UC.07.02
February 19, 2007
University of Illinois
University Senates Conference
Tuesday, 26 September 2006
Allerton House, Monticello
Members present: Anderson, Bodenhorn (Chair), Burton, Chambers, Fisher, Ford, Grossman, W. Jones, Kagan, E. Kaufman, Mallory (Vice Chair), Schacht, Scheff, Tolliver, Weller, Wood
Guests: David Chicoine, Joseph Finnerty, Barclay Jones, Pat Langley
Chair Bodenhorn called the meeting to order at 9:00 a.m. The Minutes of the 29 August meeting were approved as amended. The USC continued its discussion of the Global Campus (GC) from the retreat the evening before (25 September 2006). Bodenhorn reviewed USC’s decision to work with President White and Chet Gardner to identify faculty who would develop an academic plan for the GC, including examples of academic programs with degree completion requirements.
Appointments to USC committees and university Management Teams were discussed but not finalized. Nancy Ford (UIS) was designated as USC’s Observer to the meeting of the Board of Trustees on 9 November 2006 at UIS. Bodenhorn commented that USC sent a letter to the President with recommendations for the position of Vice President for Academic Affairs. [Note: The President responded to USC on 10 October that he was initiating an internal search to fill the position with “an accomplished tenured member of the University of Illinois faculty,” and that he viewed the role to be less “administrative” and more advisory.] Bodenhorn said that the USC document on shared governance, “USC Faculty Perspective on Shared Governance at the University of Illinois,” was almost ready to be sent to the President, chancellors, and senates, and that the President would asked to transmit it to the Board of Trustees. Kaufman suggested that the document be put on the USC website. [Note: The document was transmitted to the President on 4 October, with copies to chancellors, provosts, and senates; and with a request to transmit the document to members of the Board.] The Conference discussed ways to interact with the President when he cannot attend a USC meeting.
The Conference went into Executive Session to meet with Vice President Chicoine at 11:05 a.m. The USC and Chicoine discussed revisions to The General Rules suggested by the University Intellectual Property (IP) Committee. Chicoine said that once the faculty commented on the revisions in writing to the President, the IP Committee will consider those comments and make additional revisions if necessary. If the changes are significant, the revisions will come back to USC. Chicoine reported that the FY08 budget was approved by the Board of Trustees. The meeting recessed for lunch at 12:25 p.m.
Following lunch, the business meeting resumed at 1:15 p.m. USC briefly discussed plans for next year’s retreat, the appointment of the 2006-07 Statutes Committee, a report from the Tuition and Fees Executive Committee (Fisher, Kagan, Wood), and possible USC guests.
USC received updates from the campuses. Kaufman (UIC) reported that the faculty has been talking about modifying the length of the tenure clock, leaning toward the option for ten years and out. There would still be a three-year review, but at the sixth year there would be an option of allowing more time. One reason to lengthen the tenure clock is the difficulty of getting grants funded within the current time limit. Burton (UIUC) reported that the senate passed a resolution on the Global Campus at its meeting the day before and that the senate is working on its five-year review. Langley (UIS) said that the Global Campus is the biggest issue in the senate.
USC also received updates from the Management Teams and a report from USC’s Observer (Kaufman) to the Board of Trustees Meeting on 7 September.
The meeting adjourned at 2:15 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Michael Grossman
UIUC Senate’s representative to USC
Adapted from minutes USC approved on October 25, 2006
Thanks to Connie Sailor, USC Secretary.