Minutes for Faculty Senate Meetings

March 26, 2009

Number 6

1. The regular meeting of the Faculty Senate was called to order at 3:05 p.m. in the Cherry Auditorium, Chester Kirk Building, Vice Chairperson Costello presiding.

All members were present except Senators Adams, Baudet, Baxter, Forrester, Forrester, Hazera, Jenkins, Kook, Loy, Martin, O'Brien, Rothstein, Roworth, Ruemmele, Sodhi, Watts, Wilson and Wittwer; Vice President Beagle Vice Provost Katz (Vice Provost McCray was represented by his designee); Deans Bonn, Farmer, Higgins, Joseph, Maslyn, Richmond and Wright (Deans Brownell and Seemann; were represented by their designees); Mr. Ahrens and Mr. Freeman. 2. Vice Chairperson Costello announced that the Minutes of Faculty Senate Meeting #5, February 19, 2009 were distributed by e-mail and are accessible on the web. She said that the Minutes had been corrected by removing Senator Betensky from the list of absent senators because she did attend the meeting. She asked if there were any additions or further corrections to or comments about the Minutes as corrected. There were none.

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

3. REPORTS OF OFFICERS AND EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

A. Announcements

Vice Chairperson Costello announced that she was chairing the meeting because Chairperson Celest Martin is attending a full-day meeting of the Presidential Search Committee.

Chairperson Costello said that she had a few upcoming events to announce:

a) Tomorrow, March 27, at noon, Vice President Alfonso is sponsoring an informal discussion about opportunities presented to researchers as a result of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). This discussion will be held in the Hardge Forum of the Multicultural center.

b) Ask Not, a documentary film on the history and costs of the U.S. military's "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy will be shown Tuesday, March 31 at 7:30 p.m. in the Galanti Lounge. A discussion will follow the viewing of the film.

c) A team from the Wabash Study of Liberal Arts Education will be at URI on April 1, 2009 to review the goals of the Wabash Study, examine first year results from URI, and discuss national trend data regarding freshmen student experiences in higher education.

Senators are invited to join the discussion from 2:30 - 3:30, in the 4th floor auditorium in Lippitt Hall. If you cannot make this session, consider joining a 10 - 11:30 session in the Multicultural Center Hardge Forum.

d) The Journalism Department invites faculty and students to the 2nd annual Amanpour lecture on Tuesday, April 7, at 7 p.m. in Swan Hall auditorium. The speaker will be Elizabeth Rubin, the Edward R. Murrow Fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations and a contributing writer for The New York Times Magazine. Ms. Rubin has just returned from Afghanistan.

e) We are planning a faculty and staff reception in honor of President Carothers on April 30 from 1-2 p.m. in the Ryan Center, Alumni Room. If you want to speak, or to suggest faculty speakers, please contact Celest Martin, who will coordinate this event. You may contact her by calling the Faculty Senate Office at 874-2616, or by e-mail: celestmartin614@gmail.com.

Immediately following the reception, from 2- 4 that afternoon there will be a student, faculty and staff celebration in honor of President Carothers in the Ryan Center.
Vice Chairperson Costello expressed the Executive Committee's appreciation to Dean Higgins from the College of Business Administration 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.

B. Senator Ordonez said that the Minutes of Executive Committee Meetings #17, #18 and #19 had been distributed by e-mail and noted that they were accessible on the web. She asked if there were any questions. There were none.

C. Recommendations of the Executive Committee:

Senator Ordonez moved that the Faculty Senate adopt the following Resolution regarding H5353:

BE IT RESOLVED: That the Faculty Senate of the University of Rhode Island supports H5353 as proposed by Representative Diaz in the current legislative session. (http://www.uri.edu/facsen/H5353.pdf)

Discussion ensued.

Following discussion the motion carried.

Vice Chairperson Costello introduced President Carothers who had asked to speak about the proposed Research Park prior to the Senate's consideration of the second recommendation of the Executive Committee.

Carothers then provided the Faculty Senate with a brief overview of the background of the Research Park concept at URI, which dated back to 2004.
Vice Chairperson Costello announced that before the Executive Committee offered a revised recommendation on the Research Park, Vice President Alfonso, Mr. Frisbie-Fulton and Dean Killingbeck had been invited to bring the Senate up to date on the issue from each of their perspectives.

Following the presentations, Senator Ordonez moved approval of the first part of the two-part resolution recommended by the Faculty Senate Executive Committee, which was different from the resolution on the printed Agenda:

In consideration of faculty concerns raised during the Provost's Academic Summit (especially session 8) and in consideration of the substantial negative impacts that site selection for the research park could impose on existing academic coursework, research and scholarship affecting over 1200 students annually,

BE IT RESOLVED that an Ad Hoc Committee of the Faculty Senate comprised of not fewer than five faculty, along with student representatives, be immediately appointed to collaborate with the University Administration in order to evaluate a location for the research park that sustains and preserves the irreplaceable Natural Outdoor Laboratory, including the Century Forest at URI, as an actively used resource for research and teaching. We ask that the specific site-definition or site-selection process be postponed until this Ad Hoc Committee can provide input.

Discussion ensued.

When the time for discussion expired, Senator Malik moved to extend debate for 10 additional minutes. The motion to extend debate carried.

Discussion resumed on the main motion.

After discussion, Senator Lee moved to amend the paragraph to read as follows:

BE IT RESOLVED that an Ad Hoc Committee of the Faculty Senate comprised of not fewer than five faculty, along with student representatives, be immediately appointed to collaborate with the University Administration in order to evaluate a location for the research park. The work of the committee is to be completed within 30 days from today.

Discussion ensued.

After discussion the amendment carried 14-12.

Vice Chairperson Costello announced that the 10-minute extension had expired.

Senator Leo moved to extend debate for an additional five minutes. The motion failed for lack of a second.

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

Senator Ordonez moved approval of the second resolution recommended by the Executive Committee:

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Provost, the Vice President for Administration and the Vice President for Research and Economic Development collaborate with an Ad Hoc Faculty Senate Committee to review priorities for the character of the Research Park and facilities to be established.

Discussion ensued.

Following discussion, the motion carried.

D. Vice Chairperson Costello explained that Chairperson Martin was not at the Faculty Senate meeting that afternoon because she was with the Search Committee, interviewing the second round of candidates. After today, eight candidates will have been interviewed, and by the end of today, the Search Committee is expecting to narrow down to the final three, who will then be brought to campus for the interview process here. Final candidates will also visit the Providence Campus for interviews.

4. REPORT OF THE PRESIDENT

President Carothers said that he had no further comments at that time.

5. REPORTS OF STANDING AND SPECIAL COMMITTEES

A. Professor Mundorf presented the Four Hundred Sixty-Eighth Report of the Curricular Affairs Committee, which appeared on the web at http://www.uri.edu/facsen/468_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.

B. Professor Mundorf presented the Four Hundred Sixty-Ninth Report of the Curricular Affairs Committee: Proposal for a Bachelor of Science Degree in Pharmaceutical Sciences (B.S.P.S.), which appeared on the web at http://www.uri.edu/facsen/469_CAC_BSPS.pdf.

He moved that the Faculty Senate approve the proposed B. S. Degree in Pharmaceutical Sciences at the Class B Level. *

Discussion ensued.

Following discussion, the motion carried.

*8.85.30 Classification of Programs for which funding is required. 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.

C. Dean Killingbeck presented the Curricular Report No. 2008-2009-7 from the Graduate Council to the Faculty Senate, which appeared on the web at http://www.uri.edu/facsen/GC_CURRICULAR_REPORT_08-09-7.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. In the absence of Senator Hicks, who had left for another commitment, Vice Provost Beauvais presented the University College and General Education Committee Report 08-09-3 which appeared on the web at http://www.uri.edu/facsen/UCGE_08-09-3.pdf. She explained that Section I was informational and that Section II required confirmation by the Faculty Senate. She moved approval of Section II. The motion carried.

E. Senator DiCioccio presented the Academic Standards and Calendar Committee Report #2008-09-2, which appeared on the web at http://www.uri.edu/facsen/AS&C_08-09-2.pdf. She said that Section I was informational and asked if there were any questions. There were none.

Senator DiCioccio said that Section 2 required confirmation by the Faculty Senate and moved approval of the first recommendation. The motion carried.

Senator DiCioccio moved approval of the second recommendation. The motion carried.

Senator DiCioccio moved approval of the committee's third recommendation. The motion carried.

F. Professor Kinnie presented the Annual Report of the Teaching Effectiveness Committee for 2008-09, which appeared on the web at http://www.uri.edu/facsen/TEC_Report_08-09.pdf. He asked if there were any questions. There were none.

Professor Kinnie then moved approval of the Teaching Effectiveness Committee's recommendation that that the University adopt and implement fully the plan (Comprehensive Plan: Advising for Student Academic Success from Admissions to Graduation) and support the ongoing efforts of University College toward that end. The motion carried.

G. Professor Luebke presented the Annual Report of the Athletics Advisory Board to the Faculty Senate for 2008-09 and responded to questions about her report. She said that the text of her report would be available on the web the next day. (See http://www.uri.edu/facsen/AAB_3-26-09.pdf)

6. UNFINISHED BUSINESS

Vice Chairperson Costello asked if there was any unfinished business. There was none.

7. NEW BUSINESS

Vice Chairperson Costello asked if there was any new business. There was none.

A motion was made to adjourn. The motion carried.

The meeting was adjourned at 4:40 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,
Sheila Black Grubman