THE
university SENATE OF
TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY
Minutes of Meeting 411
4 October 2004
Synopsis:
(1) The Senate needs someone willing to chair the Administrative Policy Committee
(2) The Senate approved of Jim Wood as Senate nominee to the Conflict of Interest Committee
(3) The Senate approved, for the second time, Proposal 3-05 to amend the Constitution to define professional staff in the bylaws instead of the body of the Constitution.
1. CALL TO
ORDER AND ROLL CALL
President Monson called University Senate Meeting 411 to order at 5:30 pm on Monday, 4 October 2004, in Room B45, EERC.
Secretary Glime called roll. Absent were at-large Senator Sutter and representatives from Army/Air Force ROTC, Geological and Mining Engineering and Sciences, Materials Science and Engineering, ME-EM, Keweenaw Research Center, Enrollment Management/OSRR, and Finance and Advancement. Liaisons in attendance were Becky Christianson (Staff Council) and David Forel (GSC). Academic Services – Engineering, and Auxiliary Enterprises currently have no elected representatives.
President Monson pointed
out that Jim Pickens was there to represent the
2. RECOGNITION OF VISITORS
There were no visitors.
3. APPROVAL OF AGENDA
President Monson presented several changes to the agenda. Item 5B (Nominees for the Sabbatical Leave Committee) was in error and would be dropped from the agenda. He added the President's report and Vice President Christianson's report on definitions of professional staff to the agenda [Appendix A. NOTE: Only official senate and library archival copies of the minutes will contain a full complement of appendices.].
C. Selfe MOVED and Waddell seconded the motion to approve the agenda as amended. The motion to approve PASSED on voice vote with no dissent.
4. approval of minutes from meeting 410
Williams MOVED and C. Selfe seconded the motion to approve the minutes of Meeting 410. The motion PASSED on voice vote with no dissent.
5. PRESIDENT’S report
1. President Mroz returned Proposal 8-04 with several suggestions for changes in wording [See Minutes, page 10519, for a copy of this proposal]. President Monson will send the proposal back to committee.
2.
The Administrative Policy Committee met and no
one was willing to assume the position of chair. President Monson asked for a volunteer to change
committees and serve as chair of this committee. The Presidential Evaluation survey is now on
the web; it was posted by Marilyn Cooper, last year's chair, at 4 pm
today. President Mroz has written a
statement that is posted on the web.
Senator Nordberg stated that we need to clarify Mroz's position; he stated that
the Board of Control has removed the term "interim" from his
position.
Senator Polzien stated that she understood that the change had been from "Interim"
to "interim." President
Monson said he would check on this.
Senator Williams recalled that the person nominated by the Senate to the
evaluation committee was the automatic chair.
President Monson asked Williams to check on this and let him know.
President Monson once again asked that anyone interested in being chair of the
Administrative Policy Committee should let him know.
6. UNFINISHED business
A. Approval of Jim Wood as Senate nominee to the Conflict of Interest Committee
President Monson stated that we need to confirm the nomination of Jim Wood to the Conflict of Interest Committee. D. Selfe MOVED and Williams seconded the motion to accept the nomination of Jim Wood to the Conflict of Interest Committee. The motion PASSED unanimously on voice vote.
B. Report on definition of professional staff
Vice President Christianson reported on the definition of
professional staff used by other universities, as distributed to the Senators
at this meeting. Our definition is more
inclusive than many because it includes some hourly staff. Senator Pollins asked how our definition
differs from that of
C. Proposal 3-05, Amendment of the Senate Constitution
President Monson reviewed an email from Senator Janners questioning the meaning of the changes to Article II.A.1. of the Constitution approved at meeting 410. It would imply that anyone working for at least 30 hours for the university could be a Senate constituent. Secretary Glime stated that items 2, 3, & 4 say who will be constituents.
Senator C. Selfe suggested the wording be changed to "and identified in 2, 3, & 4 below." Senator Bruch suggested that perhaps items 2-4 should be 1a, b, & c.
C. Selfe MOVED and Janners seconded the motion to strike the word "employees" in II.A.1. and replace it with "faculty or professional staff." The motion PASSED on voice vote with no dissent.
C. Selfe MOVED and
Senator Pollins asked if the Board would entertain this item at their meeting on Thursday. He argued that there was no rush if the Board would not act now. Senator Beck replied that we should go ahead and approve the amendment now and if the Board does not approve the amendment, it puts the chaos in their lap.
President Monson said that we can expect the Board to ask what will happen if they don't approve the amendment.
Senator Waddell reminded Senators that it is important to hold the faculty vote before the date when faculty become officially disenfranchised or we cannot hold a legal vote.
Senator Janners stated that it is important to convince the chair of the Board that this is an emergency and that we couldn't know the outcome two weeks ago.
Senator Mattila asked what would happen if the faculty doesn't pass the amendment.
President Monson responded that he didn't know.
Senator Beck stated that we need to explain the situation to the Senate constituents.
Senator Pickins added that we need to explain to constituents that if they don't vote yes, the Senate goes away.
Proposal 3-05, as edited for clarification, PASSED on voice vote with no dissent.
Senator Rogers asked what the procedures would be for collecting ballots.
Senate assistant Ledgerwood stated that she would pick them up from the campus offices at 4 pm on Wednesday.
Senator Beck asked for clarification on the majority needed for the referendum proposal to pass. President Monson replied that it required a two-thirds vote of those voting.
Senator C. Selfe asked if President Monson could send an explanation to all constituents.
Senator D. Selfe stated that the professional staff are disgruntled about their state of affairs and what the Senate will represent for them. President Monson agreed to put it on the agenda of the next meeting.
Senator Pollins stated that we need to put in the statement to the constituents what the Senate will do for the professional staff.
President Monson responded that he didn't know what the configuration of the Senate would look like.
Senator D. Selfe stated he saw no reason why the benefits committee couldn't continue to recommend; if they continue their role as it is now, then the professional staff would still be recognized.
Senator Bruch stated that she had found the input of the professional staff to be very important on academic issues.
President Monson added that the professional staff brought academic issues to the Senate.
Senator Pollins stated that professional staff can't understand why they can't vote on academic issues.
Senator C. Selfe suggested that more professional staff be invited to meetings as we discuss the role of the Senate regarding professional staff and related issues.
Senator Pollins stated that the professional staff he had talked to don't want to unionize. Senator D. Selfe stated that he had found the opposite response.
7. Adjournment
Williams MOVED and Bruch seconded the motion to adjourn. The meeting adjourned at 6:20 PM.
Respectfully Submitted by Janice M. Glime
Secretary of the University Senate