UNIVERSITY OF RHODE ISLAND
Faculty Senate

MINUTES
Faculty Senate Meeting – February 21, 2008

A. Announcements

1) Chairperson Miller said that the Faculty Senate Office had asked him to make an editorial correction to the cover of the Agenda.  The two resolutions listed under item 4 A should be numbered 1 and 2 rather than 2 and 3.   

2) Chairperson Miller said that he wanted to thank Dean Jeff Seemann, of the College of the Environment and Life Sciences, who was sponsoring the reception that afternoon.  He said that since Dean Seemann was unable to participate himself, Associate Dean Nixon would serve as host. He invited everyone to join Associate Dean Nixon at the University Club after the Faculty Senate meeting.

B. Vice Chairperson Martin said that the Minutes of Executive Committee Meetings #16 through #18 appeared on pages 3-11 of the Agenda and asked if there were any questions.

Discussion ensued during which Chairperson Miller, Vice Chairperson Martin, Senator Beauvais, and Senator Ordonez responded to questions about the Executive Committee minutes.

A. President Carothers said that he had approved all of the legislation forwarded to him after the January Faculty Senate meeting and noted that Bill #07-08—16, ”Curricular Report No. 2007-08-1A from the Graduate Council to the Faculty Senate:  Proposal for a Master of Arts Degree in Special Education,” had been forwarded to the Board of Governors who have already begun to solicit comments from other institutions of Higher Education in the State.  President Carothers said that since the proposal had already been endorsed by Rhode Island College, he expected a positive response to the posting.

B. President Carothers announced that Representative Langevin had been on campus all day meeting with various faculty members involved in research.  He said that he was pleased to have had the opportunity to tell Congressman Langevin how much the University appreciates all of his efforts on our behalf.

He also reported on URI’s recent and future hosting of movie crews on campus and the excitement they bring to the community.

The President briefly outlined the expected effects of the state’s current and projected shortfall.  He said that despite the pending budget problems, he felt optimistic about the legislature’s willingness to listen to new ideas for funding and oversight of higher education.  He noted that he had written an opinion piece about the need for a new look at state funding of Higher Education that he hoped would be in that Sunday’s edition of The Providence Journal.            

President Carothers then responded to questions from the floor.

A. Senator Honhart presented the Four Hundred Fifty-Eighth Report of the Curricular Affairs Committee, which appeared on pages 12-16 of the Agenda.

Senator Honhart noted that Section I was informational.  There were no questions.

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

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

Senator Honhart moved approval of part B of Section III.  

Discussion ensued.  

Following discussion the motion carried.

B. Senator Honhart presented the Four Hundred Fifty-Ninth Report of the Curricular Affairs Committee, which appeared on pages 17-22 of the Agenda.  He explained that Section I was an informational report on the Curricular Affairs Committee’s consideration of matters related to the NEASC Standard on public disclosure with regard to the catalog.  He asked if there were any questions.

Discussion ensued.

Senator Honhart said that Section II required confirmation by the Faculty Senate and moved approval.  

Discussion ensued.

Following discussion, Senator Juda moved to amend Section II by moving MAF 472 from item D to item B.

Discussion ensued.  Following discussion, the amendment carried.

Discussion of Section II resumed.  

Following discussion, Senator Betensky requested and received permission to postpone further consideration of Section II be postponed pending consideration of Section III.

Senator Honhart moved approval of Section III.

Discussion ensued.  

Following discussion Senator Betensky moved that the proposed amendments to 8.81.63 not be approved.

Following discussion and with the consent of Senator Betensky and members of the Senate, Chairperson Miller ruled that the Senate did not have to consider the amendments to section 8.81.63.  The Senate moved immediately to consideration of the proposed amendments to section 8.81.62.

Discussion ensued. 

Following discussion, the motion carried.

The approved section 8.81.62 of the UNIVERSITY MANUAL effective for the 2008-09 academic year as follows (additions are in boldface, deletions are crossed-out):

8.81.62 A course not taught for four two successive calendar years and not scheduled for the third year shall be deleted from the curricular offerings unless its retention can be justified. The Scheduling Officer shall determine annually which courses have not been given in the previous four two successive academic years. The Office of Enrollment Services shall furnish to the Curricular Affairs Committee and the Graduate Council a full list of such courses. These committees shall notify the appropriate department chairpersons and academic deans of the courses under their jurisdiction that are on the list. The committees shall rule on the justification submitted to them by the department chairpersons and/or the academic deans and report their rulings to the Faculty Senate for confirmation.

The Senate returned to consideration of Section II.

A motion was made to terminate debate.  The motion carried.

The Senate voted immediately on the main motion as amended.  The motion carried.

C. Vice Provost Pasquerella presented the Curricular Report No. 2007-08-4 from the Graduate Council to the Faculty Senate, which appeared on pages 24-27 of the Agenda.   

Vice Provost Pasquerella said that Section I of the Report was informational and asked if there were any questions.  There were none.

Vice Provost Pasquerella corrected Section II editorially. She then moved approval of Section II as corrected.  The motion carried.

D. In Professor Hicks’ absence, Senator Meagher Smith presented the University College and General Education Committee Report #07-08-3, which appeared on pages 28-29 of the Agenda.

Senator Meagher Smith moved approval of recommendation I.  The motion carried.
            
Senator Meagher Smith moved approval of recommendation II.  The motion carried.

Senator Meagher Smith moved approval of recommendation III.  The motion carried.

E. Senator DiCioccio introduced the Academic Standards and Calendar Committee Report 2007-08-2, which appeared on pages 30-31 of the Agenda.

Senator DiCioccio moved approval of the proposed revised calendar for Fall 2010.  

Discussion ensued.

Following discussion, the motion carried.

The approved calendar for Fall 2010 is attached to the Minutes of the meeting.