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GP.04.03
April 26, 2004

UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS
URBANA-CHAMPAIGN SENATE

Committee on General University Policy

GP.04.03 Annual Report for 2003-2004
(final- Information)

The Senate General University Policy Committee (GUP) is responsible for studying, reporting and making recommendations to the Senate concerning general University policy in broad terms. The following report summarizes the activities of GUP during the 2003-2004 academic year. GUP met eight times (September 10, October 22, November 19, January 21, February 18, March 10, April 7, and April 21).

A. Items that were completed by the committee:
GP.01.06 Evaluation of Ability to Work Policy
GUP worked with the Committee on Academic Freedom and Tenure last spring and reached agreement on approval of the policy. Since this was not done in time for it to be sent to the Senate for approval last spring, the Senate Executive Committee approved the policy on behalf of the Senate in July with the identical language approved by the other two campus Senates. While the policy then appeared to be ready for adoption, University Legal Counsel was asked to review it, and expressed certain concerns about the scope of the policy.

Restrictions of that scope were suggested, and were sent back to the campuses with a request that they be reviewed for their acceptability. SEC referred the matter back to GUP, which considered the revisions to be acceptable and to require no further Senate action, and recommended that they be presented as such to the Senate as an informational item, in the hope and expectation that all three Senates will concur in the revised language, and that the matter will at long last be settled.

GP.04.01 Resolution on the Selection of Higher Administrative Officers
GUP developed a resolution calling for the involvement of consultative committees similar to those that have been used in recent presidential and chancellorial searches in any such searches that may be conducted at this time or in the future.

This resolution was developed prior to the announcement of President Stukel’s decision to retire from the University Presidency, and of Chancellor Cantor’s decision to resign her office, but became applicable soon thereafter. It was adopted by the University Senates Conference immediately upon the former announcement, and was endorsed by the Senate Executive Committee, which joined with GUP in submitting it to the Senate for adoption. It was adopted by the Senate at its February meeting.

B. Items that are under continuing consideration:

GP.03.02 Non-Tenure-Track Faculty Policy
GUP had some discussion of this issue previously, and discussed it further early in the year, but decided to wait to take it up again until seeing what the Senate University Statutes and Senate Procedures Committee (USSP) would propose along these lines. GUP anticipates coordinating with USSP in developing a proposal to bring to the Senate during the coming academic year.

GP.03.06 Review of University Administrative Structure
GUP had a number of discussions relating to concerns about changes in administrative structures in the University and on the campus that might be made in consequence of mandated administrative budget reductions or for other reasons that could have little to do with what would be in the best interests of the campus. It intends to remain attentive to any such moves that might be made.

GP.04.02 Proposed Guidelines for Review of Units
GUP has taken up the question of whether there ought to be a campus policy with respect to the review of academic departments and other campus units that function in the manner of departments. This question had been raised some years ago, but had been set aside while the issue of faculty review policy was addressed. A proposal to adopt a policy along the lines of the report of a committee appointed by Provost Herman and chaired by Leigh Estabrook in 1999 has been developed, and is expected to be presented to the Senate later this spring or next fall.

C. Items that are being monitored by the committee:
GP.01.01 UI-Integrate (UI 2)
GP.02.01 UIUCnet Funding Plan



General University Policy
Richard Schacht, Chair
R. Linn Belford
Clifton Brown
George Gross
Carol Livingstone
Alex Longan
Mark Nattier
Joanne Vining
David Swanson, Ex officio