October 23, 1996
Faculty Senate Minutes
October 23, 1996
PRESENT: John Alexander, Francois Amar, Steven Barkan, Ricnard Blake, Tony Brinkley, Richard Brucher, Mary Ellen Camire, Steven Colbum, George Criner, Dusty Doherty, Daniel Dwyer Max Egenhofer, Cathy Elliott, James Fastook, Ivan Fernandez, Michael Grillo Jeffrey Hecker, Dana Humphrey, Fred Hutchinson, George Jacobson, Mel Johnson, Peter Kleban, Jean Lavigne, William Livingston, Philip Locke, Kathleen March, Ben Meiklejohn, Russ Johnston for Henry Metcalf, Suzanne Moulton, Sean Murphy, Stephen Norton, Tina Passman, Hemant Pendse, Connie Perry, Howard Segal,Pam Schutz, Edmund Sheppard, Therese Shipps, Hayden Soule, William Soule, Owen Smith, Mary Ellen Symanski, Charles Tarr, David Townsend, Mary Tyler, Gloria Vollmers, Gail Werrbach, William Whftaker
ABSENT: Judi Bailey, Christopher Campbell, Daniel Harrison, James McConnon
I. President March called the meeting to order at 3:20 p.m. The September 25, 1996 minutes were approved as distributed. President March welcomed Connie Perry (new member from Education) and expressed our appreciation to Bill Soule who has again agreed to serve as Parliamentarian.
II. President March announced that we had lost a valuable member of the university community, Brooks Hamilton. President Hutchinson read from a previous tribute to Brooks Hamilton, written by Professor Harold Young in 1984 when Brooks retired.
BROOKS WITHAM HAMILTON: A MAN OF THE UNIVERSITY
Brooks was born in Boston and attended Roxbury Latin and Huntington Prep. The lure of Maine (his grandfather was a doctor on Swan’s Island) brought him to Bates, graduating in 1941. For afew months he worked for the Kennebec Journal before serving in the Coast Guard in Pacific waters during World War II. Following that, he took graduate course in economics for a year at Brown University before returning to the Kennebec Journal. He was city editor when he left to begin his academic career. Without question, his teaching, which included the honors program, and his involvement with journalistic studies inside and outside the classroom, such as faculty advisor to the Maine Campus for many years, has had a broad impact for good in Maine, as well as all New England. As anchorman on a nightly half-hour newscast on public television, commentator on public radio and author of many newspaper commentaries, books reviews, papers and books, he has always been forthright in presenting his views which often brought widespread comment from his audience. He was instrumental in writing legislation in Maine law dealing with the press including First Amendment rights, freedom of information, public access, open meetings, access to police records, and other related matters. If a legal question of the press arises, more often than not the question is referred to Brooks. ft is little wonder that he was awarded the John Peter Zenger Award in 1975 and the Yankee Quill Award in 1983 by the New England Chapter of Sigma Delta Chi, the Society of Professional Journalists. For two academic years, 1962-63 and 1963-64, Brooks was the chair of the Faculty Council, and then graciously served as secretary in a most literate manner in 65-66. With other faculty members, mostly former Council chairs, he initiated action that led to the formation of the Faculty and Professional Association of the University of Maine and served as its president in 70-72. At that time, there was some hope that such an organization might eliminate the need for a faculty union. In addition, he has repeatedly served on departmental, college, and university committees too numerous to mention. Deceptively casual in appearance, Brooks Hamilton was always a busy man, always had time for students, and always had time to call or write a colleague on university affairs. His career demonstrated that a professor can be active in university affairs without damage to a professional career. Brooks was truly a university person.
President Hutchinson asked for a moment of silence.
Ill. ANNOUNCEMENTS:
1. The Task Force on Technology hearings will be on Nov. 4 and 5.
2. Students in ENG 101 have begun to study the Class Book, I, Rigoberta Menchu. An Indian Woman in Guatemala.
3. Chancelor MacTaggart and BOT President Sally Vamvalias will attend the Faculty Senate meeting on November 20th. Brenda Cook, Director of Corporate Relations and Alison Cox, Director of Student Records will also be on the agenda
4. The Ad Hoc Childcare Committee will submit its report by Nov 1st to President Hutchinson who will respond to the committee’s suggestions by December 1.
5. A letter of invitation has been sent to Governor King to attend a Faculty Senate meeting this year.
IV. COMMITTEE REPORTS
Academic Affairs (Tina Passman): The committee met with Bob White and Jim Toner to discuss plans related to the Division of Life Long Learning. The committee needs a student representative and a Science representative. Finance and Institutional Planning (Jean Lavigne): The committee is in the process of getting materials to prepare for the first meeting.
Research and Public Service (David Townsend): The membership is now complete. University Environment (Henry Metcalf): no report
Committee on Committees (Gloria Vollmers): There is a vacancy on the ROTC Committee. BOT (Ivan Fernandez): The BOT met on Sept 29 and 30th and discussed how to utilize the “day in a life”
descriptions that were put together last spring. The Chancellor discussed Part I (keeping up with inflation), and Part 2 (new or expanded programs, student scholarship programs). Another discussion pertained to restructuring tuition and fees. The BOT approved the early retirement incentive. The next meeting will be in Augusta on Nov. 17th.
George Jacobson: Representative to the NCAA, announced that the primary athletic conference for Maine has changed to America East and will move to Boston. There is currently a search for a new commissioner. Academic standing is to be considered paramount to the America East conference. Faculty members will have an opportunity to be involved with reviews of the athletic program, and evaluation of the budget.
Mary Ellen Symanski, who is a member of the Athletic Advisory Board, announced that it will discuss a revision of the “missed class” policy. Please e-mail or contact Mary Ellen with questions or comments.
Sean Murphy (Graduate Student Representative): no report.
Ben Meiklejohn (Student Government representative): Professors will be receiving their evaluations from the student evaluation project.
V. OLD BUSINESS
President March provided further information about the use of the pine bough stationery. According to John Diamond, at present we can use the pine bough stationery for marketing purposes, but not as official, regular stationery.
VI. NEW BUSINESS
President March announced that there will be a full discussion of “transforming the role of faculty” at the next elected members’ meeting.
Bob White, Director of the Division of Life Long Learning and Associate Director Jim Toner gave a presentation. Bob White said the Division is attempting to become more visible on campus, and to identify projects and programs that are of interest to faculty. Senate members were provided with a draft of the Division mission statement, and copy of enrollment trends in the Division. Jim Toner described the changes in class listing which will appear in the November registration book: both CED and day classes will be listed with CED evening sections having spots reserved for day students. Summer session will also be included in this registration material. Jim Toner stated that all CED courses are taught through approval of each academic department, which monitors standards for each course.
The representative from the Classified Staff Council encouraged Faculty Senate to support classified staff in the use of tuition benefits for enrollment in classes. A senator requested a review of the issues concerned with support and access to university classes for the classified staff. President March agreed to review this request.
President Hutchinson briefly described the enrollment figures available at this time, with more information forthcoming. He stated that the enrollment management study, conducted by outside consultants, has been completed and the report will be made public soon. He indicated that he is committed to far reaching and significant changes in enrollment, and will seek to implement the plan as soon as possible. President Hutchinson reported on his visit to the Maritimes. He stated that the expected BOT action, regarding the NEBHE rate for the Orono campus, will enable us to recruit some very good Canadian students. He related that $5 million has already been raised for the Operating Endowments. President Hutchinson said he is aware of national issues related to tenure modifications (e.g. the Kellogg Commission), and believes that in the future all universities will need to consider ways to protect academic freedom while creating some kind of post-tenure review process. In response to a question concerning his plans for retirement, President Hutchinson stated that when he is at that decision point, he will provide timely notification.
The meeting was adjourned at 4:58 p.m. Submitted by Gail B. Werrbach, Secretary