Faculty Senate Minutes, 4 April 1995

MINUTES

FACULTY SENATE MEETING

4 April 1995

Chairperson D. Eidam called the meeting to order at 4:07 p.m. in Chryst Hall, Room 210. All departmental senators attended. C. Coveleski, J. Haugh, E. Kobeski and T. Miskelly and H. Tang attended for the student senate while S. Tremble attended for the Snapper.

Minutes

Senate approved the 21 February and 7 March 1995 meeting minutes as written.

Reports

Chairperson's Report

Chairperson D. Eidam distributed the chairperson's report (see Attachment A). He recognized long time former senate secretary Rich Will who attended the meeting. He also recognized S. Casselberry who announced that candidates for Dean of the School of Humanitites and Social Sciences will arrive on campus starting this week. Eidam said that a food services focus group would meet at 12:00 noon in Gordinier Dining Hall on Wednesday, April 5, 1995. He invited senators to attend. He noted a MUNIC (M.U. Network Implementation Committee) report that chairperson R. DeSouza sent him (see Attachment B). Senate invited DeSouza to report to it in the future about campus computer matters. Eidam also congratulated senator C. Stameshkin on her daughter's upcoming participation in the National Spelling Bee in Washington, D.C. Finally Eidam noted that proposed changes in the governance manual are recorded on his office computer.

Student Senate

Student seante president, J. Haugh, greeted senators and discussed a meeting regarding a student leadership task force. He called the meeting a "good meeting." Student senate will ahve elections on April 13. The race for next year's student president is hotly contested. On April 29, a big weekend at MU, student senate will work on a service project. Student senators will speak about the completion-of-the-major motion on today's agenda.

Administrative Officers

President

President J. Caputo announced many events that will occur on campus starting this week including Arthur Miller, Frederick Douglass, and Holocaust conferences. He discussed Pennsylvania Governor T. Ridge's proposed budget as he did at senate's last meeting. He was pleased with a recent editorial supporting the SSHE system's budget position in a local newspaper. The SSHE Chancellor is supporting a position of more state funds for the state supported schools. State supported schools should not receive less of an increase in funds than state government in general is receiving. The SSHE may decline the governor's offer of matching funds as inadequate.

Vice-President for Academic Affairs

Provost F. McNairy will meet with large senate committees that have budgets in the near future. The goal is neither to control the expenditures of the committees nor their messages. Rather it is to coordinate their expenditures so there is no overlap. MU will establish a search committee and start the search process to fill the Associate Provost for Academic Programs and Services position.

Vice-President for Student Affairs

Vice-President for Student Affairs G. Reighard said that there are many cultural affairs events in April that will bring many scholars to campus. He encouraged the faculty to encourage students to attend the many events. He said the corporations will fund a new hot air balloon for MU.

Acting Assistant Vice-President for Academic Affairs

Acting Assistant Provost K. Gregoire reported on the General Education Conference that the SSHE held at State College, March 23-24, 1995.

Committee Reports

Joint Senate Conference Committee

Chairperson S. Luek said the committee met on Tuesday, March 28 at 4PM in room 241 of Byerly Hall (see Attachment C). Ms. Marjorie Trout, Student Leadership Task Force Chairperson, also attended. The purpose of the meeting was to address some student leadership issues and service by students on unviersity committees. The committee meeting generated four motions for faculty senate. Luek asked that they be agenda items for the April 18 senate meeting and moved that they be the first item on the business agenda. Her motion passed.

University Course and Program Review Committee

Committee chairperson C. McLeod introduced two new Perspective courses under the three meeting rule. The first course will be cross listed in the Geography and Political Science departments:

GEOG321:

PSCI341:

COMM430:

McLeod introduced one new General Education course under the three meeting rule. The new course will meet Health and Physical Education requirements:

HPED175:

In April 1994 McLeod introduced to senate COMM324: Organizational Communictions II, a three-credit, new, non-General Education course. Since senate minutes have not noted the approval of the course, McLeod moved that senate approve the course now. Senate approved the course.

Graduate Course and Program Review Committee

Chairperson F. Erickson asked that PSYC566: Clinical Hypnosis, a new three credit hour graduate course, be put on the April 18 senate meeting agenda for senate approval.

Academic Policies Committee

Chairperson B. Nakhai introduced a proposed revision in the departmental evaluation of major policy as stated in the Governance Manual (see Attachment D). Nakhai asked that the proposed policy revision be put on the agenda for the April 18 senate meeting.

University Theme Committee

Unviersity Theme Committee Chairperson J. Piperberg mentioned future theme events for this semester. On April 13, Dr. Charles McClure will speak on the topic, "Humanizing the Internet." The talk is cosponsored by Ganser Library and Academic Computer Services. Cyril Wecht, a forensic specialist, will talk on April 20, 1995, at 8 PM in Myers Auditorium of McComsey Hall.

Piperberg said the committee will bring two proposed themes as agenda items to senate at the April 18 meeting: one for the 1997-1998 academic year and one for the 1998-99 academic year. The first is entitled "MU: A Community of Learners." The second is "Culture and Communication in the Electronic Village."

Outcomes Assessment Committee

Chairperson E. Ottinger discussed focus groups as an outcomes assessment program.

International Studies Curriculum Committee

Chairperson O. Iglesias aid the committee met March 15 at 12 noon. Since Dr. M. Arnold will be on sabbatical next academic year, nominations are open to fill her slot.

Cooperative Education Committee

Chairperson W. Dorman said that currently 119 students are interning through the coop education program.

Senate AD HOC Policies Review Committee

Chairperson B. Schneller said the committee is proposing a new standing committee for senate (see Attachment E). She asked that the secretary put the proposal on the April 18 senate meeting agenda.

Faculty Emeritus

A C. Stameshkin/S. Luek motion to recommend John Ellsworth Winter for Professor of Philosophy Emeritus passed (see Attachment F). A M. Warmkessel/G. Yelagotes motion to recommend Ray K. Hacker for Associate Professor of Librarianship Emeritus passed (see Attachment G).

Proposed Courses

Under the three meeting rule, senate approved four courses:

NURS360:

BIOL446:

JAPN201:

JAPN202:

A W. Dorman/B. Nakhai motion to put COMM430: Culture and the Semiotics of Communication, a new three credit hour Perspectives course, on the 18 April senate agenda passed.

Business

Motion Concerning Completion of the Major

Senate resumed debate on a Completion of the Major policy motion (see Attachment A, page 3758, of the 7 March 1995 senate minutes). Student senator E. Kobeski began discussion of the motion. Senator G. Yelagotes supported the position of the Sociology Departmnt that permits departments to require grade point average in the Major above the Unviersity grade point average requirements. After a long discussion with many participants that lasted until almost 5:45 PM, G. Yelagotes/B. Nakhai moved the question. Senate voted to terminate debate and vote on the main motion. Senate passed the main motion with a vote of 12 to 11.

Senate adjourned at 5:45 p.m. The next meeting will be Tuesday, 18 April 1995, from 4:05-5:45 p.m. in Chryst 210.

Respectfully submitted,

Marvin Margolis, Secretary
Faculty Senate

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