Meeting 573 Minutes

The University Senate
of Michigan Technological University

Minutes of Meeting 573
February 3, 2016

PDF version of Minutes 573

Senate minutes are time-indexed [in square brackets] to the relevant segments of the streaming video of the meeting.

Synopsis:

The Senate

  • Proposal 9-16: Reducing Deductibles and Out of Pocket Maximums on Michigan Tech's Healthcare-Insurance Plans passed

  • Proposal 10-16: Rationalization of Senate Procedures on the Selection/Election of Membership of Various Committees passed

  • Proposal 11-16: Amending Senate Procedure 503.1.1, Evaluation Procedure for the President passed

  • Proposal on the formation of a Senate ad-hoc committee to review the Senate Constitution and Bylaws passed

  • The Senate Self-Evaluation will be postponed until next year.

 1. Call to order and roll call. [00:00 – 02:20]

President Brian Barkdoll called the University Senate Meeting 573 to order at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday, February 3, 2016. The Senate Secretary Marty Thompson called roll. Absent were Senators Stancher, Oliveira and Cai and representatives of Army/Air Force ROTC, Biological Sciences, Engineering Fundamentals, Geological and Mining Engineering and Sciences, Kinesiology and Integrative Physiology, Materials Science and Engineering, Academic Services B, Auxiliaries, Technology and Undergraduate Student Government.

 2. Recognition of visitors. Guests included Theresa Coleman-Kaiser (Administration), Anne Beffel (Visual and Performing Arts), Ellen Marks (Library), Ginger Sleeman (Human Resources) and Bruce Seely (College of Science and Arts).

3. Approval of agenda. [02:21 – 04:11]
Barkdoll moved to remove item #5.b. from the agenda. Weir seconded. The revision passed unanimously on a voice vote.

Brown moved to approve of the revised agenda. Wanless seconded. The revised agenda passed unanimously on a voice vote.                                                                                                                                        

4. Approval of minutes from Meeting 572. [04:12 – 04:55]
Schmierer moved to approve. Weir seconded. The minutes passed unanimously on a voice vote. 

5. Presentation: Report on the Library by Ellen Marks [04:56 – 44:34]
Marks, Director of the Library, [presentation] [handout] discussed the budget for collections and the inflationary rate of journal costs. 

There was a request to revisit Proposal 32-15 “Establishment of a Library Liaisons and a Library Advisory Committee” which was passed by the University Senate on March 18, 2015 and returned by the administration with revisions. The proposal was referred to RPC on September 9, 2015. Discussion. 

6. President’s Report [44:35 – 47:34]
President Brian Barkdoll described the rationale for introducing a code of conduct. This code will be reviewed by the senate executive committee for senate consideration. 

Forum on University Finances will be held February 4 from 11am to 2pm in Dow 642. 

Forum on Fringe Benefits will be held on April 5 from 12pm to 3pm in Dow 642. 

Survey of the University President will be open on Tuesday, February 9. 

Barkdoll asked the senate if proposals passed by the Senate should be announced in Tech Today to promote the Senate’s work and enhance policy awareness. Discussion. 

7. Reports from Senate Standing Committees   [47:35 – 54:57]

Academic and Instructional Policy Committee. The committee chair, Nooshabadi, informed the senate about the procedural details regarding the survey of the university president. 

Administrative Policy Committee. None. 

Curricular Policy Committee. None. 

Elections Committee. None. 

Finance & Institutional Planning Committee. None. 

Fringe Benefits Committee. None. 

General Education and Assessment Committee.  None. 

Information Technology Committee. None. 

Professional Staff Policy Committee. None. 

Research Policy Committee. None. 

8. Unfinished Business [54:58 – 1:49:59]

a. Proposal 7-16: Amending the Senate Procedure 506.1.1, Evaluation Procedure for Department Chairs and School Deans
Neves moved to amend ‘Section II. Frequency of Review’. Wanless seconded. Discussion. The amendment passed by majority vote. 

Nooshabadi moved to amend ‘Section II. Frequency of Review’. Froese seconded. No discussion. The amendment passed by unanimous vote. 

The new wording of ‘Section II. Frequency of Review’ is as follows: 

II. Frequency of Review

The term of appointment for a department chair/school dean is three years. A reappointment review will take place in the third year of each term of appointment, and will be initiated within the first seven weeks of the fall semester. The evaluation process may also be initiated by the college dean/provost or by the entire unit constituency (by a simple majority vote) at any time earlier, but not more than once an academic year. Evaluations may not be initiated by faculty during the first year by a two-thirds majority vote. 

The changes are substantial. The proposal will appear as unfinished business next meeting. 

b. Proposal 9-16: Reducing Deductibles and Out of Pocket Maximums on Michigan Tech's Healthcare-Insurance Plans
Waddell, Fringe Benefit Committee, described the rationale for the proposal. He moved to approve the proposal. No discussion. The proposal passed by majority vote. 

c. Proposal 10-16: Rationalization of Senate Procedures on the Selection/Election of Membership of Various Committees
Nooshabadi, Administrative Policy Committee, moved to approve the proposal. No discussion. The proposal passed by unanimous vote. 

d. Proposal 11-16: Amending Senate Procedure 503.1.1, Evaluation Procedure for the President
Nooshabadi, Administrative Policy Committee, moved to approve the proposal. Discussion. The proposal passed by unanimous vote. 

e. Proposal on the formation of a Senate ad-hoc committee to review the Senate Constitution and Bylaws
Nooshabadi moved to approve a proposal on the formation of a senate ad-hoc committee with the purpose of reviewing the Senate Constitution and Bylaws. Froese seconded. The exact text is as follows: 

The ad hoc committee is charged with reviewing the Constitution and Bylaws and making recommendations about changes to (1) bring the governing documents in compliance with current University practice; (2) ensure the governing documents are consistent with Robert’s Rules, or where the documents need to take preference, function complementarily; (3) resolve ambiguity and improve clarity and consistency; and, (4) address comments solicited from the Senate Constituency. The Committee will submit to the Senate a report or recommendations for action by April 6.

Members: 1) Robert Froese; 2) Jacob Guter; 3) Sarah Lucchesi; 4) Martin Thompson 5) David Wanless 

Discussion. The proposal passed by majority vote. 

f. Senate Self-Evaluation
Nooshabadi moved to postpone the next senate self-evaluation in order to design an effective survey. Wellstead seconded. Discussion. The motion passed by majority vote.               

9. New Business [1:50:00 – 1:50:58]

Proposal 12-16: Proposal to Shelve Certificate Program: Certificate in Chinese Area Studies, Proposal 13-16: Proposal to Shelve Certificate Program: Certificate in Media, Proposal 14-16: Proposal to Shelve Certificate Program: Certificate in Modern Language and Proposal 15-16: Proposal to Shelve Certificate Program: Certificate in Writing

The Curricular Policy Committee co-introduced Proposals 12-16 through 16-16, which are proposals to shelve certificate programs. 

10. Public Comments [1:50:59 – 1:57:19]
Anne Beffel (Visual and Performing Arts) commented on Proposal 7-16. 

11. Adjournment
Wanless moved to adjourn. Froese seconded. President Barkdoll adjourned the meeting at 7:27 p.m.

 

Respectfully submitted
by Marty Thompson
Secretary of the University Senate