FS_03m07-08

a. The Executive Committee discussed a request from Academic Affairs to change the University Calendar for Fall 2008. The reason for the request was that the advising day for fall semester is scheduled for the Friday before Labor Day, which would require additionalexpenditures for opening and staffing the residence and dining halls and present serious problems for students whose leases don’t begin until after Labor Day.

It was noted that while section 8.70.14 limits the ability to revise a calendar to no less than 18 months, the matter was of such a serious nature that the Senate should be asked to make an exception for this situation. The Executive Committee reviewed the relevant sections of the UNIVERSITY MANUAL and found a number of possible solutions to the problem. Ms. Grubman was asked to contact Senator DiCioccio, the Chair of the Academic Standards and Calendar Committee and request that the committee hold an emergency meeting to discuss the various options for revising the fall 2008 calendar and to bring a revised calendar to the Senate as early as possible in the fall semester.

b. Chairperson Miller reported that Vice Provost Pasquerella had raised concerns regarding faculty who won’t allow students to add courses during the “add period.” Discussion ensued with regard to the faculty members’ reasons for taking this action and the consequences of not having courses available for transfer students and others who need them. Questions were raised as to whether shortening the add period might resolve this problem. Following discussion, the Executive Committee agreed that the issue should be forwarded to the Academic Standards and Calendar Committee for their consideration.

c. Ms. Grubman reported that she had not been able to schedule a meeting with Vice Provost Bozylinsky because he had commitments on all of the remaining Tuesdays this fall. The Executive Committee asked Ms. Grubman to schedule a lunch meeting at a time when most members of the FSEC could attend.

a. Lab Fees: The Executive Committee agreed that they should take a stronger stand regarding the inappropriateness of charging laboratory fees for lecture courses.

Chairperson Miller reported that Senator Fastovsky had agreed to bring forward a motion on the lab fees for consideration at their next meeting.

b. Searches: Chairperson Miller said that he had inquired about the progress of the search for the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs and had been informed that the committee was in the process of narrowing down the list of potential candidates. He said they were working very quickly because the President wanted the new Provost to begin in January and did not want to appoint an interim Provost.

Chairperson Miller said that he and Professor Donna Meyer of MCE had been appointed by the Senate to serve on the search committee for Dean of the College of Engineering. He explained that the committee, chaired by Dean Farmer had begun its work.

The Executive Committee discussed their potential faculty appointees to the Search Committee for Dean of the College of Pharmacy and agreed that they would appoint a representative from each of the departments in the College of Pharmacy: one from Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences (BPS) and the second from Pharmacy Practice (PHP).

c. Administrator Evaluation: Chairperson Miller reported that the ad hoc committee had considered suggestions from members of the Council of Deans and had made some, mostly editorial, changes based on the suggestions. He said that the final report had been enclosed with the Agenda for that meeting and would be included on the Agenda for the Faculty Senate’s September 27 meeting.

d. Revision to Policy #80-1: Ms. Grubman reported that comments and questions about the policy had been forwarded to Ms. Costa and herself after the policy was posted on the web. She explained that the suggestions had not been substantive; they were requests to clarify language in the procedure. Ms. Grubman said that Ms. Costa will review the suggestions with Vice President Weygand before any modifications were made.