NUMBER 7

Faculty Senate

MINUTES

Faculty Senate Meeting

March 25, 2004

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 Beckman presiding.

All members were present except Senators Glasow, Mandel, Martin, Morin, Riebe, Rodgers, Rossby, Roworth and Westin; Provost Swan; Vice Presidents Beagle and Weygand; Deans Brownell, Farmer, Letendre, Mazze, Richmond and Taggart (Vice Provost McCray was represented by his designee); Mr. Lopes and Mr. Sutherland.

2. Chairperson Beckman asked if there were any additions or corrections to or questions about the Minutes of Faculty Senate Meeting #6, February 26, 2004. There were none.

Chairperson Beckman 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 Beckman announced that the Executive Committee would change the order of business on the Agenda. She explained that the Executive Committee's recommendation on Senate Bill #03-04--19 (item 3, D, 1) would be postponed until after the Report of the President (item 4).

2) Chairperson Beckman expressed appreciation to Dean Jeffrey Seemann of the College of the Environment and Life Sciences for graciously agreeing to sponsor the reception after the Faculty Senate meeting. She encouraged members of the Senate to come to the University Club that afternoon.

B. Vice Chairperson Boudreaux-Bartels announced that the minutes of Executive Committee Meetings #20, #21 and #22 which appeared on pages 3-12 of the Agenda. She asked if there were any questions.

Vice Chairperson Boudreaux-Bartels and Chairperson Beckman responded to questions about the minutes

C. Vice Chairperson Boudreaux-Bartels said that the minutes of the January 22 and February 5, 2004 meetings of the JSPC appeared on pages 8-12 of the Agenda and asked if there were any questions. There were none.

D. Recommendations of the Executive Committee

2) Vice Chairperson Boudreaux-Bartels moved approval of the Executive Committee's recommendation for changes to the UNIVERSITY MANUAL on the selection of the Student Assistant to the Ombud, which appeared on page 13 of the Agenda. She noted that Professor Rose, the University Ombud, was available to answer any questions.

The motion carried.

The approved recommendation reads as follows (changes are in green):

2.39.19 Student Assistant. The Ombud shall be assisted by a student appointed by the President by July 1 each year in accordance with the procedure outlined below. In March of each academic year, the Student Senate and Graduate Student Association shall conduct searches for their nominees to the position of Student Assistant to the Ombud. The searches shall be conducted in a manner established by each organization. The names of no more than three nominees from each group shall be forwarded to the current Ombud by April 15. Finalists for the position shall be interviewed by a committee composed of the Ombud and a representative of the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs. The committee shall be convened by the Ombud and shall make its recommendation to the President no later than June 15. The Ombud's Student Assistant shall perform his/her duties in consultation with and under the direction of the Ombud, shall serve a one-year term, and shall be eligible to succeed himself/herself without a search. The Ombud's Student Assistant shall receive a stipend of $1000. per semester, to be paid by the University.

4. REPORT OF THE PRESIDENT

A. President Carothers announced that, as indicated on the Agenda, he had approved Senate Bills #03-04--18, #03-04--20, #03-04--21 and #03-04--22. He said that he had disapproved Bill #03-04--19 in light of concerns as to whether departments and colleges should specify general education courses in writing at the 100-level. He said that the Executive Committee's recommendation should address some of his concerns.

B. President Carothers reported briefly on House and Senate Finance Committee hearings on the Governor's Fiscal '05 budget as it pertained to higher education.

3. D. 1) Vice Chairperson Boudreaux-Bartels moved, in accordance with the provisions of 10.3 of the By-Laws of the Faculty Senate, approval of the following recommendation of the Executive Committee:

That the Senate confirm its approval of Senate Bill #03-04--19 "The Four Hundred and Twenty-First Report of the Curricular Affairs Committee" with the addition of the following statement:

Students transferring from one program (or college) within or outside the University to another program (or college) within the University may apply 100-level English Communications writing (ECw) courses taken as part of the general education requirements in the original program (or college) to the English Communication writing (ECw) general education requirements in the program or college to which they transfer.

Discussion ensued.

When the fifteen minutes for discussion expired, Senator Rice moved to extend debate. The motion carried.

Following discussion, the main motion carried.

5. REPORTS OF STANDING AND SPECIAL COMMITTEES

A. Professor Kaufman moved approval of the Four Hundred Twenty-Second Report of the Curricular Affairs Committee, which appeared on pages 14-16 of the Agenda. He said that Section I was informational and asked if there were any questions. There were none.

Professor Kaufman said that Section II required confirmation by the Faculty Senate and moved approval. The motion carried

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

B&C. Senator Jackson moved approval of University College and General Education Committee Reports #2003-04-6 and #2003-4-7, which appeared as items B and C on pages 17-18 and on pages 19-21 of the Agenda.

The motion to approve University College and General Education Committee Reports #2003-04-6 and #2003-04-7 carried.

D. Professor Hickox announced that he was withdrawing Academic Standards and Calendar Committee Report #03-04--1 from the Agenda because it contained a number of errors. He explained that there were four possible, but not entirely satisfactory, options for the spring 2008 calendar because Martin Luther King Day was late in January and Memorial Day was on the earliest possible date.

Professor Hickox asked for advice about the four options and discussion ensued.

E. Professor Ramstad presented the Report of the Athletic Advisory Board Subcommittee on the Cost and Value of Athletics at URI. He used a series of slides and also referred the Senate to the written report, which was on the web at http://www.uri.edu/facsen/AAB_Sub_2-04.htm http://www.uri.edu/facsen/AAB_Sub_2-04.htm

F. Senator Feldman presented an informational Report of the Ad Hoc Committee on Admissions to the Providence Campus and used a series of power point slides to supplement his oral report.

When the time for the meeting expired, Senator Rice moved to recess the meeting and to reconvene the recessed meeting for ten minutes. The motion carried.

The meeting was recessed at 5:00 p.m. and reconvened immediately.

Senator Feldman resumed his presentation for an additional ten minutes.

Two requests were made by the Senate with regard to the Report of the Ad Hoc Committee on Admissions to the Providence Campus and 1) that the power point presentation be made available on the web and 2) that the continuation of the Ad Hoc Committee's report be placed earlier on the Agenda for the April 15 meeting.

Chairperson Beckman invited members of the Senate and others in attendance to the reception at the University Club sponsored by Dean Seemann.

The meeting was adjourned at 5:10 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,

 

Sheila Black Grubman