University Senate

Meeting 564 Minutes

The University Senate
of Michigan Technological University 

Minutes of Meeting 564
April 15, 2015

PDF version of Minutes 564

Senate minutes are time-indexed [in square brackets] to the relevant segments of the streaming video of the meeting.

Synopsis:
The Senate

  • Proposal 44-15 “Proposal for a New Bachelor’s of Science Degree in Natural Resources Management” passed

  • Proposal 27-15: "Fixed vs. Variable Compensation for Senate Officers and Senate President as Financial Manager of the Senate's Budget" passed

  • Revised version of Proposal 16-15: “Annual Community Feedback to the University Leadership” passed

  • Proposal 33-15 “Academic Calendar for 2016-2017 and Provisional Calendar for 2017-18” passed

  • Proposal 34-15 “Restructuring the Benefits Liaison Group” passed

  • Proposal 35-15 “Modify the Definition of the Term ‘Adjunct’ Faculty” passed

  • Proposal 36-15 “Definition of ‘Affiliated’ Faculty Appointments” passed

  • Proposal 37-15 “Revision of Graduate School Policy Regarding External Members of Graduate Committees” passed

  • Proposal 38-15 “Policy on Accommodated Examinations” passed

  • Proposal 39-15 “Amending Senate Policy 602.1: Final Exam Policy” passed

  • Proposal 40-15 “Amending Senate Policy 312.1: Syllabus Requirement for All Courses at Michigan Technological University” passed

  • Proposal 41-15 “Modify the University’s Defined Contribution Retirement Benefit” passed

  • Proposal 42-15 “Minors in Degree Programs” passed

  • Proposal 43-15 “Undergraduate Certificates” passed

  • Proposal 32-15 "Establishment of a Library Liaisons and a Library Advisory Committee" passed

 

1. Call to order and roll call. [1:13:00 – 1:14:36]
President Craig Waddell called the University Senate Meeting 564 to order at 7:00 p.m. on Wednesday, April 15, 2015. The Senate Secretary Marty Thompson called roll. Absent were Senators Caneba, Stancher and Cadwell and representatives of Army/Air Force ROTC, Electrical & Computer Engineering, Materials Science & Engineering, School of Technology, Social Sciences, Academic Services A, Academic Services B, Academic Services C, Finance, 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).

3. Approval of agenda. [1:14:37 – 1:25:00]
Barkdoll moved to strike Item 7.a. Wood seconded. The amendment passed unanimously.

Wood moved to approve. Wanless seconded.

Froese moved to reorder Proposal 44-15 to item a. Mullins seconded. The amendment passed unanimously.

Snyder moved to vote on all academic proposals listed between Proposals 35-15 to 43-15 to a common consent calendar to be acted on with a single vote. Wood seconded. Barkdoll amended the motion to separate Proposal 42-15 because it will be amended. Mullins seconded. The amendment passed unanimously. The motion passed by a majority vote.

The amended agenda passed by a majority vote.                                                                                                                                          

4. Approval of minutes from Meeting 562. [1:25:01 – 1:27:00]
Mullins moved to approve. Barkdoll seconded. Seel added a point of information on Item 5.c. Wood stated his presence at the meeting. The amended minutes passed unanimously on a voice vote. 

5. President’s Report [1:27:01 – 1:28:24]
Waddell presented thanked all senators and alternates for their service this past academic year, especially those who will not be returning. He presented Provost and V.P. of Academic Affairs Max Seel with a Perfect Attendance Award. 

6. Reports from Senate Standing Committees   [1:28:25 – 1:47:44]

Academic and Instructional Policy Committee. None. 

Administrative Policy Committee. None. 

Curricular Policy Committee. None. 

Elections Committee.
a. Riehl announced the results of three online elections.
Faculty-at-Large Senators: Aurenice Oliveira, Yu Cai, Chunming Gao, Qing-Hui Chen
Faculty Distinguished Service Award Committee: Diane Schoos
Faculty Review Committee: Chunming Gao 

b. Riehl conducted elections requiring a vote by senators. Persons elected are shown.Academic Integrity Committee: Chunming Gao, L. Syd Johnson
Conflict of Interest Committee: Lori Weir (3 year term), Dave Chard (1 year term)
Misconduct in Research, Scholarly and Creative Endeavors Inquiry Committee: Paul Charlesworth 

c. Riehl conducted elections for nominees that will be sent forward for selection by the University President. Persons elected are shown.
Athletic Council: John Gierke
MTEC Board: Tom Merz
Sabbatical Leave Committee: Robert Froese, Ralph Hodek 

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. Froese said they are reviewing the survey results from Research and Sponsored Programs. The committee is preparing a report and are discussing university insurance issues.

7. Unfinished Business [1:47:45 – 3:11:20] 

a. Proposal 44-15 “Proposal for a New Bachelor’s of Science Degree in Natural Resources Management”
Barkdoll moved to approve. Discussion. The proposal passed with a majority vote. 

b. Proposal 27-15: "Fixed vs. Variable Compensation for Senate Officers and Senate President as Financial Manager of the Senate's Budget"
Waddell moved the proposal which comes from the senate executive committee.

Mullins moved to postpone until next meeting. Snyder seconded. Discussion. The motion was rejected by majority vote. 

Snyder moved we refer the proposal to the appropriate committee. Vable seconded. The motion passed by majority vote.

The proposal will be sent to the appropriate committee. 

c. Revised version of Proposal 16-15: “Annual Community Feedback to the University Leadership”
Vable moved to approve the proposal which comes from the Administrative Policy Committee.

Weir moved to send the proposal back to committee. Froese seconded. Discussion. The senate vote was tied. Waddell broke the tie. The motion passed by majority vote.

The proposal will be sent back to committee. 

d. Proposal 33-15 “Academic Calendar for 2016-2017 and Provisional Calendar for 2017-18”
Snyder moved to approve. Mullins seconded.

Barkdoll moved to end discussion. The motion passed.

The proposal passed by majority vote. 

e. Proposal 34-15 “Restructuring the Benefits Liaison Group”
Waddell moved to send the proposal which comes from the senate executive committee, back to committee. Discussion. The motion passed by majority vote.

The proposal will be sent back to committee. 

f. Proposal 41-15 “Modify the University’s Defined Contribution Retirement Benefit”
Mullins moved to approve the proposal which comes from the Finance Committee. Discussion. The proposal passed by majority vote. 

g. Proposal 43-15 “Undergraduate Certificates”
Barkdoll moved to approve the amended proposal which comes from the Curricular Policy Committee. The proposal passed by majority vote. 

h. Proposal 35-15 “Modify the Definition of the Term ‘Adjunct’ Faculty”, Proposal 36-15 “Definition of ‘Affiliated’ Faculty Appointments”, Proposal 37-15 “Revision of Graduate School Policy Regarding External Members of Graduate Committees”, Proposal 38-15 “Policy on Accommodated Examinations”, Proposal 39-15 “Amending Senate Policy 602.1: Final Exam Policy”, Proposal 40-15 “Amending Senate Policy 312.1: Syllabus Requirement for All Courses at Michigan Technological University” and Proposal 42-15 “Minors in Degree Programs”

Barkdoll moved to approve the group of proposals which come from the Curricular Policy Committee. Discussion.

Mullins moved to permit non-members to speak. Plummer seconded. The motion passed unanimously.

Discussion. 

Froese moved to amend Proposal 40-15 to state “citation as given or web reference to equivalent university policy”. Mullins seconded. The motion to amend Proposal 40-15 passed. 

Brown moved to separate proposals 35-37, 38-40, 42-15 into three groups. Hungwe seconded. The move to separate the proposals passed. 

Proposal 35-15, 36-15 and 37-15 passed by majority vote. 

Proposal 38-15, 39-15, 40-15 as amended passed by majority vote. 

Proposal 42-15 passed by majority vote. 

8. Public Comments [3:11:21 – 3:13:00]
Mullins thanked Waddell for his service as senate president. Waddell thanked all the committees for their hard work. 

9. Adjournment
Wanless moved to adjourn. Barkdoll seconded. President Waddell adjourned the meeting at 8:59 p.m. 

 

Respectfully submitted
by Marty Thompson
Secretary of the University Senate