OAKLAND UNIVERSITY SENATE
Third Meeting
Thursday, 14 October 1993
3:10 p.m. Oakland Room, Oakland Center
AGENDA
Respectfully submitted by Gary D. Russi for the Steering Committee.
A. Information Items (Mr. Russi)
Enrollment Report.
B. Old Business
1. Interim Report from the Senate Planning Review Committee regarding the 23 September 1993 motion proposing that the Schools of Nursing and of Health Sciences be consolidated (Mr. Chipman).
Comment: There will be no vote on this motion and no formal debate until the Senate's 14 November meeting. This is an informational update regarding the work of the SPRC and other Senate committees that are assisting it.
C. New Business
1. Steering Committee Replacement Election (Senate Elections Committee)
Comment: Jill Dunphy, who was elected to the Senate Steering Committee at the 23 September meeting, has resigned, thereby necessitating election of a senator to replace her for a two-year term (one year in the case of a student). Members continuing to serve are Jane Eberwein (College), Jerrold Grossman (College), Robbin Hough (SBA), Eleanor Reynolds (AP) and Carol Zenas (Nursing). As the Senate Constitution prohibits election of more than two Steering Committee members from any one organized faculty, no nominations from the College of Arts and Sciences may be considered. Any AP or student senator or faculty senator from professional schools or the library is eligible for election. The Steering Committee meets Tuesdays from 3-5 twice a month and plays an active role in Senate meetings. If you wish to nominate a candidate, please consult with that person in advance to make sure s/he can handle this schedule.
2. Motion from the Committee on Human Relations to modify the University's Equal Opportunity Policy (Mr. Grossman):
MOVED that the Senate recommend to the President and the Board that the university's Equal Opportunity Policy be amended by adding the words "sexual orientation" between "sex" and "age."
First Reading: Debatable, amendable, but not eligible for final vote at this meeting.
Comment: Senate veterans may remember a similar motion resoundingly approved by this body at its 30 April 1990 meeting. At that time, the Senate recommended to the president that the word "gender" be substituted for "sex" and the words "sexual orientation" be added immediately after that in the statement reproduced below. Because that recommendation never got advanced to the Board, however, these changes never officially took place on the level of official policy. When asked to review its earlier recommendation in the light of a request from the Gay and Lesbian Alliance that sexual orientation be added to the policy statement, the Committee on Human Relations strongly reiterated its intention to provide that level of institutional protection but opted to retain the word "sex" in preference to "gender." The Steering Committee, judging this slight modification of the 1990 legislation to constitute a new motion, now brings it forward for Senate action. If approved, the Equal Opportunity Policy would read:
Equal Opportunity Policy
Oakland University reaffirms its unwavering commitment to equality of opportunity for all persons. In a society that relies on an informed, educated citizenry, no one should be denied the opportunity to attain his or her fullest potential. It is therefore the policy of Oakland University that no person shall be discriminated against on the basis of race, sex, SEXUAL PREFERENCE, age, handicap, color, religion, creed, national origin or ancestry, marital status, or veteran status. The University shall strive to build a community that welcomes and honors all persons and that provides equal opportunity in education and employment. The University shall affirmatively follow the provisions of applicable State and Federal anti-discrimination legislation in all of its activities in this area and so reaffirms its policy at this time. (Capitals denote new language.)
3. Procedural motion from the Steering Committee to fill vacancies on Senate standing committees (Ms. Zenas):
MOVED that the persons nominated below be confirmed as elected to terms as specified on Senate standing committees.
a. CAMPUS DEVELOPMENT AND ENVIRONMENT COMMITTEE
Bonnie Abiko, Associate Professor of Art History, to replace Linda Hildebrand, Assistant Professor, University Library (1993-95)
b. UNIVERSITY COMMITTEE ON UNDERGRADUATE INSTRUCTION
Jerry Marsh to represent the School of Engineering and Computer Science (1993-95)
4. Reports from Senate Standing Committees:
a. Research Committee (Dean Purcell)
b. University Committee on Undergraduate instruction (Sheldon Appleton)
c. Graduate Council (George Dahlgren)
d. Teaching and Learning Committee (Kevin Andrews)
e. Admission and Financial Aid Committee (Anne Sandoval)
f. General Education Committee (Kevin Grimm)
C. Good and Welfare
Private resolutions