NUMBER
6
UNIVERSITY OF
RHODE ISLAND
Kingston,
Rhode Island
Faculty
Senate
MINUTES
Faculty
Senate Meeting – February 23, 2006
1. The regular meeting of the
Faculty Senate was called to order at 3:12 p.m. in the Cherry
Auditorium, Chester Kirk Building, Chairperson Rice presiding.
All members were present except
Senators Barbour, Beauvais, Carroll, Conley, Cunnigen, Dholakia, Ginis,
Grigalunas, Hara, Koske, Kowalski, Krajeski, Lee, Melanson, Pegueros,
G. Ramsay, Rossby, Roworth, Shim, Thiem and Yu; President Carothers;
Vice Presidents Beagle, Dougan and Weygand; Vice Provost Swift (Vice
Provosts McCray and Pasquerella were represented by their designees);
Deans Mazze, Nassersharif and Richmond (Dean Farmer was represented by
his designee); Mr. Freeman and Mr. Mills.
2. Chairperson Rice asked if
there were any additions or corrections to or questions about the
Minutes of Faculty Senate Meeting #5, January 26, 2006. There were none.
Chairperson Rice 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 Rice reminded the Senate that during the previous academic
year the Faculty Senate adopted a resolution in opposition to the
"Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy of the U.S. Military and encouraged the
President to work with Rhode Island’s legislative delegation to repeal
the legislation. He said that the resolution has been used as a model
for resolutions in other universities, and in keeping with the spirit
of the resolution, the Call to Duty Tour is scheduled to discuss
the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy that evening at 7:00 p.m. in
Edwards Auditorium. He said that the program was sponsored by the
President’s Office, the Office of the Vice President for Student
Affairs, the College of Arts and Sciences, the Political Science
department, the GLBT Center, and the Multicultural Center.
2) Chairperson Rice announced
that the American Cancer Society's "Relay For Life" is coming back to
campus on April 21-22 (6 p.m.-noon). He said that the
coordinators of the event are asking faculty to participate along with
the students. They would like to have at least 2 teams of 10
faculty members register for the event. He said that registration ends
on March 28.
Chairperson
Rice noted that flyers on the “Relay for Life” were available in the
front of the auditorium.
3) Chairperson Rice said that
Vice President for University Advancement Bob Beagle had graciously
agreed to sponsor the reception that afternoon. He thanked Vice
President Beagle on behalf of the Senate and encouraged everyone to
meet at the University Club immediately following the Faculty Senate
meeting.
B. Vice Chairperson Martin said
that the Minutes of Executive Committee Meetings #18, #19, #20 and #21
appeared on pages 3-17 of the Agenda and asked if there were any
questions.
Provost Swan, Chairperson Rice
and Vice Chairperson Martin responded to questions about the Minutes.
C. Vice Chairperson Martin said
that The Minutes of the December 15, 2005 meeting of the JSCP appeared
on page 18 of the Agenda and asked if there were any questions.
There were none.
D. Dean Beckman announced that Senator Kowalski was not able to attend
the Faculty Senate meeting. As Co-Chair, with Senator Kowalski, of the
NEASC Accreditation Self-Study she brought the Faculty Senate up to
date on URI’s activities in preparation for the NEASC Accreditation
Self-Study and responded to questions from the Floor.
4. REPORT
OF THE PRESIDENT
Provost Swan announced that she
would present the President’s Report because President Carothers was
participating in fundraising in anticipation of the University’s
upcoming Capital Campaign.
A.
Provost Swan reported that, as noted on the Agenda, the President had
approved all of the legislation forwarded to him after the last Faculty
Senate meeting.
B. Provost Swan reported that
the Proposal for a Ph.D. in Computer Science, which had been approved
by the Faculty Senate and President Carothers last spring, has been
approved by the Board of Governors’ Committee on Academic and Student
Affairs and will be on the Agenda for the March 6 meeting of the full
Board.
Provost Swan announced that Dr.
James Lynch, Dean of Admissions, had resigned as of March 17. She
said that the Office of Admissions was in the capable hands of
Assistant Deans Ms. Cynthia Bonn and Ms. Joanne Hood.
The Provost announced that Mr.
Christopher Wessells, former Interim Vice Provost for Information and
Dean of University Libraries has left the University for a permanent
position in California. She said that Mr. David Porter had been
named Interim Vice Provost and Professor David Maslyn will be Interim
Director of University Libraries until the new Vice Provost and the new
Dean of University Libraries arrive.
Provost Swan reported that the
Governor had invited URI to share in the budget cut for the current
fiscal year and as a result there was a hiring freeze in effect for
positions that weren’t vital to health and safety.
In
response to a question from the Senate, the Provost said that searches
for faculty positions for the 2006-2007 academic year were
continuing. She said that eight new faculty members have been
appointed so far.
Provost Swan then responded to
additional questions from the Senate.
5. REPORTS
OF STANDING AND SPECIAL COMMITTEES
A.
Senator Luebke moved approval of the Four Hundred Thirty-Ninth Report
of the Curricular Affairs Committee: Proposal to Establish a Department
of Physical Therapy which appeared on pages 19-22 of the Agenda.
The motion carried.
B. Senator Luebke introduced the
Four Hundred Fortieth Report of the Curricular Affairs Committee, which
appeared on pages 23-33 of the
Agenda, and made a series of
editorial corrections to the printed report.
She said that Section I was
informational and asked if there were any questions about Section
I. There were none.
Senator Luebke announced that
Section II required confirmation and moved approval of Section II.
Discussion ensued.
Following
discussion, Senator Jackson moved that Section II, items C, 1. c and C,
3 be removed from the report pending clarification.
After discussion, the motion
carried.
Following discussion, the motion
to approve Section II without items C, 1. c and C, 3, was approved.
Senator Luebke said that Section
III was a joint report of the Curricular Affairs Committee and Graduate
Council on 400-level courses. She said that part A of Section III
was informational and asked if there were any questions.
Discussion ensued.
Following discussion, Senator
Luebke said that part B of Section III required confirmation by the
Faculty Senate and moved approval of part B. The motion carried.
C.
In Vice Provost Pasquerella’s absence, Dean Beckman announced that the
Curricular Report No. 2005-06-5 from the Graduate Council to the
Faculty Senate appeared on pages 34-36 of the Agenda. She
said that Section I was informational and asked if there were any
questions. There were none.
Dean Beckman said that Section
II required confirmation by the Faculty Senate and moved approval of
Section II. The motion carried
D. Professor Honhart moved
approval of the University College and General Education Committee
Report #2005-06-2, which appeared on page 37 of the Agenda. The
motion carried.
E. Professor Loy moved approval
of the Academic Standards and Calendar Committee Report #2005-06-1:
Proposed Modification to Calendar for Spring 2009, which appeared on
page 38 of the Agenda.
Discussion ensued.
Following discussion, Senator
Wortman moved to refer the calendar back to committee.
Discussion ensued.
Following discussion, the motion
to refer to committee carried.
F. Professor Loy moved approval
of the Academic Standards and Calendar Committee Report #2005-06-2:
Proposed Calendars for Summer 2007 and Summer 2008, which appeared on
page 39 of the Agenda. The motion carried.
G.
Professor Loy moved approval of the Academic Standards and Calendar
Committee Report #2005-06-3: Proposed Calendar for 2011-2012, which
appeared on pages 40-41 of the Agenda.
Discussion ensued.
Following discussion, a motion
was made to refer the report to committee.
Discussion ensued.
Following discussion the motion
to refer to committee carried.
H. Senator Wenisch introduced
the Report of the Constitution, By-Laws and University Manual Committee
#05-06-2, which appeared on page 42 of the Agenda and moved approval of
the following changes to the UNIVERSITY MANUAL:
- Rename section 8.85.30
Classification:
8.85.30
Classification of Programs for which new funding is required …
8.85.31 Programs for which
no new funding is required. When the proponents of a new program,
including a certificate program, assert that the new venture can be
administered entirely with existing funds, the proposal shall include a
five-year plan demonstrating that existing funds are sufficient for
carrying the program. Prior to that plan being presented to the Faculty
Senate Curricular Affairs Committee or the Graduate Council, it shall
be reviewed and approved by the appropriate department(s) and
college(s) whose participation is necessary for the program to be
offered successfully. The plan shall also include a Budget Office
review. No classification under 8.85.30 is required.
Discussion
ensued.
Following discussion, the motion
carried
6. UNFINISHED
BUSINESS
Chairperson Rice asked if there
was any unfinished business. There was none.
7. NEW
BUSINESS
Chairperson Rice asked if there
was any new business. There was none.
Chairperson Rice invited
everyone across the street at the University Club for the reception
sponsored by Vice President Beagle.
The meeting was adjourned at
4:15 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Sheila Black
Grubman