UNIVERSITY OF RHODE ISLAND

Kingston, Rhode Island

FACULTY SENATE

MINUTES

Faculty Senate Executive Committee Meeting #21

February 17, 2004

1. The meeting was called to order at 10: 35 a.m. on Tuesday, February 17, 2004 in the third floor conference room in Green Hall, Chairperson Beckman presiding. All members were present except Senator Martin.

2. The Executive Committee reviewed the Agenda for Faculty Senate Meeting #6, February 26, 2004.

Following discussion, it was agreed that if the Athletics Advisory Board subcommittee's report on the cost and value of athletics at URI would not be available in time for the publication of the printed Agenda, it would be better to delay the report until a subsequent meeting.

3. Senator Rosen shared with the Executive Committee the minutes from the February 6 meeting of the Graduate Council, which referred to the distribution of an article on Teaching Assistants and subsequent discussion

In response to the Executive Committee's inquiry, Ms. Grubman said that she had not yet forwarded Professor Shamoon's undergraduate student's report on teaching assistants to the Graduate Council. Ms. Grubman said that she would try to learn more about the article referenced in the minutes and would at the same time take the opportunity to forward the report on T.A.s to Vice Provost Trubatch

4. The Executive Committee discussed the upcoming change in the University's General Education Program, which is scheduled to become effective for fall 2004. They agreed that it would be appropriate for the Senate to get a status report at the February Faculty Senate meeting if possible. They decided that if February was not possible, then the Senate should receive an update at the March meeting.

Ms. Grubman was asked to make available to the Executive Committee additional information about plans for getting the General Education program into effect for incoming freshmen in the fall of 2004 without causing any hardship for continuing students or their advisors. Ms. Grubman said that she expected to be able to provide the Executive Committee with a comparison between the courses for the existing program and courses that are/or are expected to be approved for fall 2004 implementation of the revised General Education program.

5. The Executive Committee discussed their observations about their role as the faculty's representatives on the JSPC and methods for timely reporting of JSPC activities to the Faculty Senate. It was agreed that they should present a report to the Senate on their evaluation of the committee as a vehicle for shared governance in April. The April date was selected to precede nominations for officers of the 2004-05 Senate. The Executive Committee felt that this meeting would to provide Senators with the opportunity to assess the effectiveness of the Executive Committee's role, as well as an understanding of the time and other commitments required for representation on the JSPC.

The meeting was adjourned at 11:30 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,

 

 

Sheila Black Grubman