Minutes of the University Senate Meeting

Anderson, Collin

Axtman, Benjamin

Baker, Mary

Berne, Jane

Berwald, Olaf

Bradley, April

Broedel, Hans

Buhr, Jordan

Covington, Chandice

Cripe, Haylee

DeMers, Judy

Doze, Van

Drewes, Mary

Elsinga, Lillian

Ferraro, Richard

Fisher, Jay

Ghribi, Othman

Gordon, Gregory

Gourneau, Bonni

Grandstrand, Tyrone

Graves, Corey

Haskins, James

Hoffarth, Janice

Hume, Wendelin

Hunter, Susan

Iiams, Michele

Iverson, Joneen

Jackson, Jon

Jackson, Margaret

Jeno, Sue

Jerath, Sukhvarsh

Johnson, Gary

Kaler, Amanda

Khavanin, Mohammad

Kitzes, Adam

Lawrence, David

Light, Steven

Liu, Rugao

Lothspeich, Jason

Mamaghani, Iraj

Marshall, David

Mayzer, Roni

Melland, Helen

Mertz, Tara

Moen, Jan

Murphy, Eric

Myrick, Matthew

Perkins, Dexter

Petros, Thomas

Poochigian, Donald

Potvin, Martha

Rendahl, Stephen

Reza, Hassan

Rice, Daniel

Rieke, Judy

Rosenberger, Thad

Schnellert, Gary

Schwartz, Rhonda

Smith, Bruce

Stolt, Wilbur

Sun, Jeffrey

Tepper, Nadine

Weisenstein, Greg

Widmer, Donovan

Wittgraf, Michael

Wu, Min

The following announcements were made:

Mr. Petros announced that a group will go with the Pride of the North band on December 7 to Northwood to present the Northwood School’s music program with new music, instruments and money raised through a Staff Senate fund- raising effort to replace resources lost in the tornado they experienced this summer.
Mr. Petros announced that the presidential search committee has invited five candidates to campus after the first of the year. He encouraged the senators to take a look at the presidential search committee website and to participate in the activities involved in the campus visits.
Mr. Weisenstein gave an update on the athletic director search and shared a draft of the required qualifications. He stated that the search committee is recommending to the President that a search consultant be engaged. The next phase of the search will be to modify the qualifications for a position description and job announcement to be posted after the first of the year.
Mr. Jackson gave an update on the activities of the Council of College Faculties (CCF). He explained the makeup and duties of CCF and reported on current projects, including: 1) the Textbook Committee is working on ways to streamline textbook costs; and 2) avenues to approach legislators to effectively argue for higher faculty salaries are being explored, e.g., a survey of NDUS faculty is going to be conducted for their input regarding their contributions.

The chair asked for corrections or additions to the November 1, 2007 minutes. Hearing none, the minutes were approved as distributed.

The question period was opened at 4:25 p.m.

Mr. Murphy raised a question regarding sportsmanship and how fan behavior can be controlled during university-sanctioned games at the Ralph Engelstad Arena. He cited an example of unsportsmanlike behavior conducted by the Arena that occurred at the Colorado College hockey game this season. It was suggested that he write a letter to the management of the Arena and President Kupchella.

The question period closed at 4:30 p.m.

A motion was made by Mr. Marshall, and seconded by Mr. Poochigian, to accept the Senate Standing Committee on Faculty Rights annual report. The motion was approved.

Mr. Perkins presented the following resolution regarding athletic and academic funding in relation to the Division I athletic move:

Whereas, education is the number one mission of the University of North Dakota;

Whereas, many academic programs at UND are presently underfunded or working with minimal budgets;

Whereas, changing University of North Dakota athletic programs to Division I will significantly increase the cost of UND athletic programs;

Now, therefore, it is hereby resolved as follows:

Resolved, that the amount of institutional support dollars dedicated to supporting UND athletic programs should not be increased above the level of the 2007 budget unless funding for academic programs increases by an equivalent or greater percent.

Discussion ensued. Mr. Rice moved, and Ms. DeMers seconded, to amend the resolution by replacing the last statement starting with “Resolved” to read: “The cost of the move to Division I athletics should not come at the expense of the academic budget of the University.”

Mr. Perkins accepted the amendment and the motion passed unanimously.

A motion was made to pass the amended Division I athletic and academic funding resolution. The motion passed with a vote of 56 for, 1 against, and 2 abstentions.

10.

A motion was made by Mr. Perkins, and seconded by Ms. DeMers, to suspend the Senate rules to allow a non-senator to speak. The motion passed with a vote of 40 in favor and 1 abstention.

11.

Mr. Fisher and Rachel Peterson presented a Student Senate resolution regarding the institution of a fall break at UND. They explained the concept and Mr. Fisher stated that over half of UND’s peer institutions currently have a fall break. He also stated that it would have to be a statewide policy, with the decision being made at the system level. The students expressed a desire for input from the University senators and support for the idea. Discussion ensued. A motion was made by Mr. Buhr, and seconded by Mr. Grandstrand, to approve the resolution. The motion passed with a vote of 39 in favor, 15 against, and 1 abstention.

12.

Mr. Haskins made a motion to approve the candidates for degrees and certificates for December 14, 2007. The motion was seconded and passed with a vote of 47 for and 2 abstentions.

13.

A motion was made by Mr. Haskins, and seconded by Mr. Myrick, to accept the Curriculum Committee report. The motion passed unanimously.

14.

Ms. Potvin explained a request from the Council of the College of Arts and Sciences for the Senate to “explore the development of a mechanism by the University that would annually provide a report of the distribution of indirect cost funds among administrative units and what these funds have been spent on.” Discussion ensued. Mr. Jackson moved to support the request and the motion passed unanimously.

15.

The meeting was adjourned at 5:23 p.m.

Lori Hofland, for Suzanne Anderson

Secretary to the Senate