The University Senate
of Michigan Technological University
Amended Minutes
of Meeting 522
26 September
2012
Synopsis:
1)
Presentation on
“Tobacco-Free Campus Initiative” by Vice
President for Student Affairs Les Cook
1. Call to order and roll call. President Bill
Bulleit called the University Senate Meeting 522 to order at 5:30 pm on
Wednesday, September 26, 2012. The Senate Secretary Brian Barkdoll called roll.
Absent were representatives of Army/Air Force ROTC, Biomedical Engineering, Chemistry, Auxiliaries,
Student Affairs, Undergraduate Student Government, and Graduate Faculty Council.
Recognition of visitors. Guests included
Max Seel (Provost’s Office), Stacy Kukkonen (Daily
Mining Gazette), Bonnie Gorman (Dean of Students Office), Jim Pickens (SFRES),
Maria Schutte (School of Business and Economics), Jacqueline Huntoon (Graduate
School), Eli Karttunen (Undergraduate Student Government), and Les Cook
(Student Affairs Office).
2. Approval of agenda. Bulleit
asked if there were any changes to the agenda as modified just prior to the
meeting; There being none, Bulleit declared the agenda
stood approved.
3. Approval of minutes from Meeting 521. Bulleit
asked if there were any changes; Seel mentioned two issues for change which
were accepted. Bulleit declared the minutes approved as amended.
4. Presentation on “Tobacco-Free
Campus Initiative” by Vice President for Student Affairs Les Cook
Cook gave a brief history of issues
and previous proposals and committees. He
talked about a survey taken by students and reviewed some results, in addition
to mentioning some recommendations from student groups and the Executive Team
responses. It was decided to go tobacco-free now in stages that included education,
access to cessation help, and messaging.
He asked the Senate to give recommendations regarding the previous
Senate proposal on this issue.
In the question period, Caneba asked
about studies linking tobacco-free policy to health care costs. Cook said he did not know of any studies, but
there is an effect. Barr said we can
track disease types related to smoking.
Cook said second-hand smoke is important. Caneba asked if premiums will go down if we
go smoke-free. Cook was not sure. Onder said trying to link habits to health
care is dangerous because many other habits also affect health care. He also asked, since 40% of the campus does
not support this, should we even go tobacco-free? Moran asked if this is decided already. Cook said it was. Bulleit said that we need to consider a revision
to the senate policy. Cook reiterated
that it is a tobacco free policy, not just smoke-free, in response to Christianson’s
question in that regard. In response to
a question regarding whether or not there are any ex-smokers on the various committees
to testify to the difficulty in quitting, Cook responded that he thought there
were. Onder thought that second-hand smoke
must be defined as to whether or not it is outside or inside the building. He also pointed out that the survey did not
mention that it would be used to change policy. Riehl said that we must protect against
second-hand smoke. He pointed out that,
since Michigan Tech is a windy campus, smoke comes in windows and being downwind
of smokers exposes people to secondhand smoke.
He thought that smoking shelters are a good compromise since everyone
should have a right to health. Moran said
that people should have the right to smoke also. Nooshabadi said that we should provide a good
way for people to smoke without bothering others and not ban tobacco altogether. Onder showed data on other campuses and
stated that a ban is difficult to enforce and that some unions are suing
universities over not allowing tobacco.
We should decide to ban it or not first.
Nooshabadi asked if we should look at other places or not for our
decision? Onder pointed out that we are
not a city campus where it’s easy to go off campus to smoke. Cook said that the University of California
system is planning to go tobacco free.
Onder said we need not be in a hurry.
Mullins asked if this ban is this already decided. Seel said that there is already a Senate policy
and a Board of Control Policy, so go ahead with that, to which Bulleit replied
that the Senate Administrative Policy Committee that is handling this matter will
work on proposing an amendment.
5. Reports
a. Senate President
Bulleit
stated that all got email from Mroz regarding health care benefits and that at
the next Senate meeting there will be presentations about health care. On another note, he said that almost all
senate committees have chairs now.
b. Senate
Standing Committees
There
were no reports.
6. Old Business:
a.
Proposal 15-12
amendment: Proposal to Revise General
Education Requirements” presented by Curricular Policy Committee (voting
units: Academic)
Gierke
stated that the changes are to remove the stipulation that students cannot
transfer in courses after they are enrolled and that the administration wants
that removed. Seel said that there is a
big push by the Michigan legislature to have General Education courses transfer
within community colleges and universities and that we should comply with
this. We would still have the right to
approve or deny, but we should not explicitly forbid transfer of credit for
courses in the proposal. Nooshabadi asked
about the financial ramifications of this and expressed concern that this may
decrease our class sizes. Bulleit pointed
out that we can still disallow the transfer.
Scarlet reminded everyone that the intent with general education courses
was to create a universal experience for all, so these courses were being
pushed. Moran said that we should accept
this amendment due to the flexibility it affords us. Mullins moved approval and Onder seconded it.
The motion Passed.
b.
Proposal
16-12: “Proposal to Ratify the Final
Version of Proposal 25-10: Guide to Completing a Graduate Degree and Preparing
and Submitting a Dissertation, Thesis, or Report at Michigan Technological
University” presented by Academic Policy Committee (Voting Units: Academic)
The changes do not require reports to follow the
guidelines for theses or dissertations.
Scarlet and Bulleit did confirm this and recommended approval. Jackie Huntoon reiterated that these changes
were made and that the Graduate Faculty Council did approve it. Mullins pointed out the word “reports” is
still in the title to which Huntoon replied that there is some info on reports.
Scarlet moved approval, Moran seconded it and the motion passed.
7. New Business:
No
new business.
8. Adjournment.
President Bulleit adjourned the
meeting at 6:26pm.
Respectfully submitted
by Brian Barkdoll
Secretary of the University Senate