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Scenes from Faculty Senate

Joint Strategic Planning Committee

Monday, May 9, 2005

1:00 - 2:10 p.m.

Green Hall President's Conference Room

Attendance: Robert Carothers, M. Beverly Swan, Robert Weygand, Faye Boudreaux-Bartels, Celest Martin, Bill Rosen, Karen Ramsay, Michael Rice, Jim Kowalski, Vince Petronio, Patrick Mills, Abu Bakr, Ann Morrissey. Guests: Linda Acciardo, Dorothy Escribano, Tom McElroy, Michelle Nota and Chip Yensan.

Announcements: Patrick Mills, President of the Student Senate reported that he had just returned from a track meet at which URI's men's and women's teams had won championships for the fifth consecutive year. He also reported that he was the first Student Senate President to veto a bill. He said that he did not support legislation to increase student fees for the Ryan Center without a referendum.

Senate Chairperson Boudreaux-Bartels reported that the Faculty Senate had adopted a resolution in opposition to the US Armed Forces "Don't ask-don't tell" policy. She explained that the approved resolution differed from the one originally introduced by Mr. Petronio and Prof. Leo, which had been discussed during two previous JSPC meetings.

Senate Chairperson Boudreaux-Bartels provided the committee with an update on the Murphy Program Assessment Model and said that the beta testing was scheduled to begin shortly on 4 departments/colleges. She suggested that people visit the website http://www.uri.edu/facsen/URI_Assesssment_Model_(Mur.html to learn more about the model and the modifications made to it based upon recent faculty and administration input.

Senate Chairperson Boudreaux-Bartels said that faculty members continued to raise concerns about bureaucratic delays. President Carothers and Vice President Weygand reported on efforts to shorten the time needed for the search process to fill a new or vacant position.

President Carothers expressed his appreciation to Faculty Senate Chairperson Boudreaux-Bartels and the members of the Executive Committee for all of the efforts this year to make the JSPC a positive experience. He also thanked Chairperson Boudreaux-Bartels for her work on modifying the Murphy Model.

Ms. Nota, representing University Advancement, reported on the progress of the feasibility study for the capital campaign and announced that three ribbon cutting ceremonies were being planned for the new Alumni Association/University Advancement Building. She also reported that Vice President Beagle was hopeful that the proposed legislation to match gifts to the University would be passed this spring.

Mr. Yensan, representing Student Affairs, announced that the last lunch at Hope Dining Hall was scheduled for that Thursday and invited members of the JSPC to attend.

Provost Swan reported that tentative agreement had been reached with the candidate for Dean of Admissions and that the appointment would be made public when it would no longer be tentative.

Provost Swan reminded the JSPC that the Search for a Vice Provost for Academic Affairs was in progress and encouraged people to attend the interviews and provide feedback to the search committee. She also indicated the upcoming vacancy in the position of Vice Provost for Graduate Studies, Research and Outreach had opened discussions by the Council of Deans and the President of whether the position should be redefined.

FY'06 Budget: Vice President Weygand reported on concerns about the proposed budget and the serious financial issues facing the University if the asset protection money is not restored by the Legislature or if there s a decline in student enrollment.

President Carothers said that the University's dependence on student tuition and fees meant that the possibility of a shortfall in admissions would have a profound effect on the budget. He noted that programs within Student Affairs for example, which were dependent on fees, would face especially difficult decisions. He reported on efforts to get a clearer picture of fall enrollments and explained calls were being made to all students who had been admitted in an attempt to increase enrollment, as well as to get a better sense of budget implications.

President Carothers said that with potential budget shortfalls, the University would not be able to proceed with the third year of the strategic plan. This would affect all of the proposed increases such as the 8 new faculty hires.

FY'07 Strategic Budget Priorities: Chairperson Boudreaux-Bartels resumed her previous presentation on budget recommendations by providing information on the two remaining priority categories identified by the Faculty Senate Executive Committee:

  • Increase Financial Support for Research and Outreach Mission, including making grant supported graduate tuition competitive with other universities, securing matching funds from the RI Legislature for Federally Funded programs, and creating new University-funded graduate assistantships focused on faculty research and scholarship.

  • Increase Funding to Facilitate Interdisciplinary Activities, including suggestions for ways to enhance current efforts of President, Provost, Deans and faculty to foster interdisciplinary teaching, research, and outreach.

Mr. Yensan reported on the efforts underway in Housing and Residential Life to increase the number of beds on campus for students in general, as well as for freshmen and transfer students.

Mr. Petronio distributed materials on a proposal for establishing a digital repository and providing oversight for the varied digital products being developed on campus.

Mr. McElroy distributed copies of the major objectives for the Department of Athletics for 2006-2009.

Summer Planning Retreat: It was agreed to identify possible dates in July for an all-day retreat for the JSPC and to find out whether a meeting could be arranged or whether late August or early September would be better.

The meeting adjourned at 2:10 p.m.