Chairperson Piperberg called the meeting to order at 4:10 PM in Chryst 210. All departments were represented with the exception of the following:
Additions to 12/5 Minutes: We will correct the spelling of Carol Phillips’ name in the Minutes.
Hearing no further objections, the Minutes for December 5, 2000 were approved.
Report of the Faculty Senate Chairperson
Announcements
(1) Chairperson Piperberg announced that George Stine has replaced George Yelagotes as Senator from the Sociology-Anthropology Department and that Deb Castellucci will be the senator the Nursing Department.
(2) Mark your calendars for Tuesday, June 12 at 3:00 PM for our Summer meeting. The meeting is presently planned for Myers Auditorium. Should there be a location change, all senators will be notified.
(3) Chairperson Piperberg reminded faculty that the terms of Senators in the departments listed below will be over in September. The governance manual stipulates that elections should be held between April 1 and May 31. The results of elections for Senator and Alternate should be sent to him as soon as possible after the election. If there have been any changes in representation from any departments (Senator or Alternate), please let him know as well. The following departments are scheduled for a Senate election this year: Business, Administration, Computer Science, Earth Sciences, Economics, Wellness & Sports Sciences, Nursing, Physics, Psychology, and Special Education.
(4) Annual reports will be due from Committees at the May meeting. The Chairperson will send Committee chairs a sample format soon.
Report of the Student Senate President
Student Senate President Baker announced that: (1) on February 22, President Caputo will meet with students in the Café De Ville; (2) there is a million dollars in allocation funds for student run organizations and that the application form for funds is due in two weeks; and (3) that nominations for "Person of the Year" Award for outstanding faculty, staff, and student are now being accepted.
Report of the Graduate Student Organization President. None.
Report of Administrative Officers
Dr. McNairy announced that the third open house went well in its effort to recruit prospective students. She further commented that if there is a particular "list-serve" on which a faculty member does not wish to be, s/he should notify the sender before contacting the Provost's office. She also asked that departments across campus determine whether they are involved in Service-Learning. They will be contacted soon to find out whether any of their courses or curricula possess elements that could fit the criteria for Service Learning. There will be more information this issue later.
Dr. Stager reported that winter enrollments were up 6.8 % over last year. He added that enrollments were generally higher than they were last year. He also announced that he was no longer involved in General Education exceptions; those decisions are now being made by the Deans. He remarked that entries into DARS are a bit behind because of a staffing change and assured faculty that entries would be caught up as soon as possible. Summer registration began Janurary 24; this is much earlier than ever before. Web registration is on the way. Finally, he noted that Spring enrollments were up180 students over last year's totals.
Dr. McNairy asked that procedures concerning General Education be tightened up so as not to freely recommend exceptions to the General Education program within departments. She continued to say that while the Board of Governors had made it clear that the direction of Science and Technology was a top priority, moneys were not being taken away from the Arts and Humanities to support these initiatives.
Dr. Stager added that the General Education objectives had been officially updated by 4:00 PM February 6, 2001.
Dr. Phillips announced (1) that focus groups would soon be arranged to better assess the advisement needs of students. (2) There will be more tutoring available for students taking science courses in the future.
Reports of Faculty Senate Standing Committees
Dr. Kerper, from the Academic Standards Committee, discussed the results of appeal hearings concerning the dismissal of students. {See attachment}. We will discuss the composition of this committee next meeting since concern has been raised about the distribution of faculty from different schools on the committee.
Dr. Rosenthal, from the Joint-Senate Committee, reported the results of discussions concerning the wearing of decorations at commencement. It was the Committee’s opinion that cords and decorations other than those specifically recognized as university sanctioned honors should not be worn at the time of commencement. It was added, however, that there may be appropriate times other than that of commencement when such decorations could be worn.
Chairperson Piperberg asked that a formal proposal be presented to Senate from the Committee.
Reports of the Faculty Special Committees
Dr. Schreiber, from the Ad Hoc Honor Code Committee, announced that on April 12 at 4:00 p.m. Rebecca Moore Howard will be speaking at the Spring Convocation. The event will be sponsored by the Committee with the support of the Provost's office.
Undergraduate Honors Program Proposal
Dr. Glenn, from the Undergraduate Honors Program, presented a proposal that would delete certain requirements for students graduating May 2001 and thereafter. {See attachment}. The proposal was approved by a unanimous vote.
Proposed Courses and Programs
(1) NEW GRADUATE COURSE
PSYC 511 - Substance-Related Disorders, 3 credits. Effective Summer 2001.Hearing no objections, the course was approved.
(2) CHANGE IN UNDERGRADUATE COURSE/CURRICLA
Changes to the credit requirements and choices of economics electives and required-related courses for the Political Economy option. Movement of ECON 215 (Money, Credit and Banking) from the core requirements to the approved electives list. Changing the number of credits of approved electives in the major from 9 to 12. Increasing flexibility in the required-related course block. Effective Fall 2001.Hearing no objections, the changes were approved.
(3) CHANGE IN UNDERGRADUATE COURSES/CURRICULA
Changes in the Economics Department majors and minors. Addition of ECON 327 (Women and Global Economics Development), a Perspectives course, to the list of electives in the economics major and minor. Effective Fall 2001.Hearing no objections, the change was approved.
(4) NEW UNDERGRADUATE COURSE
ESCI 385 - Global Change, 3 credits, Writing Across the Curriculum "W" course, requirement for the Geological Oceanography major in the Earth Sciences Department. Effective Fall 2001.Hearing no objections, the course was approved.
(5) CHANGE IN UNDERGRADUATE COURSES/CURRICULA
Proposal to designate the existing course Respiratory Care Techniques III (RESP 417) to be a non-G2 Writing-Across-the-Curriculum "W" course. Effective Spring 2001.Hearing no objections, the change was approved.
(6) CHANGE IN UNDERGRADUATE COURSES/CURRICULA
Change in designation of the following four courses to General Education G3 from Non-General education courses:Hearing no objections, the changes were approved.ECON 246 - Economics of Health and Healthcare, pre-existing course is already a "W" course, 3 credits. Effective Fall 2001.
ECON 316 - Public Finance, 3 credits. Effective Fall 2001.
ECON 325 - International Economics, 3 credits. Effective Fall 2001.
ECON 345 - Labor Economics, 3 credits. Effective Fall 2001.
(7) CHANGE IN UNDERGRADUATE COURES/CURRICULA
Change in Biology major, Marine Option. There will be no change in the minimum total credits required. The major field requirements have been restructured to enhance marine focus and encourage majors to select the Oceanography Minor. The net effect of the proposal is to move BIOL 241 (Ecology) from an elective to a required course and to change the elective required-related mix to include ESCI 363/MS 331 (Chemical Oceanography). Effective Fall 2001.Hearing no objections, the change was approved.
(8) NEW UNDERGRADUATE COURSES/CURRICULA
ESCI 466 - Coastal Environmental Oceanography, 3 credits, a Perspectives "P" course, a requirement for Geological and Chemical Oceanography majors. Also numbered MSC 451/551 for the Marine Science Consortium. Effective Summer 2001.Hearing no objections, the course was approved.
(9) CHANGE IN UNDERGRADUATE COURSES/CURRICULA
Addition of 3 new courses to the Oceanography curriculum: ESCI 385 (Global Changes), ESCI 386 (Earth System Data Visualization and Modeling) and ESCI 466 (Coastal Environmental Oceanography). Changes will be made in the four sub-disciplines:Hearing no objections, the changes were approved.Students in Biological Oceanography will take more courses in biology, leading to a minor in biology. The remote sensing course (ESCI 380) is also added in the option since the incorporation of satellite data will be emphasized in coming decades.
Students in Chemical Oceanography will be required to take the new course ESCI 466 (Coastal Environmental Oceanography) and ESCI 485 (Air-Sea Interaction) and CHEM 375 (Environmental Chemistry).
The Geological Oceanography curriculum will add two geology courses: ESCI 325 (Stratigraphy) and ESCI 326 (Sedimentation) to strengthen the students' geology background. The students will also take the three new courses mentioned above and ESCI 485 (Air-Sea Interaction) to make the option multidisciplinary.
Students in Physical Oceanography will be required to take ESCI 485 (Air-Sea Interaction).
Effective Fall 2001.
Faculty Emeritus
Dr. Schreiber, from Geography, presented a proposal to recommend that Dr. Gary Hovinen be granted the title of Professor Emeritus of Geography. {See attachment}.
Dr. Schreiber moved that the proposal be approved. Dr. Heintzelman seconded the motion. The motion to approve passed unanimously.
Freshman Weekend
Joe Lynch, from Counseling and Human Development, discussed the successes of the "Weekend Retreats." (See attachment}. He encouraged more faculty members to get involved.
Elections for Faculty Senate Officers
Nominations for Faculty Senate Chair were declared open. Joel Piperberg was nominated. Nominations were then closed. A Borger-Greco/Heintzelman motion was made. The motion instructing the Secretary to cast a ballot in favor of Dr. Piperberg’s for Chairperson of Faculty Senate passed.
Nominations for Assistant Faculty Senate Chairperson were declared open. Dr. Rosenthal was nominated. Nominations were then closed. A Luek/Mowrey motion to instruct the secretary to cast a ballot in favor of Dr. Rosenthal for the position of Assistant Faculty Senate Chair passed.
Nominations for Faculty Senate Secretary was declared open. Dr. Rosenthal nominated Jen Miller. Nominations were then closed. A Luek/Mowrey motion to instruct the secretary to cast a ballot in favor of Dr. Miller for the position of Faculty Senate Secretary passed..
Fall Calendar
Dr. Rosenthal, from Joint-Senate Committee, reported that, after careful consideration, it was the consensus of that Committee, that no changes be recommended for the calendar. While imperfect, it would be too difficult to alter at this time. A brief discussion followed.
Elections
There were two nominations for the vacant GERC--Education Seat: Dr. Garner from Psychology and Dr. Hossain from ELED. Ballots were collected at the end of the meeting. Dr. Garner was elected to fill the seat.
Other /New Business
None.
The meeting adjourned at 5:35 p.m.
Respectfully Submitted,
Jen Miller
Recorder
