Meeting Minutes
ACADEMIC SENATE MINUTES
February 4, 2008
Call to Order
The regular meeting of the Academic Senate, held on February 4, 2008 was called to order at 3:02 p.m. by Penny Brooke, Senate President. 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, Ying-bin Fu (for Paul Bernstein), Dan Brinton, Jennifer Buhler, Nicola Camp, Kuan Chen, Liz Clark, John Conboy, Lynette Danely, David Derezotes, Eric Eddings, Marlene Egger, Jessica Elder, Jessie Fan, Gene Fitzgerald, La Var Harline, Greg Hatch, Bob Hill, David Hillyard, Brooke Hopkins, Tiffany Jack, David Kiefer, Mike Kirby, Thomas Kontuly, Karol Kumpfer, Stephane LeBohec, Edward M. Levine, Janet Lindsley, Karl Lins, Janis Louie, Zheng-Rong Lu, Brad Lundahl, Peter Martin, Daniel Medwed, James Metherall, Katie Miller, Lex Newman, Maria Newton, Paul Nielsen, Gerado Okhuysen, Richard Paine, Karen Paisley, Lester Partlow, David Pendell, Kevin Perry, David Plumlee, Kathy Pope, Donn Schaefer, Bob Nelson (for Tim Slover), Bruce Smith, Sandra Smith, Gerald Spangrude, Paul Stout, Chad Tagge, Peter Trapa, Andrejs Treibergs, Raymond Tymas-Jones, Cecilia Wainryb, Robert Wendell, Lisa Western, Mary Youngkin
Excused: Marianna DiPaolo, Pat Hanna, Rachel Hayes-Harb, Ryan Jensen, David W. Pershing, A. Lor Randall, Sharon M. Weinstein, Michael K. Young
Ex-officio: A. Loris Betz, Lori McDonald (for Annie Nebeker-Christensen), John Francis, Kirtly Parker Jones, Nancy Lines, Paul Mogren, Susan Olson, Spencer Pearson,
Others: Margaret Clayton, Ann Floor, Robert Flores, Christine Jones
Approval of Minutes
The minutes of the Academic Senate meeting of January 7, 2008, were unanimously approved following a motion from Tiffany Jack and seconded by Sandy Smith.
Request for New Business
There was no new business.
Consent Calendar
The Consent Calendar including the resignations, retirements, faculty appointments, auxiliary, and limited term appointments, and the John R. Park Teachers’ Fellowship awards to Martha Bradley, Professor of Architecture and Urban Planning and Kim Martinez, Assistant Professor of Art and Art History were unanimously approved following a motion from Gene Fitzgerald, seconded by Lynette Danley, to forward to the Board of Trustees for final approval.
Executive Committee Report
Sandy Smith, Executive Committee Secretary, summarized her written report of the January 14, 2008 Executive Committee meeting.
Report from Administration
Senior Vice President Loris Betz gave a brief synopsis of the Legislative session indicating that President Young and Senior Vice President Pershing were attending the legislature today to address building priorities for the Eccles School of Business classroom expansion, and the Utah Museum of Natural History. He also reaffirmed that the top institutional priority in this legislative session continues to be faculty and staff salaries both incremental increases and retention funding. The feeling is that overall it should be a good year but less than last year.
Dr. Betz also reported on the USTAR progress both in faculty hiring of Guido Gerig (imaging), Brian McPherson (energy), Marc Porter (nanotechnology and biosensors), Hamid Ghandehari (biomedical innovation), and Cameron Charles (IT networks and memory) as well as the new USTAR building plans. The University has also requested the additional $10 million for the ongoing funding for biomedical technology innovation; a Brain Institute priority in neurodegenerative diseases; cell therapy in regenerative diseases; nanosystems integration; advanced photonic imaging; advanced composites; and digital media. Dr. Betz encouraged the senators to look on the University website under Innovation and Technology or the USTAR website at www.ustar.utah.edu for additional information.
Robert Flores, special assistant to Susan Olson, asked the senators to contact their legislators regarding proposed HB 241, which would repeal the law that offers in-state tuition to the children of undocumented immigrants. Central Administration opposes the bill and is requesting your assistance to find out which senators to contact. Kim Wirthlin would be the person to contact at kim.wirthlin@hsc.utah.edu for this information. U students are organizing a vigil at the capitol to demonstrate their opposition.
Report from ASUU
Spencer Pearson reported that the conference for Social Advancement was very successful and participation doubled from last year. He also reported that ASUU is looking to increase pay for the Supplemental Instruction (SI) program. Central Administration has agreed to support the increase by offering a two-to-one match for funds raised by ASUU. They would also like to expand the program and include more details. Senate president Penny Brooke encouraged senators to suggest to their faculty that they include the SI in their grant applications.
Spencer reported that their effort to have sales tax on books removed is moving forward. They have received good support from the House but not from the Senate. The State Tax Commission seems to think that there is a ruling already in place to have textbooks exempt from sales tax since selling textbooks could be considered part of the University’s core mission. They will continue to search their records.
Notice of Intent
Susan Olson’s explained the request to change the earlier recommendation defined in PPM 9.5 regarding faculty appointment process. A potential problem appeared with the new process because it had been revised for more clarity in procedures for regular faculty appointments, rather than auxiliary faculty. The new proposal would simplify the process for auxiliary faculty with only one vote required from all regular faculty and whatever auxiliary faculty members the department and college have chosen to enfranchise. The two-vote process will be reserved for appointment of regular faculty. A motion from Sandy Smith, seconded by Gene Fitzgerald, to approve the changes and move to the Debate Calendar passed unanimously.
Debate Calendar
The recommendation to clarify the earlier change in PPM 9.5 regarding faculty appointments received unanimous approval on a motion by James Anderson which was seconded by Lynette Danley.
Christine Jones presented an overview of the College of Humanities proposal to change the name of the Comparative Literature graduate degree to Comparative Literary and Cultural Studies. This change conforms to the undergraduate degree, and follows the national trend. Gene Fitzgerald made a motion to accept the proposal, seconded by Brooke Hopkins, and forward to the Board of Trustees for their final approval. The motion received unanimous approval.
John Francis was accompanied by Spencer Pearson and Katie Miller, and presented ASUU’s idea for a Graduation Guarantee program. The voluntary program has been presented at various colleges and groups at the University to seek support of the project. Interested students would receive academic and career advising each semester, contract for long-term plans for graduation, and be eligible for priority registration. In their slide show presentation they outlined the program’s highlights. A motion by Lisa Western to endorse the program was seconded by Gene Fitzgerald, and received approval with one negative vote.
Information Items
There were no information items.
New Business
Brooke Hopkins made a request to John Francis to respond regarding the status in changing the Student Satisfaction Surveys, formerly known as the Course Evaluations. John responded that it has been sent to the Center for Teaching and they are considering making reforms in the system.
Adjournment:
The meeting adjourned at 4:20 p.m.
Respectfully submitted:
Nancy Lines, Secretary to the Faculty