Minutes
Urbana-Champaign Senate Meeting
November 9, 2009
A regular meeting of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Senate was called to order at 3:15 p.m. on the 3rd floor of the Levis Faculty Center with Interim Provost Robert Easter presiding.
Approval of Minutes
11/09/09-01 The minutes of October 5 were approved as written.
Senate Executive Committee Report
Senator Joyce Tolliver (LAS), Chair of the Senate Executive Committee (SEC), provided the following report.
At the door, please pick up additional materials for today’s meeting: CC.10.05, Nominations for Membership on Standing Committees of the Senate and the Coordinating Committee for UI Online; and Resolution of the Academic Senate in Response to ISS Resolution 11.04.2009.03 (Solidarity).
You were advised last week that the Educational Policy Committee wishes to reinstate EP.10.01, Proposal to Establish a Concentration in Korean in the B.S. in Elementary Education and the B.S. in Early Childhood, College of Education, to today’s agenda under New Business.
I hereby move that the Resolution on solidarity and EP.10.01 be added to today’s agenda under New Business (by voice vote, the Senate agreed to add these items to the agenda).
Professor Abbas Aminmansour, Chair of the Educational Policy Committee, moved that EP.10.06, Proposal from the Graduate School of Library and Information Sciences to Establish a B.S. in Informatics, be referred back to his committee for further study. Professor Aminmansour and John Unsworth, Dean of the Graduate School of Library and Information Science, among others, spoke to the extensive discussions that have taken place concerning the naming of the degree in this proposal. By voice vote, the Senate approved the motion to refer this proposal back to the Educational Policy Committee.
Chair Tolliver reported that Stan Ikenberry, Interim President Designate, and Chris Kennedy, Chair of the University Board of Trustees (BOT), have been working on the composition of the presidential search committee and that the Board will approve the search committee’s membership and charge at the November 12 BOT meeting.
Chair Tolliver announced that the Graduate Employees Organization (GEO) has voted to authorize the establishment of a strike committee for purposes of considering a work stoppage in the very near future.
Floor privileges have been requested to speak to CO.10.01, Resolution on Parking, for Professor Sheldon Katz, Chair of the Parking System Review Committee. I move that such privileges be granted (there was no objection).
Tellers for today’s meeting are Senators H. F. Williamson (LAS), Janet Reis (MED) and Peter Loeb (LAS).
Chancellor’s Remarks
Interim Provost Robert Easter reported that one item on the November 12 Board of Trustees agenda will be his appointment as Interim Chancellor/Provost. If approved by the Board, Dr. Easter will consider delegating some of the Provost’s duties to other members of the Provost’s staff. With regard to GEO/University bargaining sessions, the Interim Provost conveyed the support of the administration for all students and his hopes for a fair and quick resolution to these negotiations.
Questions/Discussion
Senator Ilia Kapovitch (LAS) expressed his concern about the possibility of furlough days for faculty in 2010. Provost Easter replied that furlough days would be an undesirable temporary solution to the current state budget crisis. No planning decisions have been made. Senator Kapovitch urged the Provost to ensure that faculty are involved when such decisions are to be made.
Consent Agenda
The following proposals were approved by unanimous consent:
11/09/09-02 EP.10.08* Proposal from FAA to Establish an Undergraduate Minor in Theatre
11/09/09-03 EP.10.09* Proposal from GRAD and ACES to Revise the M.S. in Nutritional Sciences
11/09/09-04 EP.10.11* Proposal from GRAD and FAA to Eliminate the CAS in Music Education
11/09/09-05 EP.10.12* Proposal from GRAD and FAA to Eliminate the M.S. in Music Education
11/09/09-06 EP.10.13* Proposal from GRAD and GSLIS to Eliminate a Graduate Concentration in Media in the M.S. in Library and Information Science
11/09/09-07 EP.10.14* Proposal from MDA and ACES to Establish the B.S. in Agricultural Communications in the College of Media
11/09/09-08 EP.10.15* Proposal from ACES to Establish an Undergraduate Minor in Food and Environmental Systems
Proposals for Action
11/09/09-09 The Interim Provost presented for action CC.10.05*, Nominations for Membership on Standing Committees of the Senate and the Coordinating Committee for UI Online. Senator Kim Graber (AHS), Chair of the Committee on Committees, added Harriett Green as a graduate student candidate for a Library Committee vacancy and moved approval of the corrected slate (two editorial corrections were also made). There were no floor nominations and nominations were declared closed.
11/09/09-10 By voice vote, the slate was approved.
11/09/09-11 Dr. Robert Easter presented for action CO.10.01*, Resolution on Parking. Senator Tom Overbye (ENGR), Chair of the Senate Committee on Campus Operations, summarized the background of this resolution and asked Professor Sheldon Katz to provide additional information. Professor Katz was Chair of the Parking System Review Committee, whose recommendations are central to this resolution. Dr. Katz described the exhaustive work of his Committee, which consulted with transportation and communication experts, and conducted many campus focus groups. Senator Overbye drew attention to the Resolved paragraph of the resolution calling for the elimination of the salary-based parking rate, and moved approval of the resolution.
11/09/09-12 By show of hands (38-26), the resolution was approved.
Proposed Revisions to the Senate Constitution
11/09/09-13 The Presiding Officer presented for action and second reading SP.09.03*, Proposed Amendments to the Senate Constitution to support the inclusion of Other Academic Staff in the Senate Electorate. Senator William Maher (LIBR), Chair of the Committee on University Statutes and Senate Procedures (USSP), described the history of this proposal and noted that it does not include implementing details that will belong in the Senate Bylaws. Senator Maher added that footnote #3 should be removed and that subsequent footnotes be renumbered.
Senator Peter Loeb (LAS) moved to stipulate that while instructors and lecturers would be included among the titles for faculty, they would not be counted toward the number of faculty in the formula used to determine how many senators each academic unit should be allotted. Senator Maher emphasized that this amendment would not interfere with the integrity of the proposal.
11/09/09-14 By voice vote, Senator Loeb’s amendment was approved.
11/09/09-15 By show of hands (68-1), SP.09.03 was approved, as amended.
Reports for Information
11/09/09-16 SC.10.04* September 10 BOT
11/09/09-17 HE.10.02* October 16 FAC/IBHE
11/09/09-18 SUR.10.01* October 13 SURSMAC
New Business
11/09/09-19 Presented for action was EP.10.01*, Proposal to Establish a Concentration in Korean in the B.S. in Elementary Education and the B.S. in Early Childhood, College of Education. Professor Aminmansour moved its approval.
11/09/09-20 By voice vote, EP.10.01 was approved.
11/09/09-21 Next presented for action was NB.10.02*, Resolution of the Urbana-Champaign Academic Senate in response to student senate resolution 11.04.2009.03. Senator Carey Ash (GRAD) recapitulated the background of this initiative and moved its approval.
Professor Nicholas Burbules (EDUC), member of the Senate Executive Committee, was concerned with the phrase “withhold retribution from” in the context of the response from departments toward students who choose to participate in any work stoppage. The alternate phrase “withhold retaliation against” was proposed and adopted by voice vote.
11/09/09-22 By voice vote, the resolution was approved, as amended.
The meeting was adjourned at 4:45 p.m.
Robert C. Damrau, Senate Clerk
*Filed with the Senate Clerk and incorporated by reference in these Minutes.