Meeting Minutes
ACADEMIC SENATE MINUTES
March 3, 2008
Call to Order
The regular meeting of the Academic Senate, held on March 3, 2008 was called to order at 3::04 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, Brooke Bennett, Susan Bratton, Dan Brinton, Jennifer Buhler, Nicola Camp, Kuan Chen, Liz Clark, John Conboy, David Derezotes, Marianna DiPaolo, Marlene Egger, Jessica Elder, Phil Emmi, Jessie Fan, Gene Fitzgerald, Pat Hanna, La Var Harline, Greg Hatch, Rachel Hayes-Harb, Bob Hill, David Hillyard, Tiffany Jack, Ryan Jensen, Sarang Joshi (for Mike Kirby), David Kiefer, Thomas Kontuly, David Krizaj (for Paul Bernstein),Karol Kumpfer, Stephane LeBohec, Edward M. Levine, Janet E. Lindsley, Karl Lins, Janis Louie, Brad Lundahl, Peter Martin, Daniel Medwed, James Metherall, Lex Newman, Marie Newton, Paul Nielsen, Gerado Okhuysen, Richard Paine, Lester Partlow, David Pendell, Kevin Perry, David Plumlee, Kathy Pope, A. Lor Randall, Rita Reusch, Donn Schaefer, Antonio Serrato-Combe, Randy Silverman, Tom Slover, Bruce Smith, Sandra Smith, Nancy Staggers, Jim Tabery (for Peggy Battin), Michael Timberlake, Peter Trapa, Andrejs Treibergs, Sharon M. Swinstein, Mary Youngkin
Excused: Shmuel Baruch, Peggy Battin, Paul Bernstein, Hiram Chodosh, Eric Eddings, Mike Kirby, Richard Lemons, Karen Paisley
Ex-officio: A. Loris Betz, John Francis, Nancy Lines, Paul Mogren, John Morris, Annie Nebeker-Christensen, Susan Olson, David W. Pershing, Spencer Pearson , Richard Sperry, Michael K. Young,
Others: Wayne Askew, Martha Bradley, Robert Flores, Ann Floor, Stephen Reynolds,
Approval of Minutes
The minutes of the Academic Senate meeting of February 4, 2008 were unanimously approved upon a motion from Sandy Smith, seconded by Tiffany Jack.
Request for New Business
Consent Calendar
The resignations, retirements, faculty appointments, auxiliary, and limited term appointments, appearing in Appendices I, II and II dated February 19 and March 3, 2008 received unanimous approval, following a motion from Gene Fitzgerald which was seconded by Mary Youngkin, to forward to the Board of Trustees for final approval.
A letter from the University Distinguished Professors recommended the following as University Distinguished Professors: Mladen Bestivna (Mathematics), Robert Keiter (Law), Jan Miller (Metallurgical Engineering, Richard Normann (Bioengineering and Ophthalmology, and Young-Shi Wu (Physics), and also recommended that Professor Arthur (Chris) Nelson be appointed a Presidential Professor of City and Metropolitan Planning. A motion from Daniiel Medwed, seconded by Sandy Smith, to forward to the Board of Trustees for final approval received unanimous approval.
Executive Committee Report
Sandy Smith, Executive Committee Secretary, summarized her written report of the February 19, 2008 Executive Committee meeting.
Report from Administration
President Michael Young commented on a recent event honoring Mario Capecchi and reported that Foothill Drive from Wasatch Drive north continuing through Medical Drive has been renamed Mario Capecchi Drive. At the event it was also announced that Spence Eccles presented a surprise gift of $2 million from Spence Eccles on behalf of the George S. and Dolores Dore Eccles Foundation to endow two junior faculty positions in biology and genetics in Dr. Capecchi’s name. Dr. Capecchi will give the commencement address at graduation on May 2, 2008.
President Young reported that this year’s Founder’s Day dinner honored four distinguished alumni: David M. Grant, Anne Weaver Hart, J. Brett Harvey and Charles Monfort. Mario Capecchi was the Honorary Alumnus.
Looking into the future, President Young reported that the capital campaign is still in its quite phase. The goal has not been set but will be ambitious and reachable. He extended a personal invitation and thank you to attend an open house at the Rosenblatt House immediately following the April senate meeting.
The Tanner Children’s Dance Theatre have announced a collaboration with the College of Education, and the College of Fine Arts that they are working on a project to bring together artists and teachers to enhance the teaching of young students music, art, and dance. The colleges of Education, Science and Engineering have a similar program to bring together those who think about the pedagogy of K-12 and those who think about the substance of what is taught to create more vibrant, dynamic, and effective curricula. Some chairs have already been endowed to work with the various colleges.
President Young also reported on the Legislative Session. The bill to restrict information on the names and addresses of animal researchers was passed. The Utah Museum of Natural History and the engineering and nursing initiatives were funded. The business school expansion and institutional priorities will not receive funding this year. There will be a three percent cost of living increase and an additional two percent to fund health care benefits. No reduction or cuts were instituted. Immigration and concealed weapons were still unresolved.
Report from ASUU
ASUU president, Spencer Pearson, summed up three activities that the ASUU has been working on. For the past month they have been participating in a nationwide “Recycle-mania” project and have been stacking up pretty well against the other schools in the area. Secondly, they received a $25,000 donation from Macy’s in the community and student “Rock the U” dance marathon. Finally, for the senior class annual gift, they are planning to raise the additional $50,000 needed to help complete the new construction project at the Child Care Center on campus.
Notice of Intent
Robert Flores and John Morris explained the purpose of an informal working group whose long term project will overhaul and streamline the outdated and confusing processes for revising and accessing University regulations. This proposal is to replace the existing PPM sections 8-20 and 9-10, with new Policy 1-1, effective July 2008. Over time, the project will streamline the adoption and revision system, and ensure that governing regulations are presented in a more accessible and user-friendly form. Policy 1-1 is the first of many upcoming proposed policy changes and is considered the framework to be used in making future revisions. The second piece of this project will involve a comprehensive reorganization of all existing policies into a new structure and numbering system. Neither step will not involve any changes to the substance of any University policies. The third piece will involve the creation of an Institutional Policy Committee who will replace the existing committee and will coordinate all future work on the regulations. The first part of this project will be on the debate calendar for April.
Debate Calendar
There were no items on the debate calendar.
Information Items
The Graduate Council Reviews from the Department of Education, Cultural and Society, the Department of Health Promotion and Education, and the Nutrition Division completed in December 2005 and January 2006 were accepted.
The Accommodations policy in 2005 called for the Senate to review the policy in two years. Susan Olson sent a request to deans, department chairs, and program directors, asking them to send copies of any written requests received and to respond to four questions regarding the programs awareness, adequacy of policy, references to the policy on syllabi, and difficulties between students and faculty in scheduling accommodations. Following a second request which was sent to the same deans, department chairs, and program directors, 32 of those contacted, or approximately half of the units contacted, responded. It appears that the approved formal process is not being used but a small number of accommodations are being granted informally.
Penny Brooke commented on the follow-up conversations regarding the Student Satisfaction Task Force Committee and informed the senate that Stephanie Richardson is organizing the task force and requested that any senators interested in participating to contact her.
New Business
There was no new business, however, a special recognition was paid to Senators Gene Fitzgerald and Brooke Hopkins who are retiring from the University and have been granted emeritus status.
Adjournment:
The meeting adjourned at 4:15 p.m.
Respectfully submitted:
Nancy Lines, Secretary to the Faculty