University Governance
UNIVERSITY SENATE
October 8, 2009 – 3:30 p.m. – Room #203, Law SchoolPRESENT: Faculty – Beju Benjamin, Jonathan Clark, James Daugherty, Ben Eggleston, Ada Emmett Mark Ezell, Allen Ford, Peter Grund, Matthew Jacobson, Nancy Kinnersley, Man Kong, Chuck Marsh, Brent Metz, Sara Morris, Bozenna Pasik-Duncan, Blake Peterson, Jean Philips, Suzanne Rice, Gitti Salami, Dan Spencer,Jeff Staudinger, Milena Stanislavova, Lisa Timmons, , Rodolfo Torres, Donna Tucker, Tony Walton, Sara Wilson, Jie Zhang. Staff – Betty Childers, Mary Ann Baker, Chris Wallace, Phil Wilke, Aaron Quisenberry Students – Jessica Brooks, Marek Brzozowski, Andrea Peterson, Ross Ringer, Aaron Dollinger, Elise Higgins, Matt Rissien, Kellee Kirkpatrick, Jim Stoutenborough Ex-officio – Danny Anderson, Mason Heilman, Jeannette Johnson, Dennis Constance.
EXCUSED: Faculty –Melissa Birch, David Brackett, Matthew Burke, Sandra Gray, Doug Huffman, Alice Lieberman, Steven Maynard-Moody, Joyce McCray-Pearson, Jean Phillips, Barbara Phipps, John Staniunas, Kelli Thomas. Staff – Paul Farran. Students – Michael Smith, JJ Siler.
(Please contact Molly Mulloy if you were indeed present)
ALSO PRESENT: Molly Mulloy, Governance; Kathy Reed, Governance; May Davis, Student Senate
President John Stratton called the meeting to order at 3:30 p.m.
A CONVERSATION WITH PROVOST DANNY ANDERSON
John Stratton welcomed Provost Anderson to the meeting, who was present to update members on the FY10 budget situation and other matters. The Provost noted that KU’s state budget allocation for both campuses this year was $36.6 million less than at the start of FY09, a 12% cut. KU also lost 121 positions, including 55 faculty, which offset the 2002-06 tuition enhancement goal of increasing the number of faculty by 100. The Provost described how KU administrators have made presentations to the Regents, the Legislative Planning Committee and others to explain how the budget reductions have hurt KU, while at the same time confirming that KU is still an excellent institution. He said this is a challenging but creative time for KU and the many state agencies that are feeling the cuts and asking the legislature for more support.
The Provost announced that KU is in the initial planning stage for a new capital campaign. Asked by a Senate member where the funds will be directed, Anderson responded that it has not yet been decided though the deans have been asked about their schools’ specific needs. He expects that enhancing scholarship opportunities, student research, and retention will be important considerations.
Provost Anderson reported that KU did very well in many areas of an audit published last August by the state’s Legislative Post Audit department. KU will report to the Regents in December regarding several questions posed by the auditors, such as the effect of state purchasing rules on the university and whether increased distance education courses would save money.
Administrators are focused on identifying ways to increase retention and to help students become more prepared for admission to KU. Provost Anderson said KU needs to do a better job communicating to the public about the ways KU contributes to the state and to work force development and why the state should support higher education. In response to a question, Anderson said that the Regents will give a charge to the Council of Faculty Senate Presidents (COFSP) to look at ways to address differential admissions at each university, and new procedures will be implemented in June 2010. He added that as we move forward toward a more qualified admission plan, the University needs to maintain a stable enrollment.
John Stratton thanked the Provost for speaking to the Senate today.MINUTES for September 10, 2009 were approved.
STANDING REPORTS
University Senate President`
John Stratton reminded members that extra print copies of the agenda and handouts are not being provided this year, and that the attendance sheet should be initialed at each meeting.Faculty Senate President
Lisa Wolf-Wendel reported that the Task Force on Open Access Implementation will hold six Brown Bag noontime forums this fall to solicit input from faculty. She invited all to remain for the Faculty Senate meeting today for the discussion about (1) public access to grade distribution data, and (2) proposed changes to the TOEFL requirement for international students. The Provost Search Committee has posted a job description and is seeking nominations, and the Furlough Planning Committee is drafting a contingency furlough plan for faculty and staff.STUDENT BODY PRESIDENT
Mason Heilman reported that Student Body Vice President May Davis has requested that the Academic Policies and Procedures Committee look into the Credit/No Credit grade option for courses in one’s minor. He is visiting with University Registrar about the course refund policy. He and Davis met recently with Continuing Education administrators to see how CE course offerings might be better publicized to students. He asked Senate members who chair governance committees to contact him if student members are not attending meetings.UNCLASSIFIED SENATE
Jeannette Johnson reported that the Unclassified Senate’s standing committees have all met and the full Senate met yesterday. The Professional Development committee is planning to repeat its one-day Wheat State tour again this spring. The Unclassified Senate supports the gender identity amendment being voted on at today’s meeting.UNIVERSITY SUPPORT STAFF (“USS”)
Dennis Constance reported that the Support Staff Senate also supports the gender identity amendment. They are looking at the University’s policy on re-hiring staff after they retire. The Classified Support Staff Council will meet in December to finalize its strategy for the upcoming state legislative session, including raises for employees. Constance is going to the House Appropriations meeting next Tuesday when KPERS retirement benefits are discussed. He met with the Provost last week to discuss more support for University Support staff who wish to participate in governance activities.RESOLUTION TO AMEND KU’S NON-DISCRIMINATION AND EQUAL OPPORTUNITH POLICIES
John Stratton explained that the intent is to explicitly support the rights of transgender individuals at the University of Kansas by adding the words “gender identity and gender expression” to both policies. Ada Emmett/Ben Eggleston moved that the University Senate approve amendments to KU’s Non-Discrimination and Equal Opportunity policies by adding the words “gender identity” and “gender expression” to both policies. Passed without dissent.AMENDMENTS TO THE UNIVERSITY SENATE CODE AND RULES
Code, Art. I, Charter of Governance Bodies.
John Stratton noted that Task Force on the Handbook for Faculty and Unclassified Staff recommended that the charter be moved from the old Handbook to the University Senate Code. Lisa Wolf-Wendel/Andrea Peterson moved that the Charter be placed at the beginning of the Code with the heading of “Preamble.” Passed.Code, Art. I, Membership. Sec. 1-6.
Stratton explained that the proposed amendments would add the Student Body Vice President as an ex-officio, voting member of the University Senate, and add three members each from the Unclassified and Support Staff Senates as voting members. Mason Heilman stated that the word “elected” was not necessary in the first sentence of Sec. 1 because the new undergraduate would be a member because of his/her office of Student Body Vice President. The sentence would then read: “The University Senate shall consist of twelve thirteen student members elected from the Student Senate…” Andrea Peterson/Ross Ringer moved to amend the proposal to provide that the additional undergraduate student member would not be the Student Body Vice President. Mason Heilman spoke against Peterson’s motion, stating that last year’s students had approved the recommendation. Following brief discussion, Beju Benjamin recommended that the Student Senate resolve this difference of opinion before the amendment is voted on by the University Senate. Peterson/Ringer then withdrew their motion, and John Stratton asked the Student Senators to discuss this recommendation before the November Senate meeting.Code, Art. XIX, Student Representation on Committees
John Stratton stated that the new text clarifies that the rule requiring policy-making committees to include student members equal to 20% of the faculty members applies to governance bodies also.USRR, Art. II, Sec. 1. Recorded Evaluation of Student Performance
John Stratton said this amendment came about because a faculty member wanted to be sure that it was permissible to post her syllabus on Blackboard. He noted that he had received a response from a faculty member stating that there may be some faculty who are not comfortable using a computer for this purpose. Stratton pointed out that the option for an electronic syllabus does not preclude the option for a print syllabus. Several members suggested that the word “should” be changed to “shall” if the intent is for a syllabus in some format to be required. Tony Walton pointed out that there are some thesis classes where a syllabus would be inappropriate. Jeannette Johnson recommended that if the word “shall” is used, exclusion could be added for thesis and dissertation courses, special projects, independent study, and so forth. Following discussion, Stratton said SenEx will look into this issue.EDITORIAL AMENDMENTS TO THE CODE AND RULES
Lisa Wolf-Wendel/Andrea Peterson moved to approve the editorial amendments to Code 12.2 and USRR 2.3.3. Passed. The text is as follows:CODE, ARTICLE XII. STANDING COMMITTEES OF THE UNIVERSITY SENATE
Section 2. Membership
The University Committee on Libraries …. In addition, there shall be four student members serving one-year terms and two staff members appointed by the Provost and serving staggered three-year terms. and one representative from the Graduate School appointed by the Dean of Graduate Studies. ….University Senate Rules, ARTICLE II. ACADEMIC WORK AND ITS EVALUATION
- In the most extreme and unusual circumstances a student may petition to either:
withdraw from all the courses in which he/she was enrolled. In this case a properly constituted … If the incomplete is assigned, it is to be completed in the next semester in which the student is enrolled at the University in accordance with University Senate Rule 2.2.3. …
No further business.
Respectfully submitted,
Molly Mulloy