Millersville University, Faculty Senate
Minutes
Meeting of the Faculty Senate
September 18, 2001
Chairperson Joel Piperberg called the meeting to order at 4:05 PM in Chryst
210. All departments were represented.
Report of the Faculty Senate Chairperson
Chairperson Piperberg declared that due to the delay in their distribution,
the Minutes of the September 4 meeting will be approved at the next meeting,
along with the Minutes of today's meeting.
Announcements
(1) Chairperson Piperberg announced that Tom Bell had been elected to two
Committees that meet at the same time. When asked which he preferred to serve
on, Dr. Bell said that he wished to serve on UCPRC. The vacant seat was given
to the other candidate for that seat Dr. James Valle. Dr. Debbie Sigel was
elected to two Committees at the last meeting and resigned from the Faculty
Student Athletic Committee leaving another open seat on that Committee.
Currently, there are two nominees for those seats (Rich Frerichs & Dieter
Ullrich). Another election is needed however, since one seat has a three-year
term and the other a one-year term. Further nominees are welcome.
(2) The Provost has approved the proposal for changes in the Honors
Program involving the deletion of the requirement for a minimum of 2 honors
courses in each of the academic areas, (G1, G2, & G3).
Report of the Student Senate President
Student Senate President Danz reported that the 2000-2001 "Person of The Year"
awards had been held and that pictures were presently on the wall of the SMC;
he also reported that Student Senate has composed a "Resolution" condemning
acts of terrorism. The President went on to thank all of those who
participated in the Forum last Monday on terrorism.
Report of the Graduate Student Organization President None.
Report of the Administrative Officers
President Caputo outlined the reasoning behind the University's response to
the terrorist attacks on New York and the Washington, D. C. area. He said
that the decision to continue classes provided a chance for students and
faculty to discuss these events. The continuation of relatively normal
activities and the opportunity for dialogue that it provided apparently helped
both students and faculty begin to deal with these horrific events.
Provost McNairy said that the Counseling Center had been extremely supportive
of students in distress. She went on to report that the first Fall Open House
for high school students and their parents would be held on the September 29.
She encouraged faculty and present MU students to attend as a strong show of
support.
Dr. Phillips reported that the Academic Advisement Workshop was successful.
She announced that there would be another workshop during which implementation
and assessment strategies would be discussed at 4:30 PM (preceded by a 3:00 PM
conversation) on October 4, 2001.
Dr. Stager reported that registration went smoothly and that enrollment was
strong; 100 students above last year. He further reported that the new
Add/Drop period would go into effect Spring 2002, at which time students would
have one week only to add and/or drop courses.
Reports of the Faculty Senate Standing Committees
Sepi Yalda from the University Theme Committee passed out that Committee's
recommendation (see attachment) for the 2002 -
2003 University Theme. The proposed theme is "Crossing Boundaries:
Decolonizing the Curriculum". The motion to name this theme as the 2002- 2003
University Theme passed without dissent.
Reports of the Faculty Senate Special Committees
Chairperson Piperberg announced that there was now a Humanities Seat open on
the Ad Hoc Honor Code Committee and urged Senators to urge colleagues to
accept nomination to the now-open seat. Jen Miller had to resign due to
scheduling conflicts with the new meeting times this year.
Proposed Courses and Programs None.
Faculty Emeritus None.
Discussion of Cancellation of Classes Due to Weather
The Senate took up discussion of snow delays and cancellations. In order to
facilitate a possible implementation by Spring 2002 for at least part of such
a proposal, Senate decided to discuss the issue of one- and two-hour snow
delays first; it was felt that this issue might lend itself to a simpler
solution. Two models were proposed last Spring (see attachments to September
4, 2001 minutes). In one- and two-hour delays, the first and sometimes the
second class of the day can be greatly impacted in semesters when the
University experiences snow/weather delays, especially if there are delays on
more than one day. Both attached proposals suggest models for taking time
from a number of classes to make up the time that has been lost to the delay.
In this way, a number of classes may lose 6 - 12 minutes instead of one or two
classes being eliminated completely. The models have the potential to cause
confusion, but once a model is decided upon discussion suggested that Senate
members believe that sufficient publicity about the policy and availability of
the delay schedule on the Website and perhaps in each semester's course
registration roster might alleviate this problem somewhat. Rather than
designate a specific model, a Fenwick/Wismer motion/resolution to ask the
Administration to consider a delay schedule, using the two proposals as
models, was passed.
Discussion continued on the issue of full snow days. Given the alternatives,
the difficulties in solving this problem appear to be greater. After a
preliminary exchange of ideas, discussion was suspended to allow time for
elections.
The meeting adjounred at 5:25.
Respectfully submitted,
Jen Miller
Recorder
Action Summary
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