A regular meeting of the Urbana-Champaign Senate was called to order at 3:10 p.m., in Illini Union Room C with Chancellor Michael Aiken presiding.

APPROVAL OF MINUTES

02/12/01-01 The minutes of the November 27, 2000, Senate meeting were approved as written.

SENATE COUNCIL REPORT

Senator Robert Rich (LAW), Chair of Senate Council, announced that floor privileges have been requested for the following individuals, and he moved (without objection) that such privileges be granted, to speak to:
- EP.01.04, Professors Eugene Willis and Ira Solomon, Head and Associate Head, respectively, of the Dept. of Accountancy,
- SP.01.05, Jenny Barrett, Senior Research Programmer, Dept. of Psychology

Rich noted there are three items at the door today: 1) an addendum to CC.01.08, 2) a motion to substitute language for SP.96.03, the proposed Bylaws amendment regarding the Research Policy Committee, and 3) a request from graduate student senator Jason Lee that faculty senators submit names of graduate students who may be interested in serving in the senate next year.

The Chancellor search committee will begin interviewing semi-finalists this month, with an eye toward bringing the names of 4 to 6 unranked finalists to the President and Board of Trustees in March or April. Professor Thomas Ulen, search committee Chair, will provide the Senate with an update at the March 19 meeting.

Rich reported to the Senate about the work of the Senate Council ad hoc committee (O'Brien committee - see XNO.01.01 on today's agenda) which has been reviewing the report of the Fifth Senate Review Commission. Among other things, this ad hoc group has recommended a Senate "orientation" schedule to be conducted in conjunction with the spring organizational meeting.

Rich announced that the following senators have agreed to serve as tellers: Richard Merritt (COMM), Wade Ackerman (LAS), and David Sansone (LAS).

CHANCELLOR'S REMARKS

Chancellor Aiken reported on the South Campus Master Plan, which includes work on Phases I and II of the Research Park (with perhaps other Phases to come), additional space for IMPE, and possibly a golf course. He invited campus committees to provide input into this process before the end of the semester.

The Chancellor reported on the recently completed Chancellor's Conference, which focused on the challenges of public service in today's land-grant university. Guest speakers included President Graham Spanier of Pennsylvania State University, Mr. Erich Bloch, former director of the National Science Foundation, President Mary Sue Coleman of the University of Iowa, and local representatives from the Illinois General Assembly, Leal School, and the Illinois Farm Bureau.

The Chancellor then turned the podium over to Associate Provost and Campus Chief Information Officer (CIO) Peter Siegel.

Siegel explained that his office coordinates information technology (IT) activities for the campus. He described his advisory committee structure and personnel, and he encouraged interested parties to visit his website and/or contact his office for further information.

QUESTIONS/DISCUSSION

There were none.

CONSENT AGENDA

The Chancellor announced that, absent the objections of any senator, the one (1) proposal under this moniker was approved by unanimous consent.

02/12/01-02 EP.01.04*, Proposal for a Post-Baccalaureate Certificate in Accountancy Program.

PROPOSALS FOR ACTION

02/12/01-03 The Chancellor presented CC.01.08*, Nominations for Membership on Standing Committees of the Senate, and its addendum distributed at the door. There were no floor nominations and nominations were declared closed.

02/12/01-04 By voice vote, the nominations were approved.

02/12/01-05 Chancellor Aiken presented CC.01.09*, Nominations for Membership on New Committee on Information Technology. Senator Wade Ackerman (LAS) nominated Senator Fran Marcucci (LAS) for the listed student vacancy on the Committee; Marcucci declared herself willing to serve. There were no other floor nominations and nominations were declared closed.

02/12/01-06 By voice vote, the slate of nominees was approved.

02/12/01-07 The Chancellor presented CC.01.10*, Nominations for Membership on the Athletic Board. Senator Karen Chapman-Novakofski (ACES), Chair of the Committee on Committees, explained that her committee met a half-dozen times to discuss these nominations. They received 30 faculty nominations which were whittled down to 14 when willingness to serve was confirmed. The criteria and experience the committee was looking for to help select its nominees included leadership, research, and Big Ten management qualities.

Senator Thomas Anderson (EDUC) asked what her committee thought was the most important criteria of those mentioned. Chapman-Novakofski replied that each was important and collectively they identified who would best be able to manage the complexity of issues considered by the Athletic Board.

Senator Jason Lee (GRAD) nominated Senator Craig Coady (LAS) for the student position on the Board; Coady stated his willingness to serve. There were no other floor nominations and nominations were declared closed.

02/12/01-08 By voice vote, the faculty nominations were approved.

Tellers distributed ballots for the student nominations and reported the following totals: Leslie Ackerman - 50, Craig Coady - 43, Amanda Vinicky - 65.

02/12/01-09 The student nominations of Ackerman and Vinicky were approved.

PROPOSED REVISIONS TO THE UNIVERSITY STATUTES

02/12/01-10 The Chancellor presented for action and second reading SP.00.08*, Revisions to Statutes, Article V, Section 2, Graduate Colleges - Campus Research Board; Article XII, Research and Publication. This proposal originated when the positions of Vice-Chancellor for Research and Dean of the Graduate College were separated and are now held by 2 different individuals. Provisions of SP.00.08 would shift the reporting line of the Campus Research Board from the Graduate College to the campus level (i.e., Chancellor and Vice-Chancellor for Research).

Senator Stephen Kaufman (MED) asked how this change will affect the functioning of the campus Research Board, adding that the Board seems to work just fine as it is. Fossum pointed out the functioning of the Board will be unaffected by this change, but Senate input will be introduced into this process. Senator Walter Klemperer (LAS) perceived this statutory amendment as a change in oversight of the Research Board from an academic unit to an administrative one; he urged a vote against this proposal.

Senator Peter Loeb (LAS) believed that the Graduate College Executive Committee (GCEC) has served the campus well as an oversight body to the Research Board and he saw no reason to alter that arrangement. Senator R. Linn Belford (LAS) disagreed, stating that the GCEC should focus on graduate education and not research dollars; he also proposed a "friendly" amendment on line 29 to insert "other", to wit, "(3) advising the chancellor and the vice chancellor responsible for research on any 'other' matters…". Fossum accepted the amendment on behalf of his committee.

02/12/01-11 By show of hands (50-46), SP.00.08 was approved, as amended.

02/12/01-12 Chancellor Aiken presented for action and second reading SP.01.05*, Amendments to the Statutes, Article IX, Section 10 - Nonreappointment of Academic Professional Staff. This proposal would extend notice of nonreappointment rights for academic professional staff to those whose appointments are at 50% or more FTE (current statutory language entitles only full-time staff to such notice).

Senator Ted Hymowitz (ACES) asked why academic professional positions that are grant-funded carry different minimum notices of nonreappointment (2 months for service less than 4 years; 6 months for over 4 years) than those related to coaching athletics (3 mos and 6 mos., respectively).

Due to a member of the assembly requiring medical attention, the meeting was adjourned at 4:40 p.m. The Senate agreed to consider the remaining agenda items at its March 19 meeting.

Robert C. Damrau, Senate Clerk
*Filed with the Senate Clerk and incorporated by reference in these Minutes.