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Scenes from Faculty Senate

Minutes for Faculty Senate Meetings

February 19, 2009

Number 5

1. The regular meeting of the Faculty Senate was called to order at 3:10 p.m. in the Cherry Auditorium, Chester Kirk Building, Chairperson Martin presiding.

All members were present except Senators Baudet, Blanthorne, Fastovsky, Forrester, Hedderich, Irvine, Kook, Kovarsky, R. Lee, Y. Lee, Roush, Ruemmele, Sodhi, Swallow, Thiem, Watts, and Wilson; President Carothers; Vice Presidents Beagle and Weygand; Vice Provosts Bozylinsky and Katz (Vice Provost McCray was represented by his designee); Deans Bonn, Farmer, Higgins, Maslyn and Seemann; Mr. Freeman.

2. Chairperson Martin asked if there were any additions or corrections to or questions about the Minutes of Faculty Senate Meeting #4, December 18, 2008. There were none.

Chairperson Martin ruled that in the absence of any additions or corrections, the Minutes were approved as distributed.

3. REPORTS OF OFFICERS AND EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

A. Announcements

  1. Chairperson Martin welcomed Senators and noted that since the January 29 meeting had been cancelled that it was the first Faculty Senate meeting of the spring semester.

    Chairperson Martin introduced welcomed Dr. Laura Beauvais, Vice Provost for Faculty Affairs, who was the newest ex officio member of the Senate. She then introduced Senator Cynthia Willey, from the College of Pharmacy, who is joining us today as a replacement for Senator Brian Quilliam during the spring semester.

  2. Chairperson Martin announced that the second in the series of Faculty Forums on Learning and Discovery for the New Global Century is scheduled for Tuesday, March 3 from 3-5 in the University Club. She explained that the Forum will be following up on last falls session on teaching, this time looking at what we want the URI Graduate to know, be able to do and stand for. She said that Dr. Bette Erickson, Director of the IDP, graciously agreed to facilitate the discussion and explained that light refreshments would be available during the session.

    Chairperson Martin encouraged Senators to save the date, Thursday, April 16, for another Faculty Forum, this time more closely related to research in the global century.

  3. Chairperson Martin reminded Senators of about the presentation at the Faculty Senate last year on student veterans. She said that before she retired Vice President Fran Cohen formed a committee to address the needs of student veterans. This committee is co-chaired by Christine Dolan and Nancy Kelley from the College of Human Science and Services She explained that the committee is looking for more faculty participation and asked her to invite interested faculty members to contact either Christine at christine@uri.edu or Nancy at nkelley@uri.edu. She said that this effort will become more and more important as soldiers begin returning to higher education in greater numbers under the new GI Bill.

  4. Chairperson Martin said that Instructional Technology and Media Services (ITMS) is planning an educational technology Open House next Wednesday, February 25 from 9-3. They invite everyone to visit Chafee 217 during that time to meet the staff and find out about the technological possibilities for teaching that are available to the faculty.

  5. Chairperson Martin expressed the Executive Committee's appreciation to Dean Seemann from the College of the Environment and Life Sciences for agreeing to sponsor the reception that afternoon. She encouraged everyone to join the Executive Committee at the University Club after the Faculty Senate meeting.

4. REPORT OF THE PRESIDENT

Chairperson Martin announced that President Carothers was speaking in Minnesota at the funeral of a former colleague and asked Provost DeHayes to report on his behalf.

A. Provost DeHayes reported, that President Carothers had approved in January the legislation, which had been forwarded to him after the December Faculty Senate meeting,

B. Provost DeHayes said that President Carothers had asked him to inform the Faculty Senate about three matters related to the University's finances. He said that the University hoped to be able to close the year without further cuts if the Governor's supplemental Budget for FY'09 isn't reduced further by the legislature. He credited a number of factors for this: lower heating costs than expected, the emergency surcharge on students returning for the spring semester, and the efforts by Vice Provost Libutti and Dean Bonn and her staff to bring in a larger group of transfer students than in past springs.

Provost DeHayes reported that it is expected that the new economic stimulus package would provide additional support for students through increased funding through Pell Grants and tuition tax credits. He said that they were optimistic that faculty would be able to take advantage of research funds from the NIH, NSF and NASA. He encouraged faculty members to visit the websites of these agencies on a regular basis to be up-to-date on what is available.

Provost DeHayes explained that the University's Endowment, like endowments all over the country, has lost considerable value (about 24%) during the current financial crisis. As a result, the Foundation Board has recommended that there not be a payout from the endowment for FY 10. He said that the University would find a way to support faculty chairs, but there is concern about a loss of some scholarships funded through the URI Foundation. Because of the reduction in value of the endowment, RI law would also prevent the URI Foundation from spending from the accounts.

C. Chairperson Martin said that she had accidentally skipped over item 3 C, the report on the Presidential Search. She reported that the Search Committee had met on January 27 and planned to meet again on February 25 to begin to whittle down the pool of candidates. She noted that the Search Committee hoped to interview a small group of candidates off camps for two full days during the week of spring break. She said that the Search Committee hoped to be able to decide after the interviews on a short list of candidates to invite to campus for interviews in April.

She then responded to questions from the floor about the number of applications received and reviewed at the current times.

The Senate resumed its regular order of business.

5. REPORTS OF STANDING AND SPECIAL COMMITTEES

A. Professor Mundorf presented the Four Hundred Sixty-Sixth Report of the Curricular Affairs Committee, which appeared on the web at http://www.uri.edu/facsen/466_CAC.pdf. He noted that Section I was Informational and asked if there were any questions. There were none.

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

Professor Mundorf announced that Section III was a joint report of the CAC and Graduate Council on 400-level courses. He said that part A was informational and asked if there were any questions. There were none.

Professor Mundorf moved approval of part B of Section III. The motion carried.

B Professor Mundorf presented the Four Hundred Sixty-Seventh Report of the Curricular Affairs Committee, which appeared on the web at http://www.uri.edu/facsen/467_CAC.pdf. He said that the entire report required confirmation by the Faculty Senate and moved approval of the report.

Discussion ensued.

Following discussion, the motion carried.

C. Dean Killingbeck presented the Curricular Report No. 2008-2009-5 from the Graduate Council to the Faculty Senate, which appeared on the web at http://www.uri.edu/facsen/GC_CURRICULAR_REPORT_08-09-5.pdf. He explained that the first section of the report was informational and asked if there were any questions. There were none.

He said that the second section of the report required confirmation by the Faculty Senate and moved approval. The motion carried

D. Dean Killingbeck presented the Curricular Report No. 2008-2009-6 from the Graduate Council to the Faculty Senate, which appeared on the web at http://www.uri.edu/facsen/GC_CURRICULAR_REPORT_08-09-6.pdf. He explained that the first section of the report was informational and asked if there were any questions. There were none.

He said that the second section of the report required confirmation by the Faculty Senate and moved approval. The motion carried.

E. Senator DiCioccio presented the Academic Standards and Calendar Committee Report #2008-09-1: Add Period, which appeared on the web at http://www.uri.edu/facsen/AS&C_08-09-1.pdf.

She moved approval of the proposed Add Period Policy 8.33.11:

For fall and spring semesters, the open add period extends for 7 days. This will consist of the first seven calendar days of the semester. An additional 7 calendar-day late add period allows students the opportunity to add courses via permission numbers granted at the discretion of the faculty member or other identified office.

Discussion ensued.

Following discussion, the motion carried.

F. Senator Blissmer presented the recommendation of the Athletics Advisory Board, which appeared on the web at http://www.uri.edu/facsen/AAB_Feb_09.pdf.

He moved approval of the following proposed amendment to section 5.14.11 of the UNIVERSITY MANUAL (change is in boldface):

The Board shall be comprised of nine voting members: four faculty members, one undergraduate student, one graduate student, two alumni; the President shall appoint one additional faculty member to serve as the ninth member and chairperson. . . . The Director of Athletics, the Associate Director/Senior Woman Administrator, the Assistant Director of Recreational Services, the Vice Provost for Academic Affairs and the president of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee shall be ex officio non-voting members of the Board

Discussion ensued.

Following discussion, the motion carried.

6. SPECIAL FORUM

Provost DeHayes presented a series of slides on the January 30 Academic Planning Summit and the next steps. He said that the hoped the results of the discussions at the academic planning summit prepared by the facilitators would be on the web shortly. He said that he hoped members of the faculty would read the materials and react to them as part of an ongoing discussion. Provost DeHayes said that the next steps would be to follow up on some of the suggestions by establishing task forces to turn some of the proposals into pilot recommendations for possible actions. He responded to questions about his report. Provost DeHayes' PowerPoint presentation is available on the web at http://www.uri.edu/facsen/next_steps_planning.ppt.pdf.

7. UNFINISHED BUSINESS

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

8. NEW BUSINESS

Chairperson Martin asked if there was any new business.

Professor Derbyshire, who had requested permission to speak prior to the Faculty Senate meeting reported on H5167. (http://www.uri.edu/facsen/H5167.pdf)

Discussion ensued.

Following discussion, Senator Leo moved that the Faculty Senate endorse H5167.

Discussion ensued.

Following discussion, Senator Rosen moved to refer the motion to the Faculty Senate Executive Committee with instructions.

Discussion ensued.

Following discussion, the motion to refer to committee carried, 23-17; 2 abstentions were recorded.

A motion was made to adjourn. The motion carried.

The meeting was adjourned at 4:32 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,
Sheila Black Grubman