Oakland University Senate
April 6, 1966
Minutes
PRESENT: Messrs. Beardslee, G. Brown, Cammack, Cherno, Clarke, Collins, Galloway, Gibson, Haden, Hammerle, Harding, Hetenyi, Heubel, Lowy, McKay, Marz, G. Matthews, Johnson, O'Dowd, Pitts, Simmons, Stoutenburg, Stubblefield, Susskind, Swanson, Brace, Tipler, Brieger, Vann, Varner, Williamson
ABSENT: Messrs. S. Appleton, M. Brown, H. Burdick, Burke, Dutton, Hoopes, Lessing, Mobley
Guests: Messrs. Atkinson, Daniels, Dettman, Hill, Obear, Pino, Rose, Torch, Velinsky
Chancellor Varner called the meeting to order at 3:45 p.m.
Chancellor Varner discussed the following topics with the Senate:
A. R. Sargent Shriver, Jr. will be the commencement speaker.
B. Contuse will be published.
C. The Ascendent is being distributed.
D. A report of the admissions figures for fall 1966 indicate we should have about 900 freshmen and 300 graduate students.
Mr. Galloway moved to accept the minutes of March 30, 1966 Seconded by Mr. Stubblefield. Approved.
OLD BUSINESS
1. Mr. Simmons reintroduced the recommendation of the Academic Affairs Committee, previously seconded by Mr. Matthews, to amend certain parts of the curriculum plan approved by the Senate on April 22, 1965.
The Steering Committee wishes to share with the Senate the attached memorandum from the A.A.C. setting forth a detailed motion for legislative action and supporting explanatory comments.
Mr. McKay moved to amend the amendment to increase all three credit courses to four credits, to increase all six credit courses to eight credits, and to increase all nine credit courses to twelve credits.
Seconded by Mr. Stubblefield.
Amendment was withdrawn by Mr. McKay with the permission of Mr. Stubblefield.
Mr. Hammerle presented nine points recommending that the Academic Affairs Committee amendments be defeated. Several senators spoke in favor of these points while others supported the committee's amendments.
Mr. Cherno moved to amend section 2F of the committee's amendments by changing the wording in the parentheses from "Asian Civilizations" to "Introduction to China or Introduction to India."
Seconded by Mr. Simmons. Adopted.
The question was called on the original motion. Not adopted.
2. Mr. Hetenyi moved the following changes to the Hucker Plan (April 22, 1965):
a) Reduce the Science and Mathematics requirement in section 2F from 12 credits to 8 credits.
b) Reinstate both Art and Music in the University Course requirements for graduation.
c) Instruct the Committee on Instruction to reconsider all variable credit courses from the viewpoint of keeping them in line with the spirit of the Hucker Plan.
This motion would have the effect of retaining the four credit unit in all cases of regular courses, UC and departmental, and interpret the leeway proposed to permit low credit courses for such areas as Chorus, Computer Programming, etc.
Seconded by Mr. Matthews. Final action to be taken at a subsequent meeting.
The Steering Committee is to take appropriate action on the Hetenyi motion.
Comment:
The Steering Committee may assign it to another Senate committee or committees or bring it back to the Senate itself.
3. Mr. Cherno moved to amend section 2A (Hucker Plan) to read, "Western Civilization (European or American History or Philosophy, including Education 244, Social and Philosophical Issues in Education): 4 credits" and to amend section 2E (Hucker Plan) to read "Non-Western Civilizations (Introduction to China or Introduction to India)."
Seconded by Mr. Hetenyi. Final action to be taken at a subsequent meeting.
4. Mr. Matthews moved to amend (Hucker Plan) as follows:
a) Change Senior Seminar to read Senior Colloquium.
b) Amend all places in the legislation in which the terms (a) "general education" and (b) "Western Civilizations" are used by substituting the terms "University Course" and "Western Institutions" for (a) and (b) respectively.
Seconded by Mr. Cherno. Final action to be taken at a subsequent meeting.
5. Mr. Simmons reintroduced the recommendation of the Academic Affairs Committee, previously seconded by Mr. Cammack, to approve the following motion concerning a new catalog entry.
A course in Speech is authorized to be offered beginning fall semester 1966 for the benefit of students who wish to improve their ability to communicate with an audience in an organized and disciplined manner.
Mr. Cherno moved to amend the motion by changing the title to "Oral Argumentation."
No support.
Mr. Cherno moved to establish a committee to govern the course organization and content. The committee's representation would be as follows: One member from the English Department, one member from the Foreign Language Department, and one member from the Political Science Department.
Seconded by Mr. Stubblefield. Not adopted.
The question was called and the original motion was adopted.
6. Mr. O'Dowd reintroduced the recommendation of the Steering Committee, previously seconded by Mr. Stubblefield, to adopt the following traditional enabling legislation.
All members of the Senate who are available on campus in late August will assemble to act on behalf of the entire body in approving the recommendation of seniors for honors and degrees. The requirement of a minimum of fifteen votes for the enactment of legislation will be suspended for this one summer meeting of the Senate.
Adopted.
7. Mr. O'Dowd reintroduced the recommendation of the Steering Committee, previously seconded by Mr. Stubblefield, to extend the tenure of the present Senate as proposed in the following motion.
The Senate as presently constituted will remain in office until a new University government is established or until May 1, 1967, whichever date is earlier. The existing procedure for filling vacancies in the Senate will continue to be followed.
Comment:
This motion is presented to guarantee continuity in University government for a period of several months without going through the procedure of holding a regular Senate election this April.
In answer to a question Mr. O'Dowd stated, the present committee structure will remain essentially as it now is. Vacancies will be filled with new members as needed.
Adopted.
8. Mr. Collins reintroduced the recommendation of the Faculty Affairs Committee, previously seconded by Mr. Marz, to invite faculty and administration classroom visits.
This body goes on record as encouraging all members of the administration, as well as all faculty members, to become better acquainted with the classroom activity of this university by visiting classes. We feel that such classroom visitation would be of benefit to all concerned. As a courtesy to the teacher involved, his permission should be requested in advance of the visit.
Mr. Cherno's amendment, previously seconded by Mr. Stubblefield, to add to the end of the first sentence the following statement: "on certain days of each semester set aside for that purpose." was not adopted.
The original motion was adopted.
NEW BUSINESS
9. Mr. Johnson moved the recommendation of the Committee on Graduate Study to establish a Master's Degree program in Systems Engineering.
The Senate approves the establishment of a Master's Degree program in Systems Engineering and requests the Board of Trustees to authorize the establishment of this new degree program by the University.
Seconded by Mr. Stubblefield. Final action to be taken at a subsequent meeting.
10. Mr. Pitts moved the recommendation of the Athletic Policy Committee to authorize basketball as an intercollegiate sport for a trial period of three years.
Basketball is authorized as an intercollegiate sport for a trial period of three years. At the expiration of this trial period, the Athletic Committee will present all the evidence it has been able to collect as to the impact of intercollegiate basketball upon the level of academic achievement among collegiate basketball players, student spectators, and the rest of the student body, as well as the increase or decrease of commitment to purely intellectual values as evidenced by the success of extra-curricular activities which have a definite intellectual primacy such as theatre, literary magazine, Oakland Observer, fine arts festival, attendance at visitors' lectures, etc.
Comment:
The Department of Sociology and Anthropology declares its intention to begin next September a study of the student cultures in this University, and will endeavor to develop measurements to outline the content of the cultures and the boundaries of the membership groups which carry these cultures. It will develop indices which would permit the monitoring of changes. The Department will apply for a small grant in order to "tool up" during the year 1966-1967 and will apply for a major grant to be secured in 1967. The measurement of the impact of intercollegiate basketball is a minor concern of this research. However, even if a major grant should not be secured, the pilot research undertaken in the year 1966-1967 should permit the development of measurements which could be applied in 1969 and compared to the results of 1966.
Seconded by Mr. Stubblefield. Final action to be taken at a subsequent meeting.
11. Mr. Simmons moved the recommendation of the Academic Affairs Committee to authorize the establishment of a Concentration in Linguistics.
The attached memorandum contains a motion authorizing the establishment of a Concentration in Linguistics. The Steering Committee submits the entire memorandum to the Senate for study and action.
Seconded by Mr. O'Dowd. Final action to be taken at a subsequent meeting.
Meeting adjourned at 5:55 p.m.
HNS:je