May 1, 2013

DRAFT FACULTY SENATE MINUTES
May 1, 2013

Present: Steven Barkan, Jason Bolton, Richard Borgman, Emmanuel Boss, Stephen Coghlan, Mauricio da Cunha, Marcia Douglas, Thane Fremouw, Michael Grillo, Robert Gundersen, Dennis King, Judy Kuhns-Hastings, Mary Ellin Logue, James McClymer, Harlan Onsrud, Ray Pelletier, Michael Peterson, Andrew Reeve, Brian Robinson, Thomas Sandford, Claire Sullivan, David Yarborough, Bob Rice, Kathryn Slott, Paul W Ferguson, Susan Hunter, Stuart Marrs, Charles Rodda (GSG), Melvin Johnson, Tim Waring (for Jonathan Rubin)

Absent: John Allen, Douglas Bousfield, Ian Bricknell, Dick Brucher, William Congleton, Benildo de los Reyes, Charlsye Diaz, Dylan Dryer, Janet Fairman, Ramesh Gupta, Gordon Hamilton, Clarissa Henry, Steven Kimball, Dorothy Klimis-Zacas, Bill Livingston, David Marcincowski, Robert Milardo, Paul Myer, Martha Novy-Broderick, Jay Rasaiah, Michael Scott, Howard Segal, Roy Turner, Chuck Wallace, Mark Wells, Gail Werrbach, Molly MacLean, Robert Strong, Alicia Bolduc (Stud. Gov), Edward Ashworth,

The meeting was called to order at 3:15 pm

I.          Welcome and Announcements:

There will be a reception May 15 after the Faculty Senate meeting, 4:00-5:00 at the University Club. The reception is for full Faculty Senate.

Thank you to Susan Hunter and Ted Coladarci for addressing the Senate regarding the status of the University. Slides from the presentation can be found on the Faculty Senate website. It was surprising to see 35% of T/TE faculty are over 60 and 65% are over the age of 50. The trend needs to be changed with younger faculty.

II.        Approval of April 3, 2013 Minutes

            Vote: Motion Approved

III.       Committee Reports

BOT Rep – Robert Rice 
Bob announced that all the trees are planted in front of Nutting Hall and the grass should be green soon.

The BOT Finance Committee will meet on May 17, 2013 followed by a BOT meeting on May 19 and 20. Will most likely see policies regarding PCard, travel, etc. by the end of summer.

Q.  When the Chancellor was here he stated research would be part of the Performance Based Funding. Have they added that yet?

A. President Ferguson stated that Performance Based Funding is already in place. The research aspect is still in the System Office.

Academic Affairs –Richard Borgman & Judy Kuhns-Hastings
No report but a motion coming up under New Business.

Constitution & Bylaws – Mick Peterson
No report.

Research & Scholarship – Robert Gundersen
See end of year report, committee will continue with what is listed in the report.

Finance & Institutional Planning – James McClymer & Tom Sandford
There is one item left concerning the letter from Karen Merrydaughter, a UM grad, regarding fossil fuel divestiture. Bottom line, divestiture is difficult since it’s difficult finding funds without fossil fuels. UMaine has a lot of green initiatives, i.e., transitioning to natural gas, using methane, and new buildings go through LEEDS certification. Conclusion, there will be no motion in regards to the letter.

University Environment – Andrew Reeve & Mike Scott
No report.

Library Advisory – Robert Rice & Howard Segal

Met last week. Thank you to the upper Administration for support of the library. There will be an article in Maine Policy Review dedicated to Maine libraries, Joyce Rumery is included in that article.

Service & Outreach – Emmanuel Boss & Claire Sullivan
Carnegie reclassification met Monday and continue to work with the data.

Committee on Committees – Roy Turner
Still need two volunteers for committees, one from English and one from Business. This year the committee filled 19 committees. Thank you all for volunteering.

Program Creation & Reorganization Review – Mick Peterson
See the end of year summary. The process of reorganization continues. There is a motion coming up under New Business.

General Education  — Harlan Onsrud
See the end of year summary.

Ad Hoc IT – Martha Novy-Broderick & Mike Scott
See the end of year summary.

Committee of the Administration

Blue Sky Reports
Blue Sky Steering Committee – Bob Rice

Set forth a set of priorities and asked for an update and meeting with President Ferguson. We received a document that is now on the Faculty Senate website with progress on many requests but no proposals at this time.

Pathway 1 – Mick Peterson – No report.
Pathway 2 – Jim McClymer – No report.
Pathway 3 – Rick Borgman – No report.
Pathway 4 – Judy Kuhns-Hastings – Having a retreat next week.
Pathway 5 – Doug Bousfield – No report.

IV.      Open Comments from the Administration

Jim McClymer thanked Claire Strickland and Janet Waldron.

Q. When Chancellor Page was interviewing for the position he stressed giving power back to the campuses yet there are several initiatives from the BOT to centralize services, seems counter to what he said. Is there a better way to work with the administration to dampen the negative?

A. President Ferguson stated that he appreciated the Faculty Senate standing with the administration. Having a dialog has changed some components on the table, the Chancellor is listening. Keep bringing change for what’s right or not right for UMaine. We’re being vigilant and cautiously optimistic.

V.        Old Business
None

VI.       New Business

Subject:            Cancellation of classes on Veterans Day
From:               The Academic Affairs Committee
To:                   Faculty Senate
Date:                May 1, 2013

Below please find a motion to cancel classes on Veterans Day.  Notes and explanations follow.

Motion to Cancel Classes on Veterans Day

Motion:

To observe the sacrifices that veterans and their families make for our country, the University of Maine will cancel all classes on Veterans Day (November 11) except classes that meet only one day a week, subject to:

If Veterans Day falls on a weekend the University will cancel classes on the weekday when Veterans Day is officially observed.

Because the University calendar for the next two academic years is already published, the University will not cancel classes on Veterans Day until November of 2015.

Notes:

This action supports a University of Maine student government resolution recommending that in observance of Veterans Day the University of Maine cancel classes.  Resolution  # 34S-50-02-19-13, passed 2-19-2013.

The idea of once-a-week classes meeting on that day follows the Maine Day policy, which says:  “Classes will be canceled on that day with the exception of classes, including laboratories, which meet two or fewer times per week.”  (http://umaine.edu/studentaffairs/maineday/.)  Maine Day always falls on a Wednesday.  The once-a-week policy makes more sense for Veterans Day, which can fall on any day of the week.

Veterans Day is not a national holiday.  However, Federal government offices are closed on November 11. If Veterans Day falls on a Saturday, they are closed on Friday November 10. If Veterans Day falls on a Sunday, they are closed on Monday November 12.  Our policy echoes this policy.

Discussion: Several spoke in favor of the Motion stating UMaine is one of two campuses that don’t observe Veterans Day. Veteran students or faculty need to decide if they attend class or participate in local Veterans Day parades and events. It was stated that the holiday always falls on November 11.

Q.  Why is the implementation, if the motion is passed, not until 2015?

A.  Because the calendar is already in place.

Motion to move the implementation date to 2013.

Vote: Defeated

Motion to accept as written.

Vote: Motion Approved

Subject:            Observance of Veterans Day
From:               The Academic Affairs Committee
To:                   Faculty Senate
Date:                May 1, 2013

 Resolution in Support of Veteran’s Day Observances and Activities

The Faculty Senate supports the following resolution.

The University is cancelling classes to commemorate the men and women who have served our country in the armed forces.  It is not simply to give students a day off from class.  We therefore expect that the University will expand and develop events on that day to include the campus community in this commemoration and encourage a campus conversation about veterans, veteran issues, promotion of peace and other appropriate topics.

Vote: Motion Approved

 

Motion to Approve Transfer of SPIA to CLAS

Whereas,

the PCRRC has reviewed the proposal to move the School of Policy and International Affairs from the Graduate School to the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences;

reservations were presented about the benefits of the move by the John Murphy Chair of International Business Policy and Strategy in the Maine School of Business;

these were distributed and posted and a committee meeting was held with deans, directors and chairs of the units involved;

responses were made to the questions raised and although not to the satisfaction of the original respondent there was strong support by all of the participating units; and

the committee decided that positive affects of the move were presented and that these do not appear to negatively impact students or faculty.

Therefore, the PCRRC moves that the Faculty Senate approve the transfer of SPIA from the Graduate School to the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.

A motion was made to table the SPIA motion.

Vote: Motion Defeated

Motion will be discussed.

A video from John Mahon was played since he could not attend the Senate meeting. He opposes the motion.  Several questioned whether SPIA faculty were included in conversations regarding the move to CLAS. PCRRC policy states faculty needs to be involved. James Settele, Director of SPIA stated that faculty were involved and surveyed. Mario Teisl stated that the PAC did meet and were unanimously in favor of the move, changing the reporting line won’t change the mission. The move came up because of inconsistency of undergraduate IA and was mentioned in an external review; undergraduate being under the Graduate School doesn’t work. This move will not change the interdisciplinary or mission.  Several stated that the move would strengthen the program.

Vote: Motion Approved

A motion was made to cancel the May 29, 2013 Faculty Senate meeting.

Vote: Motion Approved
 

Adjourned at 4:50 pm

Respectfully submitted
Kathryn Slott