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November 30, 1993 MINUTES OF THE NOVEMBER 10, 1993 MEETING OF THE UNIVERSITY SENATE

Roll. Present: Aitken, Barnhard, Bohme, Bohrer-Clancy, Bolt, Brody, Boren, Brick, Calof, Carter, Dufek, Ferguson, Forell, Fuller, Gall, Gilland, Gwartney-Gibbs, Johnson, Kelton, Kintz, Klinghammer, Klos, Lemert, Maitland-Gholson, Plass, Pope, Sanders, Soper, Sprague, Steeves, Tepfer, Trombley, Wade, Waters, Weeks, Williamson

Absent: Chase (2), Clark, Goldschmidt (2), Meyer, Pickett, Squires, Thomas

Excused: Carver, Gordon, Lesage, Stuhr, Garcia

1. Approval of the Minutes

President Soper called the meeting to order at 3:05 p.m. in 129 Law. The minutes of the October 13 meeting of the Senate were approved- subject to the correction that, during the debate on the dropping of the cluster requirement, Senator Gilland had noted that the legislation did not address what the new requirements for professional school degrees were to be.

2 . Announcements and Appointment of Senate Secretary President Soper announced that he had appointed Nancie Fadeley Secretary of the Senate, that Frank Geltner will serve as Parliamentarian and that no Secretary of the ! Faculty had been appointed.

3. Discussion of Planning for Increased Productivity

Mr. Charles Wright, chair of the Productivity Steering Committee, described the ~, productivity planning process. He reported that there is a central group, plus nine working groups (including the Undergraduate Education Policy Coordinating -~ Council) which are looking at different but overlapping aspects of the subject. Describing their work as very significant, he opined that it was "going to change the ! way we do business for years to come." He said the groups are proceeding with an enormous amount of energy and good will" as they look at ways to meet the needs of an increasing number of students and to increase, at the same time, the quality of -~ their educational experience. He reminded the Senators that universities all over the country are being forced to increase their productivity.

Mr. Wright told the Senators that his personal hope for the productivity planning ~, process was that it would help the University make more effective use of "our unique faculty skills, and assure that faculty time with students is quality time."

4. Committee Reports

Senator Gilland then presented the following report from the the Senate Nominating Committee:

The Nominating Committee recommends for the Ersted Teaching Award Committee, Ms. Geraldine Moreno-Black, Anthropology, and Mr. John Postlethwait, Biology.

Vice Provost Davis explained that the two distinguished teaching awards committees had been combined. She requested Senate approval of that change. President Soper added that last year's Committee on Committees had recommended that the Ersted Committee and the committee formerly known as the Burlington Northern Committee bc combined into one committee which would review candidates for both the Ersted and the senior distinguished teaching awards. He indicated that the Senate would, in approving the nominations for the Ersted Committee, understand that the two committees would be combined this year, and he asked the Senate Nominating Committee to prepare legislation to make this change permanent.

The Senate Nominating Committee nominates Senate President Davison Soper to fill out Mr. Michael Hibbard's two-year term on the Inter institutional Faculty Senate.

The report of the Nominating Committee was adopted by the University Senate without dissent.

Senator Maitland-Gholson reported that the Senate President needed to appoint a Senate member to serve on the Intercollegiate Athletics Committee. She encouraged her Senate colleagues, especially the women senators, who are interested in serving to contact President Soper. She said the committee's current agenda includes issues relating to gender equity, need-based scholarships and the academic progress of athlete s.

5. Old Business

Provost Wessells' report on the University Assembly's November 3 action on the cluster requirement was followed by Senator Boren's explanation of the confusion that led to the amendments adopted by the Assembly, amendments which he said did no damage to the motion approved by the Senate.

President Soper then introduced a discussion of the effect of the new legislation on students in the professional schools, a matter which had been brought up in the Assembly meeting. When Senator Gilland moved to amend the legislation to clarify its application to professional degrees, Senator Tepfer raised a question about whether notice was necessary for that motion. President Soper said he interpreted it as Old Business since the subject had been raised by a student during the Assembly debate. Vice Provost Davis agreed, noting that the subject had been discussed by the Deans.

Here is Senator Gilland's motion which was seconded by Senator Calof:

lntroductory Comments: The following motion makes a parallel amendment to the October 13 legislation affecting the bachelor of arts, fine arts and science degrees.

The current Assembly legislation on General Education Group Requirements relative to the bachelor of architecture, bachelor of education, bachelor of interior architecture, bachelor of landscape architecture and bachelor of music is amended to read as follows:

Twelve credits in approved group satisfying courses in each of three areas, Sciences, Sorml Sciences and Arts and Letters. In each of the three areas, courses must be completed in at least two subjects (prefixes), and in at least two of the three areas at least two courses must be completed in one subject (prefix).

By voice vote, the Senate approved the motion and voted to send it to the Assembly.

6. New Business

Senator Boren presented two motions from the Undergraduate Education and Policy Coordinating Council (UEPCC). He told the Senators that, throughout the year, he would be bringing more motions from the UEPCC, which wants to take whatever steps are favorable to allowing students to proceed to degree without impediments and, at the same time, to increasing the quality of the overall undergraduate experience. He added that this planning for change would be necessary even if Ballot Measure 5 had not become part of the Constitution of the State of Oregon.

The first motion from the UEPCC was moved by Senator Boren and seconded by Senator Lemert:

A total of 180 credits with passing grades are required for the bachelor of arts, bachelor of science, bachelor of music and bachelor of education. There will also be a six-hour reduction in requirements for professional degrees that currently require more than 186 hours.

During the discussion on the motion, Boren explained that the proposed reduction corresponds to requirements which have been eliminated, i.e., the Health Education and Physical Education courses formerly required for graduation. He said the legislation would be effective as soon as it is approved by the Assembly, and that it would apply to professional as well as arts and sciences degrees.

Most of the discussion on the motion related to graduation requirements in the professional schools. Senator Gilland proposed an amendment deleting the language referring to the professional schools. The Senate approved Senator Gilland's amendment by voice vote.

The Senate then voted upon the amended motion which read as follows:

A total of 180 credits with passing grades are required for the bachelor of arts, bachelor of science, bachelor of music and bachelor of education.

The motion was approved on a roll call vote with 28 senators voting "Aye", and four senators voting "Nay."

The Senate then considered a second motion from the UEPCC. Here is that motion as presented by Senator Boren and seconded by Senator Klos:

Introductory comment: The different parts of the following motion should enhance the availability of classes for students and also enhance the quality of instruction by stabilizing classes early in the term. The deadline changes are proposed to encourage students to develop their class schedules at the beginning of the term, allow for an opportunity to add courses after the drop period, and maximize individual course enrollments.

Course Add |

The period of time when students can add courses will be the first six teaching days of an academic term.

Late registration The period of time when students can register late for courses will be the first teaching day through the sixth teaching day of the academic term. Course drop The period of time when students can drop courses without the transcript notation of ~W" will be the first five teaching days of an academic term. No fee will be assessed. Course Withdrawal The period of time when students can drop a course with a recorded "W" will be the sixth teaching day through Friday of the seventh week of an academic term. The current drop fee will be assessed.

Grading Option and Variable Credit Changes The period of time when students can make grading option and variable credit changes will be through Friday of the seventh week of an academic term. A change fee will be assessed beginning on the sixth teaching day of an academic term.

Rationale:

a. Reducing the drop/add period will minimize the instructional disruption of late adds to classes. Late adding and dropping erodes the quality of instruction.

b. Students should have the opportunity to adjust their schedules after attending one or more sessions of classes.

c. A reduced drop/add period will require students to make an early commitment to the courses that they will pursue throughout the term.

d. Departmental recommendations for course level changes will be honored and no withdrawal fee assessed. e.g. drop Math 111 and add Math 095.

During the discussion on the motion, Boren explained that it addressed underenrollment caused by students who drop classes too late for other students to be admitted. He said the legislation, if approved by the Assembly, would become effective Fall 1994. In response to questions from Senator Maitland-Gholson, he said teaching days" are Monday through Friday days, and Associate Registrar Kate Johnson agreed to look into the possibility of expanding DUCKCALL hours so there would be more opportunities for students to make changes.

Senator Calof moved to amend the motion so as to expand the windows of opportunity for late registration and course change deadlines. His amendment was seconded by Senator Aithen and adopted by the Senate.

The amended motion then read as follows:

Introductory comment: The different parts of the following motion should enhance the availability of classes for students and also enhance the quality of instruction by stabilizing classes early in the term. The deadline changes arc proposed to encourage students to develop their class schedules at the beginning of the term, allow for an opportunity to add courses after the drop period, and Course Add The period of time when students can add courses will be the first eight teaching days of an academic term. Late registration The period of time when students can register late for courses will be the first teaching day through the eighth teaching day of the academic term. Course ADD The period of time when students can drop courses without the transcript notation of "W" will be the first six teaching days of an academic term. No fee will be assessed. Course Withdrawal The period of time when students can drop a course with a recorded "W" will be the seventh teaching day through Friday of the seventh week of an academic term. The current drop fee will be assessed.

Grading Option and Variable Credit Changes The period of time when students can make grading option and variable credit changes will be through Friday of the seventh week of an academic term. A change fee will be assessed beginning on the sixth teaching day of an academic term.

The Senate adopted the amended motion by a vote of 29 "Ayes," two "Nays" and one abstention.

President Soper recognized Mr. George Sheridan, History, who chaired the Task Force on the Global Context of International Studies. He presented a motion to establish an International Affairs Advisory Council. Senator Boren seconded the motion. The full text of that motion is attached to these minutes. During the discussion on the motion, Mr. Sheridan responded to Senator Gwartney-Gibbs' question about the accountability of the Council to the Senate by pointing out that there would be a Senate designate on the Council who could report back to the Senate.

The motion to establish an International Affairs Advisory Council was approved by the Senate by voice vote with no audible dissents.

The Senate adjourned at 5:06 p.m.

Nancie Fadeley
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