Oakland University Senate
Thursday, October 18, 1979
Second Meeting
5:15 p.m.
128, 129, 130 Oakland Center
MINUTES
Senators Present: Beardman, Berger, Bertocci, Bieryla, Brown, Cherno, Chipman, Christina, J. Eberwein, R. Eberwein, Edgerton- Evans, Felton, Garcia, Ghausi, Grossman, Hetenyi, Houtz, Jaymes, Karasch, Kingstrom, Kleckner, Kohn, Matthews, Moeller, Mourant, Obear, O'Dowd, Otto, Partmann, Pettengill, Riley, Rogers, Russell, Scherer, Schmidt, Shantz, Shepherd, Stransky, Strauss, Torch, Tower, Williamson
Senators Absent: Boulos, Burke, Coon, Feeman, Gardiner, Hammerle, Heubel, Hitchingham, Horwitz, Johnson, Jones, Liboff, Miller, Sayre, Schwartz, Twietmeyer
Mr. O'Dowd commented as follows:
1. Announcement of an Interim President had been expected at last night's meeting of the Board, but the Board has not yet chosen and so we must exercise patience and restraint whilst we wait.
2. Fall enrollments have been very favorable: Total headcount is 11,729 up 509 or 4.5% over 1978; FYES total is 4,026.2 up 174.7 or 4.5% from 1978; a solid base for what bids fair to be a good year.
3. The governor and the legislature are now not likely to recall appropriated funds as had been a possibility earlier in the academic year; as a result, limitations on equipment and position expenditures have been removed.
4. Evidence points to the adoption by the governor of the Investment Needs Model for higher education funding developed by the Fiscal Agencies of the Legislature. If so, higher education will be placed in a better competitive position versus other claimants of state funds.
5. COB II is at least on schedule and new parking has been developed, adding about 120 new spaces for the year; the high temperature pressure line running from South Foundation Hall to Hannah Hall and the roof of the Library are being replaced or repaired by means of state emergency funding.
6. The proposal for Married Student Housing involving some 48 two-bedroom units was approved by Board, although some elements of financing remain to be worked out.
7. Hope for Hannah Hall remodeling funds in a supplemental funding bill is still alive.
8. AAUP and CTA-UAW contracts have been ratified: AFSCME and POA contracts are stilt being negotiated.
9. The current exhibition in the Art Gallery commemorating the fiftieth anniversary of Meadow Brook Hall, the joint work of Mr. John Cameron and Mr. Kiichi is highly recommended.
Upon conclusion of these remarks. Mr. O'Dowd turned the Chair over to Mr. Obear who then presided until adjournment.
Meeting called to order at 3:30 p.m.Minutes of the meeting of September 13, 1979 approved upon motion of Mr. Ghausi, seconded by Ms. Garcia, by voice vote.
Attention was then directed to the Agenda.
A. Old Business:
None
B. New Business:
1. Resolution from the Steering Committee moved by Mr. Tower and seconded by Mr. Hetenyi adopted unanimously by voice vote as follows:
WHEREAS Mr. Donald D. O'Dowd has served Oakland University since 1960 as Associate Professor and Professor of Psychology and as Assistant to the Dean for Social Sciences, Dean of the University, Provost, Dean of Graduate Studies, Chancellor and President; and
WHEREAS Mr. O'Dowd has resigned effective January 1, 1980, to assume an important academic position elsewhere, therefore be it
RESOLVED that his colleagues in the Oakland University Senate take this means to thank Mr. O'Dowd for nineteen years of devoted and distinguished service as a member of the faculty and as an administrator of the University and as a member and officer of the Oakland University Senate for that entire span of time.
Mr. Obear sketched the plans for a reception November 12, 2-4 p.m., Varner Recital Hall to be held in Mr. O'Dowd's honor at which this Resolution, among others, would be read.
2. Motion from the Steering Committee nominating Mr. John Cameron to the Chair of the Campus Development and Environment Committee moved by Mr. Tower, seconded by Mr. Strauss and adopted by voice vote.
3. Report from the Faculty Council for Community and Human Development: Ms. Scherer commented upon a printed report dated 10/18/79 which she distributed to the Senate. Mr. Williamson inquired about the relationship of CHD to the HRD programs In the School of Human and Educational Services. Ms. Scherer emphasized in reply that CHD's role was to coordinate off-campus experiences not to initiate them.
4. Report of Steering Committee activities: Presidential Search and Selection Procedures. Mr. Matthews briefly called attention to the membership of the faculty committees concerned with the presidential search as developed by the Steering Committee and recommended that attention be directed to the next agendum, Mr. Shantz's report of their activities.
5. Report of the Faculty Advisory Committee to the Presidential Selection Committee: Mr. Shantz reported as follows:
1. That the Committee has spent much of its time to date preparing a response to the Presidential Selection Committee s request for written assessments as to the needs of Oakland University and the implications for presidential leadership. Our response will be prepared after reviewing responses to a questionnaire we distributed and the two open hearings we conducted on October 16 and 17. The questionnaire was mailed to all members of the faculty, all department chairs.. and faculty members of the steering committees of all schools and colleges. the library, the University Senate, and the A.A.U.P.
2. That although we have not discussed the issue in detail as yet, the Committee recognizes that the guidelines for the selection and evaluation of candidates for the presidency are incomplete and/or ambiguous on a number of key points. For example, the role of the Faculty Advisory Committee in the interviewing of candidates is not clear; it is not clear as to whether the final few candidates will be invited to the campus for wider meetings with faculty, staff, and students; and it is not clear whether the Advisory Committees will be informed when candidates are dropped from the active list, so they can devote their energies to the evaluation of the remaining active candidates. A number of faculty, staff, and students met with Chairman Lewis on Wednesday, October 17, 1979 and some of these concerns were discussed. Based on Mr. Lewis' remarks, the Faculty Advisory Committee is encouraged to believe that the Board intends to follow the recent University of Michigan procedure in all important details; that members of the Faculty Advisory Committee will participate in the interviewing of candidates; that the final few candidates will be brought to campus for a relatively extensive visit; and that the Faculty Advisory Committee will be kept informed as to the status of candidates.
3. That the Senate is assured the Committee intends to contribute its best efforts to assist in the process of identifying and attracting the best possible candidate to the presidency of Oakland University.
C. Good and Welfare: Private Resolutions
Mr. Kohn Inquired of Ms. Doreen Bieryla information regarding tripling in the residence halls. Ms. Bieryla replied that there were about 150 triples to start with; in a recent survey.. 50% of these stated a desire to remain in that happy if crowded state, while the other half expressed a desire to move; this is being engineered now.
D. Information items:
1. Ms. Mary Sue Rogers, President of University Congress, challenged the faculty to a blood donation contest on October 30-31, 1979.
2. Ms. Rogers also announced a gigantic twentieth birthday party and celebration for founding faculty, staff and students (two currently enrolled have been identified!) starting at 12 o'clock noon, Friday, November 9, 1979.
Upon proper motion duly recorded, the meeting adjourned at 4:10 p.m.