Oakland University Senate
Thursday, November 15, 1979
Third Meeting
3: 15 p. m.
128, 129, 130 Oakland Center
MINUTES
Senators Present: Beardman, Bertocci, Boulos, Brown. Burke, Cherno, Chipman, Coon, Eberwein Eberwein, Evans, Feeman, Felton, Garcia, Ghausi, Grossman, Hetenyi, Heubel, Hitchingham, Houtz, Jaymes, Kohn, Matthews. Miller, Moeller, Mourant. Obear, Otto, Partmann, Riley, Rogers, Russell, Sayre, Scherer, Schmidt, Shepherd, Stransky, Strauss, Torch, I Tower, Twietmeyer, Williamson
Senators Absent: Berger, Bieryla, Christina, Edgerton, Gardiner, Hammerle, Horwitz, Johnson, Jones, Karasch, Kingstrom, Kleckner, Liboff, 0'Dowd, Pettengill, Schwartz, Shantz
The third meeting of the University Senate for the 1979-80 academic year was called to order by President George T. Matthews at 3:25 p.m. By voice vote the Senate approved the minutes of the October 18, 1979 meeting as moved by Mr. Patrick Strauss and seconded by Ms, Mary Sue Rogers.
A. Old Business:
None
B. New Business :
1. Under new business, Mr. John Tower moved the following resolution from the Steering Committee. The motion was seconded by Ms. Gayle Partmann.
RESOLVED THAT THE UNIVERSITY SENATE, UNDER AUTHORITY OF ARTICLE II, VI OF THE CONSTITUTION OF THE OAKLAND UNIVERSITY SENATE, CONFER UPON THE CENTER FOR HEALTH SCIENCES AND THE INSTITUTE OF BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES, EFFECTIVE UPON PASSAGE OF THIS RESOLUTION, REPRESENTATION IN THE UNIVERSITY SENATE AS FOLLOWS:
a. THE DIRECTOR OF THE CENTER FOR HEALTH SCIENCES SHALL BE SEATED ex officio AND VOTING.
b. FOR ENFRANCHISEMENT PURPOSES, FACULTY HOLDING PRIMARY APPOINTMENTS IN HEALTH SCIENCE DISCIPLINES IN THE CENTER FOR HEALTH SCIENCES AND FACULTY HOLDING PRIMARY APPOINTMENTS 1N BIOMED1CAL SCIENCES IN THE INSTITUTE OF BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES, SHALL BE REGARDED AS A SINGLE VOTING UNIT.
c. FACULTY HOLDING SUCH PRIMARY APPOINTMENTS SHALL BE ENTITLED TO MINIMUM REPRESENTATION OF ONE ELECTED SEAT AND SUCH ADDITIONAL SEATS AS MAY BE WARRANTED BY THE APPORTIONMENT PROCEDURES.
In the discussion that followed, it became clear that the intent of the amendment was to guarantee a seat on the Senate for the Institute of Biological Sciences as well as for the Center for Health Sciences. Questions were then directed toward the intent of the original motion. The Chair indicated that it was intended to provide representation to academic units offering degree programs and having the power of primary appointment. It was pointed out that Section B.l.b. guarantees the Institute, which has power of primary appointment but does not offer a degree program, a voting franchise but not a seat on the Senate. Further questions were raised about the apportionment procedures used in advance of each election.
2. Mr. John Tower moved, seconded by Mr. Steve Miller, the following motion:
RESOLVED THAT THE UNIVERSITY SENATE, UNDER AUTHORITY OF ARTICLE II, VI OF THE CONSTITUTION OF THE OAKLAND UNIVERSITY SENATE, CONFER UPON THE CENTER FOR GENERAL AND CAREER STUDIES, EFFECTIVE UPON PASSAGE OF THIS RESOLUTION, REPRESENTATION IN THE UNIVERSITY SENATE AS FOLLOWS:
a. THE DIRECTOR OF THE CENTER FOR GENERAL AND CAREER STUDIES SHALL BE SEATED ex officio AND VOTING.
b. AS LONG AS THERE ARE FACULTY HOLDING PRIMARY APPOINTMENTS IN THE CENTER FOR GENERAL AND CAREER STUDIES, SUCH FACULTY' SHALL BE ENTITLED TO A REPRESENTATION OF ONE ELECTED SEAT AND SUCH ADDITIONAL SEATS AS MAY BE WARRANTED BY THE APPORTIONMENT PROCEDURE'S
It was pointed out in discussion that the only primary appointments in the Center for General and Career Studies are for faculty holding appointment in the Department of Learning Skills. Currently, the representation is through the College of Arts and Sciences and one faculty member from that department occupies a seat in the Senate. Senators were reminded that the Center does have a degree program, namely, the Bachelor of General Studies. A question was raised about the effective date for this change should the resolution be passed by the Senate. Questions were also raised about the proportion of faculty and administrative staff in the Senate, the imbalance toward more administrators as a consequence of this motion and the previous one being noted. A question was raised about whether or not a faculty holding primary appointment in the Center had any direct involvement with the degree program sponsored by the Center. It was pointed out that Learning Skills faculty are heavily involved in the Center activities, including the BGS program, all being members of the Faculty Council for the Center, the governance body responsible for the BGS. A final question was raised about faculty representation from the School of Performing Arts. It was noted that the single faculty member in that academic unit is currently disenfranchised in terms of Senate elections.
3. The following motion was moved by Ms. Gayle Partmann and seconded by Mr. Laszlo Hetenyi:
THAT FACULTY MEMBERS OF THE SCHOOL OF PERFORMING ARTS BE GIVEN VOTING PRIVILEGES THROUGH THE COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES UNTIL CONSTITUTED AS A SEPARATE VOTING UNIT.
It was the intent of this motion, which the Chair ruled to be in first reading, that this ad hoc arrangement would cease upon approval of a Constitution for the School of Performing Arts. Further, it is the intent of the motion, that an extra seat be provided to the College of Arts and Sciences to accommodate this temporary arrangement.
C. Mr. Russell gave a report on behalf of the ad hoc Committee on Curriculum Flexibility. He was questioned about other aspects of curricular flexibility beyond the three-credit course module which were studied by the Committee. The Committee was requested to circulate this report to members of the Senate.
D. Mr. Van Fleet provided a report from the Department of Physical Education and Athletics. He summarized existing programs in credit physical education, in inter-collegiate athletics, in intra-mural activities and in the physiology laboratory. He was questioned about the size of athletic budgets for men's and women's inter-collegiate team and about how many Oakland students participate in his department's recreation programs. Mr. Van Fleet commented on the extensive growth in the intra-mural program during the last few years. He was also questioned about the percentage of facility time devoted to non-university (rental) groups. Such usage has diminished over the past few years and is almost non-existent according to Mr. Van Fleet.
E. Mr. Joel Russell gave a report on behalf of the Academic Policy and Planning Committee regarding its efforts to follow up on the Health and Medical Programs, Feasibility Study. He indicated that the study speaks to the need for expanded medical education in southeastern Michigan not to its specific impact--if implemented in the form presented in the report�on Oakland University. Mr. Russell indicated that he was seeking ideas from Senators about information they would need to formulate a Senate position on this important matter. He indicated that a questionnaire has been distributed to department chairpersons to distribute the views of department members. It is possible for divergent views within the department to be recorded separately. Additionally, a shorter questionnaire has been sent to chairpersons and deans in four other universities which have recently started medical schools. The APPC will request more information from the Health Sciences Faculty Council about program details, budget projections, number of faculty, staff support, library support, space, and computer usage. Some members of the Senate indicated that a number of questions on the questionnaire were difficult to answer A question was also raised about the firmness of the November 27 deadline. Another inquiry concerned whether or not an economic forecast for Michigan might accompany the APPC recommendation to the Senate. Mr. Obear indicated that it might be useful to have an expression of individual sentiment on the question "should Oakland University make a serious effort to attract a medical school program to this campus if it is determined that the State of Michigan will fund a fifth medical program in the State?"
F. Good and Welfare: Private Resolutions
None
The meeting of the Senate adjourned at 4:55 p.m.