The University Senate
of Michigan Technological University
Minutes of Meeting 562
April 1, 2015
PDF version of Minutes 562
Senate minutes are time-indexed [in square brackets] to the relevant segments of the streaming video of the meeting.
Synopsis:
The Senate
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Proposal 31-15 "Amending Senate Policy 210.1, Board of Control Policy 4.8, and Tenured/Tenure-Track Faculty Handbook Section 8.2: Office of the Ombuds" passed
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Proposal 32-15 "Establishment of a Library Liaisons and a Library Advisory Committee" passed
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Sense of the Senate Resolution for Sufficient Notice of University Closure passed
1. Call to order and roll call. [00:00 – 01:48]
President Craig Waddell called the University Senate Meeting 562 to order at 5:30
p.m. on Wednesday, April 1, 2015. The Senate Secretary Marty Thompson called roll.
Absent were Senators DeWinter, Caneba, Oliveira, Schmierer and Cadwell and representatives
of Army/Air Force ROTC, Computer Science, Kinesiology & Integrative Physiology, Materials
Science & Engineering, Mathematical Sciences, Visual & Performing Arts, Academic Services
A, Administration, Finance, Library, Student Affairs & Advancement A, Student Affairs
& Advancement C, Technology, Undergraduate Student Government and Staff Council.
2. Recognition of visitors. Guests included Max Seel (Provost’s Office), Theresa Coleman-Kaiser (Administration), Bonnie Gorman (Dean of Students), Sasha Teymorian (Graduate Student Government), Debra Charlesworth (Graduate School), David Hale (IT), Ellen Horsch (Administration), Ginger Sleeman (Human Resources), Renee Hiller (Human Resources) and Jackie Huntoon (Graduate School).
3. Approval of agenda. [01:49 – 02:16]
Scarlett moved to approve. Mullins seconded. The agenda passed unanimously on a voice vote.
4. Approval of minutes from Meeting 561. [02:17 – 02:46]
Scarlett moved to approve. Wanless seconded. The minutes passed unanimously on a voice vote.
5. Guest Presentations
a. Graduate Student Government (GSG) President Sasha Teymorian: Food Insecurities:
Survey Results and Sustainable Approaches [02:47 – 22:38] {slides}
Teymorian discussed ways food insecurity impacts college students. She noted that
Saint Albert the Great Catholic Church and the Canterbury House provide free meals
to students, staff and faculty. She suggested donating food to Saint Vincent DePaul
and the Western U.P. food bank. Donations can be made to the student’s food insecurity
fund. Ways to tackle this problem are still being studied.
b. Chief Information Security Officer Dave Hale: Anthem-BCBS security breach and identity
theft [22:39 – 1:01:19] {slides}
Hale discussed the recent identity theft impacting Michigan Tech due to a failure
of Anthem Healthcare’s IT security. He recommended everyone sign up for the AllClearID
service offered by Anthem to prevent ID theft through the credit bureau. Report all
ID theft to security@mtu.edu.
c. Vice President for Administration Ellen Horsch: Rationale for disbanding and reassembling
the Benefits Liaison Group (BLG) [1:01:20 – 1:27:09] {slides}
Horsch provided a history of the BLG which started with Senate Proposal 22-00. She
discussed the membership, charge and purpose of the committee. Horsch provided a comparison
of the changes she is making to the BLG to what was defined in the original proposal
approved by the senate and the administration. Discussion raised questions about the
rules of order for the new BLG.
d. Senate Finances and Institutional Planning Committee Chair Mike Mullins: University
Finances [1:27:10 – 2:04:49] {slides}
Mullins provided a detailed analysis of the financial health of Michigan Tech. He
discussed the impact that deep cuts in retirement contributions and healthcare benefits
have had on employees and contrasted that with some of the steep increases in undergraduate
tuition. He raised questions about the increased number of employees and lower cost
of benefits may mask a more distressing trend in avoiding healthcare and an inability
of employees to contribute to their retirement funds. Mullins also noted that Michigan
Tech is among the lowest of low-cost providers of graduate education.
6. President’s Report
None
7. Reports from Senate Standing Committees [2:04:50 – 2:10:42]
Academic and Instructional Policy Committee. None.
Administrative Policy Committee. None
Curricular Policy Committee. Barkdoll read items approved by the Graduate Faculty Council and coming from the Graduate School. If there are any objections, these items can be brought as proposals. There were none. Thompson moved to accept the recommendations in the report. Scarlett seconded. No discussion. The report was accepted unanimously on a voice vote.
Elections Committee. Riehl said the elections process is underway and will be concluded on Friday 4/3/15. He read the nominees for the Senate officer positions for next year.
Finance & Institutional Planning Committee. None.
Fringe Benefits Committee. None.
General Education and Assessment Committee. None.
Information Technology Committee. None
Professional Staff Policy Committee. None.
Research Policy Committee. None.
8. Unfinished Business [2:10:42 – 2:43:29]
a. Proposal 31-15 "Amending Senate Policy 210.1, Board of Control Policy 4.8, and
Tenured/Tenure-Track Faculty Handbook Section 8.2: Office of the Ombuds" [2:10:42 – 2:17:08]
Olson noted the changes made to the proposal regarding membership of the committee.
She read the GSG resolution supporting the proposal. Olson moved to accept. No discussion. The proposal passed by a majority vote.
b. Proposal 32-15 "Establishment of a Library Liaisons and a Library Advisory Committee"
[2:17:09 - 2:19:07]
Froese moved to accept. Discussion. The proposal passed by a majority vote.
c. Proposal 16-15: "Annual Community Feedback to the University Leadership" [2:19:08 – 2:37:25]
Olson moved to accept.
Vable moved to amend the proposal. Nooshabadi seconded. He requested that all public comments be removed from the report and only be provided
to the university president. Discussion. The amendment passed by a majority vote.
Nooshabadi moved to amend that all members of the sub-committee created by this proposal be allowed to vote. The specific text reads: "Unlike the Senate standing committees, all members of this committee have the right to vote". Scarlett seconded. Discussion.
Mullins moved to end discussion. The motion passed by a majority vote.
Nooshabadi requested a Roll Call. Roll Call of senators indicated a quorum was present.
The amendment passed by a majority vote.
Because this is a substantive change, the amended proposal will appear as unfinished
business next meeting. Discussion.
Mullins moved to table discussion. Thompson seconded. The motion passed by a majority vote.
d. "Sense of the Senate Resolution for Sufficient Notice of University Closure" [2:37:26 – 2:43:29]
Olson moved to accept.
Nooshabadi moved to postpone indefinitely the discussion. Froese seconded. Discussion. Motion rejected.
The resolution passed by a majority vote.
9. New Business [2:43:30 – 2:57:47]
a. Proposal 33-15 “Academic Calendar for 2016-2017 and Provisional Calendar for 2017-18”
Scarlett noted that the proposed changes in the K-Day and the Career Fair scheduling
are significant and will come up in debate next meeting.
b. Proposal 34-15 “Restructuring the Benefits Liaison Group”
No discussion.
c. Proposal 35-15 “Modify the Definition of the Term ‘Adjunct’ Faculty”
No discussion.
d. Proposal 36-15 “Definition of ‘Affiliated’ Faculty Appointments”
No discussion.
e. Proposal 37-15 “Revision of Graduate School Policy Regarding External Members of
Graduate Committees”
No discussion.
f. Proposal 38-15 “Policy on Accommodated Examinations”
No discussion.
g. Proposal 39-15 “Amending Senate Policy 602.1: Final Exam Policy”
No discussion.
h. Proposal 40-15 “Amending Senate Policy 312.1: Syllabus Requirement for All Courses
at Michigan Technological University”
No discussion.
i. Proposal 41-15 “Modify the University’s Defined Contribution Retirement Benefit”
Mullins asked everyone to review the ranking of Michigan Tech on retirement contributions.
j. Proposal 42-15 “Minors in Degree Programs”
No discussion.
k. Proposal 43-15 “Undergraduate Certificates”
No discussion.
l. Proposal 44-15 “Proposal for a New Bachelor’s of Science Degree in Natural Resources
Management”
Guter, Finance Committee noted the lack of financial data that accompanied the proposal
and requested detailed financial information. Discussion indicated broad support for
the program. Storer said a financial analysis will be provided to the committee.
10. Public Comments [2:57:48 – 2:59:00]
Storer requested confirmation that the all the changes to procedures initiated by
the Graduate Faculty Council were accepted by the senate as given in the CPC report.
This was affirmed by Waddell.
11. Adjournment.
Mullin moved to adjourn. Wanless seconded. President Waddell adjourned the meeting at 8:29 p.m.
Respectfully submitted
by Marty Thompson
Secretary of the University Senate