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Scenes from Faculty Senate

Faculty Senate Executive Committee Meeting

Minute

Meeting #23

March 2, 2004

1. The meeting was called to order at 10:35 a.m. on Tuesday, March 2, 2004 in the third floor conference room in Green Hall, Chairperson Beckman presiding. All members were present except Senator Grubman-Black

2. The minutes of Executive Committee Meeting #22, February 24, 2004 were approved as revised.

3. Announcements/Correspondence:

a. Chairperson Beckman reported that Interim Vice Provost Swift had proposed that someone from the Faculty Senate Executive Committee attend a conference on outcomes assessment in June. Discussion ensued about the expectations of the conference and about the membership of the group that will represent URI.

It was agreed to raise with the Provost the issue of outcomes assessment, including the nature of the Board of Governors' charge to the three institutions and the membership and charge to the group representing URI at the late spring conference.

b. Senator Rice reported that he had been asked by Senator Kirschenbaum to express to the Executive Committee his concerns relative to the President's decision to hire Mr. Murphy as a consultant. Senator Kirschenbaum was concerned that Mr. Murphy had been hired before the Executive Committee's proposal for a joint review of cost and quality measures had been fully discussed by the JSPC. His key concern was whether the President's decision to hire this consultant was consistent with the principles of shared governance.

4. The Executive Committee discussed Faculty Senate Meeting #6, which had been held on the previous Thursday.

Ms. Grubman reported that in response to the suggestion by members of the Senate that department chairs be included in the meetings with Mr. Murphy, she had provided Ms. Orabone with the names of Senators who are also department chairs. She said that she had asked Ms. Orabone to include as many of them as possible in the two faculty sessions with Mr. Murphy on portfolio model.

It was suggested that other department chairs might be invited to the meetings if the sessions were not fully subscribed.

5. The Executive Committee discussed the following matters of continuing concern:

a. Student Assistant to the Ombud: The Executive Committee discussed the February 20, 2004 memorandum from Professor Rose, University Ombud, proposing changes in the UNIVERSITY MANUAL with regard to the selection of the Student Assistant to the Ombud. It was agreed to recommend to the Senate on March 25 approval of the changes proposed by Ombud Rose.

b. URI Transportation Center: Ms. Grubman reported that the Council for Research's meeting with all interested parties was scheduled for April 5, 2004 at 3:00 p.m. in Library Conference Room A.

c. General Education: Ms. Grubman distributed materials comparing courses approved for the revised general education program with the current program. She also provided the Executive Committee with a rough estimate on the number of seats that would be needed in general education classes in the fall, which Interim Vice Provost Swift prepared for the February 19 meeting of the UCGE Committee.

Ms. Grubman said that Interim Vice Provost Swift had indicated that she would be able to report to the Senate at the April meeting on the status of the implementation of the revised general education program.

The Executive Committee asked Ms. Grubman to request that Professor Jackson report on the status of the diversity overlay.

e. JSPC: The Executive Committee discussed what might be included in their report to the Faculty Senate on their observations with regard to the JSPC's first year in operation. This would also take account of the Executive Committee's role on the committee.

It was agreed that the concerns raised by Vice Chairperson Boudreaux-Bartels about the Executive Committee's membership and functioning in light of their increased responsibilities as members of the JSPC would be an early item on the Agenda for their March 16 FSEC meeting.

f. Committees: Ms. Grubman and Senator Rosen reported respectively on the activities of the Ad Hoc Committee on Providence Admissions and the Investigatory Ad Hoc Committee on Reorganization.

6. Ms. Grubman reviewed with the Executive Committee those items she expected to be on the Agenda for the March 25 meeting of the Faculty Senate:

a. An oral presentation by Professor Ramstad on the AAB Subcommittee's report on the cost and value of athletics at URI. It was noted that the written report had been provided by Professor Ramstad and would be published on the web well in advance of the meeting;

b. Two reports from the UCGE Committee and one report each from the CAC and Graduate Council;

c. A report from the Academic Standards and Calendar Committee proposing University Calendars for 2007-08, 2008-09, and 2009-10.

The meeting was adjourned at 12:45 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,

Sheila Black Grubman