UNIVERSITY OF RHODE ISLAND
Kingston, Rhode Island
FACULTY SENATE
MINUTES

Faculty Senate Executive Committee Meeting #2 – August 21, 2007

a. The Executive Committee was brought up to date on meetings that took place since their June 12 meeting:

1) Chairperson Miller reported that he had attended the Board of Governors Meeting on Monday, June 25, 2007.  He said that the Board had approved the new agreement between the University of Rhode Island and the URI Foundation and accepted the general education programs at the three institutions.  The Board also approved the agreement between the Central Falls Board of Trustees and the University of Rhode Island for the Central Falls High School: A University of Rhode Island Academy.

2) Vice Chairperson Martin reported that she had attended both the Board of Governors Academic and Student Affairs Committee Meeting and the full Board of Governors Meeting on Monday, August 20, 2007.  She said that major issues of interest to URI were the approval of the Transportation Center, the B. S. Degree in Chemistry and Forensic Chemistry and the Dual Masters and Doctoral degrees in Engineering with the Technische Universiat Braunschweig. She also remarked on an interesting and informative report by Professor Rod Mather on undersea archeology at URI.

3) Chairperson Miller reported on a July 19 meeting attended by himself, Vice Chairperson Martin, Dean Seemann, Associate Deans Nixon and Rhodes and Ms. Grubman to discuss how to avoid having two separate and somewhat different matching fund bills before the Rhode Island Legislature at the same time.  He said that there was general agreement that principals involved with the Land Grant, Sea Grant and other federal grant programs at the university would work together with the President’s Office on a single piece of legislation for the next legislative session.

b. Chairperson Miller reminded the members of the Executive Committee that a Joint Strategic Planning Committee (JSPC) Orientation was scheduled for Thursday, August 23 at 1:30 in the President’s conference room.

c. Chairperson Miller noted that the President’s Office had forwarded copies of the President’s Management Letter for 2006-07.  He explained that the majority of the letter focused on efforts to implement the Strategic Plan and contained metrics that the FSEC might find interesting and informative.
    
d. Ms. Grubman reported that the Annual Report of the Ombud for 2006-07 had been forwarded separately by e-mail and asked if there were any questions or concerns about the report.  There were none.  Ms. Grubman said that it would be included on the Agenda for the September 27 Faculty Senate Meeting.

e. Ms. Grubman distributed copies of the FSEC’s meeting dates for the fall semester, including meetings which had been scheduled with the President, the Provost and other guests.

a. Lab Fees:  The Executive Committee reviewed a memorandum from Professor Bengtson to Provost Swan about the assessment of lab fees for AVS 101, which was listed as a lecture course. The Executive Committee agreed that AVS 101 did have laboratory sessions as part of the course and asked Ms. Grubman to suggest that the course method of instruction be changed from lecture only to lecture and lab.
    
b. Searches: The Executive Committee discussed the status of academic administrator searches that were underway at that time.  A memorandum from Provost Swan announcing that Dean Letendre was leaving and that she was establishing a search committee for a Dean of the College of Pharmacy was circulated for information.  Chairperson Miller was encouraged to contact Dr. Annunziato, Executive Director of the AAUP to discuss coordinating the faculty appointees to the Dean of Pharmacy Search Committee in the same manner as they had for the Dean of Engineering Search Committee.   
    
c. Administrator Evaluation:  Ms. Grubman distributed copies of the draft final report of the Ad Hoc Committee on Administrator Evaluation.  She said that the report might be revised pending comments from the President, Provost, and Council of Deans.

d. Policy #80-1: Ms. Grubman distributed copies of the Draft Revision to Policy #80-1 which had been posted on the web that morning in accordance with the proposed new procedures outlined in the draft at http://www.uri.edu/facsen/Draft_Policy_80-1_Revised.pdf

e. SATs:  Chairperson Miller reported on conversations with Vice Provost Pasquerella about the Admissions Advisory Committee’s consideration of the SAT Optional proposal.  It was agreed that the new Chair of the Admissions Advisory Committee should meet with Chairperson Miller and Professor Ramsay, the previous chair, to discuss the status of the Advisory Committee’s deliberations during the 2006-07 academic year.