The University Senate
of Michigan Technological University
Minutes of Meeting 575
March 2, 2016
PDF version of Minutes 575
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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Richelle Winkler, Associate Professor, Social Sciences, gave a presentation on recycling
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Jean-Celeste Kampe, Associate Provost gave a presentation on General Education and Assessment
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Proposal 16-16: Proposal for Amendment to Search Procedures for Department Chairs and School Deans: Interim Candidate Ineligibility for Permanent Position was rejected
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Motion on Approving the Survey Instrument for the Senate Self-Evaluation passed
1. Call to order and roll call. [00:00 – 02:34]
President Brian Barkdoll called the University Senate Meeting 575 to order at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday, March 2, 2016. The Senate Secretary Marty Thompson called roll. Absent were Senators Schmierer, Mensch and Stancher and representatives of Army/Air Force ROTC, Geological and Mining Engineering and Sciences, Materials Science and Engineering, Academic Services C, Auxiliaries, Student Affairs and Advancement A, Student Affairs and Advancement C, Staff Council and Undergraduate Student Government.
2. Recognition of visitors. Guests included Theresa Coleman-Kaiser (Administration), Richelle Winkler (Social Sciences) and Jean Kampe (Provosts Office).
3. Approval of agenda. [02:35 – 03:03]
Hamlin moved to approve the agenda. Guter seconded. The agenda passed unanimously on a voice vote.
4. Approval of minutes from Meeting 574. [03:04 – 03:31]
Guter moved to approve. Clancy seconded. The minutes passed unanimously on a voice vote.
5. Presentations [03:32 – 1:00:50]
a. “Recycling” presented by Richelle Winkler, Associate Professor, Social Sciences [03:32 – 29:58]
Winkler summarized the key points of a student-led report examining recycling on campus and in the surrounding communities. LINK to SLIDES Copy of Report Discussion.
b. “Gen Ed and Assessment” presented by Jean-Celeste Kampe, Associate Provost [29:59 – 1:00:50]
Kampe provided a current profile of the status of general education and assessment at Michigan Tech. LINK to SLIDES Discussion.
6. President’s Report [1:00:51 – 1:08:45]
a. Administrative responses to senate approved proposals:
Proposals 12-16, 13-16, 14-16 and 15-16 were approved.
Proposal 9-16: Reducing Deductibles and Out of Pocket Maximums on Michigan Tech’s Healthcare-Insurance Plans was rejected by the administration on 02/18/2016.
b. Forum on Fringe Benefits will be held on April 5 from 12pm to 3pm in Dow 642.
c. Survey of the university president ends this Friday 3/4/2016.
d. The elections Committee needs a new chair. Lori Weir will be replaced by Sean Clancey as chair.
e. Nominations for senate members on the evaluation committee for the dean of College of Sciences and Arts sought. Katie Cooper and Saeid Nooshabadi accepted nominations and were approved.
f. Board of Trustees meeting report. Primary issue of interest was inclusion and the next most important issue is assessment.
7. Reports from Senate Standing Committees [1:08:46 – 1:27:30]
Academic and Instructional Policy Committee. Plummer reminded everyone to inform their constituents that exams cannot be given during the career fair. He said the committee has multiple issues under consideration, including; end of term evaluations and inclusion. Plummer noted that senate involvement on the diversity council would benefit the entire campus community because few people actually know of the many ongoing efforts to promote inclusion.
Administrative Policy Committee. None.
Curricular Policy Committee. Oliveira listed a series of proposals the committee is working on including; program shelving, minors, a doctoral program in physics and residency requirements for graduation.
Elections Committee. None.
Finance & Institutional Planning Committee. None.
Fringe Benefits Committee. Waddell discussed the benefits proposals (Link to email from Craig, past few years worth of benefits proposals) rejected by the administration over the past three years. The committee recommends the senate appeal this to the Board of Trustees.
General Education and Assessment Committee. None.
Information Technology Committee. None.
Professional Staff Policy Committee. None.
Research Policy Committee. Kerfoot said the committee is working on resolving the problems that have arisen due to rising journal costs and how Tech can respond to these changes in the long term.
8. Unfinished Business [1:27:31 – 2:00:38]
a. Proposal 16-16: Proposal for Amendment to Search Procedures for Department Chairs and School Deans: Interim Candidate Ineligibility for Permanent Position
Nooshabadi, Administrative Policy Committee, notes the committee recommends rejecting this proposal. Nooshabadi moved. No second. Discussion. The proposal rejected by majority vote.
b. Motion on Approving the Survey Instrument for the Senate Self-Evaluation
Nooshabadi, Administrative Policy Committee, moved to approve. No second. No discussion. The proposal passed by unanimous vote.
c. Sense of the Senate Resolution for Supporting Communication in the Gen Ed and Assessment Process
Hungwe, General Education and Assessment Committee, noted key areas of discussion, such as; the appointment period for liaisons and the rationale for a sense of senate resolution versus a proposal. Content changes in title and liaison appointment period. He moved to approve. Discussion.
Nooshabadi moved to make this Sense of the Senate a senate proposal. Froese seconded. Discussion.
Froese calls the question. The motion passed by unanimous vote.
Hamlin moved to send the proposal back to the committee. Froese seconded. The motion passed by unanimous vote.
9. New Business [2:00:39 – 2:25:30]
a. Proposal 18-16: Proposal to Shelve a Certificate: Undergraduate Certificate in Global Technological Leadership, Proposal 19-16: Proposal for a Minor in Writing, Proposal 20-16: Proposal for a Minor in Media Production, Proposal 21-16: Proposal for a Minor in Global Community Development Partnership
Introduced by Barkdoll on behalf of the Curricular Policy Committee. Discussion.
b. Proposal 22-16: Proposal to Amend Senate Policy 505.1 Policy on Early Term Surveys
Plummer, chair of the Academic and Instructional Policy Committee introduced this proposal to increase the feedback and communication between students and faculty. The faculty feel the early term survey is a more effective method for addressing classroom inclusion than end of term surveys because it allows for a dialog to clear confusion and immediately address and correct concerns. Addressing issues in the course of the class allows students to see change based on their feedback where any changes based on end of term surveys are likely invisible to students. Discussion.
c. Proposal 23-16: Proposal to Move to a University Parental Leave Policy
Samuel Sweitz, Fringe Benefits Committee, presented this proposal designed to support employees as they balance career, childbirth, and family obligations. This proposal would extend the current policy concerning paid time off after the birth or adoption of a child to both parents regardless of gender; reflecting the need to support all members of the Michigan Tech community as we build a family-friendly campus that will aid in recruitment and retention, while promoting increased employee performance and job satisfaction. Discussion.
d. Froese, chair of the ad hoc committee to review the senate constitution, moved to add Kelly Kallio as a member. Wanless seconded. The motion passed by unanimous vote.
10. Public Comments
None.
11. Adjournment
President Barkdoll adjourned the meeting at 7:56 p.m.
Respectfully submitted
by Marty Thompson
Secretary of the University Senate