1st Meeting
Thursday, September 17, 1970
3 p.m., 128-30 Oakland Center
AGENDA
Submitted by Frederick W. Obear, for the Steering Committee
A. New Business
1. Recommendations from the Academic Standing and Honors Committee (Mr. McKay)
a. THAT THE THREE MOTIONS PRESENTED BELOW BE APPROVED FOR FINAL VOTE AT THIS MEETING.
b. THAT THE FACULTY OF OAKLAND UNIVERSITY NOMINATE FOR THE BACHELOR'S DEGREE, CONFERRED AS OF AUGUST 15, 1970, THE STUDENTS NAMED IN THE LIST DISTRIBUTED AT THIS MEETING.
c. THAT THE FACULTY OF THE UNIVERSITY NOMINATE FOR THE MASTER'S DEGREE, CONFERRED AS OF AUGUST 15, 1970, THE STUDENTS NAMED IN THE LIST DISTRIBUTED AT THIS MEETING.
d. THAT UNIVERSITY HONORS BE AWARDED TO THE GRADUATING STUDENTS NAMED IN THE LIST DISTRIBUTED AT THIS MEETING.
2. Resolution from the Steering Committee (Mr. Obear) Procedural motion, eligible for final vote.
a. THAT THE MEMBERSHIP SPECIFICATIONS OF THE ACADEMIC CONDUCT COMMITTEE BE AMENDED AS FOLLOWS: AFTER THE WORDS "THREE FACULTY MEMBERS, " INSERT THE PHRASE "CHOSEN FROM A POOL OF 12 FACULTY. "
Comment: The work load of this Committee has been very great, and the cases which come before it have demanded different skills from its membership. The Committee would therefore like to draw for each hearing a select committee from a pool of eligible faculty rather than to use the same membership in every case. Pending the resolution of the question of student representation on Senate committees, the Steering Committee makes no recommendation at the time for a change in the membership specifications of students. The vacant student positions on the Academic Conduct Committee are temporarily filled by faculty. Since this resolution involves only a change in the method of selection of the faculty representation, it appears to be procedural.
3. Resolution from the Steering Committee (Mr. Obear)
a. THAT THE MOTION BELOW BE MADE ELIGIBLE FOR FINAL VOTE AT THIS MEETING.
b. THAT THE SENATE APPOINT TO MEMBERSHIP ON SENATE COMMITTEES THOSE NOMINEES ON A LIST TO BE DISTRIBUTED AT THE MEETING.
4. Resolution from the Steering Committee (Mr. Obear) First Reading.
THE UNIVERSITY SENATE OF OAKLAND UNIVERSITY RESOLVES THAT THE PRACTICE OF HOLDING MULTIPLE COMMENCEMENTS SHALL BE DISCONTINUED, AND THAT HENCEFORTH ONE COMMENCEMENT EXERCISE SHALL BE HELD EACH YEAR. THIS COMMENCEMENT SHALL BE HELD IN THE BALDWIN PAVILION ON THE SATURDAY AFTER MEMORIAL DAY. ELIGIBLE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE EXERCISES WOULD BE: THOSE STUDENTS WHO HAVE COMPLETED ALL REQUIREMENTS FOR THEIR DEGREES DURING THE PRECEDING FALL OR WINTER TERMS, AND THOSE STUDENTS WHO INTEND TO COMPLETE THEIR REQUIREMENTS IN THE FOLLOWING SPRING OR SUMMER TERMS, AND WHO ARE RECOMMENDED FOR PARTICIPATION BY THE ACADEMIC STANDING AND HONORS COMMITTEE AND APPROVED BY THE SENATE.
Comment: The gymnasium will no longer accommodate the commencement exercises. We were limited to approximately two tickets per graduate this past year and, given the increasing size of graduating classes, we will be forced within a year or two to go to one ticket per graduate--a situation that is nearly intolerable. The Baldwin Pavilion, on the other hand, has enough space to provide seats for the immediate relatives of the graduates, and space on the hill to accommodate at least 5, 000 additional visitors under much more pleasant surroundings than the gymnasium. We could then hold some kind of reception at Trumbull Terrace or on the lawn surrounding the pavilion afterward. Chancellor O'Dowd estimates that this change in location would reduce the cost of the commencement ceremony by approximately $3, 000 per year. Since, however, weather would not usually permit the use of the pavilion in April, the ceremony must be delayed until the end of May.
By this device we would be treating all graduates equally since there would not be a graduation ceremony coinciding with the completion of any term. We know that a large percentage of our graduates remain within fifty miles of Rochester and would not be particularly inconvenienced by this change of policy.
The practice of permitting the summer graduates to participate in the ceremony prior to the completion of their work is a fairly common one. In a sense, this is what we do now, since the students participate in the ceremonies before the Registrar is able to check to see if their requirements were indeed completed during their final term..
The Steering Committee urges the adoption of this legislation in the hopes that it will solve our long-standing problem of multiple commencements.
5. Resolution from the Steering Committee (Mr. Obear) First Reading.
THE UNIVERSITY SENATE OF OAKLAND UNIVERSITY RESOLVES:
THAT. IN ORDER TO PERMIT STUDENTS AND FACULTY TO PARTICIPATE IN THE ELECTION CAMPAIGN OF THE CANDIDATES OF THEIR CHOICE, THE SCHEDULE OF CLASSES FOR THE FALL TERM 1970 SHALL BE REARRANGED AS FOLLOWS:
a. CLASSES SHALL NOT BE HELD THURSDAY AND FRIDAY, OCTOBER 29 AND 30 AND MONDAY AND TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 2 AND 3, BUT SHALL INSTEAD BE HELD ON THE FOLLOWING SATURDAYS: OCTOBER 17 AND 24, NOVEMBER 7 AND 14.
b. ALL UNIVERSITY OFFICES AND SERVICES SHALL REMAIN ON THEIR REGULAR SCHEDULES.
c. PRIOR TO SUBMISSION TO THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES THIS LEGISLATION MUST BE APPROVED BY A SIMPLE MAJORITY OF THOSE STUDENTS VOTING IN A MAIL REFERENDUM TO BE CARRIED OUT AS PRESCRIBED BY THE STEERING COMMITTEE AND THE VICE CHANCELLOR FOR STUDENT AFFAIRS.
5. Steering Committee Report
a. Chancellor O'Dowd has nominated Mr. James Appleton to one of the Chancellor's appointive seats in the Senate, and Mr. Appleton has resigned his elected seat in the A-P delegation. Under the provisions of the University Constitution, Article V, Section III, the Steering Committee has asked the A-P Association to nominate a replacement to serve the remainder of Mr. Appleton's term.
b. An election to fill a vacancy in the Steering Committee will be held at the next Senate meeting, after several vacancies in the Senate membership are filled. Since there are already three members of the faculty of the College of Arts and Sciences on the Committee, according to the Constitution, Article V, Section IX, no member of the Arts and Sciences faculty may be nominated.
Comment: This legislation has been drafted by the Steering Committee in response to several requests to permit the Senate and the student body to vote on this question. It is presented to the Senate without recommendation. This proposal calls for a rearrangement of the academic calendar, not a shortening thereof, and as such has been ruled acceptable activity for tax exempt educational institutions.
Since the proposed changes in class schedules affect both students and faculty it seems reasonable to obtain the consent of both groups. It is expected that it would be necessary for certain food service employees and possibly certain security and maintenance personnel to work on the four Saturdays to provide minimal necessary services. This would be done either on an overtime basis or through voluntary and mutually satisfactory released time arrangements made by the concerned departments and their employees. Secretarial services, audio-visual and other university services not normally available on Saturdays will not be provided.
6. Resolution from the Steering Committee (Mr. Obear) First Reading.
THAT THE UNIVERSITY SENATE WELCOMES THE EFFORTS BEING MADE BY STUDENTS TO ORGANIZE A STUDENT CONGRESS; THAT WE NOTE THE APPARENT ABSENCE OF INTEREST ON THE PART OF ANY STUDENT GROUP IN THE CONDUCT OF ELECTIONS TO FILL THE THREE STUDENT VACANCIES IN THE SENATE; AND THAT STUDENT ELECTIONS FOR THE SENATE AND THE FILLING OF STUDENT VACANCIES ON SENATE COMMITTEES SHALL BE DEFERRED PENDING THE ADOPTION OF A STUDENT CONGRESS CONSTITUTION OR THE APPEARANCE OF SUBSTANTIAL STUDENT INTEREST IN HOLDING THE ELECTIONS FOR THE THREE VACANCIES.
7. Resolution submitted to the Steering Committee by Messrs. Bertocci, Torgoff, Gerulaitis, Stern, Beardman, Briod, McKay, Tipler, Mascitelli and Burdick. First Reading.
THE SENATE OF OAKLAND UNIVERSITY RECOGNIZES THE INTEREST OF THE NEWLY-APPOINTED BOARD OF TRUSTEES IN THE VIEWS OF ALL MEMBERS OF THE UNIVERSITY COMMUNITY REGARDING THE APPOINTMENT OF DONALD D. O'DOWD AS PRESIDENT OF THE UNIVERSITY. IN KEEPING WITH THE PRINCIPLE OF FULL FACULTY CONSULTATION IN ADMINISTRATIVE APPOINTMENTS, AND TOWARD THE END OF GATHERING AND TRANSMITTING TO THE BOARD AN ACCURATE REFLECTION OF FACULTY OPINION IN THIS MATTER, IT IS MOVED THAT THE FOLLOWING PROCEDURE BE ESTABLISHED:
a. A FACULTY REVIEW COMMITTEE BE CHOSEN BY THE SENATE, CONSISTING OF THREE FACULTY MEMBERS, ONE TENURED, ONE NON-TENURED, AND ONE AT LARGE.
b. THAT THIS COMMITTEE BE CHARGED WITH SOLICITING OPINIONS FROM THE ENTIRE FACULTY BY MEANS OF AN OPINION POLL AND ANY OTHER MEANS THEY DEEM APPROPRIATE.
c. THAT OPINION BE SOLICITED IN THE FORM OF CONFIDENTIAL UNSIGNED WRITTEN COMMUNICATIONS TO THE COMMITTEE BY ALL FACULTY MEMBERS WHO WISH TO DO SO, EXPRESSING EITHER FAVORABLE, UNFAVORABLE, OR NO SENTIMENT ON THE QUESTION.
d. THAT SPACE BE MADE ON THE COMMUNICATION FOR THE EXPRESSION OF REASONS FOR THE FACULTY MEMBERS OPINION.
e. THAT THE COMMITTEE BE CHARGED TO REPORT BOTH QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE FINDINGS TO THE BOARD IN A REPORT PRIOR TO THE FIRST FORMAL MEETING OF THE BOARD. THE SPECIFIC CONTENTS OF THE REPORT WILL BE KNOWN ONLY TO THE COMMITTEE AND THE BOARD.