NUMBER 10

UNIVERSITY OF RHODE ISLAND

Kingston, Rhode Island

FACULTY SENATE

MINUTES

Faculty Senate Meeting

May 11, 2000

1. The regular meeting of the Faculty Senate was called to order at 3:10 p.m. with the ringing of the Novgorod Bell in room 113 White Hall, Chairperson Long presiding.

All members were present except Senators Felner, Frohlich, Harps-Logan, Hebert, Karow, Kislalioglu, Laux, Lee, Specker, Wang and Xiao; Vice Presidents Beagle, McCray and Stark, Deans Crocker, Joseph, Luzzi, Richmond, Taggart and Yoder (Dean Kim was represented by his designee) Mr. DeMaria.

2. A motion was made to approve the Minutes of Faculty Senate Meeting #9, April 27, 2000.

Chairperson Long asked if there were any additions or corrections to or questions about the Minutes. There were none.

The motion to approve the Minutes of Meeting #9 carried.

3. REPORTS OF OFFICERS AND EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

A. Announcements.

1) Chairperson Long welcomed the newly elected Senators:

College of Arts & Sciences

College of Engineering

Paul Arakelian

Shashanka Mitra

Norman Finizio

George Veyera

Andre Ariew

Norbert Hedderich

College of Human Science & Services

Charles Kaufman

Robert Felner

Mustafa Kulenovic

Colleen Karow

Suren Malik

Norbert Mundorf

College of Nursing

Yngve Ramstad

Mary Sullivan

College of Business Administration

College of the Environment & Life Sciences

Chet Hickox (re-elected)

Reinhard Frohlich

Russell Koza (re-elected)

Chong Lee

Murn Nippo

Peter Paton

2) Chairperson Long announced that all faculty members should have received Faculty Senate committee preference forms in the mail that week. He reminded everyone of the importance of committees, noting that the committees do most of the work of the Senate. He encouraged Senators to fill out the preference forms and return them to the Faculty Senate Office by May 31.

He said that extra forms were available in the front of the room.

3) Chairperson Long reported on the efforts of the Executive Committee, along with the President and the Provost, to find an alternative approach for consideration of the University's General Education Program. He announced that in consultation with the Executive Committee and the Provost, President Carothers has agreed to form a Commission on General Education with the following charge:

Intent: To revitalize and refocus our general education program to insure its continued appropriateness as a foundation of University of Rhode Island undergraduate Education.

The Commission is specifically tasked to recognize and continue the work of the UCGE Committee, especially the efforts to incorporate writing and diversity, as follows:

B. Vice Chairperson Honhart said that the Minutes of Executive Committee Meeting #23 appeared on pages 3-4 of the Agenda. He asked if there were any questions. There were none.

C. Professor Kahn presented the report of the Nominating Committee for Officers of the 2000&endash;01 Faculty Senate.

He placed in nomination the name of Senator C. B. Peters, Department of Sociology and Anthropology, for Chairperson of the Faculty Senate.

Professor Kahn moved that Senator Peters be elected Chairperson by acclamation. The motion carried.

Professor Kahn placed in nomination the names of the following two Senators for Vice Chairperson of the Faculty Senate:

Robin Devin, University Libraries

Marian Goldsmith, Biological Sciences

Nominations were closed. The Senate proceeded to vote.

Professors Caldwell and Kahn served as tellers.

During balloting, the Senate moved to the next item of business.

D. Recommendations of the Executive Committee.

1) Vice Chairperson Honhart moved approval of the following resolution:

John Long

has guided the Faculty Senate with tact, good humor and a sense of purpose during the 1999-2000 academic year.

He has worked harmoniously with people from many constituencies while effectively representing the interests of the University of Rhode Island Faculty.

As Vice Chairperson in 1998-99, he was instrumental in raising consciousness about the need to upgrade and better maintain our classrooms.

Although he is accomplished in high technology, he has been a champion of support for "low tech" instruction.

Therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED: That the Faculty Senate expresses its appreciation

for a job well done

and wishes him the best of fortune as he begins his phased exit from the University Community.

The motion to approve the resolution carried.

2) Vice Chairperson Honhart moved approval of the recommendations of the Executive Committee that appeared on page 7 of the Agenda. The motion carried.

E. Vice Chairperson Honhart noted that the report of the Classroom Management Team on efforts to improve the conditions of the general use classrooms appeared on page 8 of the Agenda. He said that Ms. Palm was available to answer questions about the report. There were none.

C. Professor Kahn announced that Senator Marian Goldsmith had been elected Vice Chairperson.

Professor Kahn then placed in nomination the names of the following two Senators for the two-year term on the Executive Committee:

Peter Blanpied, Physical Therapy

Stephan Grilli, Ocean Engineering

Senator Kirschenbaum nominated Senator Devin.

Senator Devin declined because she was not eligible for a two-year term

Nominations were closed. The Senate proceeded to vote.

During balloting, the Senate moved to the next item of business.

4. REPORT OF THE PRESIDENT

The President said that he wanted to join the Faculty Senate in thanking Chairperson Long for his service to the University.

A. President Carothers said that he had approved all of the Bills listed on the Agenda: #99-00--21, #99-00--22 and #99-00--23

B. President Carothers reminded the Faculty Senate that the presentation of Excellence Awards was scheduled for Saturday, May 20, 2000 at 4:00 p.m. in Edwards Auditorium. He encouraged all faculty to attend the awards program in addition to the Undergraduate and Graduate Commencement ceremonies that weekend.

President Carothers responded to questions about the budget and the progress of the Board's recommendation to remove third party positions from the state cap on FTE positions.

President Carothers and Vice Provost Rockett responded to concerns raised about the lack of staff in graduate admissions and the subsequent delays in processing applications.

5. REPORTS OF STANDING AND SPECIAL COMMITTEES

A. Senator Hickox presented the Three Hundred and Eighty-Seventh Report of the Curricular Affairs Committee, which appeared on pages 9-16 of the Agenda. He said that Section I was informational. He asked if there were any questions. There were none.

Senator Hickox said that Section II required confirmation by the Faculty Senate and noted that a few editorial corrections will be made to Section II. He then moved approval of Section II as corrected. The motion carried.

Senator Hickox said that Section III 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 III required confirmation by the Faculty Senate and moved approval. The motion carried.

Senator Hickox said that Section IV was an informational report on the Library Impact Statement. He asked if there were any questions. There were none.

B. Vice Provost Rockett presented Curricular Report No. 1999-2000-8 from the Graduate Council to the Faculty Senate, which appeared on pages 17-18 of the Agenda. He said that Section I was informational and asked if there were any questions. There were none.

Vice Provost Rockett said that Section II required confirmation by the Faculty Senate and moved approval of Section II.

Professor McNab made an editorial correction.

After discussion, the motion carried.

C. Senator Hickox presented the Centers Review Coordinating Committee Report on the Center for Student Leadership Development, which appeared on pages 19-22 of the Agenda.

He said that Section I was informational and provided background for the recommendation in Section II.

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

D. Senator Hickox presented the Centers Review Coordinating Committee on the John Hazen White, Sr. Center for Ethics and Public Service, which appeared on pages 23-26 of the Agenda.

He said that Section I was informational and provided background for the recommendation in Section II.

Senator Vangermeersch noted a typographical error in the introductory paragraph and Senator Hickox said it would be corrected.

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

3. C. Professor Kahn announced that Senator Stephan Grilli had been elected to the two-year term on the Executive Committee.

Professor Kahn then placed in nomination the names of the following Senators for the three one-year terms on the Executive Committee:

Edmund Boyle, Accounting

Wendy Holmes, Art

Robert Rodgers, Biomedical Sciences

William Rosen, Chemistry

Betty Young, Education

Senator Boyle withdrew his name and nominated Senator Chet Hickox, Management.

Nominations were closed. The Senate proceeded to vote.

During balloting, the Senate moved to the next item of business.

5. E. Professor Johnson presented the Annual Report of the Honors Program and Visiting Scholars Committee for 1999-2000, which appeared on pages 27-32 of the Agenda. He added the name of Professor Kenneth Rahn from the Graduate School of Oceanography to the lists of Honors faculty for 1999-00 and 2000-01 on pages 27 and 28 of the Agenda.

Professor Johnson asked if there were any questions about the report.

Senator McNab noted that there were some misspellings and inconsistencies in spelling of some of the names listed on the report.

Professor Johnson said that they would be corrected on the official version of the report.

F. In the absence of Professor Pasquerella, Vice Provost Rockett presented the Council for Research Annual Report, which appeared on pages 33-34 of the Agenda. He asked if there were any questions.

In response to a comment about inconsistencies in the list of names in the report, Vice Provost Rockett said that they would be corrected on the official version of the report.

G. Dr. Paquette presented the report of the CAC Subcommittee on Prior Learning Assessment, which appeared on pages 35-37 of the Agenda. He asked if there were any questions, there were none.

H. Professor Stevenson and Professor Sink distributed copies of the University College and General Education Committee's Report #99-00-5, pages 45-48 for attachment to the Agenda.

Professor Stevenson announced that the entire report of the UCGE Committee was informational. He said that Section I was a report on writing and responded to questions about Section I.

Professor Stevenson said that Section II was a report on multiculturalism and diversity. He explained that the recommendations, along with a timetable for implementation, would be brought to the Senate for action in the fall.

He then responded to questions about Section II.

3. C. Professor Kahn announced that Senators Wendy Holmes and Betty Young had been elected to one-year terms on the Executive Committee.

He said that a run-off election would be held between Senator Hickox and Senator Rosen.

The Senate proceeded to vote.

During balloting, the Senate moved to the next item of business.

6. UNFINISHED BUSINESS

Chairperson Long reminded the Senate that on April 13, 2000 consideration of the "Three Hundred and Eighty-Fourth Report of the Curricular Affairs Committee: Proposed Reorganization of the College of Business Administration" had been postponed definitely until May 11, 2000 to permit time to resolve the outstanding issues between the AAUP and the College of Business Administration.

He said that the Three Hundred and Eighty-Fourth Report of the Curricular Affairs Committee with modifications agreed-upon by the College of Business Administration and the URI AAUP appeared on pages 38-44 of the Agenda and was returned to the floor at that time.

Discussion ensued.

When the fifteen minutes of time for debate expired, Senator Mitra moved to extend debate for another fifteen minutes. The motion carried.

Discussion resumed.

When the fifteen-minute extension of time for debate expired, Senator Vangermeersch moved to extend debate for five minutes. The motion carried

Discussion resumed.

After discussion, Senator Kirschenbaum requested and received permission to modify editorially item b on page 40 by deleting the phrase "the spirit of." The new sentence to begin "The College will follow Articles XV and XVI of the AAUP/Board of Governors Contract..."

When the five-minute extension of time expired, Senator Mitra moved to extend debate for five minutes. The motion failed.

The Senate proceeded to vote immediately on the main motion.

The motion carried.

3. C. Professor Kahn announced that Senator Chet Hickox had been elected to a one-year term on the Executive Committee.

The members of the 2000-01 Executive Committee are:

C. B. Peters, Chairperson

Marian Goldsmith, Vice Chairperson

Stephan Grilli

Chet Hickox

Wendy Holmes

Betty Young

7. NEW BUSINESS

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

The meeting was adjourned at 4:45 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,

 

Sheila Black Grubman

for ROBERT STROBEL,

Secretary

 

SBG:DD