April 22, 1998

Faculty Senate Minutes

April 22, 1998 207/581—1167

PRESENT: John Alexander, Francois Amar, Steven Barkan, Richard Brucher, Ryan Carnegie, Steven Colbum, Andrew Plantinga for George Criner, Lee Davis, James Fastook, Ed Ferguson, Ivan Fernandez, Virginia Gibson, Mac Gray, Michael Greenwood, Tim Griffin, Michael Grillo), Dan Harrison, Jeffrey Hecker, Peter Hoff, James Horan, Dana Humphrey, Mel Johnson, Roger King, Peter Kleban Harold Dowse for Irv Kornfield Philip Locke, Lyn McLaughlin, Henry Metcalf, Tina Passman , Connie Perry, Alan Rosenwasser, Steven Sader, Gary Schilmoeller, Howard Segal, Therese Shipps, Mary Ellen Symanski, Gloria Vollmers Gail Werrbach

ABSENT: Tony Brinkley, Mary Ellen Carnire, Christopher Campbell, Ted Coladarci Scott Delcourt, Daniel Dwyer, Max Egenhofer, Fred Irons, George Jacobson, Leonard Kass, James McConnon, Suzanne Moulton, Scott Morelli, Stephen Norton, Hemant Pendse, Owen Smith, Hayden Soule, David Townsend

I. President Humphrey called the final meeting of the academic year to order at 3:16 p.m. The April 1st minutes were approved as distributed. President Humphrey made the following remarks:

/ have been very fortunate to work With a unique, capable and dedicated group of individuals:

I thank President Hoff for being so Supportive of faculty governance. I have greatly enjoyed working with him and strongly feel that he is the right leader, at the right time to usher the University of Maine into the 21st century.

I thank Provost Alexander who provided critical input on many issues arid for being such a good listener when the faculty had concerns. Besides, / can’t say anything bad about John since he was the one who hired me 12 years ago.

There are many other people in the upper administration including: Mark Anderson, Doug Gelinas, John Ha/stead, Evelyn Silver, and Elaine A/bright, who have been endless sources of information to help us make informed decision and deserve our thanks.

I thank my executive committee who are the people who really do the work Gloria Volimers has done great service as chair of the Academic Affairs committee handIng issues ranging from class scheduling to the classbook. Dick Brucher has done yeoman service as chair of the University Environment Committee. When I asked Dick to be a committee chair! told him “Don’t worry the University Environment Committee isn’t much work” when in fact it turned out to be the most work of any committee. Hank Metcaff has done a great job as chair of Finance and Institutional Planning delving into the mysterious world of athletics funding and library finances. David Townsend is thanked for pus’ pushing through a major resolution to study research through the Research and Public Service Committee. Connie Perry is thanked for being a world champion arm twister as chair of the Committee on Committees. Ivan Fernandez is thanked for doing us all a great service as our BOT representative. I thank Gail Werrbach for faithfully typing the minutes. Finally, I thank Mary Ellen Symanski for Thoughtfully considering several difficult issues as chair of the Constitution and Bylaws Committee.

I thank all the senators for contributing so much this year. Finally, and most of all, l thank Helen Young for keeping me on track all year long. She is the one who remembers all the little things that must be done and the senate would be at a loss without her help.

II. ANNOUNCEMENTS

1. President Humphrey encouraged all faculty to participate in Maine Day activities on Wednesday, April 29.

2. The following two changes in the Constitution were approved: 1) Administrative membership of the Senate shall consist of the following persons: Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost, Vice Provost for Research &Graduate Studies, and one elected representative of the Deans’ Council, and 2) Membership on the Senate has been changed as follows: Each college shall have at least four Senators and Faculty Senators will be distributed across the colleges so that one Senator will be elected for each ten full-time faculty members.

3. The next issue of the Maine Perspective will feature a special article on the upcoming 10th Anniversary of the Faculty Senate.

4. President Humphrey Recognized the service to the University and the Faculty Senate of the following senators whose terms have expired: Steven Barkan, Richard Brucher, Christopher Campbell, Max Egenhofer, Michael Grillo, Jeffrey Hecker, Peter Kieban, James McConnonn, Stephen Norton, Gary Schilmoeller, Howard Segal, Mary Ellen Symanski, David Townsend, Mary Tyler, Gloria Vollmers

5. President Humphrey thanked the members of the Senate Executive Committee, and President Hoff, Provost Alexander, Vice-President Dwyer, Vice-President Halstead, EEO Director Evelyn Silver, Interim Chief Financial Officer Mark Anderson, Dean of Cultural Affairs Elaine Albright for their assistance this year.

6. The following resolution, offered by Richard Brucher, was unanimously resolved.

Senate Testimony to Dana Humphrey

(President of the University of Maine Faculty Senate, 1997- 1998)

Dana Humphrey has not only presided over the Faculty Senate in an unusually busy year, he has presided with uncommon patience and grace. Deeply committed to the principle that every dog has its day, he muzzled no one during the Senate’s debate on a University pet policy He made no attempt to increase funding for chipped tire applications on campus when the Senate voted its commitment to stimulating research.

Dana Humphrey opened the Senate to eloquent pleas for increasing resources for technology and the library, for recruiting and retaining students part t of President Hoff’s BearTraps initiative), and for recognizing Martin Luther King. In a momentary lapse, blinded by the sun setting over the Stilwater, he seemed to think that Vision 2000 would somehow add drapes to Dexter Lounge by the end of the decade; but he recovered in time to lead the Senate’s affirmation of gender equity at the University

Dana Humphrey distinguished uncannily between talking about University College and only speaking about it. He barely raised an eyebrow when The Constitution and By-Laws Committee, over which he once presided, rewrote the Constitution to add three faculty members for every administrator it eliminated from the Senate.

No Senate President has had to juggle so many conflicting suggestions to change the calendar: adding a holiday, not adding other holidays, delaying the start of the spring semester by a week to legitimize WinterTerm, not delaying the semester by a week to save May Term, and moving Maine Day from Wednesday to Thursday to Saturday to Wednesday—-all without committing a single assault or even raising his voice.

What’s most astonishing is the Dana Humphrey accomplished all this by five o’clock, week after week (What is this obsession with five o’clock?) The Faculty Senate extends its deep appreciation and gratitude for Dana’s extraordinary work on behalf of the University of Maine and all of its constituents.

Ill. COMMITTEE REPORTS

Academic Affairs (Gloria Vollmers): The Class Book has been chosen for 1998-1999: Lies My Teacher Told Me by James W. Loewen (subtitle: Everything your American History Textbook Got Wrong). A second choice, The Midwife’s Tale, may also become a Class Book. Members of the committee were acknowledged for their hard work and effort. Finance and Institutional Planning (Hank Metcalf): Members of the committee were recognized for their contributions to committee activities. Interim Chief Financial Officer, Mark Anderson was thanked for his willing assistance towards review of financial matters.

Research and Public Service (David Townsend): No report.

University Environment (Richard Brucher): Members were thanked for their efforts during a very busy committee year. The Academic Climate Survey has been administered and over half the data from 1,100 surveys has been entered for analysis. The survey related to faculty interest in a Faculty Club will be distributed soon. Two new items have been

forwarded for next year: the physical state of the campus and elaboration of faculty expectations of students via a faculty survey.

Committee on Committees (Connie Perry): No report.

Constitution and Bylaws (Mary Ellen Symanski): Committee members were acknowledged for their work on several committee resolutions this year.

BOT (Ivan Fernandez): No major controversial issues are expected at the next BOT meetings. The student member from the University of Maine, Angela Shea, was acknowledged for her excellent work as a student representative.

IV. PRESIDENT HOFF: QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

President Hoff extended congratulations and thanks to President Dana Humphrey for his outstanding leadership as Senate President this past year. Bearworks 2.0 Will be completed and distributed soon. The President answered questions about the following topics:

1. Enrollment: In-state acceptances are up by 30%, out-of-state confirmations are up 8%, and the quality of students remains constant with a rise in the number of confirmed students ranked at the top decile of their class.

2. Research Funding: The University will continue efforts to increase legislators’ and the Governors support regarding the important of funding for research. He stressed the importance of the next bond referendum on research.

3. Administrative Changes: Sherman Rosser has been reassigned to different duties related to the University’s diversity agenda.

4. Budget: Interim Chief Financial Officer, Mark Anderson, stated the FY99 budget is being put in place with no anticipated surprises or midstream corrections.

V. NOMINATIONS AND ELECTIONS, 1998 – 99.

Gloria Vollmers was elected Vice-President/President-Elect. Kathleen March was elected Secretary. Membership for the

Committee on Committees will be announced at a later date.

VI. OLD BUSINESS: ACADEMIC CALENDAR

The resolution to change the starting and ending dates for spring semester was passed:

The Faculty Senate of the University of Maine resolves that Winter Term expend to a 14 day session. To accommodate this change, the Spring and Summer Semesters will (usually) begin and end a week later than is currently scheduled The Senate further resolves that Spring Break be scheduled such that seven weeks of class precede and follow it This change should be instituted in the Spring of 1999.

VII. NEW BUSINESS:

Gloria Vollmers read the following statement: We support President Hoff’s commitment to graduate our students in four years provided they meet all general education and program requirements and believe that maximizing their freedom to choose available courses is in line with that commitment

Electronic Communications Policy

The resolution for acceptance of the proposed Electronic Communications Policy passed:

The Faculty Senate recommends that the University accept and implement pending review by University Counsel, the ‘proposed Electronic Communications Policy’ written by the Ad Hoc Committee on First Class (dated 3/23/98) If University Counsel suggest revisions, the policy will be returned to the Senate for approval As recommended by the Ad Hoc Committee, this policy should be distributed to the University community once a year through The Student Handbook and electronically. Further, faculty should be encouraged to discuss electronic communications ethics in appropriate undergraduate courses. The Faculty Senate thanks the AD Hoc Committee for its Thoughtful, thorough work

Gender Equity

The resolution for achieving gender equity in athletics passed:

The Faculty Senate affirms its commitment to achieving gender equity in UM athletics; and it insists, again, that equity will be achieved within current funding guidelines. That is, the level of institutional support for athletics will not exceed its average rate in recent years, which is about 4.3% of the total E & G budget. Institutional support is here defined as base E & G funds, comprehensive fees, tuition waivers and transfers. Further, the Senate requests that the Chief Financial Officer reports to the Senate each year the level of institutional support for athletics.

The final meeting for the academic year was adjourned at 5:11 p.m.

Submitted by Gad B. Werrbach,
Secretary