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

APPROVAL OF MINUTES
11/01/99-01 The Minutes of the September 27, 1999, meeting were approved as written.

SENATE COUNCIL REPORT
Senator Robert Rich (LAW), Chair of Senate Council, indicated that floor privileges were requested for the following individual, and he moved that such privileges be granted, to speak to SP.00.05, Proposed Amendments to the Statutes, Article II, Section 4 - Faculty Advisory Committee, and FAC.00.01, 1998-99 Annual Report of the Faculty Advisory Committee: Professor Harold Diamond. There was no objection.

Rich reported on the following:

Fifth Senate Review Commission (SRC). This body, chaired by Professor James G. Ward, has been charged by Rich and will begin deliberations this week.

College Senate Delegations. Rich will contact these individuals to facilitate their discussions and possible interactions with the SRC.

S3. A "consensus document" was released on September 9, with consensus achieved on virtually every element of S3 except strategy 4 (organizational restructuring). Subsequently, CAT team members submitted a report to Interim Vice-President for Academic Affairs C. S. Gardner, who has been charged by President Stukel with taking lead responsibility for this initiative. The most recent CAT report has revised strategy 4; Professor Rich, who chairs the latest permutation of the CAT group, reported that the Senate will soon be apprised of how strategy 4 has been revised. He added that next spring will be a critical time as discussion is expected to take place regarding the implementation of elements of S3.

ERP. Rich reported that the university is currently interviewing and negotiating with vendors regarding Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP), a concept related to S3. Further information on this initiative will be forthcoming.

Resolution on Faculty Representation on the Board of Trustees. This resolution, approved by the Urbana Senate on September 27, has been forwarded to the other senates for their endorsement.

Sanctions Other than Dismissal for Cause. Rich reported that he has written to Professor Elliot Kaufman, University Senates Conference (USC) Chair, asking that USC reconsider its action on this document. Rich has also written to President Stukel, asking that the President postpone forwarding this document to the BOT until USC completes its reconsideration.

Rich announced that the following senators have agreed to serve as tellers: Steve Seitz (LAS), Lawrence Tabone (LAS), Gordon Baker (VMED), and Mark Roszkowski (CBA).

CHANCELLOR'S REMARKS
Chancellor Aiken was pleased to report that the campus has recently received some important academic honors. The American Society of Landscape Architects has recognized the University of Illinois for outstanding achievement in this field over the last 100 years. We were one of 10-12 universities so honored, which makes the recognition all the more rewarding.

The Chancellor then reported that Professor Vernon Burton is the 1999-2000 Teacher of the Year for doctoral institutions, an award jointly sponsored by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching and the Council for Advancement and Support of Education. Professor Burton, who is also a senator from the Department of History in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, was asked to rise to receive a round of applause from the assembly.

On a serious note, Chancellor Aiken described the plight of a Pennsylvania State University (PSU) student reporter, who was in town for the previous Saturday's football game. He fell ill after the game and was diagnosed with highly contagious bacterial meningitis. The student had been in the press box during the game and had stayed at the University Inn that night; individuals who may have been in contact with the PSU student have been alerted to this situation. McKinley Health Center is also offering free shots of antibiotics to any students who wish to receive them.

The Chancellor then turned the podium over to Dr. Richard Herman, Provost and Vice-Chancellor for Academic Affairs (VCAA), to deliver a state of the campus address.

Dr. Herman, reflecting on his first year as Provost, highlighted the successes of our institution, such as Discovery, international, and graduate programs. He asserted that our commitment to sharing knowledge and to maintaining excellence is non-negotiable. Herman also lauded our passion for success, loyalty, friendliness, and candor.

Turning to academic issues, the Provost cited the fields of biotechnology and information technology as helping us maintain our leadership position in higher education and research, adding that the arts and humanities are just as important to the fulfillment of our mission.

Speaking to budget matters, which are inextricably linked to the discussion of disciplines, Dr. Herman referred to the "Faculty Excellence Fund" not as the Holy Grail, but as a resource for the campus to strategically invest for the future. He stated that he is determined to avoid the improvement of one disciplinary area to the detriment of another.

In summation, the Provost emphasized we must recognize how our achievements and strengths came about, and we must take to heart the "learning" and "labor" that appear on the seal of the University, so we may continue in our great academic tradition.

QUESTIONS/DISCUSSION
(The following questions/discussion section pertains exclusively to SC.00.06, Status of Revisions to the Statutes - Terms of Faculty Employment, which appears later on today's agenda.)

Senator Peter Loeb (LAS) expressed concern because #3 under grounds for sanctions (causing or threatening physical harm…) has omitted the qualifier "willfully", as passed by the Urbana-Champaign Senate. He reiterated the example of a faculty member preventing a possible assault and unintentionally injuring a member of the campus community in the process. Under the policy as written, such action could serve as grounds for sanctions against a faculty member.

Senator Al Kagan (LIBR) believed that the Senate should have another look not only at the proposed statutory language, but also at the procedures followed by the University Senates Conference (USC) in this matter.

Professor H. George Friedman, Jr., recent USC member and current USSP member, replied that the USC acted within their statutory authority: they forwarded the language passed by each of the 3 senates as well as their own comments to the President for transmittal to the Board of Trustees. Friedman added that USC has the statutory right to send their own recommendations to the President when they are unable to reach compromise on different language passed by the senates.

Senator Stephen Portnoy (LAS) thought that agreement on proposed language should be among the senates and not just members of USC. His interpretation of the Statutes is that USC does not have unilateral authority to propose statutory revisions.

Senator Richard Schacht (LAS) stated that USC decided that the primary differences between the versions passed by the senates were related more to placement in the Statutes, and not substantive changes to the text. Senator Terry Weech (LISC), speaking as a USC member, was confident that USC would take all concerns into consideration as they revisit the matter at their next meeting.

CONSENT AGENDA
Hearing no objection, Chancellor Aiken declared the following proposal approved by unanimous consent:

11/01/99-02 EP.00.02*, Proposal from LAS to Establish an Undergraduate Minor in Geography.

PROPOSALS FOR ACTION
11/01/99-03 Chancellor Aiken presented for action EP.00.03*, Request from CBA to Revise the residence requirement for CBA students. Senator U. Henry Gerlach (LAS) distributed a "friendly" amendment, to include academic work done in study abroad programs operated or approved by the University of Illinois in the 60 semester hours from a 4-year college or university CBA will now require after a student has attained junior standing. Senator Ray Leuthold (ACES), Chair of Educational Policy, accepted the amendment on behalf of his committee.

Senator Lawrence Tabone (LAS) expressed concern that students may have difficulty understanding this revised requirement. He asked how CBA will disseminate this information to students. Senator Bill Williamson (CBA), Associate Dean of Undergraduate Affairs, replied that this revision will be highlighted in future CBA handbooks and other college materials.

11/01/99-04 By voice vote, EP.00.03 was approved as amended.

11/01/99-05 The Chancellor presented for action CC.00.05*, Nominations for Membership on Standing Committees of the Senate. There were no floor nominations and nominations were declared closed.

11/01/99-06 By voice vote, the nomination was approved.

PROPOSED REVISIONS TO THE UNIVERSITY STATUTES
11/01/99-07 Chancellor Aiken presented for information/first reading SP.00.06*, Multi-Year Contracts for Full-Time Non-Tenured Academic Staff. Senator Robert Fossum (LAS), Chair of the Senate Committee on University Statutes and Senate Procedures (USSP), stated this statutory change would allow multi-year (up to three year) contracts to be offered to non-tenured academic staff members. He reminded the Senate that this item will be presented for second reading and action at the December 6 Senate meeting.

Senator Kagan characterized this proposal as a "prescription for mediocrity" and, as such, is just another attack on the tenure system by hiring more people who will not be on the tenure-track. Senator Joan Klein (LAS) described the intent of this proposal as not to promote mediocrity, but to increase stability by allowing departments the opportunity to offer 3-year teaching and research contracts.

Senator Schacht believed that multi-year contracts will improve our recruiting and help us maintain our excellence because longer-term commitments from departments will be more attractive to promising candidates.

Senator Steve Seitz (LAS) wanted to know how many individuals in each employee category (e.g., those with clinical, research, and visiting titles) would be affected by this proposed policy. Fossum responded that his committee would attempt to get an answer for him. Senator Kagan acknowledged that this campus needs more faculty, but believed that our budget dollars (and recruiting efforts) would be better spent by creating more appointments on the tenure-track.

Fossum made note of a few editorial corrections that need to be made to this document before it comes for second reading and action on December 6.

11/01/99-08 The Chancellor presented for action/second reading SP.98.03*, Proposed Amendment to the Statutes-Article VII Section 5 to Rename the Cooperative Extension Service to University of Illinois Extension. Senator Fossum explained that this revision came about as a request from the College of ACES, to reflect current usage. Fossum moved its approval.

11/01/99-09 By voice vote, SP.98.03 was approved.

11/01/99-10 The Chancellor presented for action/second reading SP.99.07*, Statutes and Reschooling of Academic Units within a College. Senator Fossum characterized this revision as an attempt to clarify which section of the Statutes is applicable in the instance of a change (transfer, etc.) in unit within a college. Fossum moved its approval.

11/01/99-11 By voice vote, SP.99.07 was approved.

11/01/99-12 Chancellor Aiken presented for action/second reading SP.00.05*, Proposed Amendments to the Statutes-Article II Section 4 - Faculty Advisory Committee. Senator Fossum stated this statutory amendment originated with the Faculty Advisory Committee (FAC), to permit only tenured faculty to serve on the FAC. Fossum moved its approval.

11/01/99-13 By voice vote, SP.00.05 was approved.

PROPOSED CHANGES TO ELECTION RULES FOR STUDENT SENATORS
11/01/99-14 The Chancellor presented for action SP.97.04*, Proposed Changes to Election Rules for Student Senators. Fossum described this proposal as housekeeping in nature, replacing reference to the defunct Student Government Association (SGA) with the Illinois Student Government (ISG), and replacing reference to the obsolete Senate Committee on Elections and Credentials (SECC) with the Senate Committee on University Statutes and Senate Procedures (USSP). He moved its approval.

11/01/99-15 By voice vote, SP.97.04 was approved.

REPORTS FOR INFORMATION OF THE SENATE
Chancellor Aiken presented the following reports for information:

11/01/99-16 SC.00.06*, Status of Revisions to the Statutes - Terms of Faculty Employment,
11/01/99-17 FAC.00.01*, 1998-99 Annual Report of the Faculty Advisory Committee.

REPORTS OF THE PROCEEDINGS OF OTHER MEETINGS
The Chancellor presented the following meeting reports:

11/01/99-18 HE.00.01*, FAC/IBHE, September 17, 1999, T. Weech
11/01/99-19 UC.00.01*, USC, September 8, 1999, G. Belford
11/01/99-20 UC.00.02*, USC, October 1, 1999, G. Belford

The meeting was adjourned at 4:30 p.m.

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