Oakland University Senate
2nd Meeting
Thursday, October 15, 1970
3 p.m. , 128-30 Oakland Center
AGENDA
Submitted by Frederick W. Obear, for the Steering Committee
A. Old Business
1. Resolution from the Steering Committee (Mr. Obear) Second Reading, eligible for final vote
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.
A lengthy comment in support of this resolution appeared in the agenda for the September 17 meeting.
a. Mr. Hetenyi moved to amend the motion by placing a period after the word "discontinued" in the third line, and deleting the remainder of the motion. Seconded by Mr. Righter.
2. Resolution from the Steering Committee (Mr. Obear) Second Reading, eligible for final vote
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 FOR THE SENATE; AND THAT STUDENT ELECTIONS 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.
B. New Business
1. Election to fill a vacancy on the Steering Committee (Mr. Burdick)
2. a. THAT ITEM (b) BE MADE ELIGIBLE FOR FINAL VOTE.
b. Recommendation from the Academic Policy Committee
(Mr. Hildum)
THAT A NEW UNIVERSITY COURSE, INTRODUCTION TO THEATRE (UC 045), BE APPROVED, AND THAT IT BE INCLUDED IN THE FINE ARTS CATEGORY OF THE DISTRIBUTION REQUIREMENTS.
Comment: This proposal has been unanimously endorsed by the Academic Policy Committee as a valuable addition to the university course structure. Mr. Dahlmann has presented the following description of the proposed course on behalf of the faculty of the Academy of Dramatic Art:
Course Description- An introduction to all aspects of the theatre, including: its place and function in both society and world art, its history, its literature, its production, and its criticism. The course will be team taught by members of the teaching staff and resident or visiting artists of the Academy of Dramatic Art and of the Meadow Brook Theatre. Plays and aspects of play production to be studied will be selected from the production season of the Meadow Brook Theatre and of the Studio Company, thus bringing students in the course into contact with live theatre.
Approach- The course is designed to draw upon the widest possible range of teaching talent, resources, and materials.
These resources will be combined with such approaches as lectures, interviews, panel discussions, demonstrations, presentations, backstage tours, written reviews, and research problems. Whenever possible and practical, the augmentation of these methods will include aids such as: slides, audio and video tapes, films, play texts, books, periodicals, model stage settings, set and costume designs, and appropriate aspects of selected plays produced by the Meadow Brook Company and the Studio Company. An adequate inventory of resource materials required for this course is available in the performing arts and central libraries.
Units of Study- (not necessarily in order of presentation)
1. Theatre's literature: dramatic structure, form, style, language, conventions, characterization, and rhythm.
2. Theatre in production: the playwright, producer, director, actor, scene designer, costumier, lighting designer, and make-up artist.
3. Theatre as a synthesis of many art forms: mime, movement, dance, design, music, and sound.
4. Audience and critic: the economics of play production and of theatre management in relation to the artistic and entertainment aspects of dramatic productions.
5. Theatre as a reflection of styles and trends throughout history, including: the theatre of "now", the emergence of revolutionary theatre, guerrilla theatre, and black theatre.
6. Theatre types in America today: professional, education, community, and children's.
Since the emphasis of this course is upon theatre as art form, including acting and stagecraft as well as literary text, it seems most appropriate to assign this course to the Fine Arts category. APC wishes to add only that the Fine Arts requirement at present allows less choice than any other university requirement; this strongly implies that the addition of a course to that category is desirable. It may be of interest also to note that the present inclination of APC with respect to a general education proposal is such that the Fine Arts grouping proposed above would remain meaningful.
Finally, since the Academy is prepared to offer this course in the coming winter term if it is approved, the Steering Committee has agreed to move that this motion be made eligible for final vote at this meeting. If the motion is adopted there will then be time to include the course in the published Schedule of Classes for the winter term.
3. Resolution from the Steering Committee (Mr. Obear) First Reading
a. THAT THE PROPOSED CONSTITUTION OF THE SCHOOL OF ECONOMICS AND MANAGEMENT NOT BE AMENDED ON THE FLOOR OF THE SENATE.
b. THAT THE SENATE APPROVE THE CONSTITUTION OF THE SCHOOL OF ECONOMICS AND MANAGEMENT.
4. Resolution from the Academic Conduct Committee (Mr. Mascitelli) First Reading
That the Senate adopt the following resolution:
IT IS THE POLICY OF THIS UNIVERSITY THAT GRADES SHOULD BE USED ONLY TO MEASURE ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT. IN CASES IN WHICH ACADEMIC MISCONDUCT SUCH AS PLAGIARISM OR CHEATING � HAS BEEN ESTABLISHED THROUGH THE ACADEMIC CONDUCT COMMITTEE, IT IS APPROPRIATE THAT A STUDENT SHOULD RECEIVE NO CREDIT FOR A PIECE OF WORK. WHICH HAS BEEN FOUND TO BE NOT HONESTLY PREPARED. HOWEVER, IT IS NOT PROPER THAT A STUDENT BE AUTOMATICALLY DENIED COURSE CREDIT OR ASSIGNED A PENALTY GRADE IN THE COURSE BEYOND THAT WHICH IS A CONSEQUENCE OF RECEIVING NO CREDIT ON THE UNACCEPTABLE WORK. SINCE THE UNIVERSITY HAS PROVIDED A SET OF PROCEDURES AND A SYSTEM OF PENALTIES FOR DEALING WITH CASES OF ACADEMIC MISCONDUCT, INSTRUCTORS SHOULD NOT USE COURSE GRADES AS AN ADDITIONAL MEANS OF PENALIZING STUDENTS FOR ACADEMIC OFFENSES.
Rationale:
a. To avoid the questionable practice of using grades to express disapproval of academic dishonesty. The present resolution simply asserts that in all cases the grade must remain an evaluation of the work a student has done or not done. While a student is entitled to no credit for dishonest work, he or she is entitled to full credit for all other work which has not been shown to be dishonestly performed. If a student fails to receive credit for a course, it should not be because he or she cheated, but because the remaining honest work that was turned in was not sufficient for the requirements of the course. The university's penalties for plagiarism and cheating are directed at the student's academic standing in the university and seem sufficiently severe. It is our belief that the grade in the course should not be part of the penalty process.
b. To regularize penalties and insure due process. Individual instructors have very different views on how academic conduct violations should affect a student's standing in a course; yet legal interpretations of the matter of due process in misconduct cases make it clear that due process must include a consistent assessment of such penalties across the university, and that they must be assessed by an impartial panel, not by the student's accuser.
We feel that the above resolution in no way infringes on legitimate faculty prerogative in grading--it simply establishes a university policy which discourages the use of grades for purposes other than evaluating a student's achievement in a course. In no way does the resolution empower the Academic Conduct Committee to interfere with an instructor's right to grade his own students. Nor is the instructor under any obligation to give a student credit for a course in which the student has not earned it. It is quite reasonable to expect there will be instances in which the failure to receive credit for a piece of work not honestly done will legitimately result in the students not receiving a passing grade, depending of course on what weight that piece of work has in the course. The resolution only asks that instructors not "weight" work that is unsatisfactory for reasons of academic misconduct any more than they would work that was unsatisfactory for other reasons.
5. A proposal to accept the Constitution of the University Congress will be distributed at the meeting. First Reading.
Comment: The Constitution of the University Congress was recently approved by the students in a referendum by a vote of 1, 344 to 492. Acceptance of this document by the Senate would imply transfer to the Congress of some of the Senate's jurisdiction on a number of matters in the areas of student life and student services. The proposal to accept the constitution is presented by the Student Allocation Committee without action by the Steering Committee.
6. Report of the Steering Committee activities (Mr. Obear)
a. The Steering Committee has accepted a recommendation from Chancellor O'Dowd and Vice Chancellor James Appleton, that the newly reorganized Student Conduct Committee be made an ad hoccommittee of the University Senate. The recent predecessors of this committee have been Chancellor's committees, not Senate committees. The reorganized committee includes a "core" of three persons, and a "pool" of 24 persons. The committee will include both students and faculty-staff, black and white, male and female, and dormitory students and commuters. Hearing committees will be chosen for each individual case, and will consist of the three core persons, two persons chosen from the pool by the accused student or students, and two persons chosen from the pool by the office which is expediting the case against the students. A Nominating Committee has been set up to recommend names to the Steering Committee for the core and the pool.
b. In approving the Library Constitution last April, the Senate has authorized creation of a Library Council which seems clearly to supersede the Library Committee of the University Senate. Professor Akers, Chairman of the Senate Library Committee, strongly supports the transfer of jurisdiction from the Senate Library Committee to the Library Council, and the Steering Committee has agreed. Unless there is objection from the Senate, the Steering Committee proposes to deactivate the Library Committee.
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ADDENDUM
Senate Agenda
October 15, 1970
B 5, Substitute Motion
Recommendation from the Steering Committee. First Reading
THAT THE SENATE RECOMMEND TO PRESIDENT O'DOWD THAT THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNIVERSITY CONGRESS BE ACCEPTED AND IMPLEMENTED, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF ARTICLE III, SECTIONS 1 AND 8. IMPLEMENTATION OF THESE SECTIONS SHOULD BE DEFERRED PENDING FURTHER STUDY AND CLARIFICATION
Comment The Constitution of the University Congress establishes for the first time at Oakland University a campus-wide elected student government organization and this move is strongly supported by the Steering Committee. Prompt implementation of this Constitution will facilitate the election of representatives and the establishment of the organizational structure while the scope of the powers of the Congress remains under study. It would further provide the students with a recognized voice in university affairs.
Article III, Section I makes the Congress "the official university body for establishing university policy in the area of student life outside of the areas of Public Safety, Financial Aids, and Student Special Services", and Section 8 provides for immediate implementation of certain types of legislation. Failure to implement these sections does not have the effect of denying these powers to the Congress; it simply leaves these powers unspecified for the time being. The Steering Committee recommends that the necessary study, clarifications and amendments (if any prove necessary) of these sections be completed as soon as possible so that the entire Constitution may be implemented.
7. Recommendation from the Steering Committee.
a. That the Vice Chancellor for Administration be added to the Long Range Development Committee as an ex officio non voting member.
That Professor Michael Riley be appointed to fill a vacancy on the Long-Range Development Committee. Procedural motions, eligible for final vote.