Minutes for Faculty Senate Meetings

March 20, 2003

Number 7

1. The regular meeting of the Faculty Senate was called to order at 3:05 p.m. in the Cherry Auditorium, Chester Kirk Building, Chairperson Arakelian presiding.

All members were present except Senators Babson, Bide, Dewhurst, Dholakia, Fastovsky, Felner, Hollinshead, Hu, Jouaneh, Lee, Loy, Newman, Oviatt, Paton, Ramstad, Riebe and Wills; Vice Presidents Beagle, Dougan and Stark; Vice Provosts McCray and Trubatch; Deans Farmer, Letendre, Mazze, Shukla and Taggart (Deans Joseph and Seemann were represented by their designees); Ms. DiBiasio and Mr. Murgo.

2. Chairperson Arakelian asked if there were any additions or corrections to or questions about the Minutes of Faculty Senate Meeting #6, February 20, 2003. 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:

Chairperson Arakelian announced that Senator Dana Kester from the Graduate School of Oceanography had died on March 16, 2003. He introduced Senator Brian Heikes, who moved adoption of the following resolution:

WHEREAS: Dana R. Kester, Professor of Oceanography and a member of the University faculty for 34 years, died on March 16, 2003.

WHEREAS: Professor Kester was foremost an analytical chemist whose scholarship focused on ocean waters, marine environmental quality, and ocean processes in global change. Recently, he worked on the integration of in situ measurements with remote sensing observations. In the course of his research, he authored and co-authored over 125 peer reviewed journal articles, books, and book chapters. Professor Kester enjoyed going to sea and participated in 24 cruises totaling 435 days on the water. Before his death, he was working with State, National, and International agencies and non-governmental organizations to study hypoxia in Narragansett Bay and coastal China.

WHEREAS: Professor Kester served his profession and his University with distinction. He had twice served as acting Dean of the Graduate School of Oceanography and once as acting Dean of the Graduate School. He had served on numerous University committees and was a member of the Faculty Senate, coordinator of the Vetlesen Lecture Series on Climate, and chair of an ad hoc committee for the Faculty Senate on research and graduate education. Professor Kester had been a member of the National Academy of Sciences Marine Board, Intergovernmental Ocean Commission US delegate, and WMO and UNESCO committees. He served a 2-year special assignment to NOAA. He was a noted editor, reviewer and contributor to professional society journals and citizen publications.

WHEREAS: Professor Kester was major professor for 10 M.S. and 15 Ph.D. students, served on the thesis committees of 15 others, and supervised 14 undergraduate students in research. He was supervising 3 graduate and 2 undergraduate students. The course he developed and taught on Ocean Chemical Distributions integrated all oceanography sub-disciplines. It was considered a "must take" by GSO students and perhaps more importantly by their advisors. Sabbatical leaves took him to universities in England, Hong Kong and China.

WHEREAS: Professor Kester was an international leader in Oceanography and a significant contributor to the University. His research, service, teaching, and mentorship are missed but will live on in the memory of his students and colleagues.

BE IT RESOLVED: the faculty of the University of Rhode Island acknowledges Professor Dana R. Kester's contributions to the University community and mourns his passing, and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: this resolution be approved by the University of Rhode Island Faculty Senate and presented to his family as an expression of our sincerest sympathy.

The resolution was adopted by unanimous vote of the Senate.

Chairperson Arakelian asked the Senate to observe a moment of silence in Senator Kester's memory.
Chairperson Arakelian invited members of the Senate to attend a reception at the University Club after the Faculty Senate meeting. He announced that the reception would be sponsored jointly by Dean Joseph of the College of Nursing and Dean Letendre of the College of Pharmacy and thanked them both for their generous support.
Chairperson Arakelian announced that the Senate Office has moved to beautiful new quarters on the third floor of Green Hall and invited members of the Senate to visit when they have the opportunity.

B. Senator Beckman said that the minutes of Executive Committee Meetings #17 and #18 appeared on pages 3-8 of the Agenda. She asked if there were any questions.

Senator Beckman, Chairperson Arakelian and Provost Swan responded to questions about the Executive Committee's meetings.

C. Senator Beckman presented the recommendations of the Executive Committee:

Senator Beckman moved approval of the following committee appointments:

a) Professor Barbara Luebke, JOR, and Mr. Michael Tammaro, PHY, to the Social Regulations Committee;

b) Professor Bingfang Yan, BMS, to the Council for Research replacing Professor Hossein Zia, APS, for the spring 2003 semester.

Following discussion, the motion carried.
Senator Beckman reminded the Senate that at the February meeting President Carothers reported on plans for reorganizing strategic planning and institutional research, including the establishment of a senior-level committee. She said that at that time the Executive Committee had agreed to bring a response to the Senate at the March meeting.

Senator Beckman reported that the Executive Committee has considered the president's proposal to form an advisory committee comprised of the President, Faculty Senate Executive Committee, University Vice Presidents, Student Senate President, and two representatives of the university's non-faculty employees whose responsibility it will be to discuss and facilitate strategic planning. The Executive Committee has agreed to participate in the new "senior" planning group.

Senator Beckman said that the Executive Committee sees no overlap in jurisdiction with current Faculty Senate committees since any initiative, which may originate in this new committee, would have to journey through the existing university review and approval process.

She also stated that the Executive Committee believes that this new committee could replace the JEPC (Joint Educational Policy Committee) and will ask the Constitution, By-laws and University Manual Committee (CBUM) to work with us and the President to draft appropriate manual language, which will be brought back to the Faculty Senate for consideration.

Discussion ensued.

4. REPORT OF THE PRESIDENT

A. President Carothers announced that, as indicated on the Agenda, all of the legislation that had been forwarded to him after the January and February Faculty Senate meetings had been approved.

He reported that he had also supported Faculty Senate Resolution #01-02--1 "Endorsement of Recommendation to Increase the Limit on LVPO's for Grants and Contracts." He announced that the Board of Governors intended to vote at their next meeting on raising the LVPO limit to $2,500.

B. President Carothers reported that the College of Pharmacy had given the first Award for Ethics and Excellence in Health Care earlier that day to URI alumnus Doug Durand. He said that the award had been appropriately named for Professor Emeritus Norman A. Campbell.

President Carothers said that he continued to work on the final draft of his strategic plan and hoped to have it completed for presentation to the Board of Governors at their April meeting. He encouraged members of the Senate to forward their suggestions and comments to him by e-mail as soon as possible because he would have to complete his draft in time to meet the Board's Agenda deadlines. President Carothers said that, although he had been encouraged to include maintenance items in his plan, he did not intend to do so. He did indicate his intent to add several items relating to support of the liberal arts core.

Discussion ensued.

Following discussion, President Carothers reported on prospects for the Governor's Budget, concerns about the cap on state positions, and the Governor's proposal that members of the state retirement system contribute a larger percentage of their income to the ERS. He then responded to questions from members of the Senate.

5. REPORTS OF STANDING AND SPECIAL COMMITTEES

A. Senator Kaufman presented the Four Hundred Twelfth Report of the Curricular Affairs Committee, which appeared on pages 9-14 of the Agenda. He said that that Section I was informational and asked if there were any questions.

Discussion ensued.

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

He said that part A was informational and asked if there were any questions.

Discussion ensued.

Following discussion, Senator Kaufman said that part B required confirmation by the Faculty Senate and moved approval. The motion carried.

B. Professor Euler presented the Annual Report for the Council for Research, which appeared on pages 15-16 of the Agenda.

Discussion ensued.

C. Professor Carroll presented the Final Report of the President's Ad Hoc Task Force on Campus Security, which appeared, on pages 17-20 of the Agenda. He noted that all of the Appendices to the Task Force's Report were available on the web at http://www.uri.edu/facsen/Security_Task_Force_Final.html

Discussion ensued.

6. NEW BUSINESS

Chairperson Arakelian asked if there was any new business. There was none.

A motion was made to adjourn. The motion carried.

The meeting was adjourned at 4:15 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,
Sheila Black Grubman