Minutes of the University Senate Meeting

Anderson, Ernest

Anderson, Suzanne

Baker, Mary

Bass, Gail

Benoit, Joseph

Boyd, Robert

Bradley, April

Brekke, Alice

Brevik, Harald

Bridewell, John

Broedel, Hans

Buhr, Jordan

Burbach, Nathan

Crawford, Sean

DeMers, Judy

Dewar, Graeme

Doze, Van

Drechsel, Carol

El-Rewini, Hesham

Elsinga, Lillian

Erickson, Daniel

Ferraro, Richard

Fershee, Josh

Fincke, Adam

Gottschalk, Martin

Gourneau, Bonni

Grandstrand, Tyrone

Haskins, James

Healy, Margaret

Hoffarth, Janice

Hoffmann, Mark

Hume, Wendelin

Jackson, Jon

Jerath, Sukhvarsh

Kelley, Robert

Kenville, Kimberly

Khavanin, Mohammad

Knight, Barbara

Lawrence, David

LeBel, Paul

Lei, Saobo

Lesch, Bill

Liepold, Loren

Light, Steven

Lim, Yeo

McClure, Johnathan

McLennan, Kathleen

Miller, Charles

Munski, Doug

O’Keefe, Tim

Petros, Thomas

Rakow, Lana

Rice, Daniel

Riedy, Joshua

Schlosser, Isaac

Smart, Kathy

Smith, Wesley

Stolt, Wilbur

Stone, Chelsea

Swingen, Nicholas

Ullrich, Gary

Wanner, Kyle

Wirth, Nicole

Wu, Min

The following announcements were made:

a. Mr. Jackson called attention to the business calendar of the agenda. He requested the addition of two resolutions, one from Staff Senate and a second regarding the logo. Approval was moved by Mr. Munski. The motion was seconded by Ms. DeMers and approved with a vote of 51 for, 1 against and 1 abstention.

b. Ms. Hoffarth explained how the State Organization for the Staff Senate was organized through the impetus of UND Staff Senate. The organization has met formally and they expect to have rules and bylaws passed by the end of April.

c. Mr. Jackson described a request to review membership on the University Council. He agreed to chair a task force and requested volunteers to join him. After the task force completes its work, it will report back to Senate.

d. Mr. Jackson indicated that the faculty seed money program has become inactive. An ad hoc committee will address the program in an attempt to rejuvenate it. The ad hoc committee will report back to Senate after completing its work.

e. Ms. Brekke announced an open budget forum April 15 at 11:00 a.m. in the Memorial Union North Ballroom. Ms. Brekke and President Kelley will give an update and status report on the budget and process. There will also be an opportunity for questions and discussion.

f. Mr. Jackson announced that on April 21 there will be a University Council meeting. There will be a report on University Senate by Ms. Hume and a presentation by President Kelley. Peter Johnson informed the Senate that the meeting was being rescheduled; however, it was later discovered that the meeting was not being rescheduled and will be held on April 21.

g. Mr. Boyd, as chair of the Vice President for Finance and Operations Search Committee, made an announcement regarding the search. The top four candidates are being invited to campus to visit the last of April and first of May. There was a large pool and the committee was pleased with the quality of the applicants. The four candidates are Alice Brekke, Laura Block, Greg Garber and Scott Cole.

Mr. Jackson asked for corrections or additions to the minutes of the March 5, 2009, meeting. Hearing none, the minutes were approved as distributed.

The question period was opened at 4:26 p.m.

Mr. Jackson asked about any substantial changes for the appropriations bill at legislature. Ms. Brekke shared the various items that were intact at the crossover. There are now a number of changes and it looks questionable as to whether all the measures will survive. The bill must leave the senate appropriations committee and then be voted on the floor with resolution of the differences between the house and the senate. The bill may go as late as May 6 before we know the results.

Mr. Buhr asked about the NDUS logo commission. Mr. Jackson reported that the first meeting of the commission has occurred and they discussed how they would proceed. The timeline was, hopefully, to complete work by the end of the academic year. At the last SBHE meeting, no further action had been taken. Mr. Boyd shared a conversation with Grant Shaft, in which Mr. Boyd requested that the next meeting be held on the UND campus before the end of year. Mr. Shaft guaranteed it would be held in the next three weeks.

Mr. Grandstrand asked about the purpose of the logo meeting on campus. Mr. Jackson shared that it was to gather the feelings of various campus constituents regarding the logo.

The question period closed at 4:35 p.m.

The annual report of the Conflict of Interest/Scientific Misconduct Committee was presented. It was moved by Mr. Buhr and seconded by Mr. Haskins to accept the report. There was no discussion and the report was approved.

Ms. DeMers, representing the Senate Committee on Committees, moved to approve the results of the senate committee elections. There was a second by Ms. Kenville. Mr. Erickson asked about the term for the new ROTC members. Ms. Hofland indicated that she will look into the matter and get back to him. He then asked about the Student Policy election. Ms. DeMers withdrew her motion until the next meeting when ballot issues are resolved.

The Curriculum Committee report was presented. Mr. Haskins moved approval of the corrected Curriculum report, Ms. Wirth seconded and the motion was approved unanimously.

10.

The proposed changes to the Code of Student Life were presented by Jeffrey Powell and Brady Pelton. Mr. Pelton, chair of the Student Policy Committee, explained the purpose of the committee and the four requested changes. Discussion ensued. Approval was moved by Mr. Munski and seconded by Mr. Boyd. There was a motion by Mr. Fincke and a second by Ms. Stone to restore the original language for the first suggested change, 2-1(3). After discussion regarding the language for the first change, Mr. Grandstrand moved to table the changes to the Code of Student Life. The motion was seconded by Ms. DeMers and approved with a vote of 40 for and 14 against.

11.

Ms. Hoffarth presented the Staff Senate resolution regarding campus storm closure procedures. The resolution requested a review of closure procedures. She explained that since the first closure for weather, the administration have done a good job of notification. The Staff Senate is asking that it continue but that the procedure be looked into. Ms. Hoffarth indicated that Staff Senate is asking for support of the resolution and that it be sent to administration. It was moved by Mr. Grandstrand and seconded by Ms. Rakow to approve the resolution. Discussion ensued. The motion was approved with a vote of 51 for and 1 abstention.

12.

Ms. Hume presented the resolution regarding the logo issues. She indicated that the request was to cease the use of the nickname and logo immediately. The resolution requested that the State Board of Higher Education move to retire the logo and give the authority to President Kelley for an orderly transition. It was moved by Ms. Hume and seconded by Mr. Broedel to approve the resolution. Discussion ensued. It was moved by Mr. Buhr and seconded by Mr. Brevik to strike the fourth whereas clause because it was not substantiated. Discussion occurred. The motion was defeated. A question was posed about the eleventh whereas clause and its substantiation. The names of the authors of the resolution were requested. Ms. Hume accepted authorship and responsibility in line with Senate rules. There was comment that the resolution could undermine the current State Board process for resolution of the logo issue. Mr. Grandstrand indicated he had met with students on all sides and that the resolution should be objective and that he did not believe the resolution was objective. He also stated that any action should be to bring people together and not be divisive. A vote was taken on the motion to approve the resolution and was not conclusive. There was a request for a roll call vote by Mr. Buhr. The roll call vote was approved.

13.

Mr. Haskins made a motion to extend the meeting by five minutes. The motion was seconded by Ms. DeMers and approved.

14.

A roll call vote was taken. The resolution was approved with a vote of 25 yes votes, 19 no votes, and 14 abstentions.

15.

The meeting adjourned at 5:35 p.m.

Suzanne Anderson

Secretary to the Senate