The November meeting of the University Senate was held at 4:05 p.m. on Thursday, November 2, 2000, in room 7, Gamble Hall.  Randy Lee presided.

The following members of the Senate were present:

Bagheri, Fathollah
Berger, Kristy
Boyd, Robert
Cleveland, Mike
DeMers, Judy
Drewes, Mary
Elbert, Dennis
Elsinga, Lillian
Erickson, Daniel
Ettling, John
Fivizzani, Albert
Fox, Carl
Gallager, Robert
Greves, Cole
Grijalva, James
Hafner, Andrew
Hoffmann, Mark
Holdman, Linda
Jackson, Jon
Jeno, Susan
Khavanin, Mohammad
Kraidy, Marwan
Krogh, Nancy
Kweit, Robert
Lang, Gretchen
Lee, Randy
Lowe, D. Scott
Mabey, Renee
Mann, Michael
Moen, Janet
Nelson, Berly
Nelson, Theron
Norton, Theresa
Owens, Thomas
Pederson, Randy
Petros, Thomas
Poochigian, Donald
Rankin, Elizabeth
Rice, Daniel
Robertson, Charles
Schletty, Chris
Smith, Bruce
Stevens, Wes
Stolt, Wilbur
Timmerman, Larry
Todhunter, Paul
Tschacher, Walter
Woehle, Ralph
Yurkovich, Eleanor

The following members of the Senate were absent:

Amjad, Sabrina
Bass, Gerald
Davis, W. Jeremy
Even, Brock
Frost, Chris
Gabrynowicz, Joanne
Goodwin, Janice
Hume, Wendelin
Kupchella, Charles
Lindseth, Glenda
Munski, Douglas
Nelson, Enrique
Ness, Joel
Nichols, Elizabeth
Olsen, Glenn
Shaeffer, James
Skramstad, Allan
Smart, Kathy
Stofferahn, Curtis
Towne, Gary
Undlin, Heather
Wellcome, Dan
Wilson, H. David
Zierdt, Candace

The Chair made the following announcements:

A.  President Kupchella sends apologies for his absence.  He is the national chairman of the American   Society for Cancer Education, and is attending its meetings, which are underway in the District of Columbia.
B.  The President has called the Fall Meeting of the University Council for November 8, 2000 at 4:30 p.m., in the  Memorial Union Ballroom.
C.  The President has asked that an advisory group on marketing the University be appointed.  Vice President Boyd asked that the Senate Chair appoint a Senate Representative to that group, and Senator Eleanor Yurkovich of the College of Nursing has accepted that appointment.
D.  Jerry Bass, the chair of Committee on Committees, announced the following replacement committee appointments:

       Assessment Committee:  Michael Meyer for Barbara Handy-Marchello, and Ginny Guido
               for Betty Ide.
       Student Policy Committee:  Larry Spain for Mahesh Lakshman
       Intellectual Property Committee:  Matthew Nilles for Pat Fry.

E.  The University Senate's January, 2001 meeting has been changed to January 11, a date on which the University is back in session.  The agenda item submission deadline  for  the  January  Meeting is December 28.
F.  At our October meeting, Senator Gabrynowicz asked for consideration of the reinstitution of Senate Forums.  The Executive Committee discussed reinstitution of the Forums and determined that forums will be scheduled as compelling issues arise and are ripe for focused discussion.
G.  The Board of Higher Education meets November 16 and 17 in Devils Lake.  Scot Stradley, Chair of the Council of College Faculties, advises that Pat Seaworth, Board legal counsel, has informed the Council that a sick leave policy will be on that meeting's Agenda.  Last March 2, this body, upon a compensation committee report presented by our present vice chair Susan Jeno, resolved to recommend to the Board that, regarding sick leave for faculty, it adopt a policy providing that each campus develop its own policy and submit it to the Board for approval.  On November 16 & 17, the Board will consider a sick leave policy that treats 12-month faculty the same as all other Board employees.  Faculty who are less than 12-month would be regulated this way:

Faculty employed for a term of less than twelve months (or for successive terms of less than twelve months) are not entitled to paid sick or dependent leave.  However, each institution shall adopt procedures governing requests by faculty not entitled to paid sick or dependent leave for time off due to illness, injury, medical treatment, or needs of family members.  Institution procedures shall generally provide that a brief absence or limited time off from work due to illness, medical treatment or dependent care may be permitted with pay when appropriate arrangements are made to cover or reschedule classes and perform other essential job functions.

The Chair asked if there were additions or corrections to the minutes of the October 5, 2000 meeting.  There being none, the minutes were approved as distributed.

The Chair introduced the Question Period.  Concerns were discussed regarding the Board of Higher Education's proposed sick leave policy for faculty.  Concerns included inequity toward 12-month faculty under the change in policy, loss of institutional autonomy in setting policy, and the problems of small schools in handling the workload of faculty on leave.  Mr. Petros suggested that Mr. Lee write a letter to the Board stating these concerns.  (Available at the Office of the Registrar.)

Ms. DeMers moved to receive and file the Annual Reports from the General Education Requirements Committee, the Assessment Committee, and the Standing Committee on Faculty Rights.  The motion was seconded, voted upon, and carried unanimously.

Mr. Lee referred to Attachment #4 on the Agenda: Senate Executive Committee recommendation for a Senate Bylaws amendment to clarify that the immediate past Chairperson serves on that Committee even if no longer a member of the University Senate, and to provide for a replacement should the immediate past Chairperson be unavailable to serve.

The following amendment to the Bylaws had been proposed by the Senate Executive Committee:
 

In the Bylaw on Committees, at paragraph "1. Executive Committee," in the second sentence's identification of the membership, amend the third-listed member, now reading:

"The immediate past Chairperson;"

By adding language so that it reads:

"The immediate past Chairperson, whether or not still a member of the Senate (if this individual is unable to serve, then the available past Chairperson who most recently served as Chairperson shall serve);"

After discussion, Mr. Kweit moved to accept the recommendations from the Curriculum Committee for New Program Requests and New Course Requests.  The motion was seconded, and carried by a vote of 45 for and 2 abstaining.  (On file in the Office of the Registrar.)

Berly Nelson, Student Body President, reported on following student activities.

A. The good news for students this year is that expenses of shuttle busing and expanded library hours were picked up by the University.
B. Students now pick up hockey tickets in advance of hockey games, free of charge.  This has caused some problems but also may allow more people to attend.  A meeting was held with Engelstad Arena officials regarding the $50 season ticket charge for next year.  The Student Senate will tour the new arena this Sunday.
C. Membership in the Credit Union located in the Memorial Union is now open to students.
D. Student government has funded the cardiovascular and treatment room located in the Hyslop Sports Center.
E. Student Government has purchased space in the Dakota Student to inform students of the work of their student government.
F. The Student Senate is giving leadership awards and scholarships to North Dakota high schools seniors who are leaders in their communities.
G. Student Government is working on changing parking regulations in front of the Memorial Union.
H. Students would like to select a well-known commencement speaker.
I. Students are looking forward to using Web ALFI.  The Student Senate will consider a resolution asking the University and HECN to do whatever it can to make Web ALFI available for UND students.
J. Spring Fest planning was described.  Concerns about Spring Fest were discussed.
K. Student Government is encouraging students to vote and take part in the political process.  The Presidential and Vice-Presidential debates will be replayed on Monday in the Memorial Union.
L. Student Senate passed a resolution encouraging Barnes and Noble to increase their hours of operation.
M. Would like possible resolution for the Senate to form a committee to research student evaluations [of instructors], particularly as it relates to hand-writing recognition, especially when the class size is small.
N. Space usage was discussed at the former bookstore in the Memorial Union.  Vice President Gallager said that a convenience store will be occupying one of the empty spaces in the Union.  Other possibilities for occupancy might be an art gallery or student lounge area.
O. Senate was asked not to forget to celebrate North Dakota's 111th birthday!

The meeting adjourned at 5:00 p.m.
 

                                                                                 Nancy Krogh, Secretary