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Page 5447 Minutes of Senate Meeting 234 5 April 1995
THE SENATE OF MICHIGAN TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY
Minutes of Meeting No. 234
5 April 1995
Synopsis: The Senate
(1) Discussed a Class Drop Service Fee.
(2) Passed an amended version of Proposal 13-95: Faculty Grievance
Policy and Procedure.
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1. CALL TO ORDER AND ROLL CALL
President Bornhorst called the Senate meeting to order at 5:30 pm on
Wednesday, April 5, 1995 in Room B37 of the Electrical Energy Resources
Center.
Secretary Jobst called the roll. Absent were Senators from both ROTC
units. Liaisons in attendance were Jim Cross (CTS), Brian Whitman (Grad
Student Association), and Aaron Dufrane (USG).
2. RECOGNITION OF VISITORS
Guests included Barry Pegg (HU), Ellen Horsch (Human Resources), Ingrid
Cheney (Employee Relations), Richelle White (MTU Lode), Marcia Goodrich
(Tech Topics), and F. Dobney (Provost and Executive Vice President).
3. AGENDA ADJUSTMENTS
Bornhorst had no agenda adjustments, and Carstens, with Vanek's second,
MOVED to approve the agenda as distributed. President Bornhorst said that
if there were no objection to the agenda, it would stand approved. There
were none. [Appendix A. NOTE: only official Senate and Library archival
copies of the Minutes will contain a full complement of appendices.]
4. APPROVAL OF MINUTES: MEETING 232
Whitt asked that the word "solely" be changed to "mainly" at the end of the
discussion for section "8.E" on the second page of the minutes. There were
no other changes, and Arici, with Mroz' second, MOVED to approve the
minutes. On a voice vote the motion CARRIED.
5. SENATE PRESIDENT'S REPORT
A. PROGRESS OF SENATE PROPOSALS
Bornhorst reported that Proposal 1-95: Changes to the University Sabbatical
Leave Policy, was on hold, awaiting the results of the Provost's survey, to
be distributed at the end of this week [Appendix B].
Formally acknowledged acceptance of changes with one modification of
Proposal 4-95: Definition of Academic Appointments [Appendix C].
President Tompkins has approved three proposals:
19-95: Ph.D. Program in Geological Engineering; 20-95: Policy on Class
Attendance; and 28-95: Faculty Handbook Recommendation [Appendices D, E,
F].
B. COMMITTEE ACTIVITIES
Bornhorst has received a proposal for a new Ph. D. in Mathematics, and it
has been sent to the Curricular Policy committee [Appendix G].
Bornhorst, based his remarks on a memo from Provost Dobney, discussed the
makeup of the Capital Program Planning Committee [Appendix H]. He said it
was composed of the Senate President; the Provost; CFO McGarry; Vice
Presidents for Government Relations, and Research; Deans of Engineering,
and Sciences and Arts; Director of Facilities Management; and two past
officers of the Senate, who would participate with staggered terms of
office. Bornhorst said he has not yet identified recommendations to fill
the final two slots.
Bornhorst said the Senate President and Vice President met last week
with the chair of the Administrative Evaluation Commission, Paul Nelson,
and they discussed, among other issues, who would be evaluated. During
discussion, Heyman said that all the top administrators should be
evaluated, but Glime argued for focusing only on the top three, with the
remaining three the following year. The evaluations, she said, would thus
be on staggered years. Others in the Senate, however, supported the
evaluation for all, including Ron Helman, who is retiring. Bornhorst said
Paul Nelson had developed a detailed plan of action, which included a
questionnaire that would be distributed next fall, with a final report no
earlier than the winter.
The Executive Committee and Laurie Whitt will meet on April 6 to
discuss the proposed meeting with the University attorney.
Ingrid Cheney reported on the Benefits Forum, a discussion of the new
health care plan. Over 125 people attended this first forum earlier in the
week.
Bornhorst said the Senate Election Cycle continues, with the completion
of a ballot of At-Large Senators. Nine candidates are on it, and he
thanked those who had helped solicit the quality slate. Bornhorst said
that he would run again for the Presidency.
6. COMMITTEE BUSINESS/REPORTS
A. Research Policy Committee
McKimpson reported that his group was working on re-establishing Creativity
Grants, which would be internally funded moneys for education and
undergraduate classroom activities. Outside money, say from foundations,
may also be available.
His committee has also worked on the research statement for the
handbook, and this proposal would be forthcoming. A subcommittee is
looking at the Academic Research Center Evaluation.
Dave Reed reported on Research Fringe Benefits from a handout [Appendix
I].
B. Ad-Hoc Committee on Teaching
Using transparencies [Appendix J], committee chair Bulleit identified the
three areas of the committee's charge: Evaluation of Teaching, Center for
Teaching Excellence, and the Teaching Awards. Beck pointed out that the
model for most departments is not teaching but research, and Bulleit said
his committee is supporting changes in the F10 Promotion and Tenure form to
place more emphasis on teaching skills.
Bulleit also said the committee supports publishing the teaching
evaluation forms, avoiding the duplication of efforts by both the
administration and student groups, as occurred last winter term. Leifer
expressed concern for the reliability of the forms, and Bulleit said the
form should be only one of several methods used for evaluation.
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Page 5448 Minutes of Senate Meeting 234 5 April 1995
C. Computer Executive Committee
Reed discussed the work of this committee, explaining first that its
purpose was to offer advice on policy and on large computer purchases. He
said members were executives of units concerned with major computer
purchases, such as Jim Cross (CTS) and Phyllis Johnson (Library). Topics
under discussion are high speed computing, library computer upgrade, and
student computer fees.
D. Class Drop "Service Fee"
Provost Dobney discussed the Senate rejection of a committee's
recommendation that tuition be based on 17 credits, saying that the goal
was to change the behavior of students who enrolled in more courses than
they expected to finish, dropping courses usually after other students had
no chance of enrolling in their places. Dobney suggested a "drop fee" to
be instituted after Thursday of week 1 to motivate students into
considering a more reasonable courseload. USG, he said, favored neither
this plan nor the 17 credit plan, but if a "drop fee" were required, they
recommended a $20-25 cost. They also offered a third option: a student who
dropped a course must wait past the succeeding two quarters before being
able to re-enroll in that particular class.
Carstens asked about charging tuition on a per credit basis, but
Bornhorst said this could be considered a tuition increase, thus causing
major problems with the State. Keen suggested returning any extra moneys
beyond current tuition to the students. Fynewever said credit-based
tuition would hurt enrichment programs, such as physical education and fine
arts. Whitt said faculty should have more control of students admitted to
their classes during week one of the term. Bornhorst said he would direct
the general tuition issue to the Instructional Policy Committee.
E. Finance Committee
Pickens discussed a report [Appendix K] on the Administration's plan to
abandon the pre-pay method of funding TIAA health costs and go to a pay-as-
you-go plan. Pickens said the Finance Committee felt the new plan was less
secure, but they are willing to hear alternatives. He requested the
Administration present future plans to the Finance Committee and the
Senate.
Provost Dobney said the pre-pay moneys would only be used if the
University went out of business, and even if the University continues
paying into the fund, there will never be enough to cover such a
contingency. In the meantime, the University is saddled with a major drain
on its resources. Keen said the Finance Committee should present their
proposal so the Senate can make a decision. Bornhorst pointed out that the
Senate's action on this issue is only a non-binding recommendation. Glime
suggested Bert Whitten be invited to discuss this issue since he worked
with the Board of Control which suggested the pre-pay method.
Dobney said the Administration cannot promise to pay anything in the
future since this is strictly a Board of Control (BoC) decision, which they
consider every six months. Beck said he would feel more comfortable with a
few years' cushion of funds.
7. OLD BUSINESS
A. Proposal 13-95: Faculty Grievance Policy and Procedures [Appendix L].
Heyman MOVED, with Whitt's second, to approve an amended version of 13-95
[Appendix M]. Heyman said he was assisted on this by Whitt and Heuvers
(Math).
Heyman presented some of the highlights of this amended proposal:
changing the number of days in which a grievor had to act, from 14 or 15 to
30 days. He pointed out other areas which were changed to be consistent
with law. Discussion ended and on a voice vote the amended version of
Proposal 13-95 CARRIED without dissent.
Bornhorst then directed attention to this new version of 13-95, and
Bulleit MOVED to delete section A.3.1, dealing with directions for
departmental charter committees. Keen seconded, explaining that
departments should decide themselves how they will handle grievances. "This
proposal," he said, "should not dictate procedure." Discussion ended, and
on a voice vote the motion to delete CARRIED with dissent.
Keen suggested a change to A.5, #7, changing "it" to "the written
record" for clarity. Bornhorst ruled this a minor editorial change, and
there were no objections.
Dobney requested that policy be separated from procedure, so the former
could be presented to the BoC. Keen suggested line two of the proposal,
and there were no objections. Bornhorst said this sentence would be
presented to the Senate at a future date so that it could go forward to the
Board.
Glime read a response from Senator Brokaw, who was absent, arguing that
step 5 was "overkill." She MOVED on his behalf to delete this step, but
the motion died for lack of a second. Discussion ended on changes to the
newly-amended proposal, and in a voice vote the motion to approve Proposal
13-95 CARRIED without dissent.
Bornhorst announced a Special Meeting of the Senate on Wednesday, April
12.
9. ADJOURNMENT
Vanek MOVED and Miner seconded to adjourn. Motion CARRIED. Bornhorst
declared the meeting adjourned at 7:30 pm.
Submitted by Jack Jobst
Secretary of the University Senate
.