The University Senate
of Michigan Technological University
Minutes of Meeting 559
February 18, 2015
PDF version of Minutes 559
Senate minutes are time-indexed [in square brackets] to the relevant segments of the streaming video of the meeting.
Synopsis:
The Senate
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Proposal 24-15 “Amendment to Senate Policy 411.1: Graduate Certificates” passed
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Proposal 25-15 “Proposal to Equalize the Tuition Waiver Benefit for all Full-time Employees” passed
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Proposal 23-15 “Proposal to Shelve Degree Program: Computer Systems Science (SCSY)” passed
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Proposal 26-15 “New Concentration in Computer Systems within the Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science” passed
1. Call to order and roll call. [00:00 – 01:45]
President Craig Waddell called the University Senate Meeting 559 to order at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday, February 18, 2015. The Senate Secretary Marty Thompson called roll. Absent were Senators DeWinter, Caneba and Cadwell and representatives of Army/Air Force ROTC, Materials Science & Engineering, School of Business, Social Sciences, Visual & Performing Arts, Academic Services A, Finance, Student Affairs & Advancement A, Student Affairs & Advancement C and Undergraduate Student Government.
2. Recognition of visitors. Guests included Max Seel (Provost’s Office), Theresa-Coleman Kaiser (Administration), Bonnie Gorman (Dean of Students) and Karen Hext (Benefits Office).
3. Approval of agenda. [01:46 – 04:07]
Nooshabadi moved to make a presentation after the President’s report. Froese seconded. No discussion. The amendment passed unanimously on a voice vote.
The amended agenda passed unanimously on a voice vote.
4. Approval of minutes from Meeting 558. [04:08 – 04:40]
Riehl moved to approve the minutes. Froese seconded. The minutes passed unanimously on a voice vote.
5. President’s Report [04:41 – 24:17]
a. Waddell distributed information provided by the administration’s Benefits Liaison
Group (BLG) from the February 12 meeting. The handout can be distributed to constituents.
Karen Hext, Benefits Office, will present further information at the April 1, 2015
Senate meeting. [LINK]
b. Comments about the US Department of Census Bureau and Department of Education national population projections and how MTU might be impacted
c. Addressing concerns about Houghton County Memorial Airport, Dennis Hext, manager, will make himself available to present at a Senate meeting. He has not yet confirmed the invited date of March 4.
d. Comments on Proposal 27-15 “Fixed vs. Variable Compensation for Senate Officers and Senate President as Financial Manager of the Senate's Budget”
e. Graduate Student Government President Sasha Teymorian will be presenting results of survey information on food insecurity at MTU to the senate at an upcoming meeting.
f. Undergraduate Student Government will be discussing requested changes to the academic calendar at an upcoming senate meeting.
6. Presentation: “Function of the Fringe Benefit Committee, Benefits Liaison Group and dialogue with the administration” by Saeid Nooshabadi [24:18 – 32:20] [LINK]
Saeid felt the Senate President was acting as the de facto chair of the Fringe Benefits Committee. Nooshabadi moved approve a proposal stating that the Senate President shall cease to interfere with
the work of the FBC. Mullins called a point of order as this proposal should be presented as new business. Cooper reassigned the presentation
of the proposal to new business. Froese moved to appeal the chairs decision. Snyder seconded. The appeal was rejected by majority vote. The motion will move to new business.
7. Reports from Senate Standing Committees [32:20 – 34:00]
Academic and Instructional Policy Committee. None.
Administrative Policy Committee. Vable reminded senators of the survey.
Curricular Policy Committee. None.
Elections Committee. None.
Finance & Institutional Planning Committee. Mullins said the committee is working with the FBC to craft a proposal to revise the employee retirement benefit.
Fringe Benefits Committee. None.
General Education and Assessment Committee. None.
Information Technology Committee. None.
Professional Staff Policy Committee. None.
Research Policy Committee. None.
7. Unfinished Business [34:01 – 43:20]
a. Proposal 24-15: "Amendment to Senate Policy 411.1: Graduate Certificates"
Barkdoll moved to approve. Oliveira seconded. No discussion. The proposal passed by unanimous vote.
b Proposal 25-15: "Proposal to Equalize the Tuition Waiver Benefit for all Full-time
Employees"
Beck moved to approve. Mullins seconded. Discussion. The proposal passed by unanimous vote.
c. Proposal 23-15: "Proposal to Shelve Degree Program: Computer Systems Science (SCSY)"
and Proposal 26-15: "New Concentration in Computer Systems within the Bachelor's Degree
in Computer Science"
Barkdoll moved to approve. Nooshabadi seconded. Mullins said the Finance Committee felt the courses were going to be mapped onto
the new concentration and consequently no new courses were proposed. The proposal
passed by unanimous vote.
8. New Business [43:21 – 57:25]
a. Proposal 4-15: "Access to Student Records, Learning Management Systems and Permanent
Record Systems" [43:21 – 44:25]
Vable said the major changes that required re-introduction was that student rights
and faculty rights were separated into two proposals. For this proposal both student
rights and faculty rights are being addressed.
b. Proposal: “Function of the Fringe Benefit Committee, Benefits Liaison Group and dialogue with the administration” by Saeid Nooshabadi [44:26 – 57:25]
Nooshabadi re-introduced the proposal introduced to limit the Senate President’s participation
in the FBC. He moved. Discussion. Froese seconded. Discussion. Mullins moved to end discussion. Wanless seconded. The motion to end discussion passed by a two-thirds vote.
9. Public Comments
Provost Seel made a comment about the importance of collegiality.
10. Adjournment.
Mullins moved to adjourn. Barkdoll seconded. President Waddell adjourned the meeting at 6:28 p.m.
Respectfully submitted
by Marty Thompson
Secretary of the University Senate