MINUTES OF MEETING NUMBER 75
OF The
sENATE OF mICHIGAN tECHNOLOGical university

20 March 1974

(Senate Minute pages: 915-936)

Meeting No. 75 was called to order on Wednesday, March 20, 1974 at 7:05 p.m. in the Faculty Lounge by President V.L. Doane.

The roll was called by the Secretary. Twenty-six members or alternates were present. Absent were Daavetilla (PH), Nordeng (GE), Olson (MG), Velics (LB), and Wyble (AL).

 

The Minutes of Meeting No. 74 were approved as distributed.

The President read a memorandum from R.S. Horvath in which he rephrased his statement appearing on page 904 of the minutes. The memorandum appears here as Appendix A (Available by Request from the Senate Office) to serve as an addendum to the Minutes of Meeting No. 74.


Senate President's Report - President Doane's report is included here as Appendix B (Available by Request from the Senate Office).



Report on Meetings of the Academic Council and Board of Control

  1. Hodek reported on four meetings of the Academic Council. His report is included here as Appendix C (Available by Request from the Senate Office).

  2. Doane reported on the Board of Control meeting held in Midland on February 15, 1974. Her report is included here as Appendix D (Available by Request from the Senate Office).

 

Committee Reports

A. Curricular Policy

Spain moved the adoption of Proposal 6-74, Course Change Policy. Following a second, Spain explained the intent is to place the primary responsibility for course changes and the actual evaluation of courses on the departments and further detailed the procedure.

At this point Horvath called attention to a typographical error which actually should have been noted above: page 909, under "F", last line -- the word "addition" should read edition."

Horvath made clarification of item C to add "for the first time" following "One quarter prior to be offered . . ." This editorial amendment was approved.

Miller moved further clarification by opening the sentence with the words "At least . . .": "At least one quarter prior to being offered for the first time . . ." This amendment was approved.

Proposal 6-74 was adopted with the editorial amendments indicated above by a vote of 20 Yes, 0 No.

Stebler requested that the committee follow up on Proposal 4-72, Baccalaureate Credit for Associate Degree Courses, which was referred to the Curricular Policy Committee on April 19, 1972. He cited instances where students have suffered for the lack of such a policy.

Julien suggested that the committee should look into the matter of facilitating the dropping of courses which are not taught or which do not meet some minimum enrollment criterion.

B. Instructional Policy

Hodek's report on the allegations referred to the committee by Horvath (Appendix A of these minutes -- (Available by Request from the Senate Office) is included here as Appendix E (Available by Request from the Senate Office). He then reported that the committee felt that if this is an isolated incident, perhaps no further action would be necessary. He then volunteered to convene committee meetings in private with individuals who had first-hand knowledge of instances of actual grade changing or undue pressure to influence the grading policies of individual faculty members.

C. Academic Calendar - Structure

Weaver described the course of action he was planning. He stated that the committee would solicit input from each and every segment of the University.

D. Audio-Visual Instructional Material

Rakestraw moved the adoption of Proposal 7-74, Audio-Visual Materials Policy. Following a second, Rakestraw briefly outlined the history and rationale of the proposal. Horvath moved that the proposal be amended to agree with suggestions made by DelliQuadri as follows: Replace the entire subparagraph under "COMMISSION" which is labeled "Organization" by the following:

Organization: An Audio-Visual Materials Policy Commission shall be a standing committee of the Faculty Senate. Its members shall be appointed by the President of the Senate with the approval of the Senate. The Commission shall consist of three members, serving staggered three-year terms, with no restrictions on reappointment.

The amendment carried, and the amended proposal was approved by a vote of 11 Yes, 2 No. As the proposal was amended, it must be voted on again at the next meeting.

Rakestraw then distributed copies of a report by the subcommittee on patents. This report appears here as Appendix F (Available by Request from the Senate Office).

E. Curricular Impact - No report.

F. Elections - No report.

G. Elections Procedure

DelliQuadri moved that the Senate amend its current election procedure for Senators-at-Large by changing item 3 to read as follows:

3. Election Procedures

  1. If fewer than five candidates are nominated, then the top two vote-getters are elected.
  2. If five or more candidates are nominated, a run-off election will be held if the top vote-getters do not have a majority. Run-off elections will be of the top four candidates.

The motion carried.

H. Institutional Evaluation

Quinones listed the present members of the committee (Available by Request from the Senate Office).

I. Promotion Policy Review

In Crowther's absence, Miller read his report which is included here as Appendix G (Available by Request from the Senate Office).

J. Roles of the Senate and Faculty Association

Stebler reported that the following members have been appointed representing the Faculty Association: George Love, Wayne Torgeson, and Hubert Hunzeker. In response to a request for volunteers to represent the Senate, DelliQuadri joined the committee. Senators were asked to canvass their departments for two additional members.

 

Old Business - None

 

New Business and Voluntary Remarks

Quinones apprised the Senate of the current status of the Army ROTC unit at Michigan Tech. He urged the faculty to help the unit by recommending ROTC as a possible source of financial aid for students.

Julien brought up the subject of financial sources for the Senate. President Doane suggested that this should be one of the things looked into by the committee on the Roles of the Senate and Faculty Association.

A request for further information on the salary data received from the administration was deferred to a report by Julien to be delivered at the next meeting.

Horvath read an open letter to the Senate from Professor Sachs. It is included here as Appendix H (Available by Request from the Senate Office).

DelliQuadri reported that he and Ed Williams were elected to the Tenure Committee which now consists of DelliQuadri, Chairman; Wyble, Vice Chairman; Caspary, Secretary; Bahrman; and Williams. The committee is working on a report which will recommend the replacement of the General Faculty by the Academic Faculty in the matters of tenure policy changes since only members of the academic faculty are eligible for tenure.

 

The meeting was adjourned at 9:30 p.m.

 

Ralph S. Horvath
Secretary