Meeting Minutes
ACADEMIC SENATE MINUTES
November 4, 2013
Call to Order
The regular meeting of the Academic Senate, held on November 4, 2013, was called to order at 3:03 p.m. by Allyson Mower, Senate President. The meeting was held in room 110 Spencer Fox Eccles Business Building.
Present: David Ailion, Peter Alfeld, Chrisoula Andreou, Keith Bartholomew, Tim Benvegnu, Michael Blomgren, Kelly Bricker, Nilufer Cagatay, Tully Cathey, Thomas Cheatham, Marcus Chen, Mary Ann Christison,Robin Craig, Kevin DeLuca, Alison Denyer, Justin Diggle, Maria Dobozy, Megan Dolle, Florence Fernandez, Ole Fischer, Sabine Fuhrmann, Jennifer Garvin, William Gershan, Jordan Gerton, Franz Goller, Joan Gregory, Gary Grikscheit, Thad Hall, Michael Harris, Mary Elizabeth Hartnett, Leanne Hawken, Rachel Hayes-Harb, Tom Henderson, Robert Hitchcock, Thunder Jalili, Anne Jamison, Xan Johnson, William Johnson, Bradley Katz, John Longino, Theresa Martinez, Ashley McMullin, Heather Melton, Duncan Metcalfe, Meredith Metzger, Joel Miller, Jill Moriearty, Alfred Mowdood, Patricia Murphy, A. Chris Nelson, Ingrid Nygaard, Sam Ortiz, Marlene Plumlee, Matthew Potolsky, M. Pollie Price, Mariana Ramiro, Lorie Richards, Stephanie Richardson, Steve Roens, Gerald Root, Gary Rose, Jody Rosenblatt, Clough Shelton, Debra Simmons, Gregory Smoak, David Stevenson, Taylor Thurman, Rachel Wootton, Joanne Yaffe, Jingyi Zhu
Absent: Orly Alter, McKay Allred, A.K. Balaji, Lyda Bigelow, Marjorie Chan, John Conboy, William Crowley, Sierra Debenham, Xiao Fang, Francis Friedrich, Michael Hawkins, Jared Hurdman, Christian Johnson, Amy Johnas, Lori Kowaleski-Jones, Evert Lawton, Uri Loewenstein, William Lowrance, Raina Mahanes, Ross Marabella, Erminia Martinez, Jannah Mather, Dragan Milicic, Patrick Panos, Wanda Pillow, Paul Shami, John Paul Soares, Li Wang
Excused: Steve Alder, Harriet Hopf, Vivian Lee, David Pershing
Ex-officio: Robert Flores, Robert Fujinami, Paul Mogren, Allyson Mower, Ruth Watkins, Amy Wildermuth, Shawnee Worsley
Excused with Proxy: Christina Porucznik (Lisa Green)
Others: David Kieda, Laura Snow
Approval of Minutes
The minutes of the Academic Senate meeting on October 7, 2013 were approved.
Request for New Business
The following items of New Business will be discussed:
- BoardDocs Software
- University Diversity Committee
- Academic Senate meeting location
Consent Calendar
The resignations retirements, and faculty and administrator appointments dated September 9, 2013, received approval to forward to the Board of Trustees.
Report from Administration
Ruth Watkins, Senior Vice President of Academic Affairs spoke to the Academic Senate on recent activities. President Pershing is currently visiting the Songdo, Korea campus to visit with government officials, students and parents. The Songdo Campus is anticipated opening in 2014. Dr. Watkins has been visiting with faculty at each college on how to advance the institution’s initiatives. Converging themes and areas of importance include faculty advancement, student scholarships, promoting success of students, and improvements in infrastructures. These items will be forwarded to working groups. Graduation rates continue to be a focus of one of the working groups along with budgets, roles and processes.
Executive Committee Report
Robert Fujinami, Academic Senate Past President, provided a summary of the Executive Committee meeting held October 21, 2013.
Report from ASUU
Sam Ortiz, ASUU President, gave an update on ASUU’s initiatives. ASUU is working with Belinda Saltiban, Director of Inclusion, to create a video for students to share their experiences on campus when they felt discriminated against or felt unsafe. The video will also include best practices for inclusion and can be used to help improve student experiences. ASUU will be partnering with Marriott Library again this semester for Geek Week. This event will include Yoga in the library, Pizza and other great prizes for students.
Notice of Intent
Robert Fujinami presented the proposal for Revised Policy 8-002 School of Medicine Faculty Parental Benefits-Leaves of Absence. This is one of two University Policies on faculty parental benefits, the other (6-315) covers faculty outside the School of Medicine, and this Policy being revised (8-002) covers only faculty of the School of Medicine. One of the most important changes will change the funding model for the pay faculty members receive during a parental leave of absence. The proposed changes will allow the School of Medicine to take advantage of the National Institute of Health parental leave policy. This would allow faculty members with federal grant support to use grant funds to support the leave. In addition, the rate of pay will increase up to the NIH salary cap ($179,700 for FY 2014). Having a uniform paid parental leave policy is seen by the Liaison Committee of Medical Education as an important contribution by the School of Medicine toward an inclusive work environment. Accreditation by that Liaison Committee is vital, and an important factor in accreditation is the School’s ability to demonstrate commitment to policy and processes that support diversity and inclusion. There is some urgency to have the revised Policy approved and implemented by January 1, due in part to the accreditation process underway. Questions were raised about the differences between this Policy governing the School of Medicine faculty and Policy 6-315 governing all other faculty, and in particular the difference in eligibility of career-line faculty. It was explained that the issue of extending benefits for career-line faculty outside the School of Medicine is being examined by the task force on career-line faculty (which is also participating in various other Policy revision projects that will be processed later in this academic year). The motion to move from Intent to Debate was made by Joanne Yaffe and seconded by Xan Johnson. Motion passed unanimously. The motion to approve and forward to the Board of Trustees was made by Joanne Yaffe and seconded by Jennifer Garvin. Motion passed unanimously.
Debate Calendar
The proposal for a name change from the Department of Orthopedics to the Department of Orthopaedics (adding an “a”) was presented by Dr. Charles Saltzman. The department wishes to update terminology to be more current and in line with the profession. This change will align the department’s name with the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery, The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgery, and the American Orthopaedic Association. There will not be any changes in degree titles. The motion to approve and forward to the Board of Trustees was made by Joanne Yaffe and seconded by Jennifer Garvin. Motion passed unanimously.
The proposal from the Department of Exercise and Sport Science for a name change of its undergraduate emphasis, from Fitness Leadership Emphasis to Fitness and Wellness Specialist Emphasis, was presented by Kerry Jacques. This name change will align the emphasis with the current job market and terminology current to the field. This will make it easier to determine which professional area the candidate has expertise in and professional preparation for. This name change will also better reflect the content of the emphasis coursework and skill development. The motion to approve and forward to the Board of Trustees was made by Joanne Yaffe and seconded by Mary Elizabeth Hartnett. Motion passed unanimously.
The proposal for a name change from the Department of Ophthalmology, to the Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences was presented to the Academic Senate. This new name is consistent with a national trend. The department feels the name more fairly represents what they do. This change will not affect or change the structure, faculty or staff. No new physical facilities or modifications will be needed. The motion to approve and forward to the Board of Trustees was made by Joanne Yaffe and seconded by Mary Elizabeth Hartnett. Motion passed unanimously.
Laura Snow, as co-chair of the University Commencement Committee, presented the proposal for Academic Calendar Changes. This proposed calendar change is in response to the feedback that has been received from the recent change in scheduling of the annual Commencement ceremony, to occur on a Thursday evening rather than on Friday morning. The only negative feedback was that on Thursday night some graduating students were taking finals, which conflicted with their participating in the Commencement activities. The administration would like to eliminate the April 24th reading day and to have the final exam period Thursday, April 24th to Wednesday, April 30th. This would ensure finals to be completed prior to the Thursday May 1st Commencement & Convocation Exercises. A lengthy discussion was held regarding the scheduling of finals, the providing of a reading day, and the impact this has on students. The motion to move to table this matter, and send it back to the commencement committee for further study and preparation was made by Chris Nelson. The motion was seconded by Thad Hall. Motion passed. Revote was called by Stephanie Richardson. Motion was restated as motion to table this matter and send back to the committee to address the issue of reading day. The motion was seconded by Thad Hall. Motion passed.
The proposal for the Center for Latin American Studies was presented by Rebecca Horn and Claudio Holzner. The Center aims to increase knowledge, understanding, and awareness of Latin American countries, cultures and languages though multidisciplinary and multi-institutional collaborative activities. The Center will collaborate with the current Latin American Studies Program, which will continue to administer its academic programs. The Latin American Studies Program is one of several area studies programs at the University that seek to contribute to the internationalization of the campus and ensure that the university continues to evolve into a globalized institution. Concerns were raised about the adequacy of consultation regarding this proposal with faculty in the Languages and Literature department, which would have a close relationship with the new Center and its activities. There was lengthy discussion about how such consultation with affected faculty should occur in developing a proposal for a Center, and how it should be documented within proposal materials. The motion to approve and forward to the Board of Trustees was made by Joanne Yaffe and seconded by Theresa Martinez. A motion to table was made by Maria Dobozy and seconded by Pollie Price, and that motion did not pass. A motion to have the proposal proponents obtain and add to the materials a letter of support from the chair of the Languages and Literature department was made by Joanne Yaffe and seconded by Thad Hall, and that motion did not pass. The original motion to approve and forward to the Board of Trustees was restated, by Joanne Yaffe and seconded by Theresa Martinez, and was voted on. Division of house was called due to closeness of the voice-vote. The motion passed.
Howard Horwitz, Chair of the Faculty Budget and Planning Advisory Committee, presented a memo of support to be sent from the Senate, as prepared by Faculty Budget and Planning Advisory Committee, supporting the Utah System of Higher Education Budget Request for this year. This letter of support will be sent to the State Board of Regents. The motion was made by Xan Johnson and seconded by Laurie Richards to approve sending this memo to the Regents. Motion passed.
Information Calendar
The following items were presented for the information and recommendations of the Academic Senate, no questions or recommendations were raised, and all items will be forwarded to the Board of Trustees:
- Undergraduate Emphasis in Animation
- Graduate Council Review Department of Sociology
- Graduate Council Review Department of Pharmacotherapy
- Graduate Council Review Department of English
- Graduate Council Review Department of Pathology
New Business
Allyson Mower discussed using a proprietary computer software product/service, BoardDocs, to distribute the Academic Senate Agenda. The senators had questions about the need for such a product, but were in support of doing a trial of the software.
The University Diversity Committee has requested a change in the charge to include two additional ex-officio members; Director of LGBT Resource Center and Assistant VP for Human Resources.
Meeting space for Spring 2014 was discussed. Meetings for January, February and March will be held in Eccles Health Sciences Education (HSEB) 1750. April and May meeting space will be determined at a later date.
Adjournment
The meeting adjourned at 5:12 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Shawnee Worsley