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Scenes from Faculty Senate

Minutes for Faculty Senate Meetings

May 13, 2010

Number 9

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

All members were present except Senators Baxter, Blanthorne, Cooper, Derbyshire, Fastovsky, Ferszt, Hannel, Husband, LaLuna, Lofgren, Roush, Shen, Swaszek, Tyler, Watts, Wills, Wittwer and Wu. Vice Presidents Alfonso, Beagle and Weygand; Vice Provosts Bozylinsky and McCray; Deans Bonn, Farmer, Joseph, Higgins, Maslyn, and Richmond. (Dean Brownell was represented by her designee) and Mr. Szczepanski.

2. The minutes for the April 29, 2010 meeting were not available for this meeting. They will be distributed and posted later and submitted for approval in the fall.

3. Reports of Officers and Executive Committee

A. Chairperson Swallow made the following announcements

  1. Chairperson Swallow reminded everyone that the Faculty Senate turned 50 years old yesterday and that this meeting is the organizational meeting of the 2010-11 Faculty Senate and the first meeting of the Senate's fifty-first year. He said that the following Senators were taking their seats at that meeting and asked those who were present to stand:

    Arts and Sciences
    Stephen Barber, English
    Kristine Bovy, Sociology and Anthropology
    Bob Dilworth, Art & Art History
    Gale Eaton (Library and Information Services
    Lutz Hamel Computer Science & Statistics
    Jan Northby, Physics
    Gerry Tyler, Political Science
    Pamela Warner, Art & Art History

    Business Administration
    Silvia Dorado
    Scott Lloyd

    Engineering
    Peter Swaszek, Electrical, Computer and Biomedical Engineering.
    William Palm, Mechanical Engineering

    Human Science and Services
    Lori Ciccomascolo: Kinesiology
    Susan Hannel: Textiles, Fashion Merchandising and Design

    Nursing
    Ginette Ferszt

    Pharmacy
    Marilyn Barbour, Pharmacy Practice
    Roberta King, Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences

    The Environment and Life Sciences
    Farhad Atash, Landscape Architecture
    David Fastovsky, Geosciences
    Nathaniel Mitkowski, Plant Sciences

    University Libraries
    Peter Larsen
    Sarina Wyant

  2. Chairperson Swallow thanked Dean Brownell for sponsoring the reception that afternoon. He encouraged everyone to come to the University Club after the Faculty Senate meeting.
  3. Chairperson Swallow thanked members of the 2009-10 Executive Committee, Vice Chairperson Ordonez and Senators Eaton, Honhart and Izenstark for their dedication to the Faculty Senate and their wisdom and support during this very busy academic year. He also praised Ms. Grubman for her dedication to the Faculty Senate.

    Chairperson Swallow then outlined for the Senate the accomplishments of the Executive Committee during the year. (Details of these accomplishments are available on the web at http://www.uri.edu/facsen/FSEC_Annual_Overview_May 13, 2010.htm)

  4. Chairperson Swallow announced that the Academic Standards and Calendar Committee wished to remind all faculty and departments that the fall semester begins with the Rosh Hashanah holiday. He said that all faculty and departments should be flexible in accommodating students and colleagues who wish to observe the holiday with their families. Among other concerns, this may require faculty to be particularly flexible about the normal attendance policies in the first several days of classes.

B. Professor DiCioccio, Chairperson of the Nominating Committee presented the Report of the Nominating Committee for Officers of the 2010-11 Faculty Senate, which appeared on the web at http://www.uri.edu/facsen/NomCom_10-11.pdf.

Professor DiCioccio placed in nomination for Chairperson the name of Stephen Swallow, Environmental and Natural Resource Economics

She asked if there were any nominations from the floor. There were none.

Nominations were closed.

Professor DiCioccio announced that Senator Stephen Swallow had been elected Chairperson of the 2010-11 Faculty Senate.

Professor DiCioccio placed in nomination for Vice Chairperson the name of Nancy Eaton, Mathematics

She asked if there were any nominations from the floor. There were none.

Nominations were closed.

Professor DiCioccio announced that Senator Nancy Eaton had been elected Vice Chairperson of the 2010-11 Faculty Senate.

Professor DiCioccio placed in nomination for the two, two-year terms on the 2010-11 Executive Committee the names of the following Senators:

  • Peter Larsen, Public Services, University Libraries
  • Marilyn Barbour, Pharmacy
  • Tom Morin, Languages
  • William Ohley, Electrical, Computer and Biomedical Engineering

She asked if there were any nominations from the floor. There were none.

Nominations were closed. The Senate proceeded to vote.

Professor DiCioccio announced that Senator Marilyn Barbour had been elected to one of the 2-year terms on the Executive Committee.

Professor DiCioccio announced that there was a tie between Senator Larsen and Senator Ohley for the second 2-year term. The Senate proceeded to vote again for the run-off vote between Senator Larsen and Senator Ohley.

Professor DiCioccio announced that Senator Peter Larsen had been elected to the second 2-year term on the Executive Committee.

Professor DiCioccio placed in nomination for the one 1-year term on the 2010-11 Executive Committee the names of the following Senators:

  • Lori Ciccomascolo, Kinesiology
  • Leon Thiem, Civil and Environmental Engineering

She asked if there were any nominations from the floor. Senator William Ohley was nominated from the floor.

Nominations were closed. The Senate proceeded to vote.

Professor DiCioccio announced that there was a tie between Senators Ciccomascolo and Ohley. The Senate proceeded to vote again for the run-off vote between Senator Ciccomascolo and Senator Ohley.

Professor DiCioccio announced that Senator Ciccomascolo had been elected to the one-year term on the Executive Committee. The Officers of the 2010-11 Faculty Senate are:

  • Stephen Swallow, Environmental & Natural Resource Economics (Chairperson)
  • Nancy Eaton, Mathematics, (Vice Chairperson)
  • Michael Honhart, History (second year of a two-year term)
  • Marilyn Barbour, Pharmacy (first year of a two-year term)
  • Peter Larsen, Public Services, University Libraries (first year of a two-year term)
  • Lori Ciccomascolo, Kinesiology (one year term)

Chairperson Swallow thanked the Nominating Committee and the tellers.

4. Report of the President

Provost DeHayes gave a brief report in the absence of President Dooley. He welcomed the new senators and expressed his appreciation to Chairperson Swallow and the members of the 2009-10 Executive Committee. He also congratulated the Faculty Senate for their 50-year anniversary.

The Provost reminded everyone that Commencement weekend was May 22-23, 2010 and thanked the faculty for their support of the graduating students. In addition, he noted that the quality of the incoming freshmen class was impressive.

5. Reports of Standing and Special Committees

A. Professor Mundorf presented the Four Hundred Seventy-Ninth Report of the Curricular Affairs Committee, which appeared on the web at http://www.uri.edu/facsen/479_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 noted that Section 3A was informational and asked if there were any questions. There were none.

Professor Mundorf moved approval of part B of Section 3. The motion carried.

B. Professor Hicks presented the University College and General Education Committee Report #09-10-7, which appeared on the web at http://www.uri.edu/facsen/UCGE_09-10-7.pdf.

Professor Hicks said that Section I was informational and asked if there were any questions. There were none.

Professor Hicks moved approval of Section II. The motion carried.

C. Professor Wood presented the Report of the Council for Research on Continuing Centers for 2009-10, which appeared on the web at http://www.uri.edu/facsen/CFR_Centers_May 10.pdf.

Professor Wood moved approval of this report and asked if there were any questions. There were none. The motion carried.

D. Ms. Morrissey presented the Annual Report of the Joint Classroom Steering Committee, which appeared on the web at http://www.uri.edu/facsen/JCSC_09-10.pdf.

Ms. Morrissey noted that this report was informational and responded to questions.

E. Dean Pina presented the Report of the Student Rights and Responsibilities Committee on the URI Student Handbook which appeared on the web at http://www.uri.edu/facsen/SR&R_09-10.pdf.

Discussion ensued.

F. Professor Anderson presented the Report of the Academic Program Review Committee for 2009-10, which appeared on the web at http://www.uri.edu/facsen/APRC_Report_2009-10.pdf

Discussion ensued.

Senator Eaton and Senator Honhart presented the Report of the Ad Hoc Committee on Four Credit Courses and Curricula which appeared on the web at http://www.uri.edu/facsen/7 Ad_Hoc_4-credit_May_2010.pdf

6. Unfinished Business

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

7. New Business

Chairperson Swallow asked if there was any new business. There was none.

A motion was made to adjourn. The motion carried.

The meeting was adjourned at 5:00 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,
Eileen Orabone