Oakland University Senate

20 March 2008
Oakland Center Gold Rooms
3:10 p.m.

Agenda

Respectfully submitted by Virinder Moudgil for the Steering Committee

A. Informational Items
1. Update on Email -- Ms. Rowe
2. Update on Medical School -- Mr. Moudgil
3. Intensive Writing in General Education -- Mr. Debnath

B. Roll Call
Approval of the minutes of 17 January 2008

C. Old Business

1. Motion from the Steering Committee to approve changes in the membership of the General Education Committee. (Mr. Murphy, Mr. Goslin)

MOVED that the membership of the General Education Committee consist of the following:

Nine faculty members, one of whom shall be chair, and one student; ex officio and non-voting: the Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education, a representative from the Advising Steering Committee, the Registrar or designee, and the Director of the Office of Institutional Research and Assessment or designee.

Comment: This would add the Director of OIRA or designee as a permanent, non-voting member. The OIRA director has been assisting the GEC informally for years, advising on assessment and enrollment issues. Because of the complex and changing assessment issues that the GEC works on, an OIRA representative is a logical and necessary addition to the permanent composition of the GEC.

Second reading: debatable, amendable, and eligible for final vote at this meeting.

2. Motion from the Steering Committee to recommend approval of changes to the undergraduate degree requirements for second degree students. (Ms. Bhargava, Ms. Thompson)

MOVED that a student who has completed an undergraduate degree at a regionally accredited institution (including Oakland University) is not required to complete Oakland University's general education requirements for the second bachelor's degree. A student who has completed a bachelor's degree (or equivalent) from an international university will have his or her transcript evaluated to determine what general education courses at OU will be required.

Comment: The current policy mandates that a student seeking a second undergraduate degree at Oakland complete the general education requirements --  essentially requiring these students to repeat a general education program. Because of the intense, and in some cases unique, nature of OU's general education requirement, this requirement adds significantly to the burden of second-degree students and likely serves as a deterrent to some students who might return to pursue a second undergraduate degree.

Second reading: debatable, amendable, and eligible for final vote at this meeting.

D. New Business

1. Motion from the Steering Committee to recommend approval of Ph.D. in Electrical and Computer Engineering. (Mr. Polis)

MOVED that the Senate recommend to the President and Board of Trustees approval of a Ph.D. in Electrical and Computer Engineering.

First reading: debatable, amendable, but not eligible for final vote at this meeting.

2. Motion from the Steering Committee to recommend approval of a new major program in Japanese. (Mr. Severson)

MOVED that the Senate recommend to the President and Board of Trustees approval of a new major program in Japanese Language and Literature.

First reading: debatable, amendable, but not eligible for final vote at this meeting.

3. Resolution supporting the Continuation of Domestic Partner Benefits. (Ms. Williams)

MOVED that the Senate supports the continuation of Domestic Partner Benefits at Oakland University.

First reading: debatable, amendable, but not eligible for final vote at this meeting.

E. Good and Welfare

posted 3/17/2008