Meeting Minutes
ACADEMIC SENATE MINUTES
August 27, 2007
Call to Order
The regular meeting of the Academic Senate, held on August 27, 2007 was called to order at
3:00 p.m. by Penny S. Brooke, Senate President. The meeting was held in room 115 C. Roland Christensen Center.
Roll:
David Ailion, Tim Ameel, James Anderson, Shmuel Baruch, Brooke Bennett, Paul S. Bernstein, Paul Bresslof, Dan Brinton, Ronald Bruhn, Jennifer Buhler, Nicola Camp, Kuan Chen, Hiram Chodosh, John Conboy, David Derezotes, Marianna DiPaolo, Eric Eddings, Jessica Elder, Gary Ellis, Phil Emmi, Jessie Fan, Gene Fitzgerald, Pat Hanna, La Var Harline, Greg Hatch, Rachel Hayes-Harb, Bob Hill, Brooke Hopkins, Tiffany Jack, Randy J. Jensen, Ryan Jensen, Mike Kirby, Thomas Kontuly, Richard Lemons, Janet E. Lindsley, Karl Lins, Janis Louie, Zheng-Rong Lu, Brand Lundahl, Daniel Medwed, James Metherall, Lex Newman, Maria Newton, Paul Nielsen, Erin O’Connell, James Owen, Richard Paine, Karen Paisley, David Pendell, Kevin Perry, David Plumlee, Kathy Pope, A. Lor Randall, Rita Teusch, Donn Schaefer, Leslie Sieburth, Tim Slover, Bruce Smith, Gerald Spangrude, Nancy Staggers, Michael Timberlake, Peter Trapa, Andrejs Treibergs, Raymond Tymas-Jones, Mary Ann Villarreal, Cecilia Wainryb, Kimberly Walsh, Robert Wendel, Lisa Western, Mary Youngkin, Karen Zempolich
Ex-officio: Annie Christensen-Nebeker, John Francis, James Graves, Kirtly Parker Jones, David Kieda, Nancy Lines, Paul Mogren, Robert Newman, Susan Olson, Spencer Pearson, Richard Sperry, Octavio Villalpando, Michael K. Young
Excused: Margaret Battin, David Hillyard, Kelly T. Hughes, Edward M. Levine, Antonio Serrato-Combe
Others: Coralie Alder, Martha Bradley, Ann Floor, Robert Flores, Joyce Henry, Eric Hutton, Margaret Landesman, Rochelle McCondie, Kathi Mooney, Stephen Reynolds, Gavyn Smith
Approval of Minutes
The minutes of the Academic Senate meeting of May 7, 2007 were approved unanimously.
Request for New Business
There was no request for new business.
Consent Calendar
The resignations, retirements, faculty appointments, auxiliary, and limited term appointments, appearing in Appendices I dated August 27, 2007 received approval to forward to the Board of Trustees.
Executive Committee Report
Sandra Smith, Executive Committee Secretary, summarized her written report of the June 25 and August 13, 2007 Executive Committee meetings and the summer electronic meetings.
Report from Administration
President Young announced a reorganization of the Board of Trustees. Longtime trustee, Randy Dryer is the new president with Roger Boyer as vice chair, and Clark Ivory (Ivory Homes) and Jim Wall (Deseret Morning News) being named as new members of the board. The Trustees have expanded the role of the Academic Senate and will add their report to the agenda.
President Young recognized several faculty and applauded their accomplishments locally and nationally. He expressed his pleasure in working with the University’s outstanding faculty.
President Young also reported that the student residence halls were full, indicating that there was a small waiting list. The student life center was approved by the legislature and current effort to secure a major donor for the student life center is underway.
President Young commented on the institutional advancement of the university. The previous record indicated that $130 million was generated in external funds and this past year $160 million was raised. Additionally, federal research grants have set a record and commercialization activities continue to grow with Utah ranking 19th in the nation.
Report from ASUU
Spencer Pearson, ASUU president, reported on the activities of the student government. A monthly newsletter highlighting issues important to students is being put into production as well as providing voter registration materials to encourage students to register. An Ipact Day is planned for September 5, where all mayoral candidates and city council candidates will gather for informal debates and sharing of information. They are planning to bring in speakers and films on a variety of topics and would like to encourage faculty as well to participate. Their first guest is Max Weinberg, band leader on Late Night with Conan O’Brien, will be on campus October 23.
Spencer informed the senate that other initiatives include the expanded recycling program. In the Spring, students will enter a recycle-mania competition with other colleges across the nations to compare the success of their recycling programs.
A question was raised regarding scheduling challenges. John Francis commented that ASUU is preparing a proposal to address some of the delays and scheduling challenges posed by pre-requisite classes. After the proposal has been presented to the Graduate Council, it will be sent to the Academic Senate.
Notice of Intent
Debate Calendar
Dean Robert Newman, acting in behalf of Janet Theiss, gave a brief overview and responded to questions regarding the College of Humanities proposal for an Interdisciplinary Master of Arts in Asian Studies, the first ever offered Master’s degree in Utah and the intermountain region. The program would provide advanced language study and education for the growing need for expertise on Asia within the university and the Utah community as well as complimenting the President’s vision of international and interdisciplinary programs. A motion to support the proposal and forward to the Board of Trustees was approved unanimously.
Dean Newman also acting in behalf of Janet Theiss, presented the College of Humanities proposal for the Creation of an Asian Center. This center will make the university the intermountain region’s premier institution for the advanced study of Asia and a critical resource for the region’s business, political, educational and community leaders as they develop their ties with Asian countries. Additionally, it would provide the possibility for transnational corporations to be supportive. A motion to endorse the proposal and forward to the Board of Trustees received unanimous approval.
Information Items
Kathleen Mooney, chair of the Faculty Budget and Planning Committee was invited to briefly comment on the committee’s annual report. She explained that the purpose of this committee is to advise the administration on budget and planning issues and would welcome input from senate members.
The following annual reports of the Senate Committees were included in the agenda packet as information items only: Academic Freedom and Faculty Rights; University RPT Standards Committee; and the University Diversity Committee.
During the summer meeting of the Senate Executive Committee, a proposal for the Honors Program to change their name to the Honors College was approved. The Board of Trustees also approved the change which will become official this fall. Martha Bradley responded to questions regarding the name change.
Cathy Chambless responded to questions and concerns regarding the proposal to create an interdisciplinary Graduate Certificate in Disability Studies. The proposal was approved at the June Executive Committee with a couple of recommendations. The Committee suggested that a course list of mandatory and elective courses of not less than 22 hours and a menu system specifying the selections available from the different course groups be included. These additions were completed and forwarded to the senators electronically. The proposal was approved by the Board of Trustees.
During the summer, the Senate Executive Committee also accepted the Graduate Council reviews of the following departments: Teaching and Learning; English; Neurobiology and Anatomy; and Parks, Recreation and Tourism. A motion was made from a faculty member in the Recreation and Tourism program to ask the Graduate Council to consider including language that better reflects the conversations held during the review of the department, which is that an external review team recommended that a different organizational placement be considered . This request will be forwarded to the Graduate Council for its consideration of the additional language.
A report from the Animal Rights Task Force will be presented at a meeting later in the academic year.
New Business
There was no new business.
Adjournment:
The meeting adjourned at 5:10 pm.