President P. Nelson distributed copies of the President's Report ( Appendix A - Available by Request from the Senate Office).

Report on Meetings of the Academic Council.

Sachs reported that the meeting scheduled for October was cancelled. The next meeting will be November 3.

Report on Meeting of the Board of Control.

Sachs was unable to attend the meeting. Sloan attended in his place and submitted a report which is attached as Appendix B (Available by Request from the Senate Office).

Election of Chairperson of Senate Committee on Faculty Fringe Benefits Under Proposal 20-78 - Candidate G.F Reynolds was elected by acclaim.

 

B. Instructional Policy

Sloan submitted a report of the committee which is attached as Appendix D (Available by Request from the Senate Office). Discussion of the report centered on dissatisfaction with the current calendar expressed by several senators. Pintar said that winter quarter is chopped up. Alexander stated that faculty dislike the winter split and the early start. Kraft said that the current calendar is academically unsound. Sachs suggested that Thanksgiving break could be just one day. He noted that students might prefer Labor Day weekend at home instead of Thanksgiving Day. Wise agreed that students would enjoy the Labor Day weekend at home. Allison noted that realistically Thursday and Friday would be needed for a Thanksgiving break. Kraft noted that the Department of Bioscience is handicapped by the current calendar. Spring quarter offers little opportunities for field work so that many of the field courses have to be moved to fall quarter. Crowther stated that the same was true for Forestry and that the Forestry faculty unanimously opposes the current calendar. Lide asked about the previous calendar and was told that prior to the present calendar, Michigan Tech had the so-called late-quarter system with fall quarter beginning in late September and going through mid-December; winter quarter beginning in early January and going through late March; and spring quarter running from April to mid-June. Reynolds noted that foreign students must leave early for Christmas under the current system and that this often requires their missing several days of class just before Christmas that would not have been missed under the previous calendar.

A series of straw votes were taken to obtain senators' feelings about possible calendar changes. On the first straw vote, 6 favored the present calendar and 17 expressed dissatisfaction with it. The second straw vote showed 14 favoring the late quarter and 5 opposing the late quarter. The third straw vote showed 10 favoring a semester system and 11 opposing a semester system.

D. Roles of the Senate and Faculty Association - No Report.

E. Promotional Policy and Professional Standards and Development - No Report.

Old Business

Sachs raised the issue of promotability of faculty who lack the doctorate degree. He noted that paragraph 5.13.3 of the procedures manual in a policy approved by Vice President Koepel does not correspond to the policy of the college of Science and Arts. In particular, it indicates that a doctorate is required for promotion to each of the professional ranks. The policy of the Department of Humanities is or was that people with master's degrees in fine arts can be promoted.

He noted that President Smith writing in the Michigan Tech Alumnus wrote "even in the areas of promotion, tenure, Sabbatical leave, selection of academic administrators, athletic programs, etc., faculty members play significant roles." He addressed two questions concerning this issue to Vice President Stein. First, shouldn't the Vice President of Academic Affairs rather than the Vice President of Finance and Operations approve parts of the procedures manual dealing with questions of faculty promotion?

Stein responded that this problem had been brought to his attention that day at 4p.m. He said that the section should read "doctorate degree or equivalent" and that in the past people without a doctorate but with an equivalent have been promoted in certain cases. He said that he would interpret the policy to mean doctoral degree or equivalent. Sachs then asked if we could get the procedures manual corrected. Stein responded affirmatively. Sachs noted that it is difficult to keep up with changes in the procedures manual.

 

New Business

A. Commencement Speaker.

Nelson stated that some faculty had expressed concern about the length of time required to read graduates' names at commencement and suggested that perhaps this practice could be changed. Several senators addressed this issue. The predominant sentiment was for continuing the reading of individual names as long as the University does not become too large. Alexander suggested that a different type of commencement speaker might liven up the ceremony.

B. WGGL Advisory Board

Read Burgan, WGGL Director, has requested Senate involvement in the formation of an advisory board. WGGL is charged with responsibility to "mirror the main thrusts of the University."

C. Exam Deadlines

Hauge reported difficulties in the Department of Social Sciences in grading essay exams and still meeting the deadline for quarter grades. For example, one colleague has three exams on Thursday and Friday of final exam week, all essay exams, and does not feel that he can grade them adequately prior to the Tuesday noon deadline. Discussion of this issue followed, and it was referred to the Instructional Policy Committee.

D. Senate Role in Governance

Pintar raised the issue of how the Senate fits into the governance at Michigan Technological University. He noted President Smith's veto of travel expenses of the University's representative to the Association of Michigan Collegiate Faculties and other proposals that have been killed without recourse. He asked whether it would be possible to amend the constitution to allow a second chance for proposals that are vetoed. Nelson responded that the State of Michigan Constitution gives ultimate power only to the Board of Control but said we do have recourse. One possibility is to keep passing motions again and again. A second is to make a presentation to the Board of Control with a convincing rationale. Nelson, in his President's report, places proposals that have not been approved by the President early in the report so that senators will notice them. Alexander noted that in his earlier term in the Senate, proposals from the Senate Curricular Policy Committee were passed unanimously several times and vetoed by the President every time. He would debate the issues with President Smith on the Senate floor and win the debate, but it would make no difference in the decisions. Sachs suggested including a report from the Senate in the Board of Control agenda every time. This report could include notice of vetoed proposals or ones that have not yet been acted on. A representative to the Board of Control could comment on these proposals. Nelson said that the Institutional Evaluation Committee could prepare a plan of action on this and referred the matter to the Institution Evaluation Committee.

E. Student Poll

Wise requested suggestions for questions on the student poll to be conducted by the Senate Council.

The meeting adjourned at 8:08p.m..

 

Respectfully submitted,