MINUTES OF MEETING NUMBER 136
OF The
Senate OF mICHIGAN tECHNOLOGical university

2 May 1984

(Senate Minute pages: 2318-2332)

President Nelson called the meeting to order at 7:07 p.m., March 2, 1984 in the Faculty Lounge of the Memorial Union.

Roll: Twenty six members/alternates were present. Absent were: Ralph E. Asplund, William P. Francis, Charles E. Hein, Allan M. Johnson, Terry D. Monson, and William C. Shust. Visitors: Thomas H. Courtney, Robert C. Baillod, Randolph E. Greuer, and Mohamed A. Serageldin.

Minutes of Meeting No. 135:

Under Section III.E., the first sentence should read, "Senator Belote reported that the committee has added two student members, one of whom is a graduate student council member."

President's Report

President Nelson reported on the outcome of his recent call for nominations for two Senator-at-large positions and one seat on the University tenure committee. For Senator-at-large, three nominations were received as follows: Terry D. Monson, Business and Engineering Administration; Bradley H. Baltensperger, Social Sciences; and Vincent W. Hauge, Social Sciences.

For the University Tenure Committee, three nominations were received as follows: Larry M. Julien, Chem/Chem Eng.; Ralph J. Hodek, Civil Engineering; and Leslie Leifer, Chem/Chem Eng.

This ballot will be circulated to the academic faculty. Several new senators/alternates next school year were announced as follows:

Peter A. Gaines/William J. Gregg, Mining
Phillip N. Parks/Donald A. Daaavettila, Physics
Spencer A. Hill/Patrick E. Martin, Social Sciences
Alan J. Brokaw/Thomas E. Merz, Business Administration

Committee Reports

A. Curricular Policy

Proposal 3-84 will be presented under New Business.

B. Instructional Policy

The committee has not met recently. Its only business currently under consideration is a possible proposed change in the MTU grading policy from the student council. This will probably be considered next fall.

C. Institutional Evaluation.

The committee has not received very much feedback on the ACLU policy statement presented at Meeting No. 135 and does not plan to take any action on it.

D. Budget

A written report was presented (Appendix A - Available by Request from the Senate Office). The proposed MTU budget for next year totals $61,000,000, and the enrollment is projected to decline. Several questions were raised in regard to the enrollment decline - why was the initial estimate so far off?, will the trend continue?, and what is being done? MTU President Dale F. Stein responded that the large decline is caused mainly by the fact that we presently have an unusually large senior class about to graduate. This is an effect of capping admissions four years ago. The latest enrollment projection for school year 84/85 is 6950 students, and the eventual goal is 6500. The state funds MTU for 5800 students.

E. Faculty Fringe Benefits

A written report was handed out (see Appendix B - Available by Request from the Senate Office).

F. Retrenchment Planning

Senator Monson reported that he had sent the proposed retrenchment document to the AAUP legal counsel, at the suggestion of several faculty members, and that he got a lengthy response. The document has been rewritten and distributed to the committee members. The committee hopes to act on the revised document at its next meeting, probably next fall.

G. Teaching Effectiveness

A report was handed out (see Appendix C - Available by Request from the Senate Office) and discussed by Senator Belote. President Nelson requested that the Teaching Effectiveness Committee please contact the Faculty Development Committee in regard to teaching effectiveness workshops, as the FDC is also planning to organize related workshops. In response to a question, Senator Belote stated that the committee will probably recommend that MTU employ a permanent resource person for teaching effectiveness.

Old Business

A. Election of Senate Nominees to the Athletic Council and University Sabbatical Leave Committee

The Senate is required to provide three nominations for each of these committees to the MTU President; however, only three nominations were received for each by the Senate President. Ballots listing these six nominees were handed out, and President Nelson entertained a motion to accept all six as the senate's nominees. Moved, seconded, and approved. The nominees are as follows:

  1. Athletic Council: Terrell E. Warrington (Chem/Chem Eng.); James R. Gale (BA); Vincent W. Hauge (Social Sciences)
  2. University Sabbatical Leave Committee: Hugh E. Boyer (Social Sciences); Lawrence W. Evers (ME-EM); M. Adnan Goksel (IMR)

B. Ombudsman Selection

The ombudsman selection committee announced that a new ombudsman has been named - Professor David T. Halkola will assume the position at the beginning of summer term.

New Business

A. Proposal 3-84

The history of the proposal was reviewed by Dean Courtney. Discussion followed. The sentence beginning on page 2316 and ending on page 2317 was changed to read as follows: "This is typically demonstrated by the faculty's research, as evidenced by scholarly publications, and by the ability to secure the external funding . . ."

The role of various committees was clarified - each program area will have a standing committee, the "Advisory Graduate Committee," which will function much like a departmental graduate committee. Another committee, the "University Nondepartmental Studies Committee," will oversee the activities of the advisory graduate committees. In addition, each student will have an examining committee, as is normally the case.

Four programs areas are anticipated at this time:

  1. Environmental Engineering
  2. Geotechnical Engineering
  3. Structural Engineering
  4. Signal Processing

It was noted that these programs are in addition to existing Ph.D. programs.

The proposal passed by a vote of 26 for, 1 against.

B. Nominating Committee

President Nelson called for volunteers to form a nominating committee for Senate officers. Senator Beske-Diehl agreed to serve as chair, and President Nelson agreed to sit on the committee.

C. Home Computers

President Stein mentioned that retailers of home computers in Michigan have launched an all-out effort to stop universities from offering discounts to faculty and students. Appeals will be made by the retailers to the state legislature and also to the MTU Board of Control, in the near future.

The meeting was adjourned at 8:10 p.m.

Gary G. Gimmestad
Senate Secretary