Faculty Senate

Pastore Hall Room 224, 51 Lower College Road, Kingston, RI 02881

lbourbonnais@uri.edu-401-874-5176jlawrence@uri.edu - 401-874-2616

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January 28, 2016 Minutes

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

All members were present except Senators Anderson, Chadha, Dunn, Goldsmith, Gordon, Hutt, Licht, Mahler, Martin, Meagher, Pearson-Merkowitz, Roberts, and Sama; ex officio members Vice President Valentino; Vice Provosts Beauvais and Katz; Deans Bonn, Brownell, Ciccomascolo, Corliss, Ebrahimpour, Kirby, and Wright.

2. Chairperson Rollo-Koster announced that the minutes of Faculty Senate Meeting #4, December 10, 2015 had been posted with the agenda. She asked if there were any additions, corrections to or questions about these minutes. There were none. Chairperson Rollo-Koster ruled that, in the absence of any changes or corrections, the minutes were approved.

3. REPORTS OF OFFICERS AND EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

A. Announcements

1. Chairperson Rollo-Koster thanked the Joint Committee on Academic Planning and the Provost’s Office for another successful Academic Summit hosted on January 22. She described the event as an inauguration of the new Academic Strategic Plan 2016-2021 and noted that 253 faculty, staff, and students had attended.  She also noted the projects that had been awarded $2500 each from the new URI Innovation with Impact Fund: Humanities at Work in the World; Developing a Student Network for Professional Development; Creating a New School of Languages, Cultures, and Global Studies; and Igniting Innovative Instruction: The URI Teaching Collaborative.

2. Chairperson Rollo-Koster reported that she had attended a meeting with Commissioner Purcell to discuss performance-based funding and the higher education funding formula.

3. Chairperson Rollo-Koster announced that, at today’s meeting, the General Education Committee would present another report of courses approved for the new general education program. She said that over 300 courses had been submitted and more than 100 courses had been approved to date.  She also said that the Senate Office had started to enter new courses, with new course designations, into e-campus.

4. Chairperson Rollo-Koster announced that, at today’s meeting, the Senate would be asked to approve a 3-member Nominating Committee. The job of the Committee would be to prepare a ballot for the February 18 Faculty Senate meeting of candidates for the positions of Chair and Vice Chair/Chair Elect for 2016-2017.  She added that Senators with terms ending in 2017 were still eligible to serve the two-year leadership position (Vice Chair/Chair Elect) because this new position allows Senators to remain full members of the Faculty Senate even if their two-year position exceeds their term limit as a Senator.

5. Chairperson Rollo-Koster announced that, starting in Fall 2016, Faculty Senate meetings would take place in the Richard E. Beaupre Center for Chemical and Forensic Sciences. She said the room was smaller, more “horizontal,” equipped with better technology, and would promote better discussions.  She thanked Senator Euler who facilitated the decision and had provided the Executive Committee with a tour of the new space.

6. Chairperson Rollo-Koster announced that the position for the Dean of the College of Health Sciences had been posted. She called on Dean Larrat, Chair of the search committee for the new dean.  He asked Senators to spread the word about the search.

7. Chairperson Rollo-Koster noted that the agenda included a forum discussion on students’ posting of course materials on third party websites, e.g. She said the forum was intended to be an informal discussion.  The discussion would determine if, or not, the Executive Committee would pursue the issue.

8. Chairperson Rollo-Koster thanked Vice President Sonnenfeld for graciously agreeing to sponsor a reception after today’s meeting at the University Club (catered by Dining Services).

9. Chairperson Rollo-Koster reminded non-Senators to sign the Permission to Speak form and asked everyone to remember to wait to be recognized and to identify themselves before speaking.

B. Activities of the Executive Committee

Vice Chairperson Welters announced that the Minutes of 2015-16 Executive Committee Meetings #17 and #18 were available on the Faculty Senate website. She asked if there were any questions.  Senator Rice asked about status of plans to develop a hotel on Upper College Road.   President Dooley offered to answer the question.  He said that the plan was pending approval by the Council on Postsecondary Education.  Once approved, a RFP would be issued to solicit interest on the part of developers.  He said that the project would not go forward if there were no interest on the part of private developers.   Senator Sullivan asked for confirmation that the project would encompass the span of Upper College Road between Fortin and Bills Roads.  The President concurred with his statement.

4. REPORT OF THE PRESIDENT

The President said that the meeting agenda accurately reflected the status of the legislation forwarded to him after the December 10 Senate meeting.  He said that the proposals that had not been approved were pending review by the Council on Postsecondary Education.  The President said that he joined Chairperson Rollo-Koster in thanking all those who had participated in the Academic Summit. He reported that he had shared the new Academic Strategic Plan with legislators, parents, and other external constituents and that it had been well received.  He thanked the faculty for their input in developing the Plan.  The President noted that the Governor would present her budget address the following week.  He anticipated that there would be no tuition increases in the coming fiscal year and added that he would share details of the Governor’s higher education budget as they became available.

5. REPORTS OF STANDING AND SPECIAL COMMITTEES

A. Professor Owens presented the Five Hundred and Twenty-Ninth Report of the Curricular Affairs Committee. She said that Section I was Informational and asked if there were any questions. There were none.  She reported that Section II required Senate approval.  Three new courses and 4 course changes were presented and approved.

B. Professor Kinnie presented General Education Committee Report 2015-16-7. He presented a list of 34 existing courses that had been approved for offering in the new general education program.   He moved approval of 3 new courses and one course change for the new general education program. The motion passed. Professor Kinnie presented General Education Committee Report 2015-16-8 proposing a change to the name (title) of the Cultural Competency Student Learning Outcome to Diversity and Inclusion.  He summarized the rationale for the change and moved approval.  The motion was seconded and discussion followed.  Senator Verskin raised concerns about the language describing the outcome.  The Senator was informed that the motion on the floor was limited to the title change only.  The vote was called.  The motion to change the title passed.  A motion was made from the floor to amend the description of the Cultural Competency (Diversity and Inclusion) Student Learning Outcome by striking language referring to the U.S. and America.  The motion was seconded and discussion followed.   Concerns were expressed that the phrases U.S. and America excluded the application of the outcome to courses that focus on other cultures.   These concerns were countered with the assertion that the original intent, as described and approved by the Senate in 2012, was to address multicultural learning through the recognition of power, privilege, and prejudice within the United States.  Discussion continued.  A motion was made to extend debate by 5 minutes.  The motion passed.  At the end of 5 minutes, a motion was made to extend debate for another 5 minutes.  The motion passed.  A recommendation was made to return the issue to the Committee for further consideration.  A motion was made to table the original motion.  The motion to table was approved.

6. INFORMAL DISCUSSION

Chairperson Rollo-Koster introduced Director Goldsmith who had been asked to address the Senate on the transition of SAKAI to an external host.  Dr. Goldsmith, Director of the Office for the Advancement of Teaching and Learning and Chair of the Joint Committee on Online and Distance Learning reported that the hosting change had taken place over the previous weekend, just prior to the start of the spring semester.  She acknowledged that the timing was inconvenient but said that it had been the least disruptive to the academic calendars. She reported that the advantages included increased stability, 100% “up-time” agreement, nightly backups, 24/7 technical support, security, and a new help desk protocol. She recommended that faculty contact Mary Fetherston or Ben Leveillee in Media and Technology Services if they had difficulties.  Dr. Goldsmith reported that SAKAI would be upgraded in the fall.  She answered questions from the Senators.

7. FORUM

Chairperson Rollo-Koster reported that she had concerns about students posting course materials (examinations, syllabi, etc.) on third-party websites and asked if Senators shared her concern.  Senator Brady commented that a colleague in her department had discovered over 300 postings of his course materials on several websites.  The Provost indicated that issues of academic honesty involving students are easier to address if standards and expectations are stated on the course syllabus.  Senator Brady said that a policy would be helpful.  Additional concerns were expressed regarding filming and recording of lectures.  The question of unauthorized distribution of copyrighted materials was raised.  It was suggested that the Office of Intellectual Property be contacted.  The Chair was encouraged to pursue drafting a policy.  Director Goldsmith said that staff in her office could be of assistance.

8. UNFINISHED BUSINESS

Chairperson Rollo-Koster asked if there were any Unfinished Business. There was none.

9. NEW BUSINESS

Chairperson Rollo-Koster asked if there were any New Business.  Senator Kirschenbaum expressed concern about the process of late-drop of a class for medical reasons and the necessity, in some cases, of faculty being required to report a grade of NW (Enrolled – No Work submitted).  Chairperson Rollo-Koster said that the Executive Committee had discussed the issue at its January 25 meeting and planned to consult with Senior Associate Director Humphrey.  She indicated that she would report back to the Senator on the matter.

10. A motion was made to adjourn. The motion carried. The meeting was adjourned at 4:30 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,

Nancy Neff

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