MINUTES OF MEETING NUMBER 180
OF The
Senate OF mICHIGAN tECHNOLOGical university
5 December 19910
(Senate Minute pages: 3164-3175)
President Julien called the meeting to order at 7:03 p.m. on December 5, 1990 in rooms B2 and B3 of the Memorial Union Building.
Roll: Twenty seven members/alternates were present. Absent were John Daavettila, Allan Hambley, Josiah Heyman, and Narasipur Suryanarayana. Continuing member President Stein was not present.
Visitors: Duane Stucky and Bert Whitten.
Minutes of Meeting No. 179 were approved as revised.
Numerous revisions of the President's report concerning the Academic Council meetings were required. A great deal of discussion took place regarding the nature of the reporting of Academic Council meetings to the Senate and the reporting of the Council discussions in the Senate minutes. Care should be taken in the Senate Minutes to distinguish between actions and discussion at the Council meetings and the opinions and interpretations of those reporting on the meetings.
The last three paragraphs of the President's report dealing with Academic Council meetings should be revised to read:
President Julien reported some of his observations from the Academic Council meetings. The University is working toward providing undergraduate and graduate education via uplink-downlink computer facilities. The Council is willing to support extra faculty compensation. It is President Julien's opinion that the Council is unwilling to consider work in this area during promotion and tenure.
The Academic Council would like to support incoming faculty with $100,000 plus or minus $30,000 to establish research programs, and they want to set aside $200,000 to do this. If the University is going to hire 22 new faculty the fund would only support two or three new members. Question: Will the discrepancy in initial research support be considered in promotion and tenure decisions? The Council responded that people come in with their eyes open and know what to expect and could be evaluated on the same basis.
There is some discussion in the Academic Council that the undergraduate curriculum should be redeveloped under the achievement of goals rather than the completion of a specified number of credits. For example, if a degree program requires MA250, then as long as the student completes MA250 that is sufficient regardless of where in the math sequence the student starts. This is a significantly different concept. This will be referred to the Curricular Policy Committee.
[Comment: This deals primarily with course sequencing as presented in the University Catalog. Many students should start the math sequence with a course number less than MA150. GWL]
The first sentence in the Institutional Evaluation Committee report, section VI.F should be "Senator Hubbard reported the Committee's activities are contained under Old Business, and the last sentence should be "Balloting [for the University Administration Evaluation Commission] will be done through the mail, and the Senate President will vote to break a tie."
President's Report
President Julien will request a joint Senate-Board of Control meeting during their Winter Carnival meeting.
The Academic Council has invited the Senate to open, joint meetings. Vice Presidents Stucky and Whitten were invited to share suggestions and observations. Vice President Whitten indicated that he is willing to meet with the Senate, faculty, staff and students at any time to discuss problems and/or share ideas. Vice President Stucky stated that the Academic Council meeting this afternoon [preceding this Senate meeting] was one of the most important meetings that he has attended at this University. Some real issues were discussed -- the lack of communications and the need for all of us to work on it. Face to face extended dialog between faculty, staff and the administration will be very helpful to this university.
A joint meeting with the Academic Council was proposed for 3:30 Tuesday January 8, 1991 in the Ballroom. Suggestions for discussion topics should be submitted to Davis Hubbard.
Provost Powers requested the Senate to review the policy on teacher evaluation. Question: Would it be appropriate to release the names of all faculty with evaluation of 4.5 or better? This suggestion was submitted to Provost Powers by the Engineering Honors Society, Tau Beta Pi, which is concerned primarily with good teaching. This suggestion is being referred to the Instructional Policy Committee.
Vice President's Report
Vice President Tampas provided a written report of the November 15, 1990 Board of Control Meeting (Appendix A - Available by Request from the Senate Office). Note Board member Singer's statement about contacting Board members. Vice President Tampas stated that "If you are going to contact them about something then they would like you to substantiate your position with supporting documentation." President Julien observed that "The Board of Control is extremely interested about what is going on at MTU, and they ask difficult questions. . . . The Board is willing to engage in dialog, but they would like to see concrete actions resulting from any dialog."
Vice President Tampas provided a written report of the November 13 and November 26, 1990 Academic Council meetings (Appendix B - Available by Request from the Senate Office). Provost Powers stated that Attachment #1 [Rank Definitions] is a working document and requires revision. For example, the doctoral degree is not required in the School of Technology and in some areas of the Arts. Also, not all instructor appointments are strictly limited to three years.
Committee Reports
A. Budget Liaison Officer
Senator Hubbard reported that the one percent budget cut reported in the news media is probably not accurate, but no definite figure can be stated until the Michigan State Legislature acts.
B. Curricular Policy
Senator Bulleit indicated that a recommendation on the proposed modification of residence requirements for those involved in distance-learning baccalaureate degree programs will be presented at the next Senate meeting.
C. Elections
Vice President Tampas reported the results of the elections to the University Administration Evaluation commission. College of Engineering: Davis Hubbard, John Ligon and John Pilling; College of Science and Arts: Linda Ott, Phyllis Boutilier and Larry Lankton; School of Business and Engineering Administration: Alan Brokaw; School of Forestry and Wood Products: Terry Sharik; School of Technology: Robert Filer; Academic Services: George Fox; Research Institutes: Glen Simula; University Senate: Narasipur Suryanarayana, chair.
Vice President Tampas again addressed the problem of identifying the Senate constituency. The problem arises from the fact that mailing labels are generated by job title from the employee data base maintained by Personnel Services. If, for example, a person with the title of research engineer in an academic unit might not be considered to be part of the Senate constituency in that unit, a person with that title in a research institute definitely would be a constituent.
D. Faculty Handbook - No report.
E. Fringe Benefits
Senator DePuydt reported they met December 4, 1990 with Vice President Stucky, Ellen Horsch, and Ingrid Cheney. The Committee was updated on eight items: voluntary accident plan, flexible benefits, long-term disability plan, medical claims appeal process, employee assistance program, short-term disability, Portage View Hospital physician discussion, and educational assistance program.
The draft of an Educational Assistance Program is provided in Appendix C ( Available by Request from the Senate Office). Vice President Stucky indicated that the draft will be reviewed over the next few weeks, and if satisfactory, will be implemented in the fall.
The point was made that ROTC personnel would be ineligible under the current wording of this draft. Vice President Stucky and Provost Powers thought that in an earlier issue where this kind of question came up, ROTC personnel were considered as faculty.
F. Institutional Evaluation
Senator Hubbard reported that the University Administration Evaluation Commission is now selected, with the exception of the external member.
G. Instructional Policy - No report.
Reports from Affiliated and/or Ad Hoc Committees
A. Academic Calendar Committee
Senator Vable reported that there was a discussion of the proposed calendar change at the December 5 Tech Tea Time. "The students don't like it."
B. University Planning Committee - No report.
C. University Computer Executive Committee - No report.
D. University Administration Evaluation Commission - No report.
Old Business
President Julien requested suggestions for persons to serve on a committee to examine the Senate Constitution and Bylaws and to consider the question of whether the Senate should be a university or faculty senate.
Secretary Lyon reported letters were sent to Chairs of the two Vice President Search Committees as directed by the Senate. The Vice President of Academic Affairs Search Committee has been discharged with the appointment of Provost Powers to that position for two years.
Vice President Tampas reported that the search for a Vice President for Governmental Relations is continuing. The Committee has completed its interview process and has submitted a final slate of recommendations to President Stein. William Lucier, who has been serving on a part-time basis, does not want to continue beyond this month. Therefore, it was not considered prudent to suspend the search.
New Business - No new business.
President Julien adjourned the meeting at 8:47 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Gary Lyon, Secretary