Oakland University Senate
Seventh Meeting
Thursday, March 31, 1977
3:00 p.m.
156 North Foundation
AGENDA
Submitted by George T. Matthews, for the Steering Committee
The Chair will comment upon the Board action concerning Act 267, Michigan Public Acts of 1976, sometimes called the "open meeting" law.
A. Old Business
1. From the agenda of March 17, 1977, Item I, 2. (Old Business)
Motion to adopt (Bertocci/McKay) the report from the Academic Conduct Committee containing a revised University Policy Statement on Academic Conduct, dated March 7, 1977.
Second Reading: debatable, amendable, and eligible for final vote at this meeting.
Comment; Kindly refer to the agenda of March 17 for the full report. If the motion to adopt carries, the University Policy Statement on Academic Conduct, dated March 17, 1977, becomes Senate policy. If the motion to adopt fails, the revised statement is tabled and present policy unchanged remains in force,
2. From the agenda of March 17, 1977, Item III, (New Business) motions from the Academic Policy Committee.
1. (Kindly refer to 3/17/77 agenda III, 1. New Business) Tower/Torch
Second Reading: debatable, amendable and eligible for final vote at this meeting.
2. (Kindly refer to 3/17/77 agenda III, 2. New Business) Tower/Heubel
Second Reading: debatable, amendable and eligible for final vote at this meeting.
3. (Kindly refer to 3/17/77 agenda III, 3. New Business) Tower/Heubel
Second Reading: debatable, amendable and eligible for final vote at this meeting.
4. (Kindly refer to 3/17/77 agenda III, 4. New Business) Tower/Burke
Second Reading: debatable, amendable and eligible for final vote at this meeting.
5. (Kindly refer to 3/17/77 agenda III, 5. New Business) Tower/Torch
Second Reading: debatable, amendable and eligible for final vote at this meeting.
Comment: Extensive explanation of these various motions can be found on the March 17 agenda.
B. New Business
1. Motion from the Steering Committee in regards to a new scheduling module. (Mr. Tower)
MOVED THAT IN CONSIDERATION OF MOTION B. 2. (NEW BUSINESS) BELOW THE SENATE MAY MOVE DIRECTLY FROM FIRST TO SECOND READING AT THIS MEETING.
Procedural Motion: debatable, amendable and eligible for final vote at this meeting.
Comment: If the scheduling matrices recommended in Motion B. 2. (New Business) are to be made available for Fall, 1977, it would be highly desirable to act as quickly as possible. To carry this motion requires a three-fourths majority of those Senators present and voting.
2. Motion from the Academic Policy Committee (Mr. Tower for Mr. Fullmer)
MOVED THAT FALL AND WINTER SEMESTER CLASSES, BEGINNING WITH FALL, 1977, BE SCHEDULED ACCORDING TO THE MATRICES SHOWN IN ATTACHMENTS A AND B.
First Reading: debatable, amendable, not eligible for final vote at this meeting.
Comment: The present daytime scheduling matrix discards as unusable approximately 20% of the classroom resources of the University. The overlapping of time modules and the heavy Monday-Wednesday and Tuesday-Thursday emphasis of the schedule combine to preclude occupancy of classrooms more than 80% of the time. This constraint on our resource utilization is in direct conflict with faculty desires to increase the number of class offerings during the prime-time hours of 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The competition for large classrooms is particularly intense and, with no possibility of constructing new classrooms in the near future, we must move to a schedule matrix arrangement which distributes the teaching activity uniformly throughout the week and which is free of overlapping modules. The arrangement of attachment A has these features. It permits a given classroom to accommodate eleven distinct classes per week whereas in our current system the maximum number is nine. The new arrangement permits classes to meet twice weekly in two-hour time blocks or thrice weekly in 75-minute time blocks. (The 75-minute periods are much like those we have been using during spring and summer sessions and will easily accommodate courses which now meet for four, 50-minute blocks per week.) Monday-Wednesday-Friday classes would start at the noted hour and run for 67 minutes, providing the weekly 200 minutes of instruction and an eight-minute interclass hiatus.
Although it is difficult to provide quantitative data, the new system should permit a range of student schedule options similar to those of our present one. Some students who now come to campus twice a week would have to come three times under the new system. Conversely, some students who come four or five times per week now would have to come only three times per week under the new system. How tradeoffs like these will balance is information which can be garnered only by a trial of the new system. A few academic units, mostly within the School of Education, offer courses which meet one day per week for an entire afternoon. The proposed schedule arrangement does not accommodate these courses ideally but does improve upon the present system. Right now a course which meets from 1 p. m to 5 p.m. cut across the boundaries of three to five other modules depending upon the day of the week. These boundary crossings would drop to one or two under the new proposal.
The new arrangement will also accommodate faculty with extensive off-campus commitments by permitting two-day or three-day on-campus teaching schedules. Another useful feature of the proposed schedule arrangement is the absence of any class activity between 12 and 1 p. m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays. These times when all faculty are free could be utilized for departmental meetings. It was suggested by the Academic Policy Committee that these Tuesday-Thursday free periods be extended to 1:30 by shifting the K and L modules back 1/2 hour. This has the advantage of providing one-and-one-half hour periods free of class activity and available for the scheduling of University-wide lectures and events It has the disadvantage that the late afternoon module, L, would start at 3:30 and run until 5:30 p.m. Experience shows that these late hours are unpopular with both faculty and students. In particular, they seem to conflict with student employment hours. Nevertheless, the Senate may wish to consider amending the motion to provide the one-and-one-half hour periods on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
Attachment B shows, for completeness, the evening schedule matrix; This matrix is the one currently utilized and no changes in it are being proposed.
1. Motion from the Graduate Council (Mr. Johnson)
MOVED THAT THE UNIVERSITY SENATE RECOMMEND TO THE PRESIDENT AND THE BOARD THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A PROGRAM OF GRADUATE STUDIES LEADING TO THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY IN READING EDUCATION.
First Reading: debatable, amendable, but not eligible for final vote at this meeting.
Comments: The motion before the Senate is sponsored by the Graduate Council and the School of Education. Mr. Johnson, Dean of Graduate Studies, will present the motion; Mr. Ronald Cramer, Professor of Education and Mr. Johnson will be prepared to answer any questions which might arise. The proposal to establish a Ph.D. Program in Reading Education has been positively reviewed by the Academic Budget and Planning Committee and Mr. Joel Russell of that body will be prepared to answer questions. The full and detailed proposal may be found in the Office of Graduate Studies and in the Office of the School of Education. Attached to this agenda is a summary (distributed to Senators only) of the full proposal containing all essential information in shortened form.
(PLEASE NOTE:. THE STENCILS OF THE MARCH 17 AGENDA WERE REUSED FOR THE FOLLOWING FOUR PAGES. PLEASE REFER TO THE AGENDA OF MARCH 17 FOR THE ATTACHED CONSTITUTION.)
4. Motions to amend the Constitution of the Oakland University Senate (Mr. Tower, for the Steering Committee, will present the motions in seriatim).
I. MOVED THAT THE WORDING OF ARTICLE I OF THE CONSTITUTION OF THE OAKLAND UNIVERSITY SENATE (AS AMENDED 1975) BE DELETED ENTIRELY AND THE FOLLOWING WORDING SUBSTITUTED:
THE OAKLAND UNIVERSITY SENATE IS AN ORGANIZATION EXISTING PURSUANT TO ARTICLE VII OF THE BYLAWS OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF OAKLAND UNIVERSITY. THE SENATE SHALL BE ORGANIZED AND SHALL FUNCTION AS PROVIDED HEREIN, SUBJECT TO THE APPROVAL OF THIS CONSTITUTION AND ANY AMENDMENT THEREOF BY THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES.
First Reading: debatable, amendable, 'but not eligible for final vote at this meeting.
Comment: (Kindly refer to Article I of the attached 1975 Constitution for comparison)
a. With the change from the 1969 Constitution of Oakland University and of the University Senate to the 1975 Constitution of the Oakland University Senate, constitutional definition of the President is no longer appropriate. Instead the Steering Committee recommends this proposed statement of the actual derivation of the Senate's authority from the Board of Trustees. Article VII of the Bylaws of the Board of Trustees of Oakland University reads:
The Board of Trustees recognizes the University Senate as an organization to advise the President in regard to academic policies and programs. The University Senate shall be organized and shall function in accordance with such Constitution of the University Senate as may be approved or amended by resolution of the Board of Trustees.
Later in this series of motions, attachment of Article VII of the Bylaws to the Constitution will be recommended.
b. In the event that this motion to amend Article I carries, the Steering Committee will offer the following Resolution:
MOVED THAT THE UNIVERSITY SENATE ADOPT THE FOLLOWING RESOLUTION:
WHEREAS CERTAIN AMENDMENTS TO THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNIVERSITY SENATE ELIMINATE PROVISION FOR AN ANNUAL STATE OF THE UNIVERSITY MESSAGE, THEREFORE
BE IT RESOLVED THAT THE UNIVERSITY SENATE HEREBY EXTENDS TO THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNIVERSITY A STANDING INVITATION TO CONVENE THE FACULTIES, THE STAFF AND THE STUDENT BODY TO DELIVER A REPORT ON THE STATE OF THE UNIVERSITY AT LEAST ONCE A YEAR, DURING THE FALL OR WINTER SEMESTERS.
2. MOVED THAT ARTICLE III OF THE CONSTITUTION OF THE OAKLAND UNIVERSITY SENATE (AS AMENDED 1975) BE AMENDED IN THE FOLLOWING MANNER:
a. THAT THE TITLE OF ARTICLE III BE CHANGED FROM THE UNIVERSITY SENATE: POWERS TO THE UNIVERSITY SENATE: POWERS AND RESPONSIBILITIES.
b. THAT ARTICLE III SECTION ii. BE CHANGED TO READ:
RECOMMEND TO THE PRESIDENT CANDIDATES FOR UNDERGRADUATE DEGREES IN COURSE, AND CANDIDATES FOR UNIVERSITY HONORS;
c. THAT ARTICLE III SECTION v. BE CHANGED TO READ:
HAVE THE RIGHT TO BE CONSULTED ON ALL MATTERS OF ACADEMIC IMPORTANCE TO THE UNIVERSITY;
d. THAT ARTICLE III SECTION vi. BE CHANGED TO READ:
APPROVE, DISAPPROVE AND MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS REGARDING THE CONSTITUTIONS PROPOSED BY THE VARIOUS ORGANIZED FACULTIES OF THE UNIVERSITY.
e. THAT ARTICLE III SECTION vii. BE CHANGED TO READ:
RECEIVE REPORTS OF THE ACTIONS TAKEN BY THE ORGANIZED FACULTIES AND, WHERE APPROPRIATE, APPROVE, DISAPPROVE OR MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS REGARDING SUCH ACTIONS.
First Reading: debatable, amendable, but not eligible for final vote at this meeting.
Comment: (Kindly refer to Article III of the attached 1975 Constitution for comparison)
a. None needed.
b. The phrase "and through him to the Board of Trustees" has been eliminated.
c. Word added is underlined
d. New wording added is underlined.
e. New wording added is underlined.
3. MOVED THAT ARTICLE IV OF THE CONSTITUTION OF THE OAKLAND UNIVERSITY SENATE (AS AMENDED 1975) BE AMENDED IN THE FOLLOWING MANNER:
a. THAT ARTICLE IV SECTION vii. BE AMENDED BY THE ADDITION OF THE FOLLOWING FINAL SENTENCE:
A COPY OF THE MINUTES OF ALL SENATE MEETINGS SHALL BE MADE AVAILABLE BY THE SECRETARY TO THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES AT THE OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY TO THE BOARD.
b. THAT ARTICLE IV SECTION ix. BE AMENDED BY THE INSERTION OF: (OR HIS DESIGNEE) AFTER THE WORD "UNIVERSITY" AND BEFORE THE WORD "WHO".)
First Reading: debatable, amendable, but not eligible for final vote at this meeting.
Comment: (Kindly refer to Article IV of the attached 1975 Constitution for comparison)
a. This is recommended to assure that actions of the Senate as found in its approved minutes will be known to the Board.
b. This is to permit the Provost to designate a deputy to chair the Steering Committee as has been the case in the last two years and as is symmetrical with the President's power to designate a presiding officer for the Senate and with membership provision on various standing committees. This is the only "tidying up" the Steering Committee is recommending.
4. MOVED THAT ARTICLE VI OF THE CONSTITUTION OF THE OAKLAND UNIVERSITY SENATE (AS AMENDED 1975) BE AMENDED IN THE FOLLOWING MANNER:
a. THAT ARTICLE VI SECTION i. BE CHANGED TO READ:
A GRADUATE COUNCIL SHALL BE CONSTITUTED WITH POWERS TO MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE UNIVERSITY SENATE AND TO THE PROVOST REGARDING ALL GRADUATE PROGRAMS OF INSTRUCTION AND WITH REGARD TO THE GENERAL AND SPECIFIC DEGREE .REQUIREMENTS AT THE GRADUATE LEVEL. THE GRADUATE COUNCIL MAY MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE DEAN OF GRADUATE STUDY ON ADMINISTRATIVE POLICIES PERTAINING TO THE OPERATION OF GRADUATE PROGRAMS.
b. THAT ARTICLE VI SECTION iv. BE CHANGED TO READ:
THE GRADUATE COUNCIL SHALL BE RE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE RECOMMENDATION TO THE PRESIDENT OF ALL CANDIDATES FOR GRADUATE DEGREES.
First Reading: debatable, amendable, but not eligible for final vote at this meeting.
Comment: (Kindly refer to Article VI of the attached 1.975 Constitution for comparison) .
a. The phrase "and through him to the President" has been deleted as in the similar proposed amendment of Article III Section ii. and the phrase "for the institution or termination of" also has been deleted.
b. Again the phrase "and through him to the Board of Trustees" has been deleted.
5. MOVED THAT THE TITLE OF ARTICLE VII OF THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNIVERSITY SENATE (AS AMENDED 1975) BE CHANGED FROM STUDENT PARTICIPATION IN UNIVERSITY GOVERNANCE TO STUDENT PARTICIPATION IN UNIVERSITY SENATE GOVERNANCE
First Reading: debatable, amendable, but not eligible for final vote at this meeting.
Comment: (Kindly refer to Article VII of the attached 1975 Constitution for comparison) This amendment would bring this title In line with the changed name of the instrument as a whole.
6. MOVED THAT THE WORDING OF ARTICLE VIII SECTION ii OF THE CONSTITUTION OF THE OAKLAND UNIVERSITY SENATE (AS AMENDED 1975) BE DELETED AND THE FOLLOWING WORDING SUBSTITUTED:
IN THE EVENT THAT A COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENT SHOULD BE ENTERED INTO BETWEEN THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES AND ANY COLLECTIVE BARGAINING UNIT, THE MEMBERS OF WHICH ARE ALSO REPRESENTED IN THE UNIVERSITY SENATE, AND IF SUCH COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENT CONTAINS ANY PROVISIONS REGARDING MANDATORY SUBJECTS OF BARGAINING WHICH ARE INCONSISTENT WITH THE PROVISIONS OF THIS CONSTITUTION, SUCH PROVISIONS OF THE COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENT SHALL BE DEEMED TO SUPERSEDE AND CONTROL THE PROVISIONS OF THIS CONSTITUTION AS THEY MAY BE APPLICABLE TO MEMBERS OF THAT BARGAINING UNIT, BUT THE PROVISIONS OF THIS CONSTITUTION SHALL CONTINUE TO BE IN EFFECT FOR ALL OTHER PURPOSES UNTIL THEY ARE AMENDED AS PROVIDED HEREIN.
First Reading: debatable, amendable, but not eligible for final vote at this meeting.
Comment: (Kindly refer to Article VIII of the attached 1975 Constitution for comparison)
7. MOVED THAT APPENDIX I OF THE CONSTITUTION OF THE OAKLAND UNIVERSITY SENATE (AS AMENDED 1975) BE HEREIN AFTER CALLED ATTACHMENT I AND THAT ARTICLE VII OF THE BYLAWS OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF OAKLAND UNIVERSITY BE ATTACHED AS ATTACHMENT II TO THE CONSTITUTION.
First Reading: debatable, amendable, but not eligible for final vote at this meeting.
Comment:
a. Present Appendix I is Act No. 35, Public Acts of 1970 which established Oakland University as an independent institution. It has been pointed out that a law of the sovereign state of Michigan can hardly be regarded as an Appendix of our Constitution.
b. The wording of Article VII may be found under comment I. to motion to amend I . above
4. Motion from the Academic Policy Committee (Mr. Tower for Mr. Fullmer)
MOVED THAT THE SENATE RECOMMEND TO THE PRESIDENT:
a. THAT NON-TRANSFER STUDENTS AND STUDENTS TRANSFERRING 32 OR FEWER CREDITS WHO HAVE NOT SATISFACTORILY DEMONSTRATED CERTIFICATION OF THE OAKLAND UNIVERSITY WRITING PROFICIENCY BY THE COMPLETION OF 48 CREDITS SHALL NOT THENCEFORTH BE PERMITTED TO REGISTER AND RECEIVE CREDIT FOR ADVANCED COURSES (THOSE NUMBERED 300 OR ABOVE). WITH THE APPROVAL OF THE ACADEMIC POLICY COMMITTEE, SCHOOLS, FACULTY COUNCILS, OR DEPARTMENTS MAY MODIFY THIS RULING BY REQUIRING WRITING PROFICIENCY AS A PREREQUISITE FOR SPECIFIC COURSES OR GROUPS OF COURSES.
b. THAT STUDENTS TRANSFERRING MORE THAN 32 CREDITS TOO HAVE NOT SATISFACTORILY DEMONSTRATED CERTIFICATION OF THE OAKLAND UNIVERSITY WRITING PROFICIENCY BY THE COMPLETION OF 16 CREDITS AT OAKLAND UNIVERSITY SHALL NOT THENCEFORTH BE PERMITTED TO REGISTER AND RECEIVE CREDIT FOR ADVANCED COURSES (THOSE NUMBERED 300 OR ABOVE). WITH THE APPROVAL OF THE ACADEMIC POLICY COMMITTEE, SCHOOLS, FACULTY COUNCILS, OR DEPARTMENTS MAY MODIFY THIS RULING BY REQUIRING WRITING PROFICIENCY AS A PREREQUISITE FOR SPECIFIC COURSES OR GROUPS OF COURSES.
First Reading: debatable, amendable, but not eligible for final vote at this meeting.
Comments: Early this year the Committee on Instruction in the College of Arts and Sciences suggested that non-transfer students should complete the writing proficiency requirement by the middle of the sophomore year, and for transfer students by the completion of 16 credits. The APC then solicited reactions to the proposal from the various Committees on Instruction.
The student delegation to the APC, on the other hand, was greatly concerned about the rigidity of the proposal and about the effects of the proposal on the relationship between the writing proficiency requirement and the Learning Skills program. After much discussion of enforceable and unenforceable alternatives, the APC reached a consensus that it is desirable for students to complete the writing proficiency early in their academic careers and that the motions presented above would achieve the desired goal with relative ease of enforcement, but without undesirable effects on students who may find achieving writing proficiency a struggle because of either educational or scheduling problems.
The proposed motions also acknowledge that some lower level students may on occasion take an advanced course or two while concurrently in the process of achieving writing proficiency. In addition, the motions allow for appropriate modifications to accommodate highly prescribed professional programs such as in nursing and specialized courses that require writing skills.
GTM:jb
Office of the Provost
Attachments A and B Scheduling Modules