Meeting Minutes
ACADEMIC SENATE MINUTES
November 2, 2009
Call to Order
The regular meeting of the Academic Senate, held on November 2, 2009, was called to order at 3:02 pm by James A. Anderson, Senate President. The meeting was held in room 115 C. Roland Christensen Center.
Roll: Elizabeth Adoyo, David Ailion, Peter Alfeld, Tim Ameel, Richard Barton, Shmuel Baruch, Amanda Barusch, Tami Beck, David Blair, John Bowman, Francis H. Brown, Connie Bullis, George Cassiday, Vincent Cheng, Margaret Clayton, Tayler Clough, John Conboy, Suzanne Darais, Larry DeVries, Tina Diekmann, Mariana DiPaolo, Elizabeth Clement, Eric Eddings, Richard Ernst, Richard Forster, Robert Fujinami, Michael Goodman, Pat Hanna, Michael Hardman, Sandra Hasstedt, Jessieann Hibbard, Bob Hill, Eric Hinderaker, Vladimir Hlady, Lauren Holland, Harriet Hopf, Martin Horvath, Randy Jensen, Jay Jordan, Cameron King, Todd Kramer, Stephen Lessnick, Edward M. Levine, Joelle Lien, Brad Lundahl, Peter Martin, James Metherall, William C. Michel, Alysha Moore, Katie Moore, Kathryn Morton, Ann Marie Breznay for Allyson Mower, Chris Nelson, Maria Newton, David Pendell, Kevin Perry, Chris Peterson, David Plumlee, Mollie Poynton, Sean Redmond, Steve Reynolds, Rita Reusch, Gerald Root, Nelson Roy, Donn Schaefer, Bam Dev Sharda, Tony Serrato-Combe, James Sibthorp, Sarah Solomon, Margaret Wan, Donna White, Bryce Williams, Lindsay Williams, Seth Welborn, Braden York, Nick Wolfinger.
Excused: Marlene Egger, R. Lor Randall, Andrea Rorrer, Tim Slover, Paula Smith, Irving Torres, Lorris Betz, Richard Sperry, Michael K. Young
Ex-officio: James Anderson, John Francis, James Graves, Nancy Lines, Paul Mogren, Susan Olson, David W. Pershing, Chuck Wight
Others: Ann Floor, Ann Darling, Theresa Ashman, Robert Payne, Kevin Taylor, Kevin Hansen
Approval of Minutes
The minutes of the Academic Senate meeting of October 5, 2009 were unanimously approved.
Request for New Business
Steve Hess, Chief Information Officer, presented a White Paper entitled ‘An Educator’s View of the Impact of Information Technology on Higher Education and the University of Utah’ which was very informative and well received. He stressed the great impact internet technology has in higher education and the University. Technology changes rapidly and we need to be aware of what technology is doing. A copy of his full presentation will be posted on the Senate website.
Consent Calendar
The resignations, retirements, faculty appointments, auxiliary, and limited term appointments, appearing in the Appendices dated October 19 and November 2, 2009 received approval to forward to the Board of Trustees following a motion from Larry DeVries which was seconded by Eric Eddings.
Executive Committee Report
Jim Metherall, Executive Committee Secretary, summarized his written report of the October 19, 2009 Executive Committee meeting.
Report from Administration
Senior Vice President David Pershing represented the administration and commented on the re-dedication of the Marriott Library informing the committee of the amazing collection of old and new housed in the beautiful edifice. The vice president apologized for the construction on campus indicating some of it was scheduled while other parts were unplanned but necessary to keep the University functioning.
The vice president also commented on the budget indicating that they didn’t have much more information as yet but are not anticipating a mid-year cut rather they expect big challenges in July 2010. The administration will be trying to brace that increase and will not be able to cover all of the expected $22 million but will do their best to protect the academic core. He reiterated that building funds have been appropriated for building buildings and those funds cannot be used for other needs.
Regarding positive things for the University, Vice President Pershing indicated that since July 2005, the Capital Campaign has raised about $670 million that impacts everyone in some way. Development continues to improve, last year adding 10,000 new donors. Despite the economy, research had its best year ever last year with about $355 million in new research funds. The first quarter of this year we were up 25% over the record-year last year. Thus far we have received about $32 million in new research funding from the stimulus program.
Report from ASUU
Tayler Clough reported on the activities of ASUU. First, they have finished with their legislative project to lower costs for student elections from $10,000 to $6500. Secondly, the Student Fee Committee will review student fees and analyze their appropriation and are accepting applications for participation. The committee will be under the direction of Senior Vice President Pershing, Vice President Brinkman and will include the ASUU financial director, ASUU president and vice president. Finally, the Community Mentoring Program in partnership with the College of Education is under way to help junior high students to start thinking about the direction they want to pursue in higher education. Mary Burbank from the College of Education will serve as the director.
Notice of Intent
Theresa Ashman, University Controller, was asked to fill in for Jeff West and explain the purpose for instigating the proposed new Policy 3-018 (Internal Controls). She said, basically the policy is created to keep bad things from happening and would prevent three major things from happening in the University’s financial areas: 1) avoid errors; 2) fraud; 3) incompetence. Ms. Ashman noted where there is good control, there is more efficiency. Online, onsite, and one-on-one training would be made available by the controller’s office. Ms. Ashman invited any corrections be forwarded to Jeff West so that a final proposal can be sent to the Senate’s debate calendar in December.
Debate Calendar
Ann Darling appeared before the Senate for the third time representing the newly proposed Student Media Council. President Anderson explained that this proposed council will decommission two current committees, the Student Broadcast Council and the Publications Council and create the new Student Media Council which will provide a stable funding base with a more streamlined system for transparency and student support. A motion to table the proposal was made by Chris Nelson and seconded by David Ailion but following a vote the motion failed by 30 in favor and 39 against. By a seconded motion the proposed council was finally approved. The proposal will be forwarded to the Trustees for their December meeting.
Robert Payne, Associate General Counsel, explained the purpose for Interim Rule 5-210 (Sexual Assault Prevention and Response), indicating that it came about following an August 25, 2008 Federal audit of the University wherein they found us out of compliance with the Clery Act, a federal policy that requires universities to have policies in place to educate current and prospective students about campus resources and processes available to student victims of sexual assault. To correct the deficiency, the University committed to having a sexual assault policy in place by October 1, 2009, and having drafts of recommended policies written and submitted for the approval process by November 1, 2009. The rule will become part of a larger, more comprehensive policy by the October 2010 deadline. The Institutional Policy Committee, the President’s Committee on the Status of Women, the Chief of Police, and others will be working to promulgate the final policy that will replace the interim rule. It was proposed that a sunset policy be inserted to decommission the interim status by June 2011. A motion from Larry DeVries to forward Interim Rule 5-210 as amended to Board of Regents for their approval and designate it be decommissioned as a sunset provision by June 2011, at which time a new policy will be in place was seconded by Jim Metherall and approved.
Kevin Taylor, director of the Office of Technology, gave a précis on the new rule proposed University Rule 4-002 regarding peer-to-peer illegal file sharing. The rule will provide students and faculty members with disclosure information regarding potential civil and criminal penalties, specifically targeting infractions with the electronic media (i.e. distributing copyrighted music/movies, etc.). Those who engage in illegal file sharing can be subjected to disciplinary proceedings, in addition to having their computer/network privileges cut off. The University’s goal is to protect the students while keeping the institution free from liability. It was suggested that a sentence be included in the proposed rule that prior to losing privileges, the students/faculty involved will be invited in for a discussion. As a seconded motion, the proposed rule passed with one abstention and with a friendly editorial amendment to the notification process.
Chuck Wight gave a short synopsis of the proposed University of Utah Center in St. George, more specifically to use the name “center” in its name. The Center will be housed in a building across the street from Dixie State College and will contain classroom facilities, staff, and infrastructure to support primarily graduate degrees from the University of Utah. The proposal for an institutional partnership with Dixie State College is completely separate from this request. As a seconded motion, the request passed unanimously to forward to the Board of Trustees for final approval.
Kevin Hanson was present to respond to questions for a division name change for the Division of Film Studies to the Department of Film and Media Arts. The name change more accurately describes the mission and long-term goals and reflects the tripled number of declared majors since its inception. There were no questions or concerns. As a seconded motion, the proposed request received unanimous approval to forward to the Board of Trustees for final approval.
Information Calendar:
Susan Olson reported on the Family Leave Policy regulation to conduct a three-year review of the policy which became effective in the spring of 2006. A graduate student in Educational Leadership and Policy and under the direction of Andrea Rorrer has volunteered to conduct this review as a project in a graduate methods course. A faculty questionnaire will be sent out to all faculty most likely in January with the exception of the School of Medicine faculty as they have a separate policy, to accumulate information from those who have used the policy as well as to find out who did not or who intend to use it in the future. Some of those responders will be asked to participate in a focus group to gage faculty opinions of the program. A separate questionnaire will be sent to department chairs to query them as to how the policy worked in their departments.
Emphasis in Early Childhood Education for Human Development and Family Studies Majors, Emphasis in Financial Planning for Consumer and Community Studies Majors, and Emphasis in Entertainment Arts and Engineering for Film Studies Majors will be forwarded to the Board of Trustees. The proposed name change for the Division of Film Studies to the Department of Film and Media Arts will also be forwarded to the Board of Trustees.
New Business
Jim Anderson informed the Senate that the Pandemic Task Force is concerned about procedures in place for absenteeism in attendance for students and faculty. He encouraged the senators to think about a buddy system if they are sick as it takes one week for symptoms to subside and another week to recover causing a two-week absence. The University does not want people coming on campus when they are sick. He recommended that senators consider these things and take responsibility to for their own situation.
Adjournment:
The meeting adjourned at 4:46 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Nancy Lines