Minutes
Urbana-Champaign Senate Meeting
February 25, 2008

A regular meeting of the Urbana-Champaign Senate was called to order at 3:15 p.m. at the Levis Faculty Center with Chancellor Richard Herman presiding.

Approval of Minutes

02/25/08-01          The minutes of December 3 were approved.

Senate Executive Committee Report

Senator Nicholas Burbules (EDUC), Chair of the Senate Executive Committee (SEC), provided the following report.

At the door today, please pick up CC.08.06A, addendum to CC.08.06, Nominations for Membership on Standing Committees of the Senate, and CC.08.07, Approval of Nominations for the Athletic Board.  Also, we ask you to please stay for the entire meeting today because the Senate will be considering Nominations for Honorary Degrees in Executive Session as its last business item.

Senator Burbules asked the Senate to consent to the request from Educational Policy to withdraw EP.08.27, Proposal to Revise the Undergraduate Major in the Sciences and Letters Curriculum in Speech Communication, LAS, and EP.08.28, An Undergraduate Minor in Communication, Department of Speech Communication, LAS.  There was no objection.

Floor privileges have been requested for Professor Matthew Stewart, Veterinary Clinical Medicine, to speak to EP.08.23, Non-Thesis Option for M.S. Students in the Department of Veterinary Clinical Medicine.  Floor privileges have also been requested for Professor Emeritus Richard Schacht, Department of Philosophy, and Professor Ralph Brubaker, College of Law, to speak to EP.08.25, Joint Degree Program in Law and Philosophy (J.D./Ph.D.). 

I move that such privileges be granted (there was no objection).

Tellers for today’s meeting are Senators Anthony Murphy (LAS), Harry Hilton (ENGR), and Justin Umlah (LAW).

Chancellor’s Remarks

The Chancellor spoke about the attendance of himself and other members of the campus community at the memorial service at Northern Illinois University; the impending “Unofficial” St. Patrick’s Day and the efforts of the campus and the twin cities to minimize disruption of regular activity during this event; and the four state surveys (Natural History, Water, Geological, and Waste Management) being transferred from the State to the University.

 Questions/Discussion

Senator James Barrett (LAS) asked about efforts to develop a new Memorandum of Agreement with the Academy on Capitalism and Limited Government Fund (ACLGF).  The Chancellor reported that his Committee, chaired by Professor Tom Ulen, has been working steadily on this matter and hopes to be able to provide a draft report soon.

Old Business

02/25/08-02          Senator Belden Fields (LAS), Chair of the Committee on Equal Opportunity and Inclusion, moved to withdraw EQ.08.01, Resolution Concerning Homecoming Displays, on behalf of his committee.  There was no objection.

Consent Agenda

The Presiding Officer announced that the following proposals were approved by unanimous consent:

02/25/08-03            EP.08.21*, Proposal to Rename the College of Communications to the College of Media,
02/25/08-04            EP.08.22*, Revision to the B.S. in Elementary Education, EDUC,
02/25/08-05            EP.08.23*, Non-Thesis Option for M.S. Students in VCM,
02/25/08-06            EP.08.24*, Graduate Minor in Latina/Latino Studies,
02/25/08-07            EP.08.25, Joint Degree Program in Law and Philosophy (J.D./Ph.D.),
02/25/08-08            EP.08.32*, Revision of the Joint Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (D.V.M.) and Master’s of Public Health (M.P.H.) Program,
02/25/08-09            EP.08.33*, Elimination of the BSLAS: Bioengineering, College of LAS,
02/25/08-10            EP.08.34*, Graduate Minor in Information Technology and Control,
02/25/08-11            EP.08.36*, Proposal to Discontinue the Concentration in Park and Natural Resource Management within the B.S. in Recreation, Sport and Tourism.

Proposals for Action

02/25/08-12          Next presented was CC.08.06*, Nominations for Membership on Standing Committees of the Senate.  Senator Al Kagan (LIBR), Committee on Committees member, moved approval of the slates on CC.08.06 and CC.08.06A.  There were no floor nominations and nominations were declared closed.

02/25/08-13          The nomination slates were approved.

02/25/08-14          The Presiding Officer presented for action was CC.08.07*, Approval of Nominations for the Athletic Board.  Senator Kagan moved approval of the slate.  There were no floor nominations and nominations were declared closed.

02/25/08-15          The nomination slates were approved.

02/25/08-16          Dr. Herman presented for action CO.08.01*, Resolution on Parking.  Senator Sheldon Katz (LAS), Chair of the Senate Committee on Campus Operations, recapitulated the background of this proposal and moved its approval. 

02/25/08-17          By voice vote, CO.08.01 was approved.

Proposed Revisions to the Senate Bylaws

02/25/08-18          The Chancellor presented for action SP.07.06*, Revision to the Bylaws, Part A.12 – Meetings.  Senator William Maher (LIBR), Chair of the Committee on University Statutes and Senate Procedures (USSP), moved its approval.

02/25/08-19          By voice vote, SP.07.06 was approved.

02/25/08-20          Next presented for action was SP.08.07*, Revision to the Bylaws, Part D.10 – Committee on Faculty Benefits.  Senator Maher provided a summary of the proposal’s background and moved approval.

02/25/08-21          By voice vote, SP.08.07 was approved.

02/25/08-22          The Presiding Officer presented for action SP.08.08*, Revision to the Bylaws, Part D.14 – Committee on the Library.  Senator Maher provided a brief summary of the proposal and moved its approval.

02/25/08-23          By voice vote, SP.08.08 was approved.

02/25/08-24         Chancellor Richard Herman next presented for action SP.08.09*, Revision to the Bylaws, Part D.19 – Committee on University Student Life.  Senator Maher moved approval.

02/25/08-25          By voice vote, SP.08.09 was approved.

Reports for Information of the Senate

02/25/08-26          SC.08.04*, November 14 BOT,
02/25/08-27          SC.08.05*, January 17 BOT,
02/25/08-28          HE.08.04*, November 16 FAC/IBHE,
02/25/08-29          HE.08.06*, December 7 FAC/IBHE,
02/25/08-30          HE.08.07*, January 18 FAC/IBHE,
02/25/08-31          HE.08.05*, December 4 IBHE,
02/25/08-32          UC.08.04*, December 5 USC.

Executive Session

The Senate approved a motion to go into executive session to consider honorary degree nominations.  The Senate exited Executive Session at 3:50 p.m.

The meeting adjourned at 3:50 p.m.

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