Oakland University Senate
Second Meeting
Thursday, October 19, 1995
Minutes
Members present: Andrews, Brieger, Briggs-Bunting, Buffard-O'Shea, Christina, Cole, Connellan, Dahlgren, Dillon, Downing, Frankie, Fliedner, Garfinkle, Gilroy, Gordon, Hahn, Haskell, Hildebrand, Hovanesian, Keane, Liboff, Long, Meehan, Meuser, Moore, Moran, Nesbary, Olson, Papazian, Perry, Pipan, Polis, Purcell, Reynolds, Riley, Rohde, Rozek, Russi, Sahu, Schwartz, Sevilla, Slywka, Speer, Talbert, Tower, Wharton. Guests: Mehl, Aubrey Members absent: Benson, Finucane, Graham, Jarski, Kazarian, Kheir, Kulwicki, Lilliston, Miller, Otto, Rice, Schochetman, Witt.
Summary of actions.
1. Approval of September 1995 minutes.
2. Procedural motion to fill vacancy on Senate Standing Committees. (Andrews, Buffard-O'Shea)
3. Motion to revise membership of the Campus Development and Environment Committee and the Senate Planning Review Committee. (Brieger, Andrews); motion to waive first reading, (Downing, Hildebrand) approved; Motion approved
4. Committee reports: Campus Development and Environment Committee (Mr. Brieger); General Education Committee (Ms. Gerulaitis)
The meeting was opened by Mr. Russi at 3:12 with a call for approval the September minutes which were distributed with the agenda. The minutes were approved following the motion by Mr Andrews; second by Mr. Moran.
Mr. Russi presented a series of brief reports beginning with some comments on the fall enrollment situation. The demographic trends for high school graduates in Michigan (and particularly our target market in southeast Michigan) show increases in 1995 and 96 and then a drop in 1997. Nevertheless the overall picture for OU looks quite positive. Oakland had a 12% increase in applications in 1995 and subsequent admittance figures showed a positive flow and resulted in a large number of matriculants. There was also a substantial increase in undergraduate and graduate full time students. Part time undergraduate figures are down slightly but part time graduate students are up. Our total is 13,600 compared to last year's figure of 13,165. Relative to the market at the freshman level, we brought in 10% more students instead of the 2% more the demographics would have projected. The distribution at the undergraduate levels shows 1st year students are up and sophomore, junior and senior enrollments are stable. Oakland also did well with transfers; we were up slightly in number--a positive sign since enrollments in community colleges are down dramatically all across the state. The annual survey of freshmen giving a composite picture of preferred majors provides an indicator of what may happen to various academic units. Unfortunately the survey doesn't include all units but the interest levels over the last 10 years show drops in business, increases in education and social sciences and little change in engineering. What happened at Oakland can be seen by the following chart:
Arts and Sciences slight decrease
Education increase
Engineering/Computer Sci. steady increase up
Nursing slight increase
Health Sciences steady state
Business Administration up after a 5 year drop
All in all, he concluded, Oakland can anticipate further growth based on our demographics, our location in Oakland county and the public's positive perception of the University.
Moving onto other matters he reported that the search for the Dean of the School of Business Administration is progressing, that three finalists will be interviewed and that he hoped that a decision would be made soon. He commended the Search Committee for their hard work.
He reassured the Senate that the policy on charter schools recently approved by the Board of Trustees does not commit us in any way to the development of charter schools. It simply allows Oakland to receive proposals regarding charter schools, proposals that would then go through the normal governance process including review by the University Senate and the Board of Trustees before any commitments could be made.
As to the Presidential Search, he reviewed the actions that brought about the impasse, namely the legal challenge citing the Open Meetings Act, the judge that imposed a permanent injunction against the process, the Board of Trustees, subsequent decision to terminate the search and disband the search committee. At that time the Board asked Mr. Russi to continue as interim president and to make whatever organizational changes needed to keep the University moving forward. The lawsuit is still pending and the courts do not seem very interested in putting it on the docket until June or July of 1996, if then.
While the suit is pending, the state Senate has passed a law excluding university presidential searches from the open meetings act; the House, however, has chosen not to act and isn't expected to do anything. Even if the House were to act, the law wouldn't go into effect for another year. Mr. Russi stated that he expects to serve as Interim President for this academic year but that if the courts or House were to act, the Board could then reopen the search. As to any hidden agenda to appoint him as President, Mr. Russi assured that Senate that he is not aware of any, adding that he expects to continue as interim president. Mr. Garfinkle asked if this would affect the deans, searches and Mr. Russi replied no, that the Board has given him the full authority of the president's position and he will move the university forward as best he can. He emphasized that the Board has been very supportive and he expects that pattern to continue. Mr. Riley asked if there has been any attempt to influence the Board regarding an open search. Mr. Russi replied that he thought some individuals had talked to Board members on their own but is not aware of any large systematic effort to so do.
Mr. Liboff wondered about the future of the position of Vice President for Academic Affairs vis a vis the new position of Vice President for Academic Administration. Mr. Russi replied he continues to serve as the Vice President for Academic Affairs; that the Deans still report to him and will continue to do so through the interim presidency. The Vice President for Academic Administration position was created to take over some of the support services. The purpose, Mr. Russi noted, was to relieve him of certain areas of responsibility and to decrease the number of people reporting to him, for example, he now only has 14 people reporting to him rather than 25. He opined that he thinks it is working well and that the university is moving forward and accomplishing its goals.
With no items of old business on the agenda the first item of new business, a motion to fill a vacancy on the Research Committee (Vishnubohtla to replace Ganesan) was moved by Mr. Andrews, seconded by Ms. Buffard-O'Shea and quickly approved.
Mr. Brieger moved the second agenda item which proposed adding members to two Senate committees, specifically the Director of the Office of Institutional Research and Assessment to the Senate Planning Review Committee; also, a representative from Campus Facilities and operations and the Assistant Vice President for Capital Improvement and Planning to the Campus Development and Environment Committee, all to be ex officio and non voting. Following Ms. Hildebrand's second, Mr. Downing proposed that the first reading be waived, seconded by Mr. Andrews. That motion was supported and the main motion was approved.
Committee Reports:
Mr. Brieger reported on the activities of the Campus Development and Environment Committee, including their involvement in the planning and design of the Squirrel Road entrance, development of a signage concept, the general landscaping plan,the Student Athletic and Recreation Center, recycling which they hope to expand in the coming year and general landscape maintenance. Mr. Gordon asked if there were any plans to replace the map and directory that used to be at the main entrance, noting that it was a real help to newcomers on campus. Mr. Brieger replied that the signage package has two parts; internal (inside building) which is yet to be developed and external, e.g. the road signs, pedestrian signs, campus maps, buildings, etc. However,the idea of having a drive-by directory has not been included in the signage package and needs to be looked at further. Mr.Downing asked about the Committee's involvement in the placement of parking lots and Mr. Brieger responded that his committee has been involved in these considerations. A parking consultant was hired; there was general consensus about reconfiguring the lots around O'Dowd and the smaller dorms and discussion about expansion of the Varner Hall lots. In the meantime the landscape architect came up with a different configuration; the final decision is yet to be made. He added that it is important to have input regarding the use policy of these lots. Mr. Liboff asked to what extent the committee gets involved in the east campus. Mr. Brieger replied that the Committee can look at everything on campus but have not been involved much lately with the east campus. He added, however, that they are monitoring the debate over widening Adams Road.
The other committee report on the General Education Committee was read by Ms. Hildebrand since Ms. Gerulaitis was unable to attend. Highlights of the report included the handling of all petitions of exception relating to general education, the review of field categories for Art and Literature, the review of general education courses from a large number of community colleges resulting from the MACRO Transfer Agreement, and initial questionnaires concerning assessment in the field categories of Western I-civilization, International Studies and Social Sciences.
As part of good and welfare Mr. Moran asked about George Matthews, professor emeritus, who is ill and wondered if there was a way to send him the Senate's regards and best wishes for his recovery. Mr. Russi said he would be glad to do that, that Mr. Matthews has been hospitalized recently with a stroke and that he is progressing in a rehabilitative facility.
There being no further business, the meeting adjourned.
Respectfully submitted,
Linda L. Hildebrand
Secretary to the University Senate