discussion, the motion carried.
6. UNFINISHED BUSINESS
Chairperson Peters reminded the Faculty Senate that when the
December 14 meeting adjourned the University College and General
Education Committee Report #2000-01-1: Recommendations of the
President's Commission on General Education was under consideration.
A motion to replace "logically" with "effectively" after writing and
speaking was on the floor.
The motion carried.
After discussion, Senator Feldman moved to refer the proposal
back to the University College and General Education Committee with
instructions.
Discussion ensued.
Following discussion, the motion to refer to committee failed.
Senator Wittwer moved to add an eighth skill, "engaging in
artistic expression and creative activity."
After discussion, Senator Wood requested and received permission
to replace editorially "engaging in artistic expression and creative
activity" with "engaging in artistic activity."
After discussion, the motion to add an eighth skill, "engaging in
artistic activity," carried
Discussion resumed.
After discussion, Senator Leo moved to add "critically after
"using quantitative data" and "using qualitative data."
Following discussion, the motion failed.
Discussion resumed.
Following discussion, Senator Ariew moved to amend the paragraph
before the list of eight skills by adding "critical" before "skills."
After discussion, Senator Devin requested and received permission
to revise editorially the paragraph under discussion to read as
follows:
In addition, because using particular skills
critically is essential to a thoughtful engagement with the world,
each course in General Education must incorporate opportunities to
practice three (3) or more of the following:
Following discussion, the amendment as revised editorially
failed.
Senator Feldman moved to amend the definition of "Social
Sciences."
Following discussion, the motion failed.
In response to a request from Professor Morello, Senator
Vangermeersch moved to amend "Cross-cultural Communication" by
inserting "Foreign Language/." The revised core area to read
"Foreign Language/ Cross-cultural Communication."
The motion carried.
Discussion resumed.
After discussion, Senator Leo moved to merge the core areas "Fine
Arts & Literature" and "Letters" into one area titled "Fine and
Performing Arts and Humanities." The motion failed for lack of a
second.
Senator Leo moved to adjourn. The motion failed.
Senator Schwartz moved to amend the definition for Write
Effectively to read as follows:
Write Effectively: Course requires written
assignments designed to allow students to practice and improve
writing skills with regular feedback from the instructor such as by
submitting drafts and revisions, by writing a series of comparable
papers, or by writing long assignments in shorter units.
Discussion ensued.
Following discussion, the amendment carried 15-13.
There being no further discussion, the Senate voted immediately.
The main motion carried. *
7. NEW BUSINESS
Chairperson Peters asked if there was any new business. There was
none.
The meeting was adjourned at 4:56 p.m.
Respectfully
submitted,
Sheila Black Grubman
for ROBERT STROBEL,
Secretary
*The complete University College and
General Education Committee Report #2000-01-1: Recommendations of the
President's Commission on General Education as approved by the
Faculty Senate on January 25, 2001 is available on the web at
http://www.uri.edu/facsen/UCGE_00-01-1.html.