Meeting Minutes
ACADEMIC SENATE MINUTES
April 7, 2008
Call to Order
The regular meeting of the Academic Senate, held on April 7, 2008 was called to order at 3:04 p.m. by Paul Mogren, Senate President-elect. The meeting was held in room 115 C. Roland Christensen Center.
Roll:
David Ailion, Tim Ameel, Erica Anderson, James Anderson, Shmuel Baruch, Margaret Battin, Brooke Bennett, Dan Brinton, Ronald Bruhn, Jennifer Buhler, Kuan Chen, Liz Clark, John Conboy, Mohomoud Boncana for Lynette Danley, Marianna DiPaolo, Eric Eddings, Jessica Elder, Jessie Fan, Gene Fitzgerald, Greg Hatch, Rachel Hayes-Harb, Bob Hill, Brooke Hopkins, Tiffany Jack, Randy L. Jensen, Ryan Jensen, Megan Jolley, Mike Kirby, Thomas Kontuly, Stephane LeBohec, Edward M. Levine, Janet E. Lindsley, Karl Lins, Janis Louie, Brad Lundahl, Daniel Medwed, Katie Miller, Lex Newman, Maria Newton, Paul Nielsen, Gerado Okhysen, Richard Paine, Karen Paisley, David Pendell, Kevin Perry, David Plumlee, Kathy Pope, R. Lor Randall, Rita Reusch, Donn Schaefer, Randy Silverman, Bruce Smith, Sandra Smith, Gerald Spangrude, Nancy Staggers, Paul Stout, Andrejs Treibergs, Kimberly Walsh, Sharon M. Weinstein, Robert Wendel, Lisa Western, Mary Youngkin
Excused: A. Loris Betz, Penny Brooke, Hiram Chodosh, La Var Harline, Lester Partlow, Tim Slover
Ex-officio: John Francis, Kirtly Parker Jones, Nancy Lines, Paul Mogren, Susan Olson, Spencer Pearson, David W. Pershing, Octavio Villalpando, Michael K. Young
Others: Robert Flores, Ann Floor, Rachel Gallico, Rochelle McConkie, John Morris, Patrick Reimherr, Stephen Reynolds, Edward Trujillo, Neil Vickers,
Approval of Minutes
The minutes of the Academic Senate meeting of March 3, 2008 were approved unanimously following a motion from James Anderson which was seconded by Sharon Weinstein.
Request for New Business
There was no new business.
Consent Calendar
The resignations, retirements, faculty appointments, auxiliary, and limited term appointments, appearing in Appendices I, II and III dated March 24 and April 7, 2008 received unanimous approval to forward to the Board of Trustees for their final approval following a motion from Gene Fitzgerald and seconded by Dan Brinton.
The Calvin S. and JeNeal N. Hatch Prize in Teaching awarded to Tom Malloy, Associate Professor of Psychology received unanimous approval.
The Undergraduate Council’s recommendation for the special appointments to the special rank of University Professor for 2008-2009 for Professor Cassandra Van Buren from the Department of communication and Professor Stephen Koester from the Department of Modern Dance received unanimous approval.
Executive Committee Report
Sandy Smith, Executive Committee Secretary, summarized her written report of the March 24 , 2008 Executive Committee meeting.
Report from Administration
President Young expressed appreciation to the Academic Senate for honoring and respecting their core principals in fulfilling their responsibilities as representatives of the faculty at the University. He also applauded the ASUU for their accomplishments and efforts for in the successful way they handled the student body elections for the coming year.
President Young commented on the involvement in the Campus Master Planning and the valuable process in which it proceeded. He referred to the website for a look at the extensive and documented progress. He also commented on the development front and to be aware of an exciting announcement to come very soon.
He complimented the great things that are continuing to go forth with the Law School’s website, www.law.utah.edu and the Federal grant from the Department of State to train Iraqi judges, prosecutors and civil authorities, and continuing the training of Afghanistan judges and prosecutors during the summer.
President Young announced that the commencement speaker will be Mario Capecchi, recipient of the Nobel Prize. He also invited everyone to attend a special ribbon cutting ceremony for the Co-generation Plant on April 22 at 11:00 a.m., an edifice indicating the University’s commitment to the American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment for climate change and sustainability.
President Young responded to a question regarding the proposed new development in the parking lot on the west side of Rice-Eccles Stadium. The president indicated some concern about student engagement on campus and the entities offered for our students and community living near or on campus. The proposed project is designed to increase campus life and stimulate the private sector in developing 400 South. Campus office space, commercial and retail offices and restaurants, and the Campus Store are some of the options that could be included as well as additional on-campus housing on the upper level. The parking structure would mitigate nearly all lost parking spaces and the site lines from the stadium would be protected. If the project is deemed feasible, a development team may be selected in August.
Report from ASUU
Spencer Pearson, ASUU President, reported that Vice President Pershing has agreed to match funds for the expansion of the supplemental institution with the intent to better market the program as there is a strong correlation that students who participate maintain higher grades. He expressed his appreciation in serving during his tenure and introduced the new ASUU president, Patrick Reimherr. Patrick expressed his thanks for the well organized orientation he received from Spencer and is looking forward to assuming his new responsibilities.
Notice of Intent
The University Diversity Committee’s request to include additional ex-officio members on the committee was presented by its chair, Ed Trujillo. Ed feels that the increase would be more inclusive in dealing with diversity. Kevin Perry made a motion to add an additional ex-officio, the Director of Admissions. It was recommended by over a two thirds majority that the amended proposed changes to the charter and PPM be forwarded to today’s Debate Calendar.
Ed also commented on the forthcoming annual report which will include data over a two year period.
William Lockhart presented a synopsis of the proposed changes to the Complimentary Books Policy in PPM 1-4 which would govern the acceptance and disposal of complimentary books received from publishers or distributors by University employees that are not purchased with personal funds. The new policy would allow employees to retain these books for use at their discretion for academic or professional purposes and dispose of complimentary books that they judge are not useful. This will appear on the Debate Calendar on the May 5, 2008 Senate agenda.
Professor Lockhart also presented the proposed amendment to the royalties policy in PPM 8-12.4 which would clarify that any faculty member or employee of the University with authority to assign or recommend course materials for any course offered by the University should do so based on sound academic values without any prospect of personal financial gain. He emphasized that this proposal does not question, rather endorses, the propriety of faculty members’ assignment for their classes of books or materials they have authored. The amendment deals only with the potential financial benefit from those assignments. This will appear on the Debate Calendar on the May 5, 2008 Senate agenda.
Debate Calendar
The University Diversity Committee’s request to include additional ex-officio members on the committee as amended, and revise the charter found in Policy and Procedures PPM 9-3, Section 4A (9)(a) to include the change, be approved as amended. A motion from Kevin Perry which was seconded by Sharon Weinstein received unanimous approval to forward the to the Board of Trustees for final approval.
The request for the discontinuation of the Bachelor of Science in Physical Therapy Studies was explained by Paul Mogren as Scott Ward was unable to attend the meeting. With the implementation of the Doctor of Physical Therapy in 2004 there is no relevancy in offering the undergraduate degree any longer. Jim Anderson motioned to accept the request and forward to the Board of Trustees for final approval which was seconded by Tiffany Jack and unanimously approved.
Bob Flores presented the proposed University Policy 1-1, a new policy on University Regulations, as well as an overview of the ongoing project of reorganizing University Regulations and streamlining a clearer system of adopting and revising University policies, rules, procedure and guidelines. The new policy will not change any substantive policy but will clarify procedures by which the changes can be made in the future. Gene Fitzgerald motioned to accept the proposed University policy and forward to the Board of Trustees for final approval which was seconded by Sharon Weinstein and unanimously approved.
Information Items
The request to change the name of the Bookstore Advisory Committee to The Campus Store Advisory Committee, and amend their By-laws to include additional ex-officio members was approved in the March 24th Executive Committee meeting.
New Business
There was no new business.
Adjournment:
The meeting adjourned at 4:30 p.m.
Respectfully submitted:
Nancy Lines, Secretary to the Faculty