Oakland University Senate
December 5, 1968
MINUTES
PRESENT: Miss Attwood, Messrs. Appleton, Atkinson, Black, Briod, Burdick, Butler, Cherno, Clarke, Davis, Dutton. Galloway, Gerulaitis, Hammerle, Harding, Hetenyi, Hough, Iodice, Johnson, Kleckner, Linsalata, Lowy, Lyons, Matthews, McKay, O'Dowd, Pino, Righter, Stoutenburg, Swanson, Tomboulian, Torch, Vann, Varner, Williamson, Witt, Yennior.
ABSENT: Cafone, Fernald, Gibson, Hahn, Hoopes, Kent, Pitts, Simmons, Schwab, Susskind, Mrs. White.
GUESTS: Barthel, Coffman, DeLauney, Gaylor, Jackson, Light, Mazzara, Shiff, Strauss, Sturner, Tafralian, and Miss Heard.
Chancellor Varner called the meeting to order at 3:40 p.m.
Chancellor Varner announced two recent gifts to the University. The first was Mr. and Mrs. Ed Wellock's gift to the Library in the sum of $18,000 and the second was the $750,000 John F. Dodge Professorship in Engineering from the Matilda Wilson Fund.
Chancellor Varner thanked the group for the trip that he and Mrs. Varner received in recognition of their ten years at Oakland University.
Mr. Righter moved to accept the minutes of November 7. Seconded by Mr. Iodice.
Mr. Black asked that paragraph 9 on page 2 be corrected to read that Mr. Yennior was not notified of the meeting rather than that he was not present when the nominations were agreed upon.
Mr. Righter asked that the "s" on appoints in paragraphs 7, 8 and 10 of page 2 be deleted.
The minutes with these corrections were then approved.
New Business
Mr. Iodice moved the recommendation of the Faculty Affairs Committee "that the tenured faculty of Oakland University be offered the option of one-semester research sabbatical leave at the end of three years. The rate of compensation would be one-quarter of the salary of the ten month contract." Seconded by Mr. Hetenyi.
Mr. Johnson moved to amend the motion by omitting the word "tenured" and adding after the word University "holding the rank of assistant, associate or professor." Seconded by Mr. Black.
Mr. Matthews stated that a sabbatical is a privilege not a right. He pointed out that the teaching load of a person on sabbatical has to be shared by the faculty in the department because there are no new funds for a replacement during the period of a sabbatical.
Mr. Appleton stated the motions to be made today by the Faculty Affairs Committee will be discussed at the next AAUP meeting.
Mr. Iodice stated that it was the Faculty Affairs Committee's interpretation that a non-tenured faculty member could earn the three years and tenure simultaneously.
Final action on this amendment and motion will be taken at a subsequent meeting.
Mr. Iodice moved the recommendation of the Faculty Affairs Committee that ''the University's contribution to the TIAA-CREF annuity and pension plan shall be increased to fifteen percent, in increments of one percent each year for five years. The mandatory contribution of the participating faculty members shall be decreased by one percent each year during the same period. Options to increase the faculty member's percentage, mandatory participation at age 35, and other current contractual agreements shall be retained." Seconded by Mr. Williamson.
After some discussion, Mr. Iodice moved to amend the motion by deleting the words ''the faculty members" in the last sentence and substituting the words "those members now eligible to participate." The amendment did not receive a second but the chair ruled that the Faculty Affairs Committee should change the wording for the second reading. The question of holding an open hearing on this motion was raised and this was also referred to the Committee.
Final action on this motion will be taken at a subsequent meeting. Mr. Iodice moved the recommendation of the Faculty Affairs Committee that "the University Senate requests the Chancellor to reiterate the University policy concerning compensation to faculty members who become ill and incapacitated, and further requests that this policy be considered part of the fringe benefits and perquisites of the faculty."
Seconded by Mr. Hetenyi.
Final action on this motion will be taken at a subsequent meeting.
Mr. Iodice moved the recommendation of the Faculty Affairs Committee "that University policy on sick leave and disability for administrative- professional personnel be revised to conform to the policy for faculty."
Seconded by Mr. Hetenyi.
Final action on this motion will be taken at a subsequent meeting.
Mr. Iodice moved the recommendation of the Faculty Affairs Committee "that the University plan a uniform policy on duration of contract, and on renewal and permanent appointment for administrative-professional personnel, comparable to the evaluatory procedures used for granting renewal and tenure to the faculty." Seconded by Mr. Hetenyi.
Final action on this motion will be taken at a subsequent meeting.
Mr. Iodice moved the recommendation of the Faculty Affairs Committee "that the University's attorney be directed to request an opinion from the Attorney General of the State of Michigan concerning faculty liability, and the financial and legal responsibility of the State of Michigan to defend professors performing their duties as agents of the state." Seconded by Mr. Appleton.
Final action on this motion will be taken at a subsequent meeting.
Mr. Iodice moved the recommendation of the Faculty Affairs Committee "that the Personnel Office be directed to investigate all possibilities for professional liability insurance and that the Personnel Office submit a report to the University Senate by March 1, 1969."
Final action on this motion will be taken at a subsequent meeting.
Mr. Iodice moved the recommendation of the Faculty Affairs Committee that "the University Senate requests that the Business Office of Oakland University continue to examine the issue of health, accident and life insurance programs; that it apprise the faculty and staff of the costs and coverage of various policies; and that it submit its recommendation for a total policy covering health, accident, and life insurance to the faculty and staff no later than March 1, 1969."
Seconded by Mr. Davis,
Final action on this motion will be taken at a subsequent meeting.
Mr. Harding reported the activities of the Research Committee as follows:
Two summer research fellowships have been established in accordance with recommendations submitted by the Faculty Affairs Committee and the University Research Committee. Two $1,500 stipends have been awarded for the summer of 1969, each carrying with it a grant of up to $500 for expenses related to the research (labor, travel, etc.). Since the fellow is expected to devote his full energies to scholarly pursuits, each research fellow has agreed to accept no other remunerative assignments from May 1, 1969 to August 15, 1969. The recipients of the awards for the summer, 1969 are Donald Morse, Department of English; and George Kozlowski, Department of Mathematics. The availability of the research grants was announced in a memo to all faculty by the Research Committee on September 23, 195C.
Mr. Iodice reported the activities of the Faculty Affairs Committee as follows:
The Committee has expressed its intent to work with the Office of the Provost in up-dating and perfecting the Faculty Handbook.
Mr. Torch reported the activities of the Steering Committee as follows:
The proposal for an open forum for community-wide discussion of particular concerns was reviewed at great length by the Steering Committee. Since most of the issues on the agenda of such a forum are likely to involve the concerns of the students, the Committee thought it appropriate that the Commission on Student Life both initiate and coordinate such forums when it deemed it appropriate. The Steering Committee forwarded this recommendation to the Commission with the suggestion that it enlist the aid and counsel of the Office of the Dean of Students in arranging the structure and procedures for such forums.
The question of the number of commencements to be held at Oakland University each year has been forwarded to the Commission on Student Life with a request that it ascertain student reactions and thereafter advise the Steering Committee of its recommendation.
The Steering Committee reviewed the three resolutions proposed by Mr. David Black at the November 7, 1968, meeting of the University Senate. The three resolutions were:
(1) (passed) It was moved that this body, the University Senate, suspend all limiting rules so that this matter (that of the university discontinuing its purchase of California grapes) can be settled immediately.
(2) (tabled) It was moved that this body request that the Chancellor insure that the university temporarily, but immediately, stop all purchases of California table grapes.
(3) (passed) It was moved that the Steering Committee appoint an ad hoc committee to study the question of the university boycotting California grapes and to recommend a permanent long-term solution.
In reviewing these proposals, the Steering Committee found proposal (1) to be contrary to the spirit and the letter of Article V, Section viii of the Constitution of the University Senate. The relevant provision states: All substantive motions, together with relevant committee recommendations and reports, shall be circulated to all Senators and to all members of the faculty and staff before a motion receives its first reading in the Senate. There is no provision in the Constitution for waiving this stipulation, the purpose of which is to avoid disenfranchisement of those members not in attendance at a particular meeting of the Senate; if motions are presented on the floor without prior notice then absent members are deprived of their right to be notified of the form and substance of important proposals and thereupon deprived of their right to discuss and vote on such proposals. The Steering Committee, pursuant to resolution (3), above, has organized an ad hoc committee to consider the issues noted and, in general, study the wider question of whether such problems are appropriate for consideration by the Senate. The ad hoc committee will consist of Messrs. Vann (chairman), Davis, Iodice. Black, and Chandler.
An ad hoc Committee on Spring and Summer Sessions has been created to advise on the structure and programs of both eight-week summer sessions. The membership consists of the Dean of Arts and Sciences (chairman); the Dean of the School of Education; Performing Arts; two faculty members from the College of Arts and Sciences; and the Dean of the Summer Session, ex officio and non-voting.
Several months ago an informal committee of deans, department chairmen, and university senators considered several issues related to these programs and its deliberations were in good part responsible for the present format and structure of the spring and summer sessions. That informal committee also submitted a recommendation that classes in at least the spring session meet on a seventy-five minute schedule: i.e., 8:00- 9:15 a.m., 9:30 - 10:45 a.m., 11:00 a.m. - 12:15 p.m., 1:00 - 2:15 p.m., and 2:30 - 3:45 p.m. It was also suggested that each course given on this timetable be offered four times a week, but noted that a course could meet five times a week if necessary. These suggestions have been forwarded by the Steering Committee to the ad hoc committee for their review and recommendation.
Thomas Dutton, Dean of Students, has recently received several requests from students to be employed forty hours a week in campus jobs while maintaining their status as full-time students. In a letter to Provost O'Dowd, Dutton noted that these requests conflicted with current policy which limits a full-time student to twenty hours a week of university employment. The present policy, which originated with the faculty, is designed to prevent students from neglecting their academic responsibilities and simultaneously make more jobs available for the many applicants for on-campus positions.
The Steering Committee referred the matter to the Admissions and Financial Aids Committee for its study and recommendations. At the last meeting of the University Senate, Mr. David Black suggested that the students recommended by the ad hoc Student Nomination Committee for membership on certain standing committees of the University Senate may not be representative of the students of Oakland University. He also alleged that the procedures used in designating the student nominees were undemocratic; all members of the ad hoc committee allegedly were not invited to the meetings of the ad hoccommittee, and the student nominees allegedly were selected at meetings attended by less than a majority of members of the committee. Mr. Williamson asked that the Steering Committee review the several facets of this issue.
The Steering Committee did not complete a formal investigation of all aspects of these allegations. It did review the issues thoroughly, however, and found that the ad hoc committee acted responsibly. As a follow-up, each of the present student senators will be asked by the Steering Committee to submit his or her specific recommendations for changing or perfecting existent procedures for selecting students for membership on Senate committees.
A list of the completed membership of the constitutional and standing committees of the University Senate has been approved by the Steering Committee. A copy of that list is attached. Student complaints over the cancellation of class sessions by individual faculty members, allegedly to facilitate the political concerns of particular students and/or the faculty member, has been discussed by the Steering Committee.
Mr. Tomboulian moved that the meeting be adjourned. Seconded by Mr. Hetenyi. Approved.
Submitted by:
H. N. Stoutenburg, Jr.
Secretary
University Senate
* Motions and amendments adopted at this meeting,