Oakland University Senate
 
26 JANUARY 1960

MINUTES

PRESENT: Mr. Amann, Mr.Burke, Mrs. Collins, Mrs. Cusack, Mr. Danielson, Mr. Eklund, Mr. Fitzsimmons, Mr. Gherity, Mr. Hammerle, Mr. Hoopes, Mr. Kluback, Mrs. Rovach, Mr. Matthews, Mr. McKay, Miss North, Mr. Pearson, Mr. Pope, Mr. Rhode, Mr. Schwab, Mr. Stoutenburg, Mr. Straka, Mr. Swanson, Mr. Tafoya, Mr. Tomboulian, Mr. Varner, Mrs. White.

The meeting was called to order by Mr. Varner with the request that future meetings start on time.

A motion made by Mr. Danielson, amended by Mr. Schwab, and seconded by Mr. Pearson, stated that members of the Senate not present at a scheduled meeting would not be permitted to vote by proxy unless otherwise stipulated. Approved.

Mr. McKay moved, seconded by Mr. Fitzsimmons, that proxy votes would be accepted today on the issue of whether we accept the three course or four course curriculum. Approved.

Dean Hoopes moved, seconded by Mr. Burke, that, at this institution, we plan a four year undergraduate curriculum to be composed of four courses per quarter for every student, the prospectus of these courses yet to be discussed and determined by the Senate. Addendum to the motion: Adoption of this motion would not preclude independent study programs, honor programs and other such enterprises that might involve a useful departure from the prescribed program for certain numbers of students. (DISCUSSION � Mr. Vamer stated the problem to be primarily whether or not a student can learn better by dividing his interest between three or between four courses. Mr. Pope asked the group to look at the curriculum of Hofstra, Dartmouth and Reed as examples of schools planning imaginative programs for the future. The four course program under discussion is tied to traditional ideas which are not compatible with the original curriculum thinking of the various committees that worked on the MSUO curriculum over the past two years. A three course program would give a professor more freedom to teach his own specialty and permit, through flexible class size, a cross fertilization of ideas by exposing all students to all professors.) Approved.

Mrs. Collins moved, seconded by Pope, that the four course curriculum developed by the Instruction Committee be sent to the new Educational Policy Committee for consideration and that a report be made at the next meeting. Approved.

Dean Hoopes pointed out that the matters of evaluating credits and establishing a probationary and scholarship dismissal policy should be among the first questions handled by the Educational Policy Committee.

Several members of the faculty asked for a procedure to obtain lecterns, wall clocks, coat racks, etc. Mr. Varner stated that these requests should be directed to the Dean of Faculty. Requests approved would then be forwarded to the Director of Business Affairs.

Meeting adjourned.