Oakland University Senate

Third Meeting
November 14, 1996
3:10 p.m.
Oakland Center, Gold Rooms B & C

Agenda

Submitted by Mr. Connellan on behalf of the Senate Steering Committee

A. Approval of minutes.

B. Committee reports:
            Committee on Assessment-Mr. Goslin
            Human Relations Committee--Ms. Gibson
            Research Committee-Mr. Pisharodi
            Senate Budget Review Committee--Mr. McKay
            Academic Standing and Honors Committee--Ms. Crum
            Admissions and Financial Aid--Ms. Miller

Comment: In order to inform senators about the contributions of Senate committees, which quietly carry out much of the work for which this body is responsible, the Steering Committee has invited the 1995-6 chairs of these bodies to make brief oral presentations to the Senate at the beginning of the academic year. This also provides an opportunity for senators to recommend agenda items these groups might appropriately address as they continue their service.

C. Information Items.

D. Election: Steering Committee Replacement Election (Senate Elections Committee)

Comment: George Dahlgren, who was elected to the Senate Steering Committee in 1994 will retire at the end of the fall term, thereby necessitating the election of a senator to replace him for the rest of the academic year. Members continuing to serve are Geoff Brieger and Kevin Andrews (College), Robert Christina (SEHS), Buck Dillon (SBA), and Eleanor Reynolds (AP). The Senate constitution prohibits election of more than two Steering Committee members from any one organized faculty, therefore, given the current membership of the Steering Committee no senator from the College is eligible to serve.

The Steering Committee normally meets twice a month Tuesdays from 1-3 to set the Senate agenda, refer business to Senate committees and receive reports from those bodies and advise the Vice President for Academic Affairs on governance issues; it also meets occasionally during the spring and summer. If you wish to nominate someone please establish in advance that the person is willing to serve and can meet on Tuesdays from 1-3 p.m during the winter 1997 term.

F. Old Business

1. Motion from the Steering Committee to establish the Honorary Degree Committee (Mr. Andrews, Mr. Bricker)

MOVED that the Senate establish the Honorary Degree Committee as a Senate standing committee, with the following charge and membership:

Charge: To consider and recommend candidates for honorary degrees, according to the attached criteria and procedures.

Membership: Six faculty, serving staggered three-year terms, and the Vice President for Academic Affairs (or designee), ex-officio and voting, who shall serve as chair.

Amendment: MOVED to add a graduate student to the membership (Mr. Landsberg, Ms. Briggs-Bunting)

Second reading: Debatable, amendable, and eligible for final vote.

Comment: The granting of honorary degrees was once a regular feature of Oakland University commencements but in recent years this practice has fallen into disuse. The purpose of this motion is to provide a structure for the revival of such degrees, in a manner informed by the experience of other institutions and consistent with our own tradition of shared governance. The criteria and procedures were attached to the October 17th agenda as Appendix A.

2. Motion from the Steering Committee to establish the Library Committee (Mr. Andrews, Ms. Gilroy):

MOVED that the Senate establish the Library Committee as a Senate committee, with the following charge and membership:

Charge:
1. To serve as a liaison between the library and the faculty and students of the University; to bring faculty and student opinion before the library and to interpret library policies to faculty and students.

2. To participate equally with the library in the formulation of broad general policies on collections, buildings, facilities and services. These policies shall be presented to the University Administration by the Dean of the Library.

3. To receive timely and regular reports from the Dean of the Library on current and proposed library plans and policies.

4. To receive timely and regular reports from the Vice President for Academic Affairs on current and proposed university plans and policies which may impact the library and to advise and make recommendations on same.

5. To receive reports and recommendations from other duly constituted committees and to advise and make recommendations to the Senate and its committees, as needed.

6. To take on additional duties as directed by the Senate Steering Committee.

7. To meet regularly, but at least once each semester.

Membership: Four library faculty, four college faculty (one each from the four faculty groups), one faculty member from each of the other organized faculties, serving two year staggered terms, two students; the Dean of the Library and the Vice President for Academic Affairs (or designee), both ex-officio and non-voting.

Amendment: MOVED that item 2 be changed to :To advise the library in the formulation of broad general policies on collections, buildings, facilities, and services. These policies shall be presented to the University administration by the Dean of the Library. (Ms. Frankie, Mr. Tower)

Second reading: Debatable, amendable, and eligible for final vote.

Comment: Most provisions of the Constitutions of the College and the Schools deal exclusively with matters of organization internal to those units. However, the structure of the Library Council is currently provided for in Article VI of the Library Constitution, despite its university-wide membership and responsibility. To remove this anomaly and to give greater visibility to the central importance of the Library in the University's academic mission this motion is offered to create the Library Committee as a Senate standing committee. This form of organization would also permit greater flexibility in making any future changes. To ensure continuity between the existing Library Council and the Library Committee this motion, if approved, would take effect upon Board approval of the amended Library Constitution. All current appointed members of the Library Council would serve as members of the Library Committee until the expiration of their current terms, whereupon their successors would be chosen by the usual procedures for staffing Senate Committees.

3. Motion to approve the revised Library Constitution (Ms. Frankie, Ms. Gilroy)

MOVED that the Senate recommend to the President and the Board approval of an amended Constitution of the Library.

Second reading: Debatable, and eligible for final vote at this meeting. Senate protocol holds that constitutions may not be amended on the floor. If corrections are needed, this document should be referred back to its sponsors.

Comment: The Constitution of the Library was last approved by the Board of Trustees in December 1985. A copy of the current revision of the Library Constitution, approved by the Library Faculty on April 18, 1996 with changes and deletions indicated are attached to this agenda (Appendix A)

G. New Business

1. Procedural motion from the Steering Committee to fill a vacancy on Senate standing committee ( Ms. Reynolds)

MOVED that Peter Bertocci (Professor of Anthropology) be confirmed as nominated to replace Robert Eberwein on the Senate Planning Review Committee (winter 1997)

Procedural motion: Debatable, amendable and eligible for final vote at this meeting.

2. Motion from the Graduate Council (Mr. Dahlgren)

MOVED that the University Senate recommend to the President and the Board of Trustees the approval of a Master of Arts degree in Biology.

First reading: Debatable, amendable but not eligible for final vote.

Comment: A copy of the proposal along with related memos from the Senate Planning and Senate Budget Review Committees are attached (Appendix B). Resolution from the Steering Committee (Mr. Dillon)

Whereas, at Oakland University there is a long tradition of consultation with the University Senate and its committees by the administration on significant issues, in particular on new institutional initiatives;

And whereas, this has served Oakland University well in the past;

Therefore, be it resolved that the Senate wishes to affirm its desire to continue to be consulted through its governance structure in a timely manner on all major programmatic plans and changes.

H. Good and welfare.