UNIVERSITY
OF
RHODE ISLAND
FACULTY
SENATE
MINUTES
Faculty
Senate Meeting - February 19, 2009
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 fallÕs 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.
3.
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