Meeting Minutes
ACADEMIC SENATE MINUTES
May 3, 2010
Call to Order
The regular meeting of the Academic Senate, held on May 3, 2010, was called to order at 3:05 p.m. by Senate President James A. Anderson. The meeting was held in room 115 C. Roland Christensen Center.
Roll:
Elizabeth Adoyo, David Ailion, Peter Alfeld, Bob Allen, Richard Barton, Shmuel Baruch, Amanda Barusch, Tim Ameel, Richard Barton, Shmuel Baruch, Amanda Barusch, David Blair, Kumiko Boike, Frank Brown, Connie Bullis, Vincent Cheng, Margaret Clayton, John Conboy, Suzanne Darais, Larry DeVries, Kristina Diekmann, Mariana DiPaolo, Nadja Durbach, Eric Eddings, Marlene Egger, Richard Ernst, Robert Fujinami, Michael Goodman, Pat Hanna, Michael Hardman, Sandra Hasstedt, Greg Hatch, Bob Hill, Eric Hinderaker, Vladimir Hlady, Harriet Hopf, Martin Horvath, Steve Kern, David Kiefer, Max Hanna for Todd Kramer, Stephen Lessnick, Joelle Lien, Brad Lundahl, James Metherall, Joseph Metz, Alysha Moore Esplin, Katie Moore, Kathryn Morton, Allyson Mower, Phil Emmi for Chris Nelson, Bill Lockhart for Chris Peterson, David Plumlee, Mollie Poynton, R. Lor Randall, Steve Reynolds, Rita Reusch, Nelson Roy, Erica Sellers, Antonio Serrato-Combe, Sam Thomas, Irving Torres, David Viskochil, Margaret Wan, Donna White, Bryce Williams, Seth Welborn, Nick Wolfinger
Ex-officio: James Anderson, Robert Flores, Nancy Lines, Paul Mogren, Susan Olson, David Pershing, Octavio Villalpando, Chuck Wight
Others: Ann Floor, Kevin Hanson
Excused: Loris Betz, Richard Forster, Lauren Holland, Ed Levine, Chris Nelson, Maria Newton, Andrea Rorrer, Bam Dev Sharda, Michael K. Young
Approval of Minutes
The minutes of the Academic Senate meeting of April 5, 2010 were unanimously approved following a motion from Larry DeVries and seconded by Vincent Cheng.
Special Orders: Senate President Jim Anderson explained the ballots for the Academic Senate president-elect and the Academic Senate Executive Committee and asked that they be completed and forwarded to the aisle so that the Personnel and Elections Committee could tally the votes during the meeting. The results are to be announced later during the meeting.
Request for New Business
Jim Anderson, senate president, presented the ‘white paper’ entitled “The State of Shared Governance.” The Academic Senate is involved by being the voice of the faculty and it is present in all levels of administration. Faculty are given the necessary resources and information to effectively participate in the development of policy, the general means of effecting that policy, and further sufficient means to evaluate the intended and unintended consequences of the University’s day to day operations. Shared governance means the administration may be in charge but the faculty are the stewards of the University and form the wise counsel which if used properly does not impede administrative initiatives but refines them and ensures that they will continue into the future. It is the pathway to success according to President Anderson. He announced a new Futures Committee which will make its debut in the fall in the form of a ‘White Paper’ to allow more transparency for faculty to access information.
Consent Calendar
The resignations, retirements, faculty appointments, auxiliary and limited term appointments, appearing in the Appendices dated April 19 and May 3, 2010, received approval to forward to the Board of Trustees for final approval.
Executive Committee Report
Jim Metherall, Executive Committee Secretary, summarized his written report of the April 19, 2010, Executive Committee meeting.
Report from Administration
Senior Vice President David Pershing representing the administration, thanked the senators for the great work they have done this year, especially in the absence of an increase in compensation. He invited the senators to participate in Friday’s commencement and strongly encouraged them to attend their college’s convocation, especially those who are doctoral advisors.
He acknowledged the faculty who will be receiving special awards at commencement. Distinguished Teaching awards will be awarded to Marissa Diener (family and consumer studies), Sivaraman Guruswamy (metallurgical engineering), Janet Lindsley (biochemistry), and Elizabeth Tashjian (finance). The Distinguished Scholarly and Creative Research Award recipients are Brenda Bass (biochemistry), Glenn Prestwich (medicinal chemistry), and David Strayer (psychology). Donald Strassberg (psychology) will receive the Calvin S. and JeNeal Hatch Prize in Teaching. Honorary degrees will be awarded to Jon M. Huntsman, Jr, doctor of humane letters, Sue D. Christensen, doctor of humane letters, E. Gordon Gee, doctor of laws, Shane Robison, doctor of engineering, and W. Dean Singleton, doctor of business. Three professors will receive 2010 Distinguished Professor awards, David Chapman (geology and geophysics), Christopher Hacon (mathematics), Michael K. Young (law), and finally the Distinguished Service Award to Luke Garrott (political science).
He concluded by wishing the senators a good summer.
Report from ASUU
ASUU humanities senator Sam Thomas, filling in for Tayler Clough, reported that the new ASUU president, Chase Jardine, is now in office and doing very well. He thanked everyone for the opportunity ASUU had this year to participate and be part of the Academic Senate.
Notice of Intent
There were no intent items.
Debate Calendar
Kevin Hanson, chair of the department of Film and Media Arts, represented Ellen Bromberg’s request for the proposed graduate certificate program in Screen Dance. The new art form is an exciting opportunity for the College of Fine Arts to merge dance and film together and to be the first in the country to offer such a specialized program. A motion from Larry DeVries to forward to the Board of Trustees for final approval was seconded by David Ailion and unanimously approved.
Paul Mogren gave a short précis on the newly established Policy Review Committee of the Executive Committee to review the current policy and regulations of the Academic Senate, and to evaluate and incorporate them into the new University Regulations, recommending changes and updates to outdated, inaccurate and inappropriate policies, and to also to write history of the Senate since its inception in 1890. The committee will also look at the organizational procedures as to how issues get to the senate, whether it’s a bottoms-up or top-down process. They plan to encourage the senate to become more proactive and may expand the Senate Handbook. A motion from Larry DeVries to approve the Policy Review Committee was seconded by Marianna DiPaolo and received unanimous approval.
Information Calendar
The information calendar, containing two Graduate Council reviews for the Molecular Biology Program and the Department of Political Science, and two emphases approved for Cross 3-D: Ceramics and Sculpture, and Entertainment Arts & Engineering, was approved following a motion from Eric Hinderaker.
New Business
Jim Metherall presented outgoing senate president Jim Anderson with an autographed and framed picture and personal note from author Garrison Keillor, Anderson’s favorite quotes used at each Senate meeting this year, to thank him for his behind the scenes service to the Academic Senate.
Special Orders:
The Senate elected Patricia Hanna, a faculty member in the department of linguistics, college of humanities, as the Senate president-elect for 2010-2011. The following were elected as members of the Academic Senate Executive Committee: Stephen Alder, Amanda Barusch, David Blair, Ronald Coleman, Suzanne Darais, Larry DeVries, Robert Fujinami, Martin Horvath, Mollie Poynton, and Donna White.
Ballots for the other Senate-elected committees are still being tallied and will be announced at the first Senate meeting in the fall.
Adjournment:
The meeting adjourned at 3:50 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Nancy Lines