A. Announcements:
1) Chairperson Peters announced that this was the last regularly scheduled meeting of the 2000-01 Faculty Senate and for the following Senators:
ARTS AND SCIENCES
ENGINEERING
Leo Carroll
Zongqin Zhang
Wendy Holmes
Rosa Maria Pegueros
GSO
Cheryl McCarthy
David Hebert
Gregory McNab
Williiam Rosen
HUMAN SCIENCE & SERVICES
Marie Schwartz
Yvette Harps-Logan
Linda K. Shamoon
Betty Young
BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION
UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES
Edmund Boyle
Robin Devin
Richard Vangermeersch
Chairperson Peters thanked the outgoing Senators on behalf of the Executive Committee.
2) Chairperson Peters announced that new Senators had been elected and will take their seats on May 10. He said that he would introduce them at that time.
Following are the newly elected Senators who will take their seats at the May 10 Faculty Senate meeting:
ARTS AND SCIENCES
ENGINEERING
Gale Eaton
Osama Ibrahim
Mary Hollinshead
James Loy
PHARMACY
Celest Martin
John Babson
Thomas Morin
Robert Rodgers (re-elected)
Evelyn Sterne
Fritz Wenisch
THE ENVIRONMENT AND LIFE SCIENCES
Sheri Wills
Marshall Feldman (re-elected)
Murn Nippo (re-elected)
BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION
Stuart Westin
UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES
Deborah Mongeau
B. Vice Chairperson Goldsmith said that the minutes of Executive Committee Meetings #23 and #24 appeared on pages 3-7 of the Agenda and asked if there were any questions. There were none.
Vice Chairperson Goldsmith moved approval of the following resolution recommended by the Executive Committee:
The Chafee Social Science Center at the University of Rhode Island is contaminated with PCBs, a circumstance which poses significant risks to the University's faculty, staff, and students. In order to ensure the health and safety of the University community and to restore and maintain an environment appropriate to the University's academic pursuits, remediation of this condition is urgently needed.
Resolved:
The Faculty Senate of the University of Rhode Island urges the Board of Governors for Higher Education and the Commissioner of Higher Education to assume their proper roles as advocates for the University and to use energetically their good offices to attain the additional funding necessary to remediate the unsafe conditions in the Chafee Social Science Center.
Further Resolved:
The Faculty Senate of the University of Rhode Island urges the General Assembly to act as stewards of the state's property and the well-being of its citizens and to approve promptly an additional appropriation sufficient to remediate the unsafe conditions in the Chafee Social Science Center.
The resolution carried
Chairperson Peters announced that Senator Rosen had provided the Senate with materials from the University's presentation at the April 24 meeting of the Board of Governors. He said that anyone interested in seeing a copy could either contact the Faculty Senate Office or visit the SPIR website.
A.Chairperson Peters reminded the Senate that a motion to amend 7.3 of the Faculty Senate By-Laws had been moved and seconded on April 12, but could not be voted upon at the meeting it is first introduced. He said the amendment to 7.3 to read as follows was now on the floor:
7.3 Regular Faculty Senate Meetings shall be held at least once each month on Thursdays during the academic year.
The motion carried.
B.Chairperson Peters announced that consideration of SECTION II, item D of the Three Hundred and Ninety-Sixth Report of the Curricular Affairs Committee was withdrawn from the Report at the April 12 meeting. He said that it was now returned for consideration.
Senator Hickox moved approval of item II, D from the 396th Report of the Curricular Affairs Committee:
D. College of the Environment and Life Sciences
Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Molecular Genetics
*CHANGE: Name of Department to Department of Cell and Molecular Biology."
The motion carried.
C. Chairperson Peters said that consideration of item 2, a of the Curricular Report No. 2000-2001-8 from the Graduate Council to the Faculty Senate had been withdrawn from the Report on April 12 and was now returned for consideration.
A motion was made to approve item 2, a from the Graduate Council Report:
2. Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Molecular Genetics
a. Changes:
Discontinue the separate degree programs in Biochemistry and Microbiology, and making them separate "tracks" within the new degree program in [the department of] Cell and Molecular Biology. The new requirements are:
For the M.S. and Ph.D. in [the department of] Cell and Molecular Biology:
Admission requirements: GRE and a bachelor's degree with a program of studies that included at least two semesters each of: biological sciences, general chemistry, organic chemistry, physics, and mathematics including at least one semester of calculus. Applicants may be admitted with deficiencies, to be corrected with appropriate coursework to be excluded from program credit.
Program requirements: Core courses (all tracks): MIC 413/415 (5), BCH 593E, BCH 581, 582, BCH/MIC 695. Biochemistry track: core courses plus nine credits chosen from: BCH 542, 584, BMS 641, BCH (BMS) 642, BMS 530, 535, 572, BCH 521, 523/524 (max 3 credits for MS and 6 credits for Ph.D.). Microbiology track: core courses plus MIC 414/416 (5), 500-600 level elective, 695. Molecular genetics track: core courses plus BCH 437, MIC 695, at least 2 credits of a free elective, MIC 552 or BIO 57
The motion carried.
3.C.Vice Provost Trubatch gave a brief presentation to the Faculty Senate on EPSCoR and other efforts to promote research in the state. She used a series of slides to illustrate her presentation and responded to questions throughout.
Vice Provost Trubatch also shared with the Senate a slide on the Council for Research proposal development grants program external funding support for 1995-96 through 1999-2000.
In his absence, Provost Swan gave the President's report. She explained that President Carothers was unable to attend that afternoon's Faculty Senate meeting because he was in Providence at a meeting of the Finance Committee.
Provost Swan expressed her appreciation to the outgoing Senators. She also announced that two of this year's honorary degree recipients were Jhumpa Lahiri, daughter of Professor Amar Lahiri, and David Kim, son of Professor Chai Kim.
A.Senator Hickox presented the Three Hundred and Ninety-Seventh Report of the Curricular Affairs Committee, which appeared on pages 8-9 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. The motion carried.
B. Professor Luebke said that the Academic Standards and Calendar Committee Report #2000-01-3 appeared on pages 10-11 of the Agenda. She said that part A was a recommendation to amend section 8.22.40 of the UNIVERSITY MANUAL to read as follows: (changes are in green):
8.22.40 Those who attain a cumulative quality point average at the time of graduation of at least 3.30 shall be recognized as graduating "cum laude." Those who achieve a quality point average of 3.50 shall graduate "magna cum laude," and those who attain a quality point average of at least 3.70 "summa cum laude." Participation in an honors program shall not be a condition for graduating "cum laude," "magna cum laude" or "summa cum laude."
The motion carried.
Professor Luebke said that part B was informational and asked if there were any questions. There were none.
C. Professor Wenisch announced that the annual report of the Constitution, By-Laws and Manual Committee appeared on pages 12-14 of the Agenda. He said that Section I was informational and asked if there were any questions about Section I. There were none.
Professor Wenisch said that Section II required approval. He moved approval of item A on Field Trips:
Amend section 10.33.12 as follows (changes are in green)
10.33.12 A member of the faculty or administrative staff or other duly authorized representatives of the University shall accompany students on all authorized class or student activity trips, except for trips sponsored with Student Activities approval for recreational purposes only. A duly authorized representative is a student, faculty or staff member who is given written authorization by a faculty or staff member of the university to accompany a class on all authorized class trips. A student may receive authorization to travel separately from his/her class or team if he/she signs a waiver form releasing the University from all liability and claims of every kind and nature arising from or incidental to said separate travel.
The motion carried.
Professor Wenisch moved approval of item B on Updates to the UNIVERSITY MANUAL:
Amend section 11.10.13 to read as follows (changes are in green)
11.10.13 The Coordinator, Faculty Senate Affairs shall be the editor of the UNIVERSITY MANUAL; shall maintain an accurate current electronic copy of the UNIVERSITY MANUAL on the Faculty Senate website and publish periodically printed copies incorporating all changes as of the date of publication. The Coordinator shall also assist the Constitution, By-Laws and University Manual Committee to ensure that all changes are properly incorporated.
The motion carried.
D.Professor Bide moved approval of the following recommendation of the UCGE Committee, which appeared on the cover of the Agenda:
Add BIO 101 and BIO 102 "Principles of Biology I and II" to the Natural Sciences (N) area of the existing General Education Program for a limited period of time. These courses are replacing BIO 112, 113 and are subject to the provisions of the approved general education proposal that each course in each area be reviewed and, if the faculty members wish, re-proposed in accordance with the new guidelines.
The motion carried,
E. In the absence of Dr. Paquette, Chairperson Peters asked if there were any questions about the Annual Report of the Curricular Affairs Subcommittee on Prior Learning Assessment appeared on pages 15-16 of the Agenda. There were none.
F. Professor Derbyshire presented an oral report on behalf of the faculty members on the Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity Committee.
G.Professor Gregory presented an oral report on behalf of the faculty members on the Athletics Advisory Board and responded to questions from the floor. He said that he would provide the Faculty Senate with an electronic copy of his report at a later date.
Chairperson Peters asked if there was any new business. There was none.
Chairperson Peters declared the meeting adjourned
Respectfully submitted,
Sheila Black Grubman
for ROBERT STROBEL,
Secretary