THE university SENATE OF
MICHIGAN TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY

 

Minutes of Meeting 453

5 September 2007

Synopsis: 

The Senate

(1)   heard that the President had approved Proposal 22-07, Academic and Provisional Calendars for 2008-2009 & 2009-2010 and Proposal 23-07, The Change in the Number of Master of Science Committee Members.

(2)   approved Senate meeting dates for the year.

(3)   approved the Senate Committee list.

(4)   discussed Proposal 1-08, Due Process for Imposition of Severe Sanctions on Tenure Track/Tenured Faculty.

1.     CALL TO ORDER AND ROLL CALL

President Sloan called the University Senate Meeting 453 to order at 5:30 pm on Wednesday, 5 September 2007, in Room B45 EERC.

Secretary Glime called roll.  Absent were at-large senator Brenda Helminen and representatives from Army/Air Force ROTC, Exercise Science, and Academic Services B.  Liaisons in attendance were Lakshmi Krishna (GSC).  Academic Services C and Auxiliaries currently have no elected representatives.

2.     RECOGNITION OF VISITORS

Guests included Mari Buche (SBE) and Lesley Lovett Doust (Provost).

3.     APPROVAL OF AGENDA

Polzien MOVED and Kern seconded the motion to approve the agenda as presented.  The motion to approve PASSED on voice vote with no dissent.

4.     approval of minutes from meeting 451 and 452

Senator Storer asked if both sets of minutes were from the same date.  President Sloan stated that they were.

Gotschalk MOVED and Kern seconded the motion to approve the minutes of Meetings 451 and 452 as presented.  The motion PASSED on voice vote with no dissent.

5.     President’s Report

Provost:  President Sloan introduced and welcomed our new Provost, Dr. Lesley Lovett-Doust.  Provost Lovett-Doust thanked the Senators for their role in bringing her here and expressed her excitement at her new challenges.

Approvals:  Proposal 22-07, Academic and Provisional Calendars for 2008-2009 & 2009-2010, was approved by the President on 7 May 2007.  Proposal 23-07, Change in the Number of Master of Science Committee Members, was approved by the President on 26 April 2007.

In addition to these two proposals that were approved, Proposal 11-06, Revised Procedures for the Establishment and Amendment of Charters, is still under consideration.

Candidate Solicitation:  Nominees are needed for candidates to be elected by the Senate to the Faculty Distinguished Service Award Committee and the Public Safety Oversight Committee. Please ask your constituents if they would be willing to run for an election to be held at the next Senate meeting.

Senator Flynn asked if these positions had to be faculty.  President Sloan stated that she wasn't certain, but she thought so.  She is certain that the one for the Public Safety Oversight Committee was for a faculty member.

6.     old business

There was no old business.

7.     New Business

a)  Approval of Proposed Senate Meeting Dates for 2007-08 

Miller MOVED and Solomon seconded the motion to approve the proposed dates.  The motion passed on voice vote of the full Senate with no opposition.

b)  Approval of updated Senate Committee List

Senator Miskioglu stated that Ciro Sandoval will be unable to attend the meetings of the Institutional Planning Committee this semester and has asked that Beth Flynn serve as a replacement.

Solomon MOVED and Storer seconded the motion to approve the committee list as amended.  The motion PASSED on voice vote of the full Senate with no opposition.

c)  Proposal 1-08:  Due Process for Imposition of Severe Sanctions on Tenure Track/Tenured Faculty

Senator Miller asked what the Faculty Review Committee does.  President Sloan responded that it is the university committee that handles faculty grievances.

Secretary Glime asked for clarification on to whom an appeal of severe sanctions should be directed.  Flynn (chair of the committee drafting the proposal) responded that it should go to the chair of the Committee on Academic Tenure, Promotion, and Reappointment (CATPR) committee.

President Sloan referred to page 6 of 10 in the proposal and reported that the reference to 13.24 in the Board of Control Policy refers to a number that does not exist.  The committee needs to find the correct reference number.  Senator Vable responded that it refers to the policies on exigency and financial crises.

Senator Nelson reminded the Senate that in 1991, 50 people were laid off and the administration had ignored the existing Senate policy on retrenchment.  He asked if there is a more recent policy in effect and suggested that Terry Monson had worked on one.  [Note:  After the meeting President Sloan checked, and Proposal 12-04, Amendments to Proposal 16-02, Procedures for Periods of Financial Stress, passed by the Senate and approved by the President in January 2004 <http://www.sas.it.mtu.edu/usenate/propose/04/12-04.htm> Proposal 16-02, Procedures for Periods of Financial Stress, passed by the Senate and approved by the President in May 2002 <http://www.sas.it.mtu.edu/usenate/propose/02/16-02.htm>.  In addition there are a number of policies on Financial Crisis and Reporting 1-99; 2-99; 3-99; 4-99; 8-01; 14-02 ; 15-02 ; 16-02 ; 10-04 ; 11-04 ; 12-04 ; 14-04].

Senator Gotschalk expressed concern that this proposal interacts with other policies, and for legal reasons the distinctions should be absolutely clear.  She suggested that the committee should run some hypotheticals to see if it is clear which path to take.

Flynn stated that the committee had met with Provost Reed and presented a proposal that was more complicated.  They had proposed that any intent to impose sanctions should go to the CATPR before the sanction is imposed.  However, Provost Reed pointed out that you can't have it both ways, so having the CATPR as a review of the initial intent to impose sanctions was abandoned.  Provost Reed had also shown the proposal to the University's lawyers.

President Sloan stated that the Executive Committee had recommended that an attorney should look at the proposal.

Senator Vable stated that they had noted some wordings that overlap coverage with the grievance policies and procedures and that Chandrashekhar Joshi is working on it.

Miller asked what other universities do.  Flynn responded that the ones they examined have a separate process for minor sanctions.  There is a separate process for severe sanctions everywhere they checked except for MTU.  The names of the committees differ among the schools.  Senator Vable added that all the procedures they examined state that there must be a peer group to review appeals.

Senator Luck asked what the discrepancies were in the old policy; is the faculty review committee also expected to make a document like this?

Vable stated that the question was one of jurisdiction.  Academic freedom was one problem area.  It currently goes to the Grievance Committee, but it is tied to tenure and should go to theCATPR Committee.

Gotschalk stated that the grievance policy is not clear.  Flynn agreed, stating that it is too sweeping in scope and does not distinguish things that fall under other committees.

President Sloan asked that the proposal go back to the committee.  She will provide her notes on the questions raised by the Provost and raised the question whether this proposal should wait until the grievance proposal is ready.  She also suggested that the Academic Policy Committee could look at the proposal with a new set of eyes.

8.     Adjournment

President Sloan reminded the committee conveners that the committees should meet before next week's Executive Committee meeting and elect their chairs.

The meeting adjourned at 6:05 pm.

 

Respectfully Submitted by Janice M. Glime

Secretary of the University Senate