Oakland University Senate

Eighth Meeting
April 11, 1974

MINUTES

Present: Beardman, Bingham, Burke, Coffman, Doane, Feeman, Gardiner, L. Gerulaitis, R. Gerulaitis, Gregory, Haskell, Hetenyi, Hitchingham, Hovanesian, G. P. Johnson, Knoska, Light, Matthews, McKay, Moorhouse, Obear, O'Dowd, O'Leary, Pasjay, Schillace, Strauss, Torch, Tower, and Wyatt.
Absent: Akers, Barnard, Barren, Barthel, Brieger, D. Burdick, H. Burdick, Coon, Covert, DeMent, Pfeil, Evarts, Graber, Gray, Kilburn, Liboff, McKinley, Palmer, Riley, Schmidt, Schwartz, Seeber, Shantz, Sherry, Sturner, Susskind, Tipler, and Woodard

Mr. O'Dowd announced that Mr. Robert Knoska replaces Mr. Jerome Solomon as a student senator, since Mr. Solomon will graduate this semester.

Mr. O'Dowd announced additional Senate meetings scheduled for April 11, 17, and 23.

Moved by Mr. Gardiner, seconded by Mr. Boardman:

* THAT THE MINUTES OF JANUARY 24, JANUARY 31, AND FEBRUARY 21 BE APPROVED.

Approved.

A. Old Business - None

B. New Business

1. Standing Committee Appointment  Mr. Obear, seconded by Mr. Strauss, moved:

* THAT J. CURT IS CHIPMAN BE APPOINTED TO THE ACADEMIC STANDING AND HONORS COMMITTEE FOR THE 1973-75 TERM.

Procedural motion.

Approved.

2. Educational Development Fund.

Mr. Schillace, seconded by Mr. Coffman, moved:

THE UNIVERSITY SENATE RECOMMENDS THE ESTABLISHMENT OF AN ANNUAL EDUCATIONAL DEVELOPMENT FUND TO BE USED TO SUPPORT, WITH SMALL GRANTS, A VARIETY OF INSTRUCTIONAL INNOVATIONS AND LEARNING EXPERIMENTS AT OAKLAND. THE FUND SHOULD BE ADMINISTERED BY THE OFFICE OF RESEARCH AND INSTRUCTIONAL SERVICES IN COLLABORATION WITH THE SENATE TEACHING AND LEARNING COMMITTEE.

First reading.

Mr. Schillace reviewed the commentary attached to the agenda. Mr. McKay asked for comments on the legislation from the Academic Budget and Planning Committee. No one was present from that committee. Mr. Hovanesian asked if funds for this proposal would be a diversion from existing funds for the Research Committee, and Mr. Schillace indicated that new, additional, funding was intended.

Mr. O'Dowd pointed out that the present Research Fund is an item of collective bargaining, and that this proposed Educational Development Fund would be construed similarly. He suggested that if the Senate passed the legislation as an expression of intent, the Board might withhold its assent, in deference to the bargaining process. Alternatively, the Senate could amend the legislation to specifically instruct its omission from the bargaining process; the Board would then likely accept the legislation.

Mr. Schillace said that this proposal covers different activities, to be reviewed by different people, on different criteria. He said further that the Educational Development Fund would stimulate new contributions to teaching and learning, but would also support existing ideas which need broader development. The Teaching and Learning Committee expansion would broaden the base of the committee, receiving input from various segments of the community, but no specific expansion proposal is offered at this time.

3. M.S. In Biology.

Mr. Johnson, seconded by Mr. Hetenyi, moved:

THAT THE SENATE APPROVE THE MASTER OF SCIENCE PROGRAM IN BIOLOGY AS PROPOSED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES.

First reading.

Mr. Johnson reviewed the commentary attached to the agenda.

Mr. Unakar indicated that the title "Master of Science in Biology" describes a smaller scope than "Biological Sciences", but the proposed term is apt for the program as designed. Mr. Johnson said that graduate assistants have helped in laboratory supervision in the past, and that this activity would continue and expend under this program; also the graduate assistants would serve as research assistants to faculty, which is similarly precedented.

Mr. Hetenyi asked why indirect cost was shown as a revenue item on the worksheet, since he has always been told that it was only cost recovery. He was hopeful that a precedent was being established in this presentation. Mr. Johnson stated he would comment more fully on this point at the next meeting. Mr. Torch pointed out that only the indirect cost on the graduate assistant stipends was displayed in this manner.

The meeting adjourned at 4:45.

Richard Light, Acting Secretary
University Senate
Office of the Provost/ss
4/19/74

*Motions and amendments adopted at this meeting