Synopsis: The Senate
(1) heard that the administration approved Proposals 21-01, 20-01, and 11-01.
(2) heard that the Board of Control approved the creation of a Department of Biomedical Engineering.
(3) approved Proposal 22-01.
1. CALL TO ORDER AND ROLL CALL
President Keen called University Senate
Meeting 353 to order at 2:34 p.m. on Monday, 14
May 2001, in Ballroom B of the MUB.
Secretary Pickens called roll. Absent were At-large Senators Warrington, Adolphs, and Beck and representatives from Chemistry, Education, Electrical and Computer Engineering, ME-EM, Materials Science and Engineering, Mining and Materials Processing Engineering, Keweenaw Research Center, Finance and Advancement, and Student Affairs and Educational Opportunity. Liaisons in attendance were Anup Bandivadekar (GSC), and Becky Christianson (Staff Council).
2. RECOGNITION OF VISITORS
Visitors included Kent Wray (Provost), Tony
Rogers (Chemical Engineering), Tom Van Dam (Civil
and Environmental Engineering), Cheryl DePuydt
(Physical Education), and Marcia Goodrich (Tech
Topics).
3. APPROVAL OF AGENDA
President Keen presented the agenda and
proposed adding a new item President's Report,
deleting Election of Senate Representatives to the
Vice Provost for Instruction Committee, and adding
Ad Hoc Committee on Computing Strategy. There
were no objections to the agenda as amended.
[Appendix A. NOTE: Only official Senate and
Library archival copies of the minutes will contain a
full complement of appendices.]
4. PRESIDENT'S REPORT
The administration approved Proposals 21-01, Framework for Professional Master of Science
Degrees: An Interdepartmental Professional Master
of Science Degree with Specific Areas of
Concentration; 20-01, Department of Biomedical
Engineering; and 11-01, Amendment to
Requirements for Graduation. [Appendices B-D]
Keen reported that the Board of Control approved the creation of a Department of Biomedical Engineering at its May 11 meeting.
Keen received a memo from Vice President Dale Tahtinen regarding presidential performance. Senators may contact the Senate office to obtain a copy. [Appendix E]
Keen thanked Senator Barna for his willingness to run for Senate President. Keen plans to seek advice from Barna on future issues.
5. AD HOC COMMITTEE ON COMPUTING
STRATEGY
Keen asked for permission to appoint
members to the Ad Hoc Committee on Computing
Strategy. There were no objections.
6. NEW BUSINESS
A. Proposal 22-01, Alteration of Proposal 9-01,
Amendments to Interim Conflict of Interest
Procedures [Appendix F]
Ftaclas MOVED and Blanning seconded the motion to approve Proposal 22-01.
Snyder MOVED and Long seconded the motion to consider Proposal 22-01 as an emergency proposal. The motion to consider Proposal 22-01 as an emergency proposal PASSED on a secret ballot vote 25 yes and 1 no.
Senator Hodek asked why it should be any concern to MTU if two people who work together here choose to start a business in the private sector. Keen responded that there can be an inherent inequality if, for example, a faculty member and a graduate student who they supervise choose to open a business. The graduate student's continued employment and their academic future are already largely controlled by their major professor, and adding a separate business relationship could unfairly add to this uneven relationship.
Senator Strong asked why the proposal still carries the interim status. Keen responded that, as a result of Tech Ventures, the Board of Control must approve any permanent conflict of interest policy.
The motion to approve Proposal 22-01 PASSED on voice vote with dissent.
7. ADJOURNMENT
Hodek MOVED and Christianson seconded
the motion to adjourn. The meeting adjourned at
2:52 p.m.
Respectfully submitted by James B. Pickens
Secretary of the University Senate