Oakland University Senate

Fourth Meeting
Thursday,  December 8, 1977
3-00 p.m.
Gold Rooms B & C

MINUTES

Senators Present: Arnold, Blatt, Burke, Cherno, Coffman, Easterly, Edgerton, Felton, Grossman, Heubel, Hildum, Hohauser, Hovanesian, Holladay, Jones, Kleckner, Liboff, Matthews, Merz,  Moeller, Obear, Orton, Osthaus, Ozinga, Pogany, Riley, Russell, Schwartz, Sloane, Stransky, Torch, Torongeau, Tower and Witt
Senators Absent: Allvin, Bantel, Barry, Boulos, Braun, Butterworth, DeMent; Doherty, Eberwein, Gardiner, Hampton, Hetenyi, Jackson., Johnson, Keegan, McKay, O'Dowd, O'Leary, Randolph, Seeber, Tucker, Ward, Wargo and Weiner

Mr. Obear presided in the President's absence. Mr. Obear had no general comments- there were no inquiries from the floor.

The meeting was called to order at 3:20 p.m. The minutes of the meeting of November 17, 1977, were considered. Mr. Grossman speaking for Mr. McKay wished to correct the minutes such that on page two, the fifth paragraph would read as follows (new wording in italics):

Mr. McKay reaffirmed his belief that the Position Statement should state that the committee has responsibility to recommend policy to the Senate and should be returned to the committee with direction to make such recommendations.

The correction being so ordered; the minutes were approved by voice vote upon motion of Mr. Jones seconded by Mr. Grossman.

Attention was then directed to the agenda.

A. Old Business

1. Motion from the Academic Standing and Honors Committee (McKay/Sloane) unamended.

Approved by voice vote without discussion.

2. Motion from the Campus Development and Environment Committee (Coffman/Hildum) unamended.

Mr. Coffman distributed a map of the campus and pointed out the area with which the motion is concerned- Mr. Coffman described roads sewage and other features of the area.

Approved by voice vote without further discussion.

Kindly refer to the agenda and minutes of November 17, 1977, for the substance of these motions.

B. New Business:

1. Motion from the Center for Health Sciences was moved by Mr. Stransky, and seconded by Mr. Jones.

Mr. Stransky reviewed various features of the proposed Physical Therapy Program; the general education component of the degree requirements, budgetary provisions,  faculty appointments in which options existed for adjuncts or BUFMs, with preference on latter. Upon query of Mr. Ozinga, Mr. Obear assured the Senate the Physical Therapy Program would not be implemented without State funding and that it would not be started on the basis of any position shift layoffs. The question of when the clinical year (year III in the program projection) would start gave rise to consideration of certain students currently on campus in anticipation of the program. Mr. Stransky stated that some fifty such students (by estimate) may be here because they expected the program to be offered but these students were not recruited, they just came on the basis of rumor, and no guarantees have been made to them. Mr. Kleckner stated that four or five students had been recruited through error, that they were in year I and would be ready for the clinical year in 1979. Ms. Felton and Mr. Torch raised questions concerning space especially in regards to the proposed anatomy laboratory Mr. Obear stated that this matter was being studied by Mr. Bunger and a subcommittee consisting of Messrs. Church, Grimes and Stransky and that he would have fuller information on the occasion of the motion's second reading January 19. Queries arose concerning the need for the AP Clinical Education Coordinator and whether this position should be AP or BUFM or indeed exist at all.

Attention was next directed to curricular matters with the general education component receiving close scrutiny;  why only 24 credits with the 8 free elective credits included therein and no stipulation as to field distribution.   Mr. Matthews pointed out that when the Senate years ago got but of the business of prescribing a University-wide general education component for undergraduate curricula, it simply mandated that there should be such component, but was unable to specify either its quantity or characteristics;  24 credits seem to have developed by convention in professional programs, with Engineering as a rough model;  the problem of rigid professional programs fitting all requirements into 124 credits had given rise to the 120 credit limit, deriving from the Medical Technology Program when it was housed in Arts and Sciences. Mr. Witt reminded Mr. Matthews that the 128 limit went back to experience with the Engineering curriculum.

After considerable discussion, Mr. Jones seconded by Mr. Ozinga (and assisted by Mr. Russell) offered an amendment such that (referring to degree requirements as listed in the motion):

Requirement 1: 126 credits be changed to 136
Requirement 2:   no change
Requirement 3:
    a. Learning Skills 8
    b. Basic Sciences 55
    c. Clinical Sciences 41
    d. General Education 32¹

Mr. Obear inquired what were the degree credit limits at UMAA and Wayne State. Mr. Stransky replied that the UMAA program was 132 but that he would have to check on the Wayne program.

Further discussion of the general education requirement and the place of the 8 free elective credits developed with Mr. Grossman, seconded by Mr. Heubel offering a substitute amendment such that within a 136 total credit limit, the general education component be established at 24 credits with the Russell stipulation as to exclusion of basic and clinical sciences retained but a new "e be added stipulating 8 free elective credits. Mr. Grossman pointed out that once the total credit limit is raised to 136 and general education is kept at 24 credits, Requirement 2 which contains the Senate mandated 8 free elective credits would control but perhaps redundancy is not unwelcome in the circumstances.

At which point the meeting was adjourned upon proper motion duly seconded at 4-50 p.m.; the noble Senators zippered up their polyester togas and dispersed into a night of wind and snow.
 

¹  Including 8 free elective credits,  no general education to be taken in courses in the Basic and Clinical Sciences areas (this last being Mr. Russell's contribution accepted by Jones/Ozinga).