Oakland University Senate
Sixth Meeting
February 26, 1976
Minutes
Present: Alt, Barron, Bertocci, Burke, Cherno, Coffman, DeMont, Evarts, Felton, Freeman, Genyea, Hampton, Hitchingham, Hovanesian, Johnson, Karasch, Keegan, Keelin, Ketchum, Klein, Matthews, McKinley, Moeller, Obear, O'Dowd, Pogany, Riley, Russell, Scherer, Schluckebier, Seeber, Shantz, Strauss, Swanson, Swartz, Torch, Tower, Tucker, Voight and White
Absent; Atlas, Barnard, 3eardnan, Doane, Gardiner, Hamilton, Hammerle, Hetenyi, Heubel, Liboff, McKay, Moberg, Paslay, Ruscio, Schuldenberg, Schwartz, Shacklett, Sponseller and Williamson
Mr. O'Dowd presided.
The meeting was called to order at 3:30 p.m.
The minutes of the meeting of February 19, 1976, were approved with the following corrections:
In the paragraph dealing with Mr. Russell's question concerning the 9:1 ratio in the School of Nursing it should be noted that the 9:1 ratio applies to all courses taught by the School of Nursing.
In the paragraph referring to 6.2.1., Mr. Fu11mer requested correction of the minutes by substituting the phrase "extent of the policy of equalization" for the phrase "the real location of positions." In the paragraph referring to the Cherno amendment of Main Motion 3. the word AND in the amendment should be deleted and OR substituted.
Attention was then called to motions and amendments under Old Business on the agenda of February 19, 1976.
Main Motion I. and amendments: Second Reading.
The second Obear amendment was approved by voice vote without discussion.
The first Obear amendment was then considered. Mr. Russell wished to know if new positions would be needed should a degree program in ADA be developed. Mr. Obear replied yes if such a program were to start in 1979 or 1980, for example; if it were to start In 1977, some current positions might be kept. Amendment approved by voice vote.
The Hetenyi amendment was then considered. After a brief discussion concerning the meaning of the word "assured,'' the motion to amend was adopted by voice vote.
The Main Motion as amended was approved by voice vote and reads as follows:
* THAT, THE SENATE RECOMMEND TO THE PRESIDENT THAT IN THE ABSENCE OF AN ADEQUATE PRIVATE ENDOWMENT OR SIMILAR EXTERNAL SUPPORT, INCLUDING ASSURED STATE SUPPORT, FOR THE ACADEMY OF DRAMATIC ART, NEW ADMISSIONS INTO THE TWO YEAR CERTIFICATE PROGRAM OF THE ACADEMY OF DRAMATIC ART BE SUSPENDED EFFECTIVE FALL SEMESTER 1976, BUT THAT THE SENATE ENCOURAGE CONTINUED PLANNING TOWARD A DEGREE PROGRAM IN DRAMATIC ARTS.
Main Motion 2. and amendments: Second Reading.
The Russell amendment to delete the second "whereas' paragraph was considered and adopted by voice vote.
Mr. Freeman then expressed deep frustration at being unable to discuss the question of Classics in the context of the motion. Mr. Freeman inquired what happens next, If the Resolution were to pass? Ms. Scherer responded that it was the Committee's Intent to have the matter reviewed by Arts and Sciences. Mr. Shantz argued that the effect of the motion was to get discussion of the issues in Arts and Sciences first, followed by debate in the Senate.
Mr. Torch said that he was bothered by the precedent that permitted the Senate to debate a major within an Arts and Sciences degree program. Mr. Fullmer responded that the Committee intended such a precedent, and argued that the Senate has a residual right over such questions. Mr. Genyea supported Mr. Fullmer and Mr. Seeber supported Mr. Torch to the effect that he felt decisions internal to Arts and Sciences ought to be decided upon by Arts and Sciences.
Mr. Torch, seconded by Mr. Obear then offered an amendment:
To strike the last paragraph of Main Motion 2. and the third "whereas" paragraph. A grand constitutional debate then followed with certain persons arguing that the Senate, while It had the residual right to, ought not intrude upon the authority of an Organized Faculty to settle its own affairs, while others argued that the Senate which represents the whole institution ought to assert its right to debate and legislate on issues of importance to the entire University.
Division of the house disclosed 11 in favor and 19 opposed to the amendment which was therefore defeated.
Mr. Obear, seconded by Mr. Johnson then offered an amendment to delete the phrase ''or of a major therein" from the third "whereas" paragraph, and from the final paragraph "or a major therein.''
New discussion erupted this time centering around the nice, but important distinctions between "degree programs," ''majors therein" and "departments" and the Senate's constitutional and traditional governance authority over them.
Upon call for the question, division disclosed 15 in favor and 19 opposed to the Obear amendment, which was therefore defeated.
Attention then was directed to the Main Motion as amended by the Russell amendment.
Voice vote adopted Main Motion 2. as amended which reads as follows:
THAT THE SENATE ADOPT THE FOLLOWING RESOLUTION:
* WHEREAS ACADEMIC PRIORITIES DESERVE CONSIDERATION AT LEAST EQUAL TO THAT OF STUDENT FACULTY RATIOS;
WHEREAS THE SUSPENSION OF ANY DEGREE PROGRAM OR OF A MAJOR THEREIN OR OF ANY ACADEMIC UNIT IS OF SUFFICIENT IMPORTANCE TO THE UNIVERSITY TO DESERVE FULL SENATE DEBATE AND LEGISLATIVE ACTION;
BE IT RESOLVED THAT THE SENATE RECOMMEND THAT THE COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES RECONSIDER THE PROPOSED POSITION SHIFT LAYOFF AND MAKE NEW, BUT NOT NECESSARILY DIFFERENT, RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE PROVOST;
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT THE SENATE MANDATES THAT ANY PROPOSAL IN THE NEW RECOMMENDATIONS TO SUSPEND ANY DEGREE PROGRAM OR A MAJOR THEREIN OR ANY ACADEMIC UNIT AS A RESULT OF A POSITION SHIFT LAYOFF BE PRESENTED TO THE SENATE FOR FULL DEBATE AND LEGISLATIVE ACTION.
Main Motion 3. and amendments: Second Reading..
The Russell amendment to delete the phrase "capable of useful instruction" was by general consensus, considered first and was approved by voice vote.
The action on the Russell amendment rendered the Cherno amendment redundant; therefore, by general consensus no action was taken.
Attention was then directed to Main Motion 3. as amended.
Mr. McKinley spoke vigorously against the Main Motion as amended, warning against moving tenured people from one discipline to another to save positions. Mr. Shantz spoke in favor of the motion.
Motion as amended approved by voice vote reads as follows:
THAT THE SENATE ADOPT THE FOLLOWING RESOLUTION:
* WHEREAS THE PROPOSED POSITION SHIFT LAYOFF AFFECTS TENURE FACULTY MEMBERS OF THE UNIVERSITY;
WHEREAS THE ISSUES OF TENURE ARE SO COMPLEX AND IMPORTANT THAT THEY SHOULD RECEIVE FULL DELIBERATION;
BE IT RESOLVED THAT THE SENATE RECOMMEND TO THE PRESIDENT THAT WHERESOEVER POSSIBLE TENURED FACULTY MEMBERS SHOULD NOT BE LAID OFF BY A POSITION SHIFT LAYOFF FOR THE ACADEMIC YEAR, 1977-78.
Main Motion 4. with amendment: Second Reading.
Mr. Alt, seconded by Mr. Schluckebier, moved a substitute amendment to the Liboff amendment which would substitute "the Academic Budget and Planning Committee and the Academic Policy Committee" for THE STEERING COMMITTEE.
Mr. Russell spoke against both the substitute and the original motions to amend, arguing that the Steering Committee was the proper agency.
Question being called the Alt substitute motion to amend was defeated by voice vote and the Liboff original motion to amend was defeated by voice vote. Attention was then directed to Main Motion 4. unamended. Mr. Genyea, seconded by Mr. Tucker offered an amendment to add at the end of the first "whereas" paragraph, the phrase "admissions policies and student advising."
Amendment was approved by voice vote.
Main Motion 4. as amended was then approved by voice vote and reads as follows:
* THAT THE SENATE ADOPT THE FOLLOWING RESOLUTION:
WHEREAS ENROLLMENT TRENDS ARE PARTIALLY A FUNCTION OF GENERAL EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS, ADMISSIONS POLICIES AND STUDENT ADVISING;
WHEREAS EXISTING PROGRAMS MAY BE REEVALUATED AND RECONSTITUTED;
WHEREAS NEW PROGRAMS MAY BE IMPLEMENTED BY FACULTY MEMBERS CURRENTLY AT OAKLAND UNIVERSITY THAT IN TURN MAY AFFECT ENROLLMENT TRENDS;
WHEREAS AT THIS CRUCIAL TIME FOR OAKLAND UNIVERSITY THERE IS A NEED FOR CONSENSUS ON THE CONFIGURATION AND DIRECTION OF THE UNIVERSITY IN THE FUTURE;
BE IT RESOLVED THAT THE SENATE RECOMMEND THAT THE STEERING COMMITTEE SELECT AN APPROPRIATE VEHICLE FOR A STUDY TO BE MADE ON THE CONFIGURATION OF THE UNIVERSITY IN THE FUTURE.
There being no New Business, Mr. McKinley on point of personal privilege asked for a report from the Elections Committee on the recent FRPC election.
Ms. DeMont, Chairperson of the Elections Committee, reported that for the three at-large seats, Ms. Jean Braun and Messrs. Harvey Arnold and William Fish had been elected, although who among these would accept the one-year seat was yet to be decided; Mr. Tung Weng was elected to the Engineering seat.
Upon proper motion, duly seconded, the meeting was adjourned at 5:15 p.m.
Office of the Provost/J
2/29/76
*Motions passed at this meeting.
For the Information of the Senate.
The Steering Committee has approved the December, 1975, graduation list as presented by the College and School Assemblies and has forwarded it to the President and the Board of Trustees.
The Steering Committee has also approved the University honors list as presented by the Academic Standing and Honors Committee and has forwarded it to the President and the Board of Trustees. The University honors list comprised two candidates in Summa Cum Laude, 11 candidates in Magna Cum Laude and 20 candidates in Cum Laude for a total of 33 candidates, which was 12.2% of the total graduating list. Both the December graduation list and the University honors list are available for inspection in the Office of the Provost and the Office of the Registrar-Records.