Members present:  Aigbedo, Awbrey, Bee, Berven, D., Berven, K., Butler, Chamra, Cole, Connery, Condic, Doman, Dulio, Eis, Estes, Folberg, Fu, Gamble, Graetz, Grimm, Grossman, Guessous, Hoag, Hoffman, Latcha, Leibert, LeMarbe, Lim, Pickard, Riley-Doucet, Roth, Russell, Schartman, Schuiling, Shablin, Solomonson, Spagnuola, Stano, Tieggs, Wells, Williams, Wood
Members absent:   Dalton, Dunn, Dvir, Gallien, Giberson, Giblin, Hay, Hightower, Lauer, Meehan, Miller, Mitchell, Mourdjian, Polis, Reger, Sethi, Sudol, Tanniru, Tashcereau, Thompson, Thor, Zhang

Provost Moudgil called the meeting to order at 3:10 P.M.

INFORMATIONAL ITEMS

1.  Focus on the Finish Line—Ms. Schartman/Ms. Westergaard

Steve Shablin introduced the Focus on the Finish Line  by saying that retention is an important priority at Oakland University.  He introduced Ms. Schartman and Ms. Westergaard to provide updates on retention information.   Ms. Schartman indicated that 27% of FTIACs did not return which is 73% retention rate, same as last year.  38% of minority FTIACs did not return which is a matter of concern.  Since 2005, graduate rates are at 49%, with 21% of FTIAC minorities graduated.  The 6-year graduate rates are inching up.  Ms. Westergaard reviewed the Focus on the Finish Line initiative.  It was created within the OU Career Cycle, and is a year-by-year guide for all OU undergraduate students to help them focus on the steps necessary to reach the finish line:  graduation and employment after OU.  The updated Focus on the Finish Line now features the FOTFL graphic in the center with links to the following information for a student’s first, second, third and fourth years:  1)  Tips with action steps that students are recommended to follow, 2) Toolbox, which includes helpful workshops and websites that correspond to the action steps, and 3) Videos relevant to the action steps.  Ms. Westergaard asked for faculty members' assistance to help students along their path to graduation, perhaps by adding a link to their Moodle page, by looking for feedback, or by talking to their departments about Focus on the Finish Line.  She expressed her willingness to come to departments to talk to them about the initiative, and said she is looking for suggestions on how to link faculty to students. 

Ms. Cole asked how these retention rates relate to other institutions, and wanted to know how this information affects funding from the state.  Ms. Schartman said that retention rates at neighboring universities are all over—some are lower, some are higher.  OU is just above the middle in the state of Michigan.  This information is not affecting state funding now, but it probably will in the future because now there is talk of performance funding.  But OU cannot compare to the University of Michigan which has an 89% graduation rate.  Ms. Guessous asked how many hours OU students work per week.  She believes this has an effect on retention.  A number of her students work 50-60 hours per week and take a full course load.  Ms. Schartman agreed that OU does have a higher percentage of students who work, but said that this does not always relate to retention rates.  Provost Moudgil observed that at some institutions, most students live in dorms and stay on campus, which makes their situation different from our students.  He pointed out that the Governor will use improvements in retention rates as a measure rather than comparing one institution against the other.  Mr. Doman asked whether Ms. Schartman has information on why students choose to leave.  Ms. Schartman replied that most of the information indicates that they leave because of academic or financial issues—which are often related.  Some transfer to other 4-year institutions, but some transfer to community colleges as well. 

2.  Provost’s Updates

• Mr. Moudgil said that with reference to the Presidential Debate that took place on campus the night before, OU does not endorse any particular political party, but was happy to be the host for the event.  He thanked the many people who helped to make the event a great success and to provide the media crews and the candidates everything they needed. He indicated that Bobby Schostak, current financial director for the Michigan GOP and an OU alumnus, was instrumental in helping to get the debate on OU’s campus.
• Mr. Moudgil said he is planning to propose to the Deans to start thinking about cluster hiring.  For instance, a theme such as ‘autism’ would be identified, and then considerations would be made for the biological, medical, social, psychological issues that are all involved.  If we can identify teams to attack a given problem from many angles, the cluster approach would be innovative, and involve interdepartmental connections with interdisciplinary efforts. 
• He also said that he wants to work on identifying ways to bring more senior faculty members a broader platform for financial support.  When new faculty are hired, they get set-up money to help them with their research, but he is seeking input on how to create a mechanism for senior faculty members to get support as well. 

A.  APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES of September 22, 2011

The minutes of September 22, 2011 were approved (motion by Latcha, second by Eis).

B.  NEW BUSINESS

1.  Election of Steering Committee member (1 member for Winter 2012)

The Election Committee conducted the election for a one-semester replacement on the Steering Committee, to replace Henry Aigbedo in Winter 2012.  Laila Guessous was elected to fill this position.

2.  Motion from the Office of Graduate Study to approve a revision of graduate grading system to include new grades for students admitted to the Doctor of Medicine Degree program

MOVED that the proposed revision to the graduate grading system be adopted (Eis, Awbrey)

Mr. Noiva from the School of Medicine said they are proposing a grading system based on the best practices in medical schools, which is to use "P", "F", and "Honors".  He said this system is better in a competency-based system where knowledge, skills and attitudes are all involved.  Students must achieve a "P" (pass) on every course.  If they get an "F", they are remediated.  If they have any "F", they cannot move onto the next year.  The designation "Honors" is used to indicate who are the best students in the class.  He said that 2/3 of the medical schools use the P/F system.  Mr. Berven asked if there is still some percentage required for the "P" grade.  Mr. Noiva replied that they use a cut-off point provided by the American Medical schools which tells what percentage students must achieve to pass.  Mr. Shablin moved to waive the second reading, second by Wood.  The motion passed.  Mr. Grossman asked if medical students will then not get a GPA, and he wanted to know what percentage would get "Honors".  Mr. Noiva said they gave 3 Honors out of 50 students for their first class, but there is no GPA in medical school.  The second reading was waived (moved Ms. Wood, seconded Ms. Piskulich).  The motion passed. 

3.  Procedural motion from the Senate Steering Committee to update titles used in Senate Committee charges

MOVED that the following titles in Senate Committee charges and membership descriptions be changed as follows: 

(Motion by Latcha, Second by Eis.)

Mr. Moudgil introduced the motion by saying that over time, the titles in the left column had changed, and the titles in the right column are what they have been changed to.  This will thus bring the language of the Senate Committee member composition up to date.  Ms. Piskulich said that there is a correction, and the last cell should say ‘Graduate Education’.  Mr. Grossman pointed out that the Constitution has the titles the old way, so they will have to be changed there as well.  Mr. Leibert was skeptical that the changes were not just cosmetic, and wondered if there were a change of salary as well.  Mr. Moudgil replied that this change has nothing to do with salaries.  Mr. Stano asked if there are any other implications for the changes, and Mr. Moudgil said there were none. 
The motion passed.

C.  GOOD AND WELFARE

Susan Awbrey said that there would be a proposed change to Oakland University Role and Mission Statement to recognize the importance of diversity.  She said diversity and inclusion are important, but the university does not mention these words in its mission statement.  She is proposing a change to recognize the importance of diversity, and passed out a handout with proposed language for the change.  The words 'in a diverse and inclusive environment' would follow the words "It offers instructional programs of high quality…" in the second paragraph of the 'Role and Mission' section of the OU Mission Statement.  Mr. Aigbedo asked whether other universities also mention diversity and inclusion in their mission statements.  Ms. Awbrey said they do, and accreditation agencies want it.  The present mission statement dates from 1982 and so it is time to update it.  Dean Folberg said that he supports the idea because it is the right thing to do, and accreditation insists on it.  Mr. Russell asked if there are universal definitions for these words.  Mr. Folberg said there are distinctive and well-thought out definitions.  Student senate member Wesley Gamble asked what is the meaning of inclusive.  Ms. Piskulich said that inclusive means not just that you recognize diversity, but that you are making sure that there is a climate to support it.  Mr. Gamble asked if the university is doing something to create a climate that he could take back to tell the Student Congress about.  Mr. Moudgil said that the university does many things to create a climate favorable for diversity.  Ms. Guessous expressed her support for the idea, but suggested that the proposed words be moved to follow 'as well as programs in continuing education' in the same sentence.  Mr. Russell asked if the legislative branch of the government can restrict this statement.  Mr. Moudgil said that OU is an autonomous as an institution, so they cannot.  But they do hold the purse, so that has an effect.  Mr. Folbert said that there is anxiety about Proposition 2, but there are ways to make it work.  Mr. Wells asked if there is something that speaks to the issue of social justice, or is that implicit in the mission statement.  Ms. Awbrey said this is important.  Mr. Folberg indicated that there is a timing issue, because SOM needs this in place by June 2012.  It must be in OU’s Mission Statement so that it can be in their documents or they will lose their accreditation.