Oakland University Senate
Thursday, 18 September 1986
First meeting
Rooms 128-130 Oakland Center 2.
Minutes
Senators Present: Appleton, Barclay, Barthel, Bingham, Blatt, Burke, Chipman Coffey, Copenhaver, Dahlgren, Diltz, Downing, J. Eberwein, R. Eberwein, Faber, Frankie, Garcia, L. Gerulaitis, R. Gerulaitis, Grossman, Hartman, Herman, Heubel, Hildebrand, Hough, Ketchum, Khapoya, Lindell, Pettengill, Pigott, Pine, Righter, Rozek, Russell, Srodawa, Stinson, Straughen, Thomas, Swartz, Terry, Tripp, Wedekind, Willoughby, Wilson, Witt.
Senators Absent: Barnard, Bertocci, Blankenship, Boganey, Cardimen, Cass,, Champagne, Clatworthy, Edgerton, Feeman, Hamilton, Hightower, Horwitz, Kleckner, Liboff, Moore, Reddy.
Summary of Actions:
1. Minutes of 10 April 1986 (Righter; Hough). Approved.
2. Election of Steering Committee replacements. L. Hildebrand and J. Bingham elected.
3. Motion to staff Senate committees (Wilson; Faber). Approved.
With Mr. Kleckner in Lansing--perhaps to find out more about what Chrysler intends to do for us in terms of erecting buildings Mr. Dahlgren called the Senate to order at 3:12 p.m. He began by welcoming new and returning members to this first of a probable eight or nine Senate meetings of the year and reported that Mr. Khapoya had agreed to continue as Parliamentarian in case rulings on procedures should be needed.
The only old business remaining from the prior academic year entailed consideration of the minutes of 10 April 1985. Mr. Righter, seconded by Mr. Hough, moved their acceptance as distributed. No discussion ensued, and the motion carried.
Mr. Dahlgren then turned over the floor to Mr. Witt, chair of the Senate Elections Committee, to conduct an election to replace Ms. Chapman-Moore and Mr. Edgerton on the Steering Committee for the duration of this Senate term. Mr. Witt, displaying names of continuing members (Downing, J. Eberwein, Hough, and Wilson) on the blackboard, noted that the Senate Constitution limits any one academic unit to a maximum of two seats. That left persons from the College of Arts and Sciences ineligible for nomination and restricted the faculties of Business Administration and Nursing to no more than one of the vacant seats each. A list of eligible Senators was circulated. Senators placed five names In nomination before agreeing to close the nominating process. Messrs. Witt and Arnold collected ballots and withdrew to count them. They returned shortly to announce the election of Mesdames Bingham and Hildebrand.
While ballots were being counted, Mr. Dahlgren called upon Ms. Wilson to introduce the second item of new business: a motion from the Steering Committee nominating faculty members to fill vacancies on Senate standing committees (seconded, Mr. Faber.) The motion elicited no discussion and was unanimously approved. The following persons were confirmed to the following appointments:
Ann Pogany to replace Lawrence Lilliston on the Academic and Career Advising Committee for 1986-87;
Daniel Ring to replace Patrick Strauss on the Admissions and Financial Aid Committee for 1986-87;
Bonnie Abiko to replace Janice Schimmelman on the Campus Development and Environment Committee for fall 1986;
Leo Gerulaitis to replace Theresa Cross as chair of the Teaching and Learning Committee for 1986-87 and Robert Goldstein to replace her as member of that body for the same period; and
George Coon to replace William Jones on the Academic Policy and Planning Committee for 1986-88.
Arriving at the Good and Welfare period, Mr. Dahlgren explained to new Senators that this portion of the agenda gives members an opportunity to call matters of interest to the attention of the general community. Ms. Frankie demonstrated the point by announcing that the Friends of the Library had raised an all-time record $20,000. at last Saturday's Glyndebourne Picnic. When Mr. Dahlgren asked if anyone could top that good news, silence descended. At the close of the meeting, however, Mr. Faber made an announcement on behalf of the University Congress to point out that faculty members can benefit from the Student Discount Card issued through the kind offices of that organization. He made brochures available to all senators.
Mr. Dahlgren called upon Ms. Eberwein to notify the Senate of an open hearing to be held Wednesday, September 24, about a proposal for the inclusion of ethics in the undergraduate curriculum. The hearing, jointly sponsored by the University Committee on Undergraduate Instruction and the ad hoc Committee on Ethics, is intended as an opportunity to inform the university community about what the proposal does and does not entail and allows faculty, students, advisers, and administrators a forum to vent their hopes and fears. The open hearing should help UCUI discern responses to the proposal (now lodged in faculty mailboxes and being circulated to students) and to determine what sort of motion the committee may wish to bring before the Senate later this fall. Ms. Eberwein hoped that Senators would make a special effort to attend. When Mr. Barthel asked what provision existed for participation by persons like himself who have classes at the time of the hearing, Ms. Eberwein suggested that responses in writing would be welcomed by UCUI or that a colleague might be enlisted to go in his stead. She indicated that a second hearing would be scheduled if the response to the first one justifies.
Mr. Dahlgren then called upon Ms. Frankie to report on plans for the library addition. She called attention to the model on display in the library and shared the excitement of her faculty about the plans that are emerging for use of the new space. Mr. Heubel asked whether this welcome expansion depends on the success of the capital development campaign and was reassured that enough funding has already been committed to allow us to go ahead with construction. Mr. Dahlgren then reported on the status of the projected new science building. Contrary to accounts some may have found in their newspapers, the actual building project is not to be approved at the next Board meeting but rather the PRR for it. Planning continues apace for what will be the largest building on campus. It will be located behind Dodge and Hannah Halls and house a number of departments. Costs are now estimated at $28 million ($3 million from private sources and the rest from the state). He expressed cautious hope for obtaining permission in the next few months to advance to the next stage of planning and noted that a lengthy process of filing successive appendices to previous requests has already been endured. When Mr. Faber asked how the building's location was chosen, Mr. Dahlgren referred to the university's master plan. Mr. Faber wondered whether parking space would be sacrificed. Mr. Dahlgren doubted it but mentioned that one of the barns might be demolished--the one closest to Dodge Hall.
Despite admissions cutbacks resulting in substantially fewer FTIACS and new transfer students, fall enrollments look surprisingly strong as a result of improved student retention. Mr. Dahlgren point to Education as an important factor in enrollment gains. Comparable enrollment gains over last year are projected for the winter. Mr. Beardslee expected to have a final count of this semester's students around the middle of October and noted that current projections involve some contingencies.
With business concluded and information shared, the Senate adjourned at 3:36 p.m. (Moved, Mr. Willoughby).
Respectfully submitted:
Jane D. Eberwein
Secretary to the University Senate