NUMBER 5

UNIVERSITY OF RHODE ISLAND
Kingston, Rhode Island
Faculty Senate

MINUTES
Faculty Senate Meeting – February 22, 2007

A. Announcements:

1) Chairperson Rice welcomed Senators back for the first Faculty Senate meeting of the spring semester.  He then announced that there were four new Senators taking their seat at today’s meeting. He then introduced Senator Kristine Bovy from the College of Arts and Sciences, replacing Senator Leo Carroll for the remainder of his term; Senator Karen Wishner from the Graduate School of Oceanography, replacing Senator Tom Rossby for the remainder of his term, Senator Harry Knickle, College of Engineering, replacing Senator Wayne Lee for the spring semester; and Senator Leslie Mahler from the College of Human Science and Services replacing Senator Dana Kovarsky for the spring semester.

2) Chairperson Rice introduced two student representatives of the American Cancer Society’s “Relay for Life” at URI, who reported on the April 27-28 relay at URI.  They encouraged faculty members to participate.

3) Chairperson Rice announced that President Carothers has indicated that he plans to propose a resolution in support of House Bill 5230 as part of his report.  He said that copies of the Bill were being distributed to Senators who had not obtained them prior to the start of the meeting.
    
4) Chairperson Rice announced that Dean Dayle Joseph from the College of Nursing and Dean Jayne Richmond from University College had graciously agreed to sponsor the reception that afternoon. He thanked Dean Joseph and Dean Richmond on behalf of the Senate and encouraged everyone to meet at the University Club immediately following the Faculty Senate meeting.

B. Vice Chairperson Luebke said that the Minutes of Executive Committee Meetings #13 through #17 appeared on pages 4-20 of the Agenda and asked if there were any questions. There were none.

C. Vice Chairperson Luebke said that the Minutes of the November 2, 2006 meeting of the JSPC appeared on pages 21-22 of the Agenda and asked if there were any questions. There were none.

D. Vice Chairperson Luebke announced that there were three recommendations of the Executive Committee on the Agenda.  She then moved approval of the following:

1) That the Faculty Senate appoint Professor Celia MacDonnell and Professor Karen Ramsay to the Search Committee for the Vice Provost for Enrollment Management.

The motion carried.

Vice Chairperson Luebke moved approval of the following recommendation:

2) That the Faculty Senate respond to President Carothers’ veto of Bill #06-07--10 by establishing an ad hoc committee to review 8.87.10 and 8.87.11 with the intention of crafting new legislation that would satisfy both the Administration and the Faculty Senate as recommended in the FSEC’s Report #06-07-3 which appeared on pages 23-24 of the Agenda.  

The motion carried.  

Vice Chairperson Luebke then moved that the Faculty Senate approve the charge to and membership of the Joint Classroom Steering Committee as recommended in the FSEC’s Report #06-07-4:

3) 5.85.10 The Joint Classroom Steering Committee  (JCSC) shall serve as a steering group to the functional areas that manage and have responsibility for classroom upkeep and planning (ITMS, Enrollment Services, and Business Services).  The committee shall be responsible for the development of plans for all aspects of classroom planning and management, including, but not limited to, the development and management of a single classroom data-base, the establishment and updating of design standards, scheduling and planning, assessment of needs for classroom refurbishments and setting priorities, maintenance and ongoing management of classrooms and the coordination of resources for classroom upkeep and improvement.  This committee shall also monitor progress and the execution of these plans.  This committee shall be comprised of representatives from enrollment services, instructional technology, space planning, business services, property, facilities, the university architect, the president, the provost, and at least three representative of the faculty, one of whom shall be an academic department chair, appointed by the Faculty Senate. The chairperson shall be selected by the committee and confirmed by the Faculty Senate and the President.

5.85.11 The JCSC shall form appropriate subcommittees, chaired by the representatives of the offices and groups identified in 5.85.10.  These subcommittees shall meet regularly and report to the JCSC at each of its meetings.

5.85.12 The JCSC shall meet at least twice each semester and shall report annually to the Faculty Senate on the status of classrooms at the University.

Discussion ensued.

Following discussion, Vice Provost Bozylinsky requested and received permission to replace “ITMS” editorially with “MTS” in section 5.85.10.

After discussion, the motion carried.

E. Senator Kowalski reported on the progress of the University’s NEASC Accreditation Self-Study and responded to questions from the floor. He noted that the issue of monitoring “institutional effectiveness” had been raised in each of the NEASC Standards and that he hoped the Faculty Senate would approve language that would assign responsibility for oversight of institutional effectiveness to the JSPC at a subsequent meeting. Senator Kowalski announced that Vice Chairperson Luebke would provide an update to the Senate on her subcommittee’s preliminary findings.
        
Vice Chairperson Luebke, Chair of the Academic Program Subcommittee reported on the work of her committee.
       
Following Vice Chairperson Luebke’s report, discussion ensued on the NEASC Self-Study.

A. President Carothers expressed his appreciation to Senator Kowalski and Dean Beckman and all of the members of the University community that have been working on the Self-Study.

President Carothers said, as indicated on the Agenda, that with the exception of Bill #06-07--10 which had been discussed earlier, he had approved the legislation that had been forwarded to him after the December 14 Faculty Senate Meeting.  He thanked the Faculty Senate Executive Committee for their willingness to work with the administration to revise UNIVERSITY MANUAL sections 8.87.10-11 on Abolition of Programs.

President Carothers announced that Vice Chairperson Barbara Luebke had agreed to replace Professor Yngve Ramstad as the chair of the Athletics Advisory Board and as URI’s Faculty Athletics Representative to the NCAA

B. At President Carothers’ request, copies of the Department of Administration’s outline of the Governors’ Executive Order with regard to furloughs and layoffs were distributed. President Carothers then reported on the Executive Order and on efforts by state unions, URI’s administration, the Commissioner and Board of Governors, as well as heads other Rhode Island agencies, to limit the effect of the proposed furloughs and layoffs or convince Governor Carcieri and the Department of Administration to rescind the order.  He responded to questions from the floor.

President Carothers reported briefly on House Bill H5230 (see http://www.rilin.state.ri.us/BillText/BillText07/HouseText07/H5230.pdf). He said that the URI administration was in full support of the Bill and indicated that he would support a resolution endorsing H5230.

Discussion ensued.

Following discussion, Senator Kowalski moved that the Faculty Senate
express support for H5230. The motion carried.

President Carothers introduced Vice President Weygand, whom he had asked to report to the Senate on the proposed Research Foundation and changes in regulations regarding Research Purchasing.

C. Vice President Weygand reported on progress on the University’s changes in research purchasing (see http://www.uri.edu/facsen/Research_Purchasing.pdf) and efforts to establish a Research Foundation (see http://www.rilin.state.ri.us/BillText/BillText07/HouseText07/H5455.pdf) and plans for a Research Park. He then responded to questions from the floor.

A. Vice Chairperson Luebke introduced the Four Hundred Forty-Seventh Report of the Curricular Affairs Committee, which appeared on pages 28-30 of the Agenda and said that Section I was informational. There were no questions.
        
Vice Chairperson Luebke said that Section II required confirmation by the Faculty Senate and moved approval of Section II.  The motion carried.

Vice Chairperson Luebke announced that Section III was a joint report of the Curricular Affairs Committee and Graduate Council on 400-level courses. She said that the entire section was informational. There were no questions,

B. Vice Chairperson Luebke introduced the Four Hundred Forty-Eighth Report of the Curricular Affairs Committee: Proposal for a B.S. degree in Chemistry and Forensic Chemistry, which appeared on pages 31-39 of the Agenda and moved approval of the recommendation.  The motion carried.

 C. Vice Chairperson Luebke introduced the Four Hundred Forty-Ninth Report of the Curricular Affairs Committee, which appeared on pages 40-47 of the Agenda and said that Section I was informational. There were no questions.

Vice Chairperson Luebke corrected Section II, item A, 1, a by replacing “6” credits with “5” credits.  She said that Section II required confirmation and moved approval of Section II. The motion carried.

Vice Chairperson Luebke announced that Section III was a joint report of the Curricular Affairs Committee and Graduate Council on 400-level courses. She said that part A was informational.  There were no questions.

Vice Chairperson Luebke said that part B required confirmation by the Faculty Senate and moved approval.  The motion carried.

D.Dean Bibb presented Curricular Report No. 2006-2007-4 from the Graduate Council to the Faculty Senate, which appeared on page 48 of the Agenda.  He said that Section I was informational. There were no questions.

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

E. Dean Bibb presented Curricular Report No. 2006-2007-5 from the Graduate Council to the Faculty Senate, which appeared on page 49 of the Agenda.  He
said that the report required confirmation by the Faculty Senate and moved approval. The motion carried.

F. Senator Honhart introduced the University College and General Education Committee Report #2006-07-2, which appeared on page 50 of the Agenda. Professor Honhart moved approval of UCGE Report #06-07-2. The motion carried.
    
G. Senator Beauvais introduced the Academic Standards and Calendar Committee Report #2006-07-1, which appeared on pages 51-53 of the Agenda.  She announced that on behalf of the committee she was removing the proposed calendar for 2012-13 and would bring a revised proposal to the Senate in March.

Senator Beauvais said that Section I was an informational report and asked if there were any questions.  There were none.    

Senator Beauvais moved approval of Section II, items A, B, C, and D.

Discussion ensued.

Following discussion, Senator Leo moved to refer recommendation A to committee for clarification.

After discussion, the motion to refer to committee carried.

The Senate voted immediately on recommendations B, C, and D.  The motion carried.

H. Dean Beckman introduced the Report of the Council for Research on the Establishment of the URI Center for Molecular Toxicology, which appeared on pages 54-59 of the Agenda.  She then moved approval of the recommendation for the establishment of the URI Center for Molecular Toxicology.  The motion carried.  

Chairperson Rice asked if there was any unfinished business.  There was none.

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

A motion was made to adjourn.  The motion carried.

Respectfully submitted,
                                        

Sheila Black Grubman