Oakland University Senate
3rd Meeting
Tuesday, November 21, 1972
3:15 p.m.
128-130 Oakland Center
AGENDA
Submitted by Frederick W. Obear, for the Steering Committee
A. Old Business (Both items 1. and 2. are in second reading, eligible for final vote).
1. Motion by Mr. Torch, seconded by Mr. Beardman, to amend the Constitution of the College of Arts and Sciences with respect to dean selection and reappointment procedures.
THAT ARTICLE I, SECT. v, para. 2, OF THE CONSTITUTION OF THE COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES BE REPLACED WITH PARAGRAPHS 2, 3, AND 4 BELOW: THAT SECTION vi BELOW REPLACE CURRENT SECTION vi; THAT CURRENT SECTION vi BE RENUMBERED SECTION viii; AND THAT SECTION vii BELOW BE ADDED TO THE CONSTITUTION.
2. The Dean shall be appointed by the Board of Trustees, upon recommendation of the Provost and the President, following the procedures of Article I (vi).
3. The Provost may review the Dean's appointment at any time he deems necessary, but the review must be conducted at least once every five years. The procedures for the review are given in Article I (vii).
4. In unusual situations where there is not enough time to complete the procedures in Article I (vi) before the incumbent Dean leaves the office, the Provost, following consultation with the Executive Committee and all department chairmen, shall appoint an Acting Dean. The term of office of an Acting Dean shall not exceed one year, renewable. During the tenure of the Acting Dean, the procedures of Article I (vi) shall be in effect.
vi. Before appointment of a new Dean to the College of Arts and Sciences there shall be a Search Committee established.
1. The Search Committee shall consist of one faculty member from each of the four instructional groupings (at least two of whom shall be tenured), a non-tenured faculty member at large, and a faculty member from outside the College of Arts and Sciences.
a. The Executive Committee of the College of Arts and Sciences shall nominate two faculty members from each instructional grouping and two non-tenured faculty members at large. Additional nominees, for any of these five positions, can be added to the ballot by petition from twelve faculty members. The election shall be conducted by the Elections Committee with all members of the Assembly of the College of Arts and Sciences eligible to vote for their choice in each of the five categories.
b. The faculty members from outside the College shall be selected by the Provost with the approval of the Executive Committee of the College of Arts and Sciences.
c. The Search Committee shall elect its own chairman.
2. The Search Committee shall be responsible for soliciting nominees, assessing their qua 1ifications, arranging for interviews and recommending to the Provost the person to be appointed Dean. The Committee shall determine its own procedures of operation. These procedures must include consultation with all department chairmen before a recommendation is made to the Provost. The Provost can veto the nomination, in which case the Search Committee prepares a new recommendation. When the Provost and the Search Committee agree on a candidate for appointment as Dean, the name will be submitted to the Assembly for a secret referendum conducted by the Elections Committee of the Assembly. If more than fifty percent of the Assembly vote against the appointment, a new candidate must be considered. Otherwise the Provost can either proceed with the appointment of the candidate or request further recommendations from the Search Committee.
vii. When reviewing the incumbent Dean's appointment, the Provost (or his delegate) shall be assisted by a panel of three faculty from Arts and Sciences.
1. The faculty members of the review panel, including at least one non-tenured member, shall be elected by the Assembly. The Executive Committee of the College shall nominate a slate of six candidates, including at least two non-tenured members of the faculty of the College. Additional nominations may be made by a petition signed by twelve members of the Assembly.
2. The review shall be conducted in two stages: (a) a survey of opinion solicited by the panel through individual and group interviews, and (b) a referendum.
a. The Provost and the review panel shall function as an interviewing team to discuss the Dean's reappointment with a widely representative sample of individuals and (groups. They shall meet with the assembled department chairman and inner college heads, with the Assembly Executive Committee, and with all other groups they deem necessary or which seek an interview. In addition, they will conduct private interviews with as wide a range of individuals as possible, including tenured and non-tenured members of every department and inner college. The panel will also inform the University that it will be available for interviews with all individual or groups who seek them, and that it will read any signed, written communications which are presented to it concerning the Dean's reappointment.
b. After the review panel has conducted its interviews and assembled all information it deems necessary, it will submit a recommendation to the Provost. If the recommendation is a positive one, the Provost must submit it to an Assembly referendum and consider the results. However, even if both the recommendation, and the referendum are positive, he may choose not to reappoint the Dean. If the recommendation of the review panel is negative, he may submit it for referendum at his discretion, and the Dean may be reappointed if not opposed by a majority of the Assembly. However, in no instance shall a Dean be reappointed if more than 50% of the Assembly oppose the reappointment.
c. The complete review procedures, including the referendum, must be carried on during a regular fall or winter term, and at least six weeks must be set aside for the process.
d. In the event the Dean is not reappointed, the search procedures specified in Article I (vi) shall be put into operation.
2. Motion by Mr. Torch, seconded by Mr. Williamson, to amend the Constitution of the College of Arts and Sciences with respect to department chairperson appointments and reappointments.
a. THAT PARAGRAPHS vi.I.c. AND vi.l.d. OF ARTICLE I (OR PARAGRAPH viii.I.c. AND viii.I.d. IF THE AMENDMENT UNDER I ABOVE IS APPROVED) BE REPLACED WITH THE FOLLOWING WORDING:
c. Before recommending appointment or reappointment of a chairman, the Dean must follow the procedures specified in the bylaws.
d. In unusual circumstances the Dean may appoint an executive officer over a department, after consultation with the Executive Committee of the College of Arts and Sciences, the President, the Provost and with all department chairmen.
B. New Business
1. Motions from the Academic Standing and Honors Committee (Mr. Harding)
a. THAT MOTIONS b AND c BE APPROVED FOR FINAL VOTE AT THIS MEETING. Procedural motion.
b. THAT THE FACULTY OF OAKLAND NOMINATE FOR THE BACHELOR'S DEGREE, CONFERRED AS OF AUGUST 15, 1972, THE STUDENTS NAMED ON THE LIST (AS AMENDED) DISTRIBUTED TO SENATORS AND DEPARTMENT OFFICES WITH THIS AGENDA.
c. THAT UNIVERSITY HONORS BE AWARDED TO THOSE PERSONS WITH GPA'S AS SET FORTH ON THE LIST DISTRIBUTED WITH THIS AGENDA TO SENATORS AND DEPARTMENT OFFICES.