Meeting Minutes
ACADEMIC SENATE MINUTES
December 1, 2008
Call to Order
The regular meeting of the Academic Senate, held on December 1, 2008 was called to order at 3:04 p.m. by Paul A. Mogren, Senate President. The meeting was held in room 115 C. Roland Christensen Center.
Roll: Davil Ailion, Peter Alfeld, Tim Ameel, Ali Amundsen, James Anderson, Richard Barton, Shmuel Baruch, Jessica Batty, Paul Bernstein, David Blair, John Bowman, Jennifer Buhler, Connie Bullis, David Carrier, Vincent Cheng, John Conboy, Suzanne Darais, David Derezotes, Larry DeVries, Marianna DiPaolo, Nadja Durbach, Daniel Dustin, Eric Eddings, Christy Porucznik for Marlene Egger), Kasi Goodwin, Pat Hanna, Michael Hardman, Sandra Hasstedt, Greg Hatch, Bob Hill, Vladimir Hlady, Lauren Holland, Harriet Hopf, Garry Hrechkosy, Tom Huckin, Randy Jensen, Steve Kern, David Kiefer, Thomas Kontuly, Karol Kumpfer, Bruce Landesman, Stephane LeBohec, Edward M. Levine, Joelle Lien, Janet Lindsley, Karl Lins, Laurence Loeb, Janis Louie, Brad Lundahl, Peter Martin, James Metherall, William C. Michel, Kathryn Morton, Nathan Mounteer, Erin O’Connell, David Pendell, Kevin Perry, David Plumlee, Mollie Poynton, R. Lor Randall, Rita Reusch, Andrea Rorrer, Michael Blomgren for Nelson Roy, Brock Royall, Bill Schulze, Randy Silverman, Tim Slover, Paula Smith, Harris Sondak, Nancy Staggers, Paul Stout, Margaret Toscano, Tevita Uesi, Cecilia Wainryb, Sharon Weinstein, Adam Wolfe
Excused: Hiram Chodosh, Daniel Medwed, Maria Newton, Bam Dev Sharda,
Ex-officio: A. Loris Betz, Penny Brooke, Robert Flores, John Francis, James Graves, Nancy Lines, Paul Mogren, Susan Olson, Patrick Reimherr, Octavio Villalpando, Michael K. Young
Others: Coralie Alder, Ann Floor, Deb Hobbins, Kevin Taylor, Don Wardell, Olivia Sheng, Careen Frost, Patricia Murphy
Approval of Minutes
The minutes of the Academic Senate meeting of November 3, 2008 were unanimously approved.
Request for New Business
Janet Thesis from the Department of History presented a ‘White Paper’ entitled Internationalization: Achieving the Next Level. The main point of her paper was her view on how the University is doing it its efforts to prepare students to thrive and contribute in a globalized society and economy. She encouraged the University to seriously consider requiring undergraduate programs to include a language requirement as well as a study abroad opportunity. Her paper was well received.
Senator Randy Silverman proposed that a resolution from the Academic Senate in memory of Jay Lepreau, former chair for two years of the Library Policy Advisory Committee, for his work and contributions in advancing the services of the libraries be accepted. James Anderson seconded the proposition.
Consent Calendar
The resignations, retirements, faculty appointments, auxiliary and limited term appointments, appearing in the Appendices dated November 17 and December 1, 2008 received approval to forward to the Board of Trustees.
Executive Committee Report
James Anderson, Executive Committee Secretary, summarized his written report of the Executive Committee meeting held November 17, 2008.
Report from Administration
President Michael Young began his comments by referring to the ‘White Paper’ indicating that fact was reason enough to encourage globalization; that the student housing for an international dorm is a possibility; that K-12 are doing more than has been publicized; and finally stating that internships to compliment the programs are already in place with most countries have the same accreditation as Utah.
President Young expressed his sorrow in the death of Craig Forster and commented on his wonderful accomplishments at this university and noted his remarkable efforts on sustainability. (A website in his honor can be viewed at http://www.sustainability.utah/CraigsMemoryhtm.)
President Young recognized the success of the football team and the women’s volleyball team before addressing the budget crisis. He indicated that the projections for next year are not promising. The administration will continue to plan strategically in finding ways to meet the additional state funding projections. He reiterated that it is essential to keep the core mission in tact while continuing to focus on maintaining excellence.
Report from ASUU
ASUU president, Patrick Reimherr, gave an update on the work of three main boards: the Student Services Board for their work on the U-card and the discontinuation of sales tax on text books; the Diversity Board for securing the keynote speak, Gloria Ladson-Billings, for the conference on social awareness; and finally the Presenter’s Office for their work on the December 4th “Righteous Kill” in the Union Theatre, the December 10th ‘One World Concert’ in the Salt air Room.
Notice of Intent
Kevin Taylor explained the primary reason for revising the Institutional Data Management Policy was to balance the competing needs for access to information and the security of the information. Bob Flores commented that this request is good practice in handling the new system for policy changes in determining if this is an academic or a non-academic policy and whether it requires formal approval or not formal approval. A motion to accept the proposal as written and forward to the Debate Calendar was made by James Anderson and seconded by Randy
Silverman and received unanimous approval.
Debate Calendar
The requested revision of Policy 4-001, Institutional Data Management Policy, moved from the intent calendar was unanimously approved following a motion from James Anderson to forward to the Board of Trustees for their approval, was seconded by Randy Silverman.
Don Wardell gave a synopsis of the Eccles School of Business proposal to create a Department of Operations and Information Systems. The motivation for this joint effort is due to mutual research and teaching interests and associated synergies in the departments of Information Systems and Operations Management. The dean’s supports the combination and indicated that the budgets have been worked out with no additional expenses in restructuring during transition. A motion from Larry DeVries to accept the proposal and forward to the Board of Trustees for final approval was seconded by Karl Lins and unanimously approved.
Olivia Sheng presented a short synopsis of the proposed new Master of Science in Information Systems degree. She indicated that there has been a gap in the training and skill set of the students and that the one year program addresses a growing need for designing, implementing and administering secure data systems. The IS courses cannot be accommodated in other masters programs in the School of Business. A motion from Larry DeVries to accept the proposal and forward to the Board of Trustees for their approval was seconded by Sharon Weinstein and received unanimous approval.
Patricia Murphy from the College of Nursing and Caren Frost from the College of Social Work provided an overview of the request for a graduate certificate in Women’s Health indicating that it was a collaboration between the colleges of Health, Nursing and Social Work. Because of an increased interest in students pursuing the certificate, the goal is to eventually have the certificate available online for distance education students. The 15-credit program of study is designed to equip the students with an interdisciplinary perspective on women’s health and well-being and includes issues not currently included in traditional healthcare education.
The request from the Graduate School to officially change the name of three departmental BS and MS degrees back in November became official with the receipt of the original proposals for Civil and Environmental Engineering, Electrical and Computing Engineering, and Pharmacology and Toxicology. A motion from Larry DeVries to accept the proposals was seconded by James Anderson and unanimously approved to forward to the Board of Trustee for their final approval.
Information Items
The Undergraduate Review of the Writing Program amended to address questions of diversity, and the annual report from the Library Policy and Advising Committee, both appearing on the information calendar, were accepted without question.
New Business
There was no new business.
Adjournment:
The meeting adjourned at 4:09 pm.