SYNOPSIS:
President Robert Keen called University Senate Meeting 403 to order at 5:34 p.m., Wednesday, 24 March 2004, in Room B45 EERC.
1. ROLL CALL OF SENATORS
Secretary Terry Monson called roll. Absent were
Tony Rogers (At-large) and Marilyn Cooper (At-large)
and representatives from Army/Air Force ROTC,
Humanities, Keweenaw Research Center, Academic Services - Engineering,
Academic Services - Non-Engineering, Auxiliary
Enterprises, and Finance and Advancement. Liaisons
in attendance were Merle Kindred (GSC) and Becky
Christianson (Staff Council).
2. RECOGNITION OF VISITORS
Visitors included John Daavettila (School of
Technology), Kent Wray (Provost), Jim Cross (Center
for International Education), Janice Glime (Senate
Administrative Policy Committee), and the following
Michigan Tech students: Justin Stuckmann, Mike
Fleck, Kiel Vanderhovel, Jason Andrzejewski, Brian
Deames, Rob Porritt, Joel Vertin, Melissa Danielczak,
Brenna Seaton, Lindsey Johnson, and Raymond
Okeke.
3. APPROVAL OF AGENDA
President Keen presented the agenda and asked
for modifications or additions. He noted one change
recommended by the Senate's Executive Committee,
which was deletion of Proposal 36-04,
Recommendation on Transition Chief Executive of the
University. There were no objections to this deletion.
There were no other modifications or additions and
there were no objections to the agenda. [Appendix A.
NOTE: Only official senate and library archival copies
of the minutes will contain a full complement of
appendices.]
4. APPROVAL OF MINUTES FROM MEETING 402
President Keen presented the minutes from
Meeting 402 and asked if there were any additions or
corrections to these minutes. Senate Secretary
Monson reported that Senator Jim Pickens had alerted
him to an error in the fourth to last paragraph on page
10741, where the Senate Finance Committee was
referred to as the Senate Financial Committee. This
correction will be made to the minutes. He also asked
for the Senator who supported Senator Erik Nordberg's
motion to elect Senator Becky Christianson as Senate
Vice President by acclamation to identify him/herself
(page 10739 under 'Elections'). Senator Deb Bruch
indicated that she had supported that motion. That
correction will also be made to the minutes. There
were no other corrections, and, with no objections,
these minutes were approved as corrected.
5. PRESIDENT'S REPORT
President Keen reported that the following
proposals were sent to the Administration: 25-04,
Minor in Manufacturing, 26-04, Minor in Product
Design, and 27-04, Amendments to Proposal 17-02,
Late Course Add Policy. He indicated that he had not
heard back from the Administration on these proposals
and others previously submitted. [Appendices B-D]
Keen reported that he had been interviewed by TV6 and the Daily Mining Gazette and wanted to correct a misstatement to the Gazette, namely that Proposal 17-01, Search Procedure for University President was not incorporated into Board of Control policies. Rather, it was approved as University policy by the President, but was not transmitted to the Board of Control.
He noted that the Chair and Vice Chair of the Board of Control had both contacted him to discuss the presidential search process and what might happen with an interim executive. Both the Chair and Vice Chair are aware of the search process approved by the President (Proposal 17-01).
He asked that recent articles written on recent Senate actions be incorporated into the record. One was written by Dr. James Wood. President Keen did not respond to Dr. Wood on the specifics in his article, but rather communicated to him that the Senate has credibility only insofar as it represents its constituents. If the Senate is out of step with its constituents, then they can bring the Senate back into line. Any Senate vote can be reversed; any Senate opinion can be reversed. The President or the Board of Control can ask for a referendum to check a Senate vote, which ensures that the Senate is responsive to its constituents. [Appendix E]
He discussed a recent WLUC editorial, which said that the Senate had given several votes of non confidence in President Tompkins. He noted that statement is incorrect. The Senate never voted no confidence in the President. Rather, the Senate conducted a vote among its constituents, who voted no confidence in the President. The Senate did issue a statement giving its interpretation of the vote of no confidence. He has notified WLUC of this correction and hopes that WLUC will correct its editorial misstatement. President Keen requested that it be entered into the minutes. [Appendix F]
He discussed the history of Proposal 36-04, Recommendation on Transition Chief Executive of the University, which was deleted from this meeting's agenda. The Senate Executive Committee met last Friday and today to discuss the Senate's reaction to President Tompkin's initiation of the transition process leading to a new University President. At last Friday's meeting, several Committee members felt that the Senate should make several recommendations to the Board of Control, which were incorporated in the proposal. The proposal was circulated among the Senate's constituents who generally had negative reactions to the proposal. The Executive Committee met today to discuss these reactions and decided to recommend withdrawal of the proposal. President Keen noted that the Committee felt that this proposal was not a battle that the Senate particularly wanted to engage. A more appropriate Senate issue will be whether the Board of Control will follow the procedures in Proposal 17-01.
Senator Susan Martin asked about the origination of Proposal 36-04. Keen reiterated that it was suggested by several Senate Executive Committee members who felt that Senate input to the Board of Control on a possible interim Chief Executive might be important. Upon reflection and overwhelmingly negative constituent feedback, the Committee decided that it should be withdrawn.
Finally, President Keen commented on how the special Board of Control meeting to discuss President Tompkins' initiation of the transition process will proceed. His understanding is that this meeting will go into executive (closed) session immediately after the meeting is opened. After the closed session, the meeting will be reopened and the Board may vote on whatever was decided during the closed session, and then adjourn.
6. UNFINISHED BUSINESS
Proposal 24-04, Title and Administrative Position of
Dean [See minutes, page 10736, for a copy of this
proposal]
In meeting 402, the Senate tabled discussion of
this proposal until meeting 403.
Senator Scott Pollins MOVED (Senator Jim Turnquist support) to resume discussion of Proposal 24-04. The motion was defeated in a voice vote.
Senator Turnquist MOVED (Senator Pollins support) to reconsider Proposal 24-04 at the next Senate meeting (April 7). The motion passed 11-9 in a hand vote.
Discussion of Proposal 24-04 is postponed until meeting 404.
7. NEW BUSINESS
The following proposals were introduced during
meeting 403. They will be discussed at meeting 404.
Senators should obtain input from their constituents on
these proposals.
Senator Rosalie Kern, chair of the Instructional Policy Committee introduced the following proposals.
Proposal 28-04, Additional Grades of 'E*' and 'U*' Indicating Academic Dishonesty [Appendix G]: The Instructional Policy Committee recommended approval of this proposal. It allows a method to indicate academic dishonesty in audit and pass/fail courses.
Proposal 29-04, New Grade of 'IS' for Courses In-Session at Grade Deadline [Appendix H]: The Instructional Policy Committee recommended approval of this proposal. It allows an appropriate alternative to an M or P grade for courses that do not end by the final grade deadline (e.g., study abroad/exchange courses).
Proposal 30-04, Amendments to the Academic Renewal Policy [Appendix I]: The Instructional Policy Committee recommended approval of this proposal. It brings the Academic Renewal Policy in alignment with the change made to the Transfer Credit Policy (Senate Proposal 14-03), which requires a C or better in order to receive credit for a course. Academic renewal refers to students who leave MTU, then return after a five-year hiatus. Their previous GPAs are ignored and they receive credit for courses previously taken in which they received a C or better grade. Their GPAs are then calculated on the basis of courses that they take after their return to MTU to complete their degree program.
Senator Bill Gregg, chair of the Curricular Policy Committee introduced the following proposals.
Proposal 31-04, BS Program in Wildlife Ecology and Management [Appendix J]: The Curricular Policy Committee reviewed this proposal and recommended its approval. There was only one minor editorial change. Senator Jim Pickens, co-chair of the Senate Finance Committee, observed that the proposal did not consider the financial implications outside the unit submitting the proposal. This lack of consideration is generally found in most other proposals for new degree programs, which he did not find objectionable since it is recognized that degree programs require course work outside the department offering the degree.
Proposal 32-04, BS Program in Engineering Technology, Concentration in Construction Management Technology [Appendix K]: The Curricular Policy Committee reviewed this proposal and recommended its approval. Senator Gregg noted that the Curricular Policy Committee discussed several concerns expressed by the College of Engineering. As a result, there were several changes made that addressed these concerns, especially raised by the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering. Senator Pickens reported that the Senate Finance Committee found no problems with the proposal other than the number of School of Business and Economics (SBE) courses required in its curriculum. However, the proposal did mention that there will be a need to add faculty to the SBE if the degree program is successful in attracting students. Secretary Monson asked if the SBE had reviewed the proposal. Senator Pickens responded that the School of Technology had worked with the SBE's Dean Keith W. Lantz and Associate Dean Jim Frendewey in developing the proposal. As a result, the proposal has built in the possibility of adding two new SBE faculty members. He also stated that Dean Lantz supported the proposal at a Deans' Council meeting. Senator Monson asked if the SBE Curriculum Committee had reviewed the proposal. Senator Alan Brokaw (who is also chair of the SBE Curriculum Committee) said that the Committee had reviewed the proposal and recommended a change in one of the required SBE courses included in its curriculum. However, he was not certain that the proposal was discussed at a SBE faculty meeting. [Secretary's note: In conversation after the adjournment of meeting 403, Senator Brokaw recalled that the proposal was mentioned at a SBE faculty meeting, though no formal faculty approval was obtained.]
Proposal 33-04, BS Program in Electrical Engineering, Concentration in Photonics [Appendix L]: The Curricular Policy Committee reviewed this proposal and recommended its approval. The Committee found no problems with the proposal and worked closely with the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering in its development. Senator Pickens reported that the Senate Finance Committee saw no financial repercussions with the proposal.
Proposal 34-04, Termination of the Minor in Speech Presentation [Appendix M]: The Curricular Policy Committee reviewed this proposal and recommended its approval. Senator Gregg indicated the termination of this minor was due to a lack of student interest. President Keen commended the Department of Fine Arts for bringing this proposal to the Senate in order to have the Senate formally recommend its termination, rather than to simply eliminate it from the catalog.
Proposal 35-04, BS Program in Mathematical Sciences, Concentration in Education Program [Appendix N]: The Curricular Policy Committee reviewed this proposal and recommended its approval. Senator Gregg observed that this concentration is different from the Department of Mathematical Sciences' Secondary Education - Mathematics Concentration, which leads to certification as a secondary school mathematics teacher. The intent of this program is to prepare students for other teaching opportunities (e.g., at a community college). This concentration includes no courses from the Department of Education. Students completing this concentration will not be eligible for Michigan Teacher Certification without additional course work. Representatives form the Departments of Education and Mathematical Sciences serving on the Curricular Policy Committee voted to recommend approval of this proposal. (Senator Gregg later added that although the Committee approved of the curricular aspects of the Concentration, the Department of Education was concerned about several non-curricular aspects of the proposal, and subsequently voted against it on the Senate floor.) Senator Pickens reported that the Senate Finance Committee saw no financial repercussions with the proposal.
8. ADJOURNMENT:
Senator Bruch MOVED (Senator
Turnquist support) to adjourn. The motion carried and
Senate meeting 403 adjourned at 6:25 p.m.
Respectfully submitted by Terry Monson
Secretary of the University Senate