Minutes of the University Senate Meeting

December 7, 2000

The December meeting of the University Senate was held at 4:05 p.m. on Thursday, December 7, 2000, in room 7, Gamble Hall. Randy Lee presided.

The following members of the Senate were present:

Bagheri, Fathollah
Bass, Gerald
Berger, Kristy
Boyd, Robert
Cleveland, Mike
Davis, W. Jeremy
DeMers, Judy
Drewes, Mary
Elbert, Dennis
Elsinga, Lillian
Erickson, Daniel
Ettling, John
Fivizzani, Albert
Gabrynowicz, JoAnne
Gallager, Robert
Goodwin, Janice
Grijalva, James
Hoffmann, Mark
Holdman, Linda
Hume, Wendelin
Jeno, Susan
Johnson, Arnold
Khavanin, Mohammad
Krogh, Nancy
Kweit, Robert
Lee, Randy
Lindseth, Glenda
Lowe, D. Scott
Mabey, Renee
Munski, Douglas
Nelson, Berly
Nelson, Enrique
Nichols, Elizabeth
Norton, Theresa
Owens, Thomas
Pederson, Randy
Petros, Thomas
Rankin, Elizabeth
Rice, Daniel
Robertson, Charles
Shaeffer, James
Skramstad, Allan
Smith, Bruce
Stevens, Wes
Stofferahn, Curtis
Stolt, Wilbur
Timmerman, Larry
Todhunter, Paul
Towne, Gary
Tschacher, Walter
Wellcome, Dan
Woehle, Ralph
Yurkovich, Eleanor
Zierdt, Candace

The following members of the Senate were absent:

Amjad, Sabrina
Even, Brock
Fox, Carl
Frost, Chris
Greves, Cole
Hafner, Andrew
Jackson, Jon
Kraidy, Marwan
Kupchella, Charles
Lang, Gretchen
Mann, Michael
Moen, Janet
Nelson, Theron
Olsen, Glenn
Poochigian, Donald
Schletty, Chris
Smart, Kathy
Undlin, Heather
Wilson, H. David

The following announcements were made:

A. Mr. Lee announced that, as he promised at the last meeting, he sent a letter to State Board of Higher Education President Issacson and Chancellor Isaak, forwarding the Senate's resolution adopted at its March, 2000 meeting regarding Board action on a faculty sick leave policy and also reporting concerns of the Senate on the same subject discussed at the November, 2000 Senate meeting. Mr. Lee did not know what action was taken on the matter at the Board meeting. Mr. Gallager reported that there was further discussion and that the policy was not adopted at the meeting.

B. Mr. Lee announced that both the UND Student Senate and the North Dakota Student Association had sent a resolution to the State Board of Higher Education asking for inclusion of a statement of commitment to the preservation, protection, and promotion of the Liberal Arts in the current Roundtable report. Copies of the resolutions were distributed at the meeting.

C. Mr. Lee distributed copies of the AAC/CCF Appeals and Grievance Task Force meeting minutes from December 1, 2000 and copies of the final draft of the Mediation Policy produced by this Task Force for submission to the Board. He announced that he would refer the draft to the Standing Committee on Faculty Rights for any recommendation it might wish to bring to the Senate regarding the draft.

D. Mr. Lee announced that legislation to implement the Roundtable Task Force Report has been pre-filed for the upcoming session of the North Dakota Legislative Assembly, and that copies of the Legislation had been obtained and preliminarily reviewed by the Senate's Legislative Affairs Committee chaired by Senator Robert Kweit. According to Mr. Kweit, the Legislative Affairs Committee will continue to review the legislation, and bring to the Senate for action any resolutions regarding a formal position it believes appropriate.

E. Mr. Lee announced that the January Senate meeting will be held on January 11, 2001.

The Chairman asked if there were any additions or corrections to the minutes of the November 2, 2000 meeting. There being none, the minutes were approved as distributed.

The Chairman introduced the Question Period at 4:16 p.m. Mr. Petros asked Mr. Ettling about the Strategic Planning process and its accommodation to the Roundtable initiatives and their implementation, especially in the event that some of the initiatives might be planned to be accomplished through reallocation of funds. Mr. Ettling responded that it was too early in the process to address this, but that he would remind the President of the role of the Senate Restructuring and Reallocation Committee and its relationship to any Strategic Plan proposals to be pursued through reallocations.

Mr. Lee asked Mr. Ettling about the wording in subsection 3.D. in the draft mediation policy presented during the announcements. The item states "...the mediator shall notify the individual designated in subsections 3.A. of this section...", but subsection 3.A. does not identify any individual. Mr. Ettling stated he will ask for clarification of this wording.

Ms. Gabrynowicz asked Mr. Ettling about the implications of the draft of the mediation policy. Mr. Ettling responded that the process, assisted by consultations with Professor James Antes of the Psychology Department, has revealed how many different philosophies of mediation exist, and this proposed policy reflects a particular view of mediation.

Ms. Elsinga moved to receive and file the annual reports from the Senate Continuing Education, Distance Education and Outreach Committee; the Senate Legislative Affairs Committee; the Senate Library Committee; and the Student Policy Committee. Mr. Robertson seconded the motion, and it was voted upon, and carried unanimously.

Ms. Krogh moved to accept the tentative December 2000 list of Candidates for Graduation for recommendation to the State Board of Higher Education for the awarding of degrees indicated, upon successful completion of requirements. Mr. Bass seconded the motion, which was voted upon and carried unanimously.

Mr. Lee called the Senate’s attention to agenda item #9, the recommendation from the Senate Executive Committee to add language to the Senate Bylaws. The proposed language, to be added to the end of the present bylaw on Officers, states:

In the event of any vacancy in the office of Chair, the Vice Chair shall become the Chair. In the event of any vacancy in the office of Vice Chair, the Committee on Committees shall at the next regular meeting of the Senate nominate at least two elected members, the Chair must ask for nominations from the floor, and the Senate shall elect a new Vice Chair from all the nominees. Because the Bylaw on amending the Bylaws requires two meetings of notice before action may be taken, this recommendation will be acted upon at the January 11, 2001 Senate meeting.

10.

Mr. Erickson presented recommendations on behalf of the Curriculum Committee for curriculum changes. Mr. Munski moved to approve the list attached to the agenda (attachment # 7). Mr. Stevens seconded the motion, which was voted upon and approved unanimously.

11.

The meeting adjourned at 4:45 p.m.

Nancy Krogh, Secretary