Meeting Minutes
ACADEMIC SENATE MINUTES
January 7, 2008
Call to Order
The regular meeting of the Academic Senate, held on December 3, 2007 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, James Anderson, Shmuel Baruch, Brooke Bennett, Paul S. Bernstein, Susan Bratton, Dan Brinton, Ronald Bruhn, Jennifer Buhler, Nicola Camp, Kuan Chen, Hiram Chodosh, Liz Clark, John Conboy, Lynette Danley, David Derezotes, Marianna DiPaolo, Eric Eddings, Marlene Egger, Phil Emmi, Gene Fitzgerald, Alan ogle, Pat Hanna, Greg Hatch, Rachel Hayes-Harb, Bob Hill, David Hillyard, Brooke Hopkins, Tiffany Jack, Randy J. Jensen, Ryan Jensen, Mike Kirby, Thomas Kontuly, Stephane LeBohec, Richard Lemons, Edward M. Levine, Janet Lindsley, Karl Lins, Janis Louis, Zheng-Rong Lu, Brad Lundahl, James Metherall, Lex Newman, Erin O’Connell, Richard Paine, Karen Paisley, Lester Partlow, David Pendell, Kevin Perry, David Plumlee, Kathy Pope, Donn Schaefer, Randy Silverman, Bruce Smith, Sandra Smith, Nancy Staggers, Paul Stout, Michael Timberlake, Peter Trapa, Andrejs Treibergs, Raymond Tymas-Jones, Kimberly Walsh, Sharon M. Weinstein
Excused: Tim Ameel, Peggy Battin, Gary Ellis, La Var Harline, Peter Martin, A. Lor Randall, Rita Reusch, Robert Wendel, Mary Youngkin
Ex-officio: A. Loris Betz, Penny Brooke, John Francis, James Graves, Kirtly Parker Jones, Nancy Lines, Paul Mogren, Susan Olson, Spencer Pearson, Michael K. Young
Others: Martha Bradley, Ann Floor, Robert Flores, Joan Gines, Mark Supiano, Jim Tabery, Scott Wright
Approval of Minutes
The minutes of the Academic Senate meeting of December 3, 2007 were approved unanimously following a motion from Nancy Staggers which was seconded by Brooke Hopkins.
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, II, and III, dated December 17, 2007 and January 7, 2008, received unanimous approval following a motion from Lynette Danley, which was seconded by Gene Fitzgerald, to forward to the Board of Trustees for final approval.
A motion by Gene Fitzgerald to accept the Distinguished Teaching Awards, which was seconded by James Anderson, received approval with one abstention and will be forwarded to the Board of Trustees for final approval.
Executive Committee Report
Sandy Smith, Executive Committee Secretary, summarized her written report on the December 17, 2007 Executive Committee meeting.
Report from Administration
President Michael Young indicated that he was delighted to report that the scholastic record in athletics had a successful season with an average of over 3.0.
President Young also reported that the Campus Master Plan is in the last stages and will be accelerating the process for traffic and pedestrian patterns. The three main issues are: how to better breakdown physical barriers; how to create a campus that brings people together by providing attractive and convenient gathering places; how to create a sustainable campus. He suggested that the senators take a look at the Campus Master Plan’s website for additional information at http://campusmasterplan.utah.edu.
During a question and answer period, several suggestions were made to encourage planners to look at pedestrian issues in Research Park, the elimination of UTA routes on the east side, the creation of additional pathways and parking for bicycles, and the creation of plug-in stalls for hybrids. President Young acknowledged the traffic on Foothill as a major problem. All suggestions will be revisited.
President Young responded to a question regarding the Salt Lake Tribune article on administrative salaries and raises and provided statistics indicating the successes the university has received during this team’s administration. He reiterated that faculty and staff increases will always be the highest priority with the legislature. He also stated that in the last two decades, the U’s budget from state revenues has dropped from 25 to 10 percent and it is going south. He continued that he could take this team and go elsewhere; but if it’s going to be done at the U, this is the team that’s going to do it. They have a proven track record and the president was unapologetic about salaries.
Report from ASUU
Spencer Pearson, ASUU president, reminded the senate of the January 15th Scholarship Fair in the Union Building beginning from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., and the January 26th Social Awareness Conference in the Olpin Union from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. He also provided an update on the sales tax initiative to remove sales tax on textbooks that will be going before this year’s legislature.
Debate Calendar
Scott Wright and Mark Supiano presented the College of Nursing’s collaborative proposal with the School of Medicine for a Graduate Certificate in Gerontology, equivalent to the traditional and ongoing Graduate Certificate in Gerontology. It is structured to create an opportunity to award fourth year medical students who have an interest in a geriatrics specialty, an additional credential and certificate in Gerontology. The four week, 15-credit hour, course is expected to attract more students to the field of geriatrics which is currently experiencing a shortage. A motion from Sandy Smith to approve the proposal was seconded by Jim Metherall and received unanimous approval to forward to the Board of Trustees for final approval.
Joan Gines explained the revised verbiage changes on PPM2.21 and 2.22. Following a lengthy discussion, one amendment was suggested to add the word “staff” to Policy 2-21, Section IV-C.3 and delete the second sentence. The other clarifications remained as presented. A motion from Pat Hanna which was seconded by Erin O’Connell, to accept the amendment was approved. David Ailion moved to approve the revisions, seconded by James Anderson, which was passed with 4 oppositions and 7 abstentions.
Information Items
Paul Brinkman presented the annual Report of Faculty Complement. An abbreviated version can be found on www.obia.utah.edu/ia/stat/2007-2008/SS0708E01.pdf.
Jeff Botkin reported on the University’s Task Force responses to Animal Rights activists who have targeted some of the University’s researchers and staff, both on campus and off campus.
Adjournment:
The meeting adjourned at 4:58 p.m.
Respectfully submitted:
Nancy Lines, Secretary to the Faculty