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Scenes from Faculty Senate

Minutes for Faculty Senate Meetings

February 24, 2005

Number 6

1. The regular meeting of the Faculty Senate was called to order at 3:06 p.m. in the Cherry Auditorium, Chester Kirk Building, Chairperson Boudreaux-Bartels presiding.

All members were present except Senators Barbour, Cohen, Dicioccio, Ferszt, Ginis, Hu, Kirschenbaum, Manfredi, Oviatt, Preece, Rowinski and Tyrell; Vice Presidents Beagle and Dougan; Deans Farmer, Joseph, Letendre, Mazze, Richmond and Taggart, (Dean Seemann was represented by his designee); Mr. Sutherland and Mr. Lopes.

2. Chairperson Boudreaux-Bartels asked if there were any additions or corrections to or questions about the Minutes of Faculty Senate Meeting #5, January 27, 2005. There were none.

Chairperson Boudreaux-Bartels ruled that in the absence of additions or corrections, the Minutes were approved as distributed.

3. REPORTS OF OFFICERS AND EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

A. Announcements:

  1. Chairperson Boudreaux-Bartels announced that a series of workshops, facilitated by Dr. Peggy Maki on Student Learning Outcomes Assessment, have been scheduled for later this spring. She said that each of the workshops will be held at the University Club and is intended for faculty members who have specific interests and concerns. Following are the dates and times of the workshops:

    Thursday, March 3rd, University Club
       8 - 11 a.m. Accredited Programs Refining Assessment plans, tools & evaluations. This is geared for intermediate to advanced audiences.
       2 - 4:30 p.m. Assessment 101. This is for novice assessment audiences.

    Chairperson Boudreaux-Bartels said that the following workshops focus on assessment plans, tools and evaluations and are geared to novice and intermediate audiences:

    Tuesday, March 22nd, University Club
       8 - 11 a.m. Science Programs
       2 - 4:30 p.m. Social Science Programs

    Thursday, April 7th, University Club
       8 - 11 a.m. Arts & Humanities Programs
       2 - 4:30 p.m. Co-Curricular Programs

    Chairperson Boudreaux-Bartels encouraged members of the Senate to note that additional workshops have been scheduled for the following dates, topics and times to be announced:
       Thursday, May 26th, University Club
       Friday, October 7th, University Club
       Friday, December 2nd - all three institutions, location to be announced.

  2. Chairperson Boudreaux-Bartels reported that the Executive Committee was concerned that reports for Senate Agenda are received in adequate time to be included in the printed Agenda. She said that reports were due in the Faculty Senate Office fifteen days before the scheduled meeting and that this deadline applies to web based materials as well as printed items.

    Chairperson Boudreaux-Bartels said that the Executive Committee was considering the pros and cons of printing only the Agenda cover and having enclosures solely on the web and not in printed form. She encouraged Senators to forward their comments and suggestions about the possibility of such a change to members of the Executive Committee.

  3. Chairperson Boudreaux-Bartels thanked Dean Nassersharif from the College of Engineering who was the sponsor of the reception that afternoon. She encouraged everyone to gather at the University Club after the meeting.

B. Vice Chairperson Rosen said that the minutes of Executive Committee Meetings #17, #18, and #19 appeared on pages 3-13 of the Agenda. He asked if there were any questions.

President Carothers, Provost Swan, Chairperson Boudreaux-Bartels, Vice Chairperson Rosen and Professor Loy, Chair of the Academic Standards and Calendar Committee, all responded to questions about the minutes.

C. Vice Chairperson Rosen announced that the minutes from the Joint Strategic Planning Committee's December 2, 2004 meeting appeared on pages 14-15 of the Agenda. He asked if there were any questions. There were none.

D. Chairperson Boudreaux-Bartels announced that Vice Chairperson Rosen had no recommendations on behalf of the Executive Committee at that time.

E. Senator Kowalski reported on the results of the Executive Committee's survey, which appeared on pages 16 to 21 of the Agenda.

Discussion ensued.

Following discussion, Senator Kowalski moved approval of the following resolution recommended by the Executive Committee which had been changed editorially from the one that appeared on page 17 at the request of a Senator who could not be present at the meeting: (see underlined)

Resolved, that the 2005-06 Faculty Senate Executive Committee and subsequent FSEC's

  • are urged to continue development of survey instruments to help identify major concerns of faculty, students, staff, and administrators;
  • are urged to enlist the help of faculty experts in the design, development, and administration of such instruments;
  • are urged to retain some form of open endedness in the instruments;
  • are urged to consider administering such instruments during the spring semester of each academic year;
  • are urged to distribute the results generally as well as to specific individuals and campus organizations which may be able to make use of or respond to them;
  • and are urged to consider the results of surveys to help guide the activities of this and future FSECs and Senates.

Discussion ensued.

Following discussion, the resolution carried.

4. REPORT OF THE PRESIDENT

A. President Carothers noted, as indicated on the Agenda, that he had approved all of the legislation forwarded to him after the last Faculty Senate Meeting. He said that two of the bills #04-05--10 and 04-05--12 would follow the regular approval process through the Board of Governors. He noted that Bill #04-05--9 was being brought forward under a shortened procedure that might make the process more expeditious. He expressed his appreciation for Commissioner Warner's help in moving the proposal forward.

B. President Carothers said that he had attended a press conference that morning with Senator Reed with regard to Pell grants and other aspects of funding for higher education. He also said that he had been in Washington recently and had an opportunity to meet with legislators and representatives of the US Department of Education.

He reported on President Bush's budget as it affects higher education. He noted that while the federal agenda is focused on access, those programs which have traditionally helped disadvantaged students, such as the Perkins Loan and Grant programs, are being eliminated. In addition, eligibility for Pell Grants is becoming more difficult.

President Carothers said that there appeared to be an effort to extend the 'No Child Left Behind' concept to higher education, which was reflected in a great deal of concern about the difficulty most students have transferring credits from one institution to another nationally.

President Carothers and Provost Swan then responded to questions from members of the Senate.

5. REPORTS OF STANDING AND SPECIAL COMMITTEES

A. Vice Provost Trubatch presented Curricular Report No. 2004-05-3 from the Graduate Council to the Faculty Senate, which appeared on pages 22-23 of the Agenda.

Vice Provost Trubatch noted that Section I, including item A in Section II was informational and asked if there were any questions. There were none.

Vice Provost Trubatch moved approval of the following motion which appeared as Section II B:

The Graduate Council recommends that a new classification category be developed for any new program such as post-baccalaureate certificate programs where no additional funding resources are necessary.

Discussion ensued.

Following discussion, Senator Kowalski moved to refer the recommendation to the Constitution, By-Laws and University Manual Committee for consideration and a recommendation for appropriate language.

After discussion, an instruction to consult with the Graduate Council to clarify the intended language was added to the motion editorially.

Following discussion, the motion to refer item B to the Constitution, By-Laws and University Manual Committee with instructions carried.

B. Vice Provost Trubatch introduced Curricular Report No. 2004-05-3A from the Graduate Council to the Faculty Senate: Proposal for a Doctor of Physical Therapy Degree which appeared on pages 25 to 37 of the Agenda.

Vice Provost Trubatch moved approval of the Graduate Council's recommendation that the proposal for the DPT degree be approved in the Class A* category.

Discussion ensued.

Following discussion, the motion carried.

C. Vice Provost Trubatch introduced Curricular Report No. 2004-05-4 from the Graduate Council to the Faculty Senate, which appeared on page 38 of the Agenda. She said that Section I was informational and asked if there were any questions. There were none.

Vice Provost Trubatch said that Section II required confirmation and moved its approval. The motion carried.

D. Vice Provost Trubatch introduced Curricular Report No. 2004-05-5 from the Graduate Council to the Faculty Senate, which appeared on pages 39 to 42 of the Agenda. She said that Section I was informational and asked if there were any questions. There were none.

Vice Provost Trubatch said that Section II required confirmation and moved its approval. The motion carried.

E. Vice Provost Trubatch introduced Curricular Report No. 2004-05-5A from the Graduate Council to the Faculty Senate: Proposal for a Ph.D. in Computer Science Degree, which appeared on pages 43-57 of the Agenda.

Vice Provost Trubatch moved the Graduate Council's recommendation that the proposal for the Ph.D. in Computer Science Degree be approved. She said that in the absence of approval of the Council's recommendation for a new category for programs that had no additional resources attached to them, the proposal was recommended in the Class A* category.

Following discussion, the motion carried.

F. Professor Loy introduced the Academic Standards and Calendar Committee Report #04-05-2, which appeared on page 58 of the Agenda. He explained that the recommendation was for a proposed Summer Session Calendar for 2006 only, noting that the Summer Session Calendar for 2005 had been approved.

Professor Loy then moved approval of the proposed Summer Session Calendar for 2006.

Discussion ensued.

Following discussion, the motion carried. (The approved calendar for summer 2006 is attached to the Minutes of this meeting.)

6. SPECIAL REPORT

Chairperson Boudreaux-Bartels introduced Ms. Anne Newman, the University Planner, who presented a Report on the Classroom Utilization Study. Ms. Newman used a series of slides and responded to questions about the classroom study.

Ms. Newman then reported on the Policy on Allocation and Utilization of Space using a series of slides. (The Policy on Allocation and Utilization of Space is on the web at http://www.uri.edu/facsen/URISPACE_POLICY.html)

She asked if there were any questions about the space policy. There were none.

7. UNFINISHED BUSINESS

Chairperson Boudreaux-Bartels asked if there was any unfinished business. There was none.

8. NEW BUSINESS

Chairperson Boudreaux-Bartels asked if there was any new business.

Senator Leo moved approval of the following resolution:

WHEREAS The University of Rhode Island states, in its legally binding equal opportunity policy, that "The University of Rhode Island prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, sex, religion, age, color, creed, national origin, handicap, or sexual orientation, and discrimination against disabled and Vietnam Era veterans, in the recruitment, admission, or treatment of students...", and

WHEREAS There are questions and urgent concerns when these unambiguous and legally binding policies are violated and not enforced with respect to sexual orientation, specifically the use of the office and services of Career Services on the URI campus by military recruiters and interviewers operating under the cover of the so-called "Don't ask, don't tell" policy affecting gays in the military,

THEREFORE We urge vehemently that the President of the University reaffirm its current non-discrimination policy and that he enforce its current prohibitions against discrimination to the fullest possible legal extent with respect to military recruitment on the campus.

Discussion ensued.

Following discussion, Vice Chairperson Rosen moved that consideration of the resolution be postponed definitely until the Faculty Senate meeting of March 24, 2005.

The motion to postpone definitely carried.

The meeting was adjourned at 4:58 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,
Sheila Black Grubman




Academic Standards and Calendar Committee Report #04-05-2
Proposed Summer Session Calendar 2006
Summer 2005 2006 (Proposed)
SS I & II On-Line Registration Opens for both Summer Session I and II. Feb 25 Feb 24
SS I Cancellation Day May 18 May 17
Wednesday beore classes begin.
SS I Term I Begins May 23 May 22
SS I Last day to ADD and to ADD Pass/Fail Option May 27 May 26
SS I Memorial Day - No Classes May 30 May 29
SS I Make up Monday classes - following Friday June 3 June 2
SS I Last day to Drop GRD and UGRD June 3 June 2
SS I Mid Semester June 8 June 7
SS I Term I Classes End and Exams Given Week of June 20 Week of June 19
SS II Cancellation day June 22 June 21
SS II Wednesday before classes begin.
SS II Term II Begins June 27 June 26
SS I Summer Session I Grade Reports Mailed/Available on the Web July 1 June 30
SS II Last Day to ADD and to ADD Pass/Fail Option July 1 June 30
SS II 4th of July - No Classes July 4 July 4
SS II Make up classes due to holiday July 8 July 7
SS II Last day to Drop GRD and UGRD July 8 July 7
SS II Mid Semester July 13 July 12
SS II Term II Classes End and Exams Given Week of July 25 Week of July 24
SS II Summer Session II Grade Reports Mailed/Available on the Web August 19 August 18


* 8.85.30 Classification. When new programs are approved by the Faculty Senate, approval may be classified as follows: approval Class A will mean that the program is deemed to be of such merit as to justify the recommendation of the immediate allocation of funds for its implementation; approval Class B would recommend that proposed new programs compete for resources on an equal basis with all other University activities; approval Class C would recommend funding of the proposed new program should additional funds be made available to the University.