May 2, 2018
DRAFT FACULTY SENATE MINUTES
May 2, 2018
Present: Susan Bennett-Armistead, Erik Blomberg, Alice Bruce, Mauricio da Cunha, Farahad Dastoor, Paula Drewniany, Phil Dunn, Nuri Emanetoglu, Per Garder, Nancy Hall, Sam Hanes, Anil Raj Kizha, Grant Miles, Patti Miles, Renae Moran, William Nichols, Christopher Nightingale, Nigel Pitt, Laura Rickard, Deborah Saber, Michael Scott, Howard Segal, Kathryn Slott, Andrew Thomas, Phil Trostel, Mark Wells, Clayton Wheeler, President Susan Hunter, Provost Jeff Hecker, VP Research Kody Varahramyan, Jen Bonnet (PEAC),
Absent: Dean Astumian, Jason Bolton, Rick Borgman, Emmanuel Boss, Tony Brinkley, Dick Brucher, Julie DellaMattera, Scott Dunning, Thane Fremouw, Mark Haggerty, Torsten Hahmann, Valerie Herbert, Leonard Kass, Margaret Killinger, Peter Koons, Robson Machado, Robert Meulenberg, Michael Montgomery, John Singer, Mona Therrien, David Townsend, Seth Tyler, Stephanie Welcomer, Gail Werrbach, Xudong Zheng, Bentley Simpson (Undergrad Rep), Brian Preziosi (Grad Stud Gov)
The meeting was called to order at 3:20 p
I. Welcome, Announcements and Comments:
Dr. Robert Dana thanked faculty for a successful Maine Day 2018 with over 1,900 volunteers and over 5,000 hours of service. “Thank you.”
Mike asked senators to stay after the meeting for a reception President Hunter is sponsoring.
II. Approval of Minutes
April 4, 2018
Approved
III. Committee Reports
BOT – Patti Miles
At the Finance, Facilities, and Technology (FFT) meeting today MaineStreet ongoing improvements and customizations were discussed. An upgrade from 9.0 to 9.2 is being considered, it will provide better function that is needed. Each BOT committee meeting discusses budgets but today one BOT member suggested removing budget discussions to the action agenda which makes it a separate item open for discussion at the BOT meeting later.
- The decision on MaineStreet upgrades, who makes that?
- The Oracle Health Day check met with Student Records, Financial Aid, Admissions, and others
Academic Affairs – William Nichols
There are three or four items still in process for the committee. Some will be continued over the summer, others will be on hold until fall. The committee is still working with Jeff St. John and Provost Hecker on evaluating Infolsem. The move to Electronic Set was discussed at the April meeting and the possibly of setting up a task force on how to proceed. A request came from Rising Tide asking that syllabus language be more inclusive. At the last Executive Committee meeting with Administration the Student Accessibility Office was discussed. The office proctors over 300 exams with a minimal amount of space and being under staffed. As a reminder, faculty should try to get exams to the office a minimum of 48 hours in advance. The Academic Affairs Committee will work with them to look for solutions and resources.
— Academic Affairs subcommittee – General Education – Farahad Dastoor
Western Cultural & Traditions will be analyzed on May 16. All artifacts have been gathered for scoring.
Constitution & Bylaws – David Townsend
No report.
Research & Scholarship – Deborah Saber & Peter Koons
The committee met on April 19 and reviewed items discussed over the year and meetings with the Vice President for Research (VPR). The VPR has sent documents to the committee regarding the role of research and vision. The documents will be reviewed and comments will be returned soon. Next fall discussions of collaborative agreements will be discussed. When the new president arrives the committee would like to meet with her. Large capital equipment will also be discussed in the fall.
Finance & Institutional Planning – Mauricio da Cunha
Last week was the last meeting with the administration and the Provost invited the committee to meet with him biannually. The senate should organize priorities and then hold meetings in September and April. The fourth Unified Fee meeting was yesterday and Jeff St. John will create a document from the meeting. Jeff St. John stated the document has been created and emailed to Mauricio.
University Environment – Stephanie Welcomer
The committee hasn’t met since the Resolution on childcare passed. They would like any feedback from the administration regarding the motion. Next year, the committee would like to review the maternity leave policy, for faculty and students, and if any improvements are needed. Dr. Dana stated there is existing data and who to contact in his office.
Service & Outreach – Susan Bennett-Armistead
No report.
Committee on Committees – Nancy Hall
No report.
Program Creation & Reorganization Review – Clayton Wheeler
No report.
Library Committee – Howard Segal
No report.
IT Committee – Patti Miles
No report.
Ad Hoc Shared Governance – Grant Miles
No report.
Reports of Faculty Members on Committees of the Administration
No report.
IV. Announcements and Updates from the Administration
President Hunter announced a $1 million gift to the Engineering Education and Design Center from the Packaging Corp of America. The FFT meeting also discussed $8 million for the Engineering expansion to go into the design phase. The former Pest Management building will be renamed the Lafayette and Rawcliffe 4-H Science and Engineering Learning Center. Pest Management will be moving. There were also discussions regarding some donors to the engineering expansion possibly being those bidding on the project, setting up processes now, prior to issues arising.
Provost Hecker stated that graduation is May 12. There is a luncheon held between ceremonies and he encouraged faculty to attend.
The Provost also wanted to congratulate the FIPC Chair on his daughter Anna da Cunha receiving Phi Beta Kappa. “A fine commentary on outstanding parenting.”
Provost Hecker stated that he and President Hunter had accepted the childcare resolution passed by the senate at the last meeting and will move forward with a committee to study the issue. He also said that some action on child care may be taken prior to fall, at least for a short-term solution.
Q. Would a member of the committee be welcome on discussions over the summer?
A. Yes
V. Questions of the Administration
Q. Looking at next year, there doesn’t appear to be a date listed for Research Day, or it’s not on the calendar at this point.
A. VPR Kody Varahramyan said the date for next year is April 10, 2019 at the Cross Center in Bangor.
The Keynote speaker will be the Maine Poet Laureate.
Comment: Could there be better coordination? Being held on a Wednesday next year means two Monday holidays and then with Maine Day and the Research Day being on Wednesday, it’s a lot of missed classes.
Q. I just heard Student Accessibility Services is now under Dr. Robert Dana’s office? Seems the office is academic.
A. Dr. Dana stated since his office handles accessibility and accommodations it works.
Comment: The office has been moved around a lot. Dr. Dana said he’s interested in working with the Academic Affairs committee on issues.
Q. What is going on with the system wide policy on speech and Cooperative Extension not being able to add quotes at the end of email?
A. Provost Hecker said there is a grievance with AFUM regarding infringement on academic freedom and freedom of speech. There was no complaint but it was brought to the attention of AFUM who stated it was an infringement on academic freedom and first amendment rights. Provost Hecker investigated and found Cooperative Extension had a December 2009 policy against quotes and that they don’t meet UMaine policy. Cooperative Extension didn’t want any quotes seeming like they were the opinion of Cooperative Extension. Email accounts, university accounts, are business accounts and should be sensitive to how poems and quotes reflect on the University.
Q. A new Maine Business School Dean has been hired but there are questions regarding staffing, money for staffing and who pays for each between the Portland MBA and Maine Business School.
A. Provost Hecker said Michael Webber was hired as Dean and will start on July 1. Currently working on resources each dean has in their budget, each dean will need a budget and support. They’ve been asked to go through the two budgets and see what resources go to undergraduate and graduate programs. It’s a collaborative effort and USM was asked to do the same process. There’s a need to also look at other office processes i.e., graduate admissions etc. Some resources can be shared. The deadline for this accounting is June 30.
Q. Won’t there be Alfond money to help?
A. Yes, some help but there’s a need for budget lines to continue once the Alfond money is gone.
Q. Are you aware that some in southern Maine don’t think they agreed to this?
A. Provost Hecker said he’d just heard that and brought it to the attention of the Provost at USM.
Q. On a recent conference call one member had an AFUM rep with them.
A. There was a recent meeting with UMaine and USM administration and one issue is to determine who is part of this and who is not.
VI. Old Business
None.
VII. New Business
Final Resolution of the 2017-2018 University of Maine Faculty Senate
Whereas it is customary and fitting that on this day, the last meeting of the University of Maine Faculty Senate of this academic year, that we the Members of the Faculty Senate acknowledge the exceptional services of certain individuals.
And, Whereas today one of our most distinguished members of our faculty (she is still one of us) will shortly be concluding a truly distinguished career here at the University of Maine, which began as a faculty member in the Department of Biological Sciences, and includes having served as Chair of the Department of Biological Sciences, Associate Provost and Dean for Undergraduate Education, Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost, and, since July 7th, 2014, having served honorably and faithfully as the 20th President of the University of Maine, we take this moment to acknowledge and express in a formal manner, our gratitude to this individual for her wisdom, her leadership, her friendship, and her tireless and selfless service to our University. Having climbed the academic ladder to the highest level of academic administration, we, the faculty, have throughout her time as president, valued and counted on her intimate familiarity with our great university, her understanding of shared governance, and her having fostered positive, respectful, and productive working relationships with the Faculty Senate.
Therefore be it Resolved and recorded in the minutes of this meeting, that this proclamation be preserved, that we, the Faculty Senate of the University of Maine formally extend our sincerest thanks to, and admiration for, this Professor of Biological Sciences, who has been a member of our faculty since 1991, President Susan J. Hunter.
Comments: President Hunter said that was very special especially after moving through the administration. She said there can be a lot of “jokes about moving to the dark side.” She feels she’s been well treated by faculty and Faculty Senate because she’s still seen, in part, as a faculty member. “Thank you very much.”
Vote: Approved
Adjourned 4:05 pm
Respectfully submitted,
Grant Miles
Prepared by Kim Junkins