Minutes Senate Meeting 10 March 2004

Minutes of the University Senate Meeting March 10, 2004

Present: L. Bowditch, G. Epps, S. Eyster, L. Freinkel, F. Gearhart, P. Gilkey, J. Harding, J. Hurwit, K. Kennedy, P. Keyes, C. Lachman, L. Lindstrom, S. Lockfield, E. Luks, W.A. Marcus, A. McLucas, K. McPherson, G. Psaki, L. Robare, M. Russo, G. Sayre, M. Shirzadegan, E. Singer, D. Sinha, N. Tublitz , J. Wagenknecht, L. Wellman, M. Wilson, M. Woollacott
Excused: H. Alley, C. Bybee, S. Haynes, C. McNelly, D. Pope, M. Raymer, K. Sheehan, C. Sundt
Absent: L. Alpert, A. Berenstein, F. Cogan, C. Ellis, R. Graff, M. Holland, B. Larson, P. Scher, B. Shively, L. Skalnes, B. Strawn

CALL TO ORDER

Senate President Lowell Bowditch called the regular meeting of the University Senate to order in room 100 Willamette at 3:05 p.m.

APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES

Minutes of the February 11, 2004 meeting were approved as distributed.

STATE OF THE UNIVERSITY

Vice President for Academic Affairs Lorraine Davis began her remarks with a progress report on the university's Comprehensive Campaign. A $10 million dollar lead gift was formally announced that will be used to build a new HEDCO College of Education building. In addition, gifts have been donated ($1 million dollars or more) for an endowed professorship in Shakespeare and for a student scholarship in Art History. She extended her thanks to the donors for their generosity in providing these exciting gifts.

Report on State Board of Higher Education ?Lorraine Davis, Vice President for Academic Affairs. Along with the recent major reappointments to the State Board of Higher Education a revamping process has occurred. She noted that professor Geri Richmond, chemistry, was reappointed and is the board's vice chairwoman. (For information on current board members, see http://www.ous.edu/sb_board.htm.) This new board is acting quickly in keeping with the governor's expressed intention of a re-emphasis on higher education throughout the state. A series of board working groups have been developed and are charged with preparing a report for state board review by the June meeting. The working groups are as follows:

(1) Executive Chancellor's Office Review Committee. This committee reviews the overall functions of the Oregon University System and the Chancellor's office. A charge to the State Board was to make budget reductions first at the administrative level in order to protect campus funding.
(2) Finance, Budget, Audit, Personnel and Real Estate Committee. This committee's charge is self-explanatory.
(3) Academic Excellence/Economic Development Working Group. This group's mission is to identify and gain support for approximately two to five economic development initiatives that build on academic excellence within post-secondary institutions (including community colleges).
(4) Access and Affordability Working Group. To adhere to the governor's priorities related to higher education access, this working group is focusing on how the state of Oregon can be sure that every otherwise qualified Oregonian has the opportunity to attend a college or university.
(5) Excellence in Delivery and Productivity. This group is looking at education's transferability and the core curriculum, sometimes referred to as the "more, better, faster" committee. There is worry among some administrators that the focus will be on "faster" without regard to the quality of education.

Each working group is fully staffed and up and running. UO faculty are involved in each group at some level and status reports of each working group are given at the weekly meetings of the President's Small Executive Staff. Vice President Davis noted that at some point it may be necessary to request representation and/or participation from faculty groups in this process.

STANDING COMMITTEE REPORTS

Preliminary Winter 2004 Curriculum Report. Mr. Paul Engelking, chair of the Committee on Courses, noted there were a number of changes to the preliminary curriculum report as distributed prior to the meeting. Accordingly, those changes are noted as follows:

1. On first page second paragraph the dates were changed from 2004-2005 to 2005-2006.

2. Paragraphs were added to the Looking Ahead section of the report and will appear on the 2nd page.

The minimal requirements for general education status of a course are regarded as necessary, but not always sufficient, for inclusion of a course as part of a comprehensive general education program at the University.

Group satisfying courses are intended to provide students with a cohesive general-education program. Proposals for group satisfying status of a course should explain how the course enhances general education at the University, explicitly stating how the course would compliment other group satisfying courses, and which other courses would be especially suitable for students to take in accompaniment. Approved on March 10, 2004.

The minimal requirements for multicultural status of a course are regarded as sufficient for inclusion of a course as part of the multicultural course requirements.

Any course that might appear to satisfy the university multicultural requirements, either by title, description, or content, is carefully examined to see if it should be listed as a multicultural course. If a course might appear on its face eligible for multicultural status, the committee needs clear explanation of why the course does,--or does not--, satisfy multicultural course guidelines. Arbitrary exclusion of courses from the list of multicultural satisfying courses can engender student confusion, or cynicism. Approved on March 10, 2004.

The UO Committee on Courses has established the policy that the phrase "or instructor's consent" will no longer be stated along with any other course prerequisites. The prerequisites of any course can be overridden by instructor's consent, and need not be stated explicitly for individual courses. Academic departments are able to override any prerequisite requirements in Banner should a student qualify to enroll.

"Instructor's consent" is reserved for use alone as a sole prerequisite to allow departments to monitor suitability of enrollment in courses for individual students, preventing enrollment without prior approval. Academic departments should be aware they need to assume enrollment management, and must enroll each student individually, with this option. Approved on March 10, 2004.

3. The following three courses were moved from the denied section of the report back into the body of the report because they received approval for new course numbers. They were given new 600 level course numbers; the description was added, and "prereq: instructor consent" was added. (CAS) Chemistry courses.

Formerly listed in denied section with course numbers CH 434/534 (Subject previously taught as CH 410/510 in Summer 2003) CH 657 Organometallics in Organic Synthesis (4) Graded only. Fundamental concepts in organometallic structure and bonding. Organometallic reaction mechanisms. Organometallic reactions in organic synthesis. Prereq: instructors consent.

Formerly listed in denied section with course numbers CH 435/535 (Subject previously taught as CH 410/510 in Summer 2003) CH 658 Synthetic Organic Reactions (4) Graded only. Each day starts with lecture followed by a structured laboratory exercise to perform examples of the reaction. Different reaction each day. Prereq: instructors consent.

Formerly listed in denied section with course numbers CH 436/536 (Subject previously taught as CH 410/510 in Summer 2003) CH 659 Advanced Synthesis Laboratory (4) Graded only. Multi-step syntheses of diverse target molecules. Prereq: instructors consent.

4. The following six courses had "Prereq: instructors consent" added back to the end of the description. (CAS) Chemistry courses.

CH 667 Polymers: Synthesis, Characterization, Processing (4) Graded only.

CH 668 Physical Chemistry of Polymers and Coatings (4) Graded only.

CH 669 Polymer Synthesis and Characterization Laboratory (4) Graded only.

CH 677 Semiconductor Device Physics (4) Graded only.

CH 678 Semiconductor Processing and Characterization Techniques (4) Graded only.

CH 679 Device Processing and Characterization Laboratory (4) Graded only.

5. The word "College" was added to the title of the three following courses. (CAS) Dean's Office courses.

CAS 210 Humanities College Scholars Circle (1R) P/NP only

CAS 220 Sciences College Scholars Circle (1R) P/NP only.

CAS 230 Social Sciences College Scholars Circle (1R) P/NP only

6. The following course had "Course approved. Pending request to satisfy American Cultures multi-cultural requirement." added to the end of the description. (CAS) Geography course.

GEOG 208 Geography of U.S. and Canada (4)

7. There was a typo in the course number for this course. It read LT 456/546 and should read LT 446/546. (CAS) Linguistics course.

(Previously taught at LING 456/556)

LT 446/546 Language Teaching Practice (4)

8. LT prefix was added to prerequisite description to the following courses. Previously it appeared all prereqs had a LING prefix. (CAS) Linguistics courses.

LT 448/548 Curriculum and Materials Development (4) [Graded only for majors] Introduction to the elements of curriculum design and related materials development. Rational basis for the development and implementation of language curriculum. Practical application. Prerequisite: LING 440/540, LT 445/545, LT 446/546

LT 449/549 Testing and Assessment (4) [Graded only for majors] Principles and types of language testing, particularly classroom testing. Test design and integration into curriculum. Test planning for purpose, age group and teaching situation. Prerequisite: LING 4/540, LT 4/545, LT 4/546, LT 4/548 or equivalent.

9. The statement "Approved to satisfy Group 1, Arts & Letters requirements" was changed to the following (in italics below) School of Architecture and Allied Arts & Landscape Architecture course.

(Subject previously taught as LA 4/585) LA 375 Contemporary American Landscapes (4) Evolution of the Contemporary American Landscape as an expression of American culture. Course approved. Pending Group 1, Arts & Letters requirements.

Lexy Wellman, CAS-Dean's office, asked if the "LT" prefix was new, to which Mr. Engelking replied that it was. With no further discussion, the Winter 2004 Currirulum Report was put to a vote and passed unanimously. (See Final Version of the Winter 2004 Curriculum Report at http://darkwing.uoregon.edu/~uosenate/dirsen034/CurRptW04Fin.html.)

Senate Ad Hoc Committee on Student Records. Senator Peter Gilkey, committee chairman, reported that a draft policy statement regarding the privacy of Student Records has been distributed. The committee will be meeting March 11, 2004 in Johnson Hall to discuss the draft. Senator Gilkey gave notice of motion advising that the intention is to have the policy statement finalized by the April senate meeting. Senate President Bowditch followed Senator Gilkey's comments by thanking the committee members, and noting in particular Senator Epps, law, for drafting the changes to the student records policy.

ANNOUNCEMENTS AND COMMUNICATIONS FROM THE FLOOR

Senator Jesse Harding, ASUO and co-chair of the Student Conduct Code Committee, advised that revised portions of the Student Conduct Code will be submitted for senate action at the April meeting. The proposed changes include a revised mission statement, jurisdiction statement, and power of authority section. A question and answer period will be set up during the first two weeks of spring term. Please refer any questions or comments to Jesse Harding. Senator Gilkey, mathematics, who also serves as president of the Interinstitutional Faculty Senate (IFS), announced that the IFS has been attending the "more, better, faster" working group referred to earlier in the meeting; meeting summaries for review are posted on the web at http://darkwing.uoregon.edu/~ifs/dir04/dirMBF/MBF.html.

Senator Gilkey further announced that Denise Yunker, benefits officer in the OUS chancellor's office, met with the IFS last week regarding Measure 29 retirement contribution rate corrections. This issue is currently in the Attorney General's office for solution. In addition, a letter to Chancellor Jarvis regarding the ORSRP rate is posted on the IFS website (see http://darkwing.uoregon.edu/~ifs/ORP.html). Senator Gilkey noted that the rates information affects new faculty members at the university. And lastly, Senator Gilkey informed the senate that there is an issue relating to unpaid leave, which is being addressed with a lawsuit filed against OUS by the Association of Oregon Faculties.

With a final announcement, the secretary reminded senators that University Senate meetings for spring term will be held in 182 Lillis.

NEW BUSINESS

Notice of Motion on Reduction of Credit Hours Needed to Fulfill Group requirements. President Bowditch indicated that she had received a notice of motion, submitted on behalf of the Undergraduate Council, whose purpose is to reduce credit hours needed to fulfill undergraduate group satisfying requirement from 16 credits to 15 credits for each undergraduate requirement group. This motion speaks to the problem of articulation between the community colleges and the University of Oregon. Currently, transfer students are arriving with five 3-credit courses, totaling 15 of the 16 credits the UO requires to satisfy group requirements, and thus must take a sixth course to meet the requirements met by UO undergraduates taking four UO courses. Questions regarding this motion can be referred to the Undergraduate Council for response. (For full text of the motion and background information, see http://darkwing.uoregon.edu/~uosenate/dirsen034/US034-7.html.)

Notice of Motion to Petition the Oregon Congressional Delegation about the USA Patriot Act. President Bowditch also reported that she received notice of a resolution from Gordon Lafer, LERC, for the University Senate to petition the Oregon Congressional Delegation to seek relief, through revisions of the USA Patriot Act and other related laws, from the invasive and chilling effect such provisions have imposed on the university community. See final text of the resolution at http://darkwing.uoregon.edu/~uosenate/dirsen034/US034-6a.html.

Both motions are scheduled for discussion and debate during the April 14th senate meeting.

ADJOURNMENT

With no other business at hand, President Bowditch reminded everyone that following adjournment of the senate meeting, a panel discussion titled Academic Freedom and the Patriot Act was scheduled to begin at 4:00 p.m. in the same room. The meeting was adjourned at 3:41 p.m.

Gwen Steigelman Secretary

Web page spun on 12 April 2004 by Peter B Gilkey 202 Deady Hall, Department of Mathematics at the University of Oregon, Eugene OR 97403-1222, U.S.A. Phone 1-541-346-4717 Email:peter.gilkey.cc.67@aya.yale.edu of Deady Spider Enterprises