A regular meeting of the Urbana-Champaign Senate was called to order at 3:10 p.m. in Foellinger Auditorium with Provost Richard Herman presiding in the absence of Chancellor Michael Aiken.

APPROVAL OF MINUTES

04/23/01-01 Minutes of the March 19, 2001, Senate meeting were approved as written.

SENATE COUNCIL REPORT

Senator Robert Rich (LAW), Chair of Senate Council, drew the Senate's attention to a statutory revision on today's agenda under Old Business-SP.00.08 - which was approved by the Urbana-Champaign Senate on February 12. There was apparently some confusion at the time of the vote, however, so a motion for reconsideration of this item is expected to be made.

Rich reported that the Senate Committee on Honorary Degrees has requested that the Executive Session scheduled at the end of today's agenda be removed.

Rich announced that floor privileges have been requested for the following individuals, and he moved (without objection) that such privileges be granted, to speak to:

- LB.01.03, Members of the Library Allocations Steering Committee (LASC): Professors Bettina Francis, Ed Kolodziej, Alex Scheeline and Tom Ward
- SC.01.14/EQ.01.01, Jenny Barrett, Senior Research Programmer, Dept. of Psychology, and Lydia Khuri, Clinical Counselor, Counseling Center
- EP.01.19, Professor David Ruzic, Chair of the UI-Integrate Faculty Advisory Committee
- AB.01.01, Professor Larry DeBrock, Chair of the Athletic Board's Academic Progress and Eligibility Committee (APEC) and Sally Ross, Assistant Athletic Director for Academic Services

Rich reported to the Senate that the Senate Council and the Senate Committee on Equal Opportunity have jointly sponsored a Senate resolution on benefits for domestic partners (see SC.01.14/EQ.01.01 on today's agenda), in the wake of President Stukel's decision not to forward previous Senate recommendations on this issue to the Board of Trustees.

Rich announced that the following senators have agreed to serve as tellers: Bryan White (ACES), Arash Ekhtiarzadeh (GRAD), H. George Friedman (ENGR), and Billie Theide (FAA).

CHANCELLOR'S REMARKS

The Provost expressed his appreciation for the work of Professor Rich, who is completing his second one-year term as Chair of Senate Council. The Senate responded with an enthusiastic round of applause.

QUESTIONS/DISCUSSION

There were none.

OLD BUSINESS

Senator Peter Loeb (LAS) said he believed there was confusion over the vote taken when SP.00.08 was passed by a show of hands (50-46) at the February 12 Senate meeting. He stated he had voted with the prevailing side; he moved to reconsider that vote. By show of hands, the motion to reconsider was approved.

04/23/01-02 The Provost 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 Robert Fossum (LAS), Statutes Committee Chair, moved its approval.

Senator Peter Loeb (LAS) moved to add, on line 24 after "research", the phrase ", the dean of the graduate college and the graduate college executive committee," to reflect the need for graduate college consultation on appointments to the campus Research Board.

Professor Richard Wheeler, Dean of the Graduate College, believed that mention of the graduate college executive committee (GCEC) was too fine a detail for the Statutes. Senator R. Linn Belford, past GCEC member, reported that in his experience the Graduate College Dean did not do a great deal of consulting with the GCEC regarding appointments to the Research Board.

Senator Peter Loeb (LAS) moved to amend his amendment by removing the phrase, "and the graduate college executive committee,". There was no objection.

By voice vote, Loeb's amendment was approved.

Senator Gregory Girolami (LAS) referred to Senate Standing Rule #13 (Hearings on the Termination, Separation, Transfer or Merger of Units) and asked if provisions of this proposal should be adjudicated under Rule 13. Senator Friedman replied that since the Research Board does not fit the definition of an "academic unit" (e.g., no faculty appointments), Standing Rule #13 is not applicable.

Senator Stephen Kaufman (MED) was uncomfortable with the possibly nebulous phrase "and with the leadership of that campus's senate", as it pertains to whom shall be consulted on appointments to the Research Board. Kaufman moved to strike the phrase in its entirety. Senator H. George Friedman (ENGR) believed that it was important to include the senate in these appointments, and that most reasonable people would assume that "senate leadership" refers to at least the Chair and Vice-Chair of Senate Council. He urged a vote against this proposed amendment.

By voice vote, Kaufman's amendment was defeated.

04/23/01-03 By voice vote, SP.00.08 was approved, as amended.

CONSENT AGENDA

The Provost announced that, absent the objections of any senator, the ten proposals under this moniker were approved by unanimous consent.

04/23/01-04 EP.01.05*, Proposal for a Bachelor/Master in Accountancy with Options leading to the Award of a B.S. in Accountancy and either a M.A.S. or a M.S. with Specialization in Taxation,
04/23/01-05 EP.01.17*, Proposal from CBA to Revise the B.S. in Accountancy,
04/23/01-06 EP.01.08*, Proposal from ACES to Revise the Undergraduate Option in Agribusiness Markets and Management for the Agribusiness Markets and Management Major,
04/23/01-07 EP.01.12*, Proposal from LAS to Establish a Campus-wide Minor in Political Science,
04/23/01-08 EP.01.09*, Proposal from LAS to Revise the Major in Actuarial Science,
04/23/01-09 EP.01.14*, Proposal from LAS to Revise the Curriculum leading to the B.A. in Italian and the Curriculum leading to the Undergraduate Minor in Italian,
04/23/01-10 EP.01.16*, Proposal from LAS to Rename the Program and Minor in Comparative Literature; and Establish an Undergraduate Option in World Literature in the Major of Comparative Literature,
04/23/01-11 EP.01.11*, Proposal from LAS to Revise the Major in English,
04/23/01-12 EP.01.15*, Proposal for an Interdisciplinary Minor in South Asian Studies,
04/23/01-13 SC.01.10*, Senate and Senate Council Calendar for 2001-2002.

PROPOSALS FOR ACTION

04/23/01-14 The Presiding Officer presented SC.01.14/EQ.01.01*, Resolution on Benefits for Domestic Partners of UI Employees. Senator Robert Rich, Chair of Senate Council, reported that all but one member of Senate Council endorsed this resolution.

Jenny Barrett, Senior Research Programmer, Dept. of Psychology, described this resolution as an issue of fairness. She also reported on a campaign organized by Lydia Khuri, Clinical Counselor, Counseling Center, to collect hundreds of petitions of support from academic professionals across the campus.

Senator Joseph Stucki (ACES), asked who determines the definition of a "domestic partner" and he thought the benefit had potential for abuse. He added that he was concerned about the erosion of the sanctity of marriage, home and family in our society.

Senator Friedman shared some of Senator Stucki's beliefs, but he felt that the definition of family has evolved and likely will continue to evolve. Friedman believed the rationale for the resolution is complete and reasonable and he urged senators to support the resolution.

Senator Priscilla Yu (LIBR), Chair of the Senate Committee on Equal Opportunity, briefly described the history of this issue on the Urbana-Champaign campus, as well as the involvement of the senates at the Chicago and Springfield campuses. She noted that the number of colleges and universities, Fortune 500 companies, and state and local governments offering health benefits to domestic partners continues to increase steadily.

She also drew attention to the letter from College of Law Professors Carlos Ball and Cynthia Williams, in which they rebut the arguments of President Stukel as to why offering this benefit would violate state law.

Senator U. Henry Gerlach (LAS) questioned the characterization of this proposal as "progressive". Since same-sex domestic partners, unlike opposite-sex partners, are unable to marry under current state law, Gerlach did not object to the segment of the resolution providing benefits to same-sex partners. He did object, however, to providing benefits to opposite-sex partners, since they could marry to obtain health benefits. He moved that the two segments of the resolution be voted upon separately.

Senator Susan Lamb (ENGR) discouraged senators from voting on these resolutions separately. She stressed that there are any number of circumstances that could prevent opposite-sex domestic partners from marrying. Senator Jennifer Greene (EDUC) also urged senators to vote down the motion to separate; she chose to be a single parent and she believed there are many "nontraditional" families who should be able to receive these benefits.

By voice vote, the motion to separate was defeated.

04/23/01-15 By voice vote, SC.01.14/EQ.01.01 was approved.

04/23/01-16 The Provost presented FB.01.03*, Resolution in Support of HB0901, A Bill Providing 100% Tuition Discounts. Senator Michael Murphy (ACES), Chair of the Faculty Benefits Committee, reported that provisions of HB0901 have been approved by the State Senate Rules Committee and it was headed to the Senate Executive Committee this week. He urged senators to vote for this resolution. Senator Kaufman asked about the taxability issue of tuition discounts (current language) versus tuition waivers (old language). Murphy replied that the State Senate has not determined that aspect of the matter.

04/23/01-17 By voice vote, FB.01.03 was approved.

04/23/01-18 Provost Herman presented for action LB.01.03*, Resolution on the Library Allocations Steering Committee (LASC) Report. Senator Leslie Struble (ENGR), Chair of the Library Committee, asked the Senate to support the recommendations in the Library Allocations Steering Committee (LASC) Report by approving this resolution.

04/23/01-19 By voice vote, LB.01.03 was approved.

PROPOSED REVISIONS TO THE SENATE BYLAWS

04/23/01-20 The Provost presented for action SP.01.08*, Proposed Revisions to Bylaws, Part D.2 - Committee on Academic Calendar and Part D.10 - Committee on Educational Policy. After indicating that both the Calendar Committee and the Educational Policy Committee were in support of this proposal, Fossum moved its approval.

04/23/01-21 By voice vote, SP.01.08 was approved.

REPORTS FOR INFORMATION OF THE SENATE

04/23/01-22 SC.01.16*, Resolution of Appreciation for Chancellor Michael Aiken,
04/23/01-23 GP.01.03*, Graduate Student Representation Issues,
04/23/01-24 EP.01.19*, Revision of Grade Notation and Credit Designation,
04/23/01-25 AB.01.01*, Update on Student-Athlete Academic Performance,
04/23/01-26 SC.01.15*, Report of the March 7-8 Board of Trustees Meeting,
04/23/01-27 HE.01.07*, Report of the March 30 FAC/IBHE Meeting,
04/23/01-28 UC.01.05*, Report of the Feb. 14 University Senates Conference meeting,
04/23/01-29 UC.01.06*, Report of the March 29 University Senates Conference meeting.

A phalanx of Senate Committee Annual Reports was also included for information.

Speaking to EP.01.19, Senator Lamb, Chair of the Educational Policy Committee, reported that there will be a number of related proposals coming from her Committee to the Senate for a vote next year.

The meeting was adjourned at 4:30 p.m.

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