Academic Senate: MINUTES 3/15/2005

Present: Dr. Amelia Ahern-Rindell, Dr. Susan Baillet, Fr. William Beauchamp, Dr. Linda Birenbaum, Sr. Maria Ciriello, Dr. James Connelly, Dr. Michael Connolly, Dr. Carol Dempsey, Dr. Karen Eifler, Dr. Jeff Gauthier, Dr. Rich Gritta, Dr. Greg Hill, Dr. Jack Kondrasuk, Dr. Larry Lewis, Dr. Lora Looney, Dr. Diane Martin, Dr. Louis Masson, Dr. Peter Osterberg, Ms. Jennifer Reinhard, Ms. Julie Stillwell, Ms. Diane Sotak, Br. Donald Stabrowski

Absent: Sr. Angela Hoffman, Dr. Marlene Moore, Dr. Bart Rylander, Dr. Peter Thacker

Invocation: The invocation was given by Linda Birenbaum.

Minutes of February 15, 2005 meeting were accepted.

The senate voted to move Roy Heynderickx’s University Financial Report to the beginning of the meeting.

Roy Heynderickx: Roy began his presentation by distributing a handout to all senators summarizing the university’s financial status. Highlights of Roy’s report include: 1) 2005-2006 tuition increase of 5.9%, 2) 2005-2006 faculty salary increase pool of 3%, 3) university annual contribution to faculty retirement savings increased to 11%, 4) no changes to university health insurance plans next year; university will absorb 17.5% of increased cost; university employees’ contribution will increase modestly, 5) university enjoyed excellent returns on their investments this past year (up 21.6%), 6) university plans to offer a 12-month salary plan option to faculty starting next fall.

Standing Committee Reports

Executive Committee: Jeff Gauthier gave the report. Kathleen Staten will email the agenda plus any New Business documentation (as attachments) to each senator prior to each senate meeting (these documents will also be available on the senate website, as usual). Newly elected senators are expected to attend the April 15, 2005 senate meeting. Elections of new senate officers will occur at the April senate meeting. The pending resolution on senate committee membership criteria has been temporarily withdrawn pending further investigation.

Committee on Committees: Jeff Gauthier gave the report. Members were chosen for the new ad hoc committee whose purpose is to make recommendations to the President concerning the university’s commitment to labor rights in the manufacturing of clothing and other goods displaying the university’s name and logo as well as whether or not we ought to continue our involvement in the Fair Labor Association versus joining the Workers Rights Consortium.

Committee on Rank & Tenure: Louis Masson gave the report. The committee is almost completed with the current tenure review cases. The revised Rank and Tenure information and guidelines document for the faculty is now complete and is posted on the web for convenient reference.

Committee on Teaching & Scholarship: Carol Dempsey gave the report. The supplemental Butine Awards for the spring semester have been awarded and announced. The committee will make their final recommendations for the Teaching and Scholarship awards to Br. Donald before Easter break. Carol distributed two handouts to the senate summarizing 1) the fiscal status of the Butine Fund for the 2004-2005 academic year, and 2) the committee’s work and action items during the 2004-2005 academic year. Please see these two handouts for more details of Carol’s report. There is significant pressure to increase Butine funding especially in the area of domestic and international travel. Also, the appropriateness of summer funding using Butine funds was discussed.

Committee on Faculty and Welfare: Susan Baillet gave the report. Handouts were distributed to the senators from the Unum Provident Work-Life Balance and the EASE employee assistance programs. The goal is to distribute this information to the faculty for their benefit since they explain several worthwhile employee assistance programs such as child-care options, elder-care options, etc. The committee is reviewing the current Administration Evaluation Form with the goal of improving and simplifying it in order to improve faculty participation.

Committee on Curriculum & Academic Regulations: Karen Eifler gave the report.The committee approved two New Business proposals which are now ready to be voted on by the senate (see New Business section below).The committee accepted a proposal to reduce the number of required credit hours for the Music curriculum from 147 to 144.

Presidential Advisory Committee Reports

Committee on Student Media: No report was given, as there was no action taken since the last senate meeting.

Committee on Athletics: No report was given, as there was no action taken since the last senate meeting.

Committee on Health & Safety: No report was given, as there was no action taken since the last senate meeting.

Committee on Computers & Telecommunications: Diane Sotak gave the report. A subcommittee has recommended to the OCIO a new course management software package for the university to adopt. Another subcommittee has completed its review of the “pay per print” proposal. They have recommended a new system where each student would be given an official computer printout account and the first 200 printouts would be free.

Committee on the Web: No report was given, as there was no action taken since the last senate meeting.

Student & Faculty Court: No report was given, as there was no action taken since the last senate meeting.

Other Reports

Fr. William Beauchamp: Fr. reported on the status of the university tactical plan. The goal is to complete the tactical plan by the end of next fall. The completion of the tactical plan will be a major a step towards launching the university’s next fundraising campaign. Fr. will meet with all units this semester to discuss their long-term goals, needs, plans, priorities, ideas and strategies in preparation for the next fundraising campaign. Fr. met with the WCC schools to discuss student athletic issues. It has been announced that UP will host the 2007 WCC basketball tournament. Fr. attended a neighborhood association meeting to discuss their concerns.

Deans Report: Br. Donald Stabrowski gave the report. Bill Reed will preside over Founder’s Day preparations. Commencement preparations are now underway. The senior scholar awards were selected. Erin Ferguson, a civil engineering major, was selected as the senior class valedictorian. The deans are currently in the process of selecting the Dean’s Award recipients. Tenure decision letters were sent out. Four of the five deans are in the final year of their appointment and will be reviewed for possible reappointment.

ASUP: Jennifer Reinhard gave the report. ASUP elections for the new 2005-2006 officers were completed in February. Resolution 05-02 passed which increases student government fees by $10.00. Resolution 05-05 passed which addresses university textbook selection procedures and the high cost of textbooks to the students. The annual ASUP awards ceremony will be held April 18. Raffle for extra, unused senior graduation tickets will be held. Club funding will be discussed at the remaining spring ASUP meetings. A silent auction event will be held for Tsunami Relief fundraising.

New Business

The CAR committee presented the “New Honors Program” proposal to the senate. The proposal was voted on and accepted.
The CAR committee presented the “Changes in Social Justice Program” proposal to the senate. The proposal was voted on and accepted.

Announcements

Jeff Gauthier announced that the University Feminist Discussion Group will be sponsoring a week of activities related to raising awareness of violence against women.

Adjournment: Meeting adjourned at 5:36 P.M.

Respectively submitted, Dr. Peter Osterberg, Secretary to the Senate