Minutes
Urbana-Champaign Senate Meeting
February 19, 2007

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

Approval of Minutes

02/19/07-01          The minutes of the December 4, 2006, Senate meeting were approved.

Senate Executive Committee Report

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

Welcome to our first meeting this academic semester.

The most important item on today’s agenda is the Global Campus Partnership Proposal, which was previously made available electronically; hard copies are at the door.  This item (SC.07.05) is the SEC recommendation for the UIUC Senate response to the GC Partnership Proposal, as proposed by President B. Joseph White and Dr. Chet Gardner.  Joe will be on hand today to address the assembly and participate in this discussion.

Larry Eppley, Chair of the University of Illinois Board of Trustees, visited the SEC at its February 16 meeting to briefly discuss the Board’s recent decision to end the performance of Chief Illiniwek after the February 21 men’s basketball game.  Eppley pointed out that much more work needs to be done to address the racial climate on campus, especially now that the Chief can no longer be a scapegoat for such an environment.

Burton congratulated President White on receiving the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Excellence in Leadership Award at the 39th annual Martin Luther King, Jr., dinner in Chicago on January 13.  He then recognized the recent selection of Chip Zukoski, Vice Chancellor for Research, to the National Academy of Engineering.

Burton welcomed guests from Tsinghua University and looked forward to a long and mutually beneficial relationship.  The Senate responded with a warm round of applause.

Please pick up a copy of CC.07.07A, an addendum to Nominations for Membership on Standing Committees of the Senate, which was distributed at the door today.  There is also an informational update from the Senate Committee on Faculty Benefits regarding their recent Senate resolutions about AIG Sun America.

Tellers for today’s meeting are Senators Joseph Finnerty (BUS), Harry Hilton (ENGR), and Tim Penich (FAA).

Chancellor’s Remarks

The Chancellor reported that he wrote to all parents regarding concerns surrounding “Unofficial St. Patrick’s Day”.  He then thanked all involved in the UI securing a significant grant from British Petroleum (BP).

Questions/Discussion

Senator Al Kagan asked about licensing issues related to the Chief logo; President White indicated that legal counsel was investigating the matter.

Consent Agenda

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

02/19/07-02          EP.07.14*, Master of Urban Planning Joint Degree Option,
02/19/07-03          EP.07.17*, Graduate Concentration in Taxation,
02/19/07-04          EP.07.20*, Creation of the Concentration Preparatory for the Teaching of East Asian Languages,
02/19/07-05          EP.07.28*, GSLIS Concentration in MS within Bioinformatics,
02/19/07-06          EP.07.34*, Proposal for Certificate of Advanced Studies Concentration in Educational Administration and Leadership,
02/19/07-07          EP.07.35*, Proposal for Doctor of Philosophy Concentration in Educational Administration and Leadership,
02/19/07-08          EP.07.36*, Proposal for Doctor of Education Concentration in Educational Administration and Leadership,
02/19/07-09          EP.07.37*, Proposal for Master of Education Concentration in Educational Administration and Leadership,
02/19/07-10          EP.07.38*, Proposal for Master of Science Concentration in Educational Administration and Leadership.

Proposals for Action

02/19/07-11          Next presented for action was CC.07.07*, Nominations for Membership on Standing Committees of the Senate.  Senator Kim Graber (AHS), Chair of the Senate Committee on Committees, moved approval of the slates on CC.07.07 and its addendum, distributed at the door.  There were no floor nominations and nominations were declared closed.

02/19/07-12          By voice vote, the slates were approved.

02/19/07-13          The Chancellor presented for action CC.07.08*, Senate Approval of Nominations for the Athletic Board.  Senator Graber moved approval of the slate.  There were no floor nominations and nominations were declared closed.

02/19/07-14          By voice vote, the slate was approved.

02/19/07-15          Presented for action was EP.07.31*, 2011-2012 Academic Calendar.  Senator Abbas Aminmansour (FAA), Chair of Educational Policy, moved its approval.  Senator Kagan reiterated his objection to starting the fall semester so early such that he misses either a professional conference or the first days of classes each year.  Senator Aminmansour replied that it would be nearly impossible to construct a calendar that did not conflict with the professional activities of at least one faculty member.

02/19/07-16          By voice vote, it was approved.

02/19/07-17          Presented for action was EP.07.32*, 2012-2013 Academic Calendar.  Senator Aminmansour moved its approval.

02/19/07-18          By voice vote, it was approved.

02/19/07-19          Next presented for action was EP.07.33*, 2013-2014 Academic Calendar.

02/19/07-20          By voice vote, it was approved.

02/19/07-21          Chancellor Herman presented for action SC.07.05*, Global Campus Partnership Proposal.  President White welcomed any questions or comments.  Questions from the assembly were concerned with dearth of hard data regarding profit potential, composition of the ‘academic council’, admission standards, financial aid and low graduation rates for existing online entities.  President White indicated that while there are no guarantees of profitability or even success of our Global Campus, the deliberative process of developing this partnership proposal improves our chances immensely.

02/19/07-22          By voice vote, SC.07.05 was approved unanimously.

Reports for Information of the Senate

The following reports were presented for information:

02/19/07-23          EQ.07.01*, EQ Committee Intervention on HR 5289,
02/19/07-24          SC.07.06*, January 18 BOT,
02/19/07-25          HE.07.04*,November 17 FAC/IBHE,
02/19/07-26          HE.07.06*, January 7 FAC/IBHE,
02/19/07-27          HE.07.07*, January 19 FAC/IBHE,
02/19/07-28          HE.07.03*, October 10 IBHE,
02/19/07-29          HE.07.05*, December 5 IBHE,
02/19/07-30          UC.07.02*, September 26 USC,
02/19/07-31          UC.07.03*, October 25 USC,
02/19/07-32          UC.07.04*, November 16 USC.

The meeting adjourned at 4:50 p.m.

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