Meeting Minutes
ACADEMIC SENATE MINUTES
December 4, 2006
Call to Order:
The regular meeting of the Academic Senate, held on December 4, 2006 was called to order at 3:04 pm by Kirtly Jones, Senate President. The meeting was held in room 115 C. Roland Christensen Center.
Roll:
Kirtly Jones (Senate President), Anisa Abu-Ramaileh, Dan Adams, Stephen Alder, Michael Bastiani,
Margaret Battin, Paul Bertstein, Marc Boson, Susan Bratton, Richard Brown, Ronald Bruhn, Carrie Byington, Lyle Campbell, Ben DeFiebre, Gary Ellis, Gene Fitzgerald, Alan Fogel, Luiza Franca, Michael Free, Andrea Goldstein, Jessica Griffith, Charles Grissom, Ray Gunn, Douglas Hacker, LaVar Harline, David Hillyard, Jan Hobson, Brooke Hopkins, Michelle Hosp, Kelly T. Hughes, Russ Isabella, Charles Jui, David Kieda, Mike Kirby, Jacob Kirkham, Kacee Kniazeva, Thomas Kontuly, Lynette Land, Richard Lemons, Janet Lindsley, Karl Lins, Janis Louie, Zheng-Rong Lu, Clifton McIntosh, Daniel Medwed, Sanford Meek, Erin Miedema, Lex Newman, Erin O’Connell, Gerado Okhuysen, John Opitz, Richard Paine, Karen Paisley, Lester Partlow, Brian Patrick, Kathy Pope, Paul Roberts, Jan Robertson, Edward Rubin, Mayam Safaee, Barry Schultz, Maged Senbel, Randy Silverman, Bruce Smith, Sandra Smith, Gerald Spangrude, Nancy Staggers, Paul Stout, Michael Timberlake, Peter Trapa, Raymond Tymas-Jones, Robert Wendel, Gage Williams, Joanne Yaffe, Mary Youngkin
Excused: Cindy Berg, Arthur Brothman, David Derezotes, Leslie Francis, Paul Hu, Ken Jameson
Ex-officio: Penny Brooke, John Francis, Nancy Lines, Paul Mogren, David Pershing, Susan Olson, Michael Young
Others: Eric Barndt, Paul Brinkman, Boyd Dyer, Lara Gawenis, Stayner Landward, Vincent Pecora, Matias Vernengo, Chuck Wight, Kim Wirthlin
Minutes:
The minutes of the Academic Senate meeting of November 6, 2006 were approved unanimously.
Consent Calendar:
The resignations, retirements, faculty appointments, auxiliary, and limited term appointments, in Appendices I, dated November 20 and December 4, 2006 received approval to forward to the Board of Trustees.
Executive Committee Report:
Joanne Yaffe, Executive Committee Secretary, summarized her written report of the November 20, 2006 Executive Committee meeting.
Report from Administration:
President Young reported on the recent Dean’s retreat and the three initiatives that were addressed:
1) Internationalization. The reports are available on line at: http://www.utah.edu/internationalprograms/FinalReport6.29.06.pdf and http://www.utah.edu/internationalprograms/Progress%20Report%2011.06.06.pdf;
2) Student Engagement;
3) Capital Campaign.
President Young also announced that the administration continues to work on the response to the Northwest Accreditation recommendations. Policies regarding institutional borrowing between accounts are available for review and comment at obia@utah.edu.
President Young introduced Kim Wirthlin, vice president for legislative affairs, and invited her to give an overview of the upcoming Legislative session. Vice President Wirthlin reported that there were not many changes from the November election in the House and Senate and no change in top leadership. There will be committee changes. The University’s priorities for this legislative session will be:
1) faculty and staff compensation
2) funds to promote faculty and staff retention
3) Institutional Funds to further develop engineering programs and other educational projects
4) new facilities including the remodel and expansion of the college of nursing and approval to initiate a bond to fund a Student Life Center.
Erin O’Connell asked a question regarding the allocation of the Institutional Funds. President Young responded that it will be the responsibility of Deans’ and Vice Presidents’ to determine where to allocate the funds.
Report from ASUU
Jacob Kirkham announced the resignation of Shadie Ghaibi, ASUU Senate chair due to her new appointment as Sr. Class President. He introduced the new ASUU Senate chair, Mayam Safaee, a Biology major. He also reported on the ASUU Address to the Students, which was attended by nearly 200 students, and the recent meeting of ASUU representatives with three legislators. He invited the Senate to stop by the ASUU office for a Holiday Party and apologized for the state of the office as it is in the process getting a face lift from donated funds.
Information Items
In response to questions from the Senators regarding graduate and undergraduate certificate programs, John Francis provided information regarding the Undergraduate and Graduate program certificates. Policies regarding the initiation and review of Graduate Certificates were included in the Senate package from Professor Chapman. Professor Francis will contact departments sponsoring undergraduate certificates that have not had students apply for a certificate program for several years to determine if a non-enrolled certificate program should be discontinued.
Notice of Intent
Chuck Wight presented the proposed revisions to PPM 9-8 GRADUATION, for technical changes only. Questions were asked regarding clarity in several areas, particularly policies involving departmental changes in GPA requirements or credit hours for majors. Senators were asked to take the proposed policy changes to their constituents, and notify Professor Wight of any suggestions. A motion was made to move this item to the debate calendar in January. The motion was unanimously approved.
New Business
Richard Rabbitt responded to a question regarding the Department of Bioengineering’s proposal for a Minor in Biomedical Engineering. The motion was then made to accept the proposal and received unanimous approval.
Vincent Pecora presented the College of Humanities proposal for an Interdisciplinary Minor in British Studies. Professor Pecora responded to questions regarding to the need and justification for this program. The motion to accept the proposal was unanimously approved.
Adjournment
The meeting adjourned at 4:07 pm.