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

Approval of Minutes

02/14/05-01 The minutes of the December 6, 2004, Senate meeting were approved as written.

Senate Executive Committee Report

Senator Michael Grossman (ACES), Chair of the Senate Executive Committee (SEC), reported on the following activities of the SEC and other items related to today’s agenda:

· Happy Valentine’s Day to all.
· Welcome to our first meeting of the Spring Semester. Please note the schedule of this semester’s meetings, found at the bottom of today’s agenda.

· The Senate Executive Committee (SEC) is continuing the practice of meeting with local state legislators; we met with Sen. Rick Winkel earlier today. We have a meeting scheduled with Rep. Naomi Jakobsson for March 7, and we are in the process of scheduling meetings with Reps. Chapin Rose and Bill Black.

· The SEC is holding its first meeting with University President Joseph White next Monday; we are looking forward to hearing his thoughts on a wide variety of topics.

· The SEC recently heard from the Conference on Conduct Governance (CCG) about a proposal to reorganize the Code of Policies and Regulations Applying to All Students. CCG expects to bring this proposal, among others, to the Senate before the end of this semester.

· The Committee on University Statutes and Senate Procedures (USSP) is bringing to you for a Second Reading and Action, statutory revisions commonly known as multi-year contracts (SP.04.03).

· For many years, this Senate and Senates Conference have been suggesting to the Board of Trustees various ways to improve communication with the faculty. Board Chairman Larry Eppley initiated a process where Senate and Conference Observers (our Observer was Harry Hilton) will meet before a Board meeting with the Chair of the Academic Affairs Committee, now newly reappointed Trustee Ken Schmidt, to discuss items on the Board’s agenda that are relevant to the faculty, as well as other items and concerns. We met with Trustee Schmidt before the January meeting in Chicago; we found the discussion to be valuable and encouraging. Every issue that we discussed was brought up at the Board meeting the next day. We will continue these meetings throughout the semester, and will evaluate the process for the next year.

· The Senate Committee on Educational Policy held a public hearing on February 7th to give the campus community an opportunity to discuss and comment on proposed changes to the campus academic calendar. About 50 people attended the hearing. Chair of Educational Policy Committee, Professor Abbas Aminmansour, will provide more details about the hearing in a few moments.

· Please be sure that you picked up at the door copies of CC.05.07, Senate Approval of Nominations for the Athletic Board, and its addendum, CC.05.07a, Nominations for Standing Senate Committees.

· Tellers for today’s meeting are Senators Ann Reisner (ACES), Harry Hilton (ENGR), Adam Blahnik (LAS), and Allan Niemerg (LAS).
Professor Aminmansour summed up the public hearing on the academic calendar as an event where, not surprisingly, a wide divergence of opinions was expressed. He indicated that the Educational Policy Committee will consider all comments received before it decides how it wishes to proceed.

Chancellor’s Remarks

Chancellor Herman touched on a variety of personnel matters: Acting Provost Jesse Delia is back home and resting comfortably after his recent stint in the hospital; David Daniel, Dean of the College of Engineering, is leaving UIUC at the end of this semester to assume the presidency of the University of Texas at Dallas; new University of Illinois President B. Joseph White is already working to make his imprint on the University by recognizing the distinction of each UI campus (Urbana, Chicago, Springfield).

Questions/Discussion

There were no questions.

Consent Agenda

The Presiding Officer announced that, absent the objections of any senator, the following proposals were approved by unanimous consent:

02/14/05-02 EP.05.11*, Revised Degree Requirements for Bachelor of Science in Statistics,

02/14/05-03 EP.05.12*, Revision to the Graphic Design Undergraduate Curriculum within the School of Art and Design in the College of Fine and Applied Arts,

02/14/05-04 EP.05.13*, Proposal to Change the Name of the Department of Veterinary Pathobiology to the Department of Pathobiology,

02/14/05-05 EP.05.16*, Proposal to Rename the Department of Cell and Structural Biology to the Department of Cell and Developmental Biology and to Rename the Corresponding Ph.D. Program,

02/14/05-06 EP.05.19*, Joint Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) and Masters of Public Health (MPH) Program.

Proposals for Action

02/14/05-07 Dr. Herman presented for action CC.05.07*, Senate Approval of Nominations for the Athletic Board. Senator John Prussing (ENGR), Chair of the Senate Committee on Committees, moved approval of the slate of nominees. Senator Al Kagan (LIBR) wanted to know if the candidates were asked about their positions on Chief Illiniwek. Senator Prussing indicated that since the Athletic Board makes no decisions in this area, it was not appropriate to do so. There were no floor nominations and nominations were declared closed.

02/14/05-08 By voice vote, the slate was approved.

Proposed Revisions to the University Statutes

02/14/05-09 The Chancellor presented for Second Reading and Action SP.04.03*, Revisions to the Statutes, Articles IX and X, to provide optional multi-year contracts, and related dismissal procedures, for certain academic staff. Senator Joseph Finnerty (BUS), Chair of the Senate Committee on University Statutes and Senate Procedures (USSP), briefly described the background of this measure and moved its approval.

02/14/05-10 By voice vote, the measure was approved.

Reports for Information of the Senate

Dr. Richard Herman presented the following reports for information:

02/14/05-11 HE.05.04*, November 12 FAC/IBHE,

02/14/05-12 HE.05.05*, December 3 FAC/IBHE,

02/14/05-13 HE.05.06*, December 7 BHE,

02/14/05-14 HE.05.07*, January 21 FAC/IBHE,

02/14/05-15 UC.05.03*, November 18 USC.

Senator A. Belden Fields (LAS), speaking to HE.05.04, submitted a written statement of his concerns about some of the matters expressed in this report. The Senate approved a motion to include his statement and incorporate it by reference into the minutes of this meeting.

The meeting was declared adjourned at 3:45 p.m.

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