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

Approval of Minutes
02/20/06-01 Minutes of the December 5, 2005, Senate meeting were approved as written.

Senate Executive Committee Report
Senator Vernon Burton (LAS), Chair of the Senate Executive Committee (SEC), provided the following report.

As announced here earlier, the SEC hosted a seminar on shared governance on January 23. We were pleased with the turnout and the discussion. Full text of index cards that participants filled out with their top concerns or issues facing shared governance is available at the Senate website. We would like to know if you think the Senate should sponsor another workshop next year. If so, both students and administrators should be part of the discussion.

The SEC met with Vice-President for Academic Affairs Chet Gardner and with University Senates Conference Chair Elliot Kaufman to discuss the Global campus concept. We received an update.

SEC met with Vice-Chancellor for Research Chip Zukoski and discussed the campus Research Policy Committee which has not met for the last 2 years.
The SEC met with President White on February 6 to discuss issues of mutual interest and concern including the UI global campus proposal, re-employment of retirees, and his strategic plan. The President also conveyed some organizational changes including VP Academic Affairs Chet Gardner returning to the faculty and Vice-President for Technology and Economic Development David Chicoine assuming VPAA duties on an interim basis.

At the door today, please pick up a copy of CC.06.06A, an addendum to CC.06.06, Nominations for Standing Committees, and CC.06.07, Senate Approval of Nominations for the Athletic Board.

A methodology for conducting a systematic study to examine the impact that Chief Illiniwek has on the educational effectiveness of this campus has been submitted by the Committee charged with this task. The Chancellor and the SEC have agreed to defer undertaking this study at this time.

Next year’s Annual Meeting of the Faculty will be held on Monday, September 11, 2006. Please mark this date on your calendars.

If there is no objection, the Educational Policy Committee would like to withdraw from today’s agenda EP.06.21, Proposal to Establish the BSLAS in Earth Systems, Environment and Society in LAS (there was no objection).

Tellers for today’s meeting are Phillip Geil (ENGR), Rex Hess (ACES), Lew Hopkins (FAA) and H. F. Williamson (LAS).

Chancellor’s Remarks

Chancellor Herman unveiled the latest update of the campus strategic plan, whose platform includes, among other things, strengthening academic excellence in undergraduate and graduate education, fostering an inclusive campus community, and enhancing the campus work environment.

Questions and comments from the assembly: how to expand student representation beyond the first and fifth quintile of the populace, how to pay for the good ideas in the strategy, and can we leverage more health care costs. Responses from the Chancellor: acknowledgement of the quintile situation, the need for a greater push from development, and our limitations in the leverage of health costs.

Questions/Discussion

There were no further questions.

Consent Agenda

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

02/20/06-02 EP.06.13*, Revision to the B.S. Curriculum with a Major in Agricultural and Environmental Communications and Education,

02/20/06-03 EP.06.22*, Environmental Chemistry Option,

02/20/06-04 EP.06.23*, Interdisciplinary Minor in the Study of the Islamic World,

02/20/06-05 EP.06.24*, Graduate Minor in Russian, East European, and Eurasian Studies,

02/20/06-06 EP.06.26*, M.S. (Ph.D.)/M.B.A. Joint Degree Program between MATSE and the MBA Program, College of Business,

02/20/06-07 EP.06.27*, Graduate Minor in Balkan Studies,

02/20/06-08 EP.06.28*, Elimination of the Graduate Specialization in Biophysical Chemistry,

02/20/06-09 EP.06.30*, Revision of the LAS Major in Sciences and Letters Curriculum in East Asian Languages and Cultures.

Proposals for Action

02/20/06-10 Dr. Herman presented for action CC.06.06*, Nominations for Membership on Standing Committees of the Senate. Senator Linda Beale (LAW), member of the Senate Committee on Committees, moved approval of the slate on CC.06.06 and its addendum, CC.06.06A. There were no floor nominations and nominations were declared closed.

02/20/06-11 By voice vote, the slate of candidates was approved.

02/20/06-12 The Chancellor presented for action SC.06.07*, Approval of Campus Budget Oversight Committee (CBOC) Nomination Slate. Senator Vernon Burton moved approval of the slate on behalf of the Senate Executive Committee.

02/20/06-13 By voice vote, the slate was approved.

02/20/06-14 The Presiding Officer presented for action CC.06.07*, Approval of Nominations for the Athletic Board. Senator Beale moved approval of the slate on behalf of the Committee on Committees. There were no floor nominations and nominations were declared closed.

Senator Al Kagan (LIBR) wanted to know if the nominees were asked about their views on the Chief. Senator Beale indicated they were not.

02/20/06-15 By voice vote, the slate of candidates was approved.

02/20/06-16 Chancellor Herman presented for action EP.04.40*, Revisions of Article 3, Sections 3-801, 3-310 and 3-704 of the Code. Professor Abbas Aminmansour (FAA), Chair of the Senate Committee on Educational Policy, summarized the background of this measure; he then moved its approval.

Senator Tom Conry (ENGR) asked what effect this proposal will have on the degree completion programs for students who take a break in the future from attending the university. Professor Aminmansour replied that this will apply to all students who receive UIUC degrees.

02/20/06-17 By voice vote, EP.04.40 was approved.

Proposed Revisions to the Standing Rules of the Senate

02/20/06-18 The Presiding Officer presented SP.06.04*, Change to Senate Standing Rule 13 to Require Faculty Votes for Changes to Academic Units. Senator Beale, Chair of the Senate Committee on University Statutes and Senate Procedures, said that this seeks to codify the conclusion reached by USSP that “advice of the faculty” should mean “vote”. USSP is developing statutory amendments along the same lines as this proposal; Senator Beale moved approval of this measure.

Senator Conry expressed his concern about the possible abuse of this policy, i.e., a unit unhappy with a particular proposal could simply delay its vote on the measure and prevent it from moving forward. He moved to table the motion; there was no second to the motion, so discussion continued.

There was concern raised about the addition of the “renaming” qualifier to changes of status that require a public hearing. It was pointed out that “renaming” is already included in the Statutes.

02/20/06-19 SP.06.04 was approved by voice vote.

Proposed Revisions to the University Statutes

02/20/06-20 The Presiding Officer presented for first reading and information SP.06.06*, Revision to the Statutes, Article II, Section 2.a.(2) – University Senates Conference. Senator Beale explained that this proposal originated in University Senates Conference (USC) and simply changes the beginning date of the terms of members of USC from September 1 to the first day of the academic year. This will return for second reading and action at the March 27 Senate meeting.

Reports for Information of the Senate

02/20/06-21 SC.06.09*, January 19 BOT,

02/20/06-22 HE.06.04*, November 18 FAC/IBHE,

02/20/06-23 HE.06.05*, December 2 FAC/IBHE,

02/20/06-24 HE.06.07*, January 20 FAC/IBHE,

02/20/06-25 HE.06.06*, December 6 IBHE.

The meeting adjourned at 4:25 p.m.

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