ACADEMIC SENATE
MINUTES
Wednesday, September
15 2004
(Approved)
Call to Order
Chairperson Crothers called the
meeting to order at 7:00 p.m.
Roll Call
Senate Secretary Borg called the roll and
declared a quorum.
Approval of Minutes of September 1, 2004
Motion XXXVI-7: By Senator
Koutsky, seconded by Senator Kauzlarich, to approve the Academic Senate minutes
of September 1, 2004. Correction to minutes, page 6: “…process of completing
conducting a self-study at of the University…”. The minutes, as
revised, were unanimously approved.
Chairperson's Remarks
Senator Crothers announced that he would schedule lunches with Senate
members, as has been his practice, in order to get to know Senate members
better.
Student Government Association President's Remarks
Senator Rinker welcomed Barry Tolchin back to the Senate. Senator Tolchin served on the Senate during the 2003-2004 academic year. He is a graduate student in Political Science and will serve on the Senate as an “under-represented student” member. “Closing the Gaps”, a program to organize volunteers to work in Milner Library to extend its hours of operation, has recruited approximately 35 student volunteers so far. Closing the Gaps has set a goal of recruiting 100 students to donate 1,000 volunteer hours to permit the library to remain open until 2:00 a.m. Senator Rinker invited anyone interested in volunteering to contact SGA. SGA will continue to invite speakers to address its members in informational sessions at least once a month. Senator Rinker welcomed any student, staff or faculty member, who desired to speak to SGA in this format, to contact him. The Student Government Association will launch its new website later this month; the website will establish a link directly between student senators and their constituencies through mass e-mail and, eventually, I-Campus Portal. SGA will hold its fall retreat during the upcoming weekend.
President’s Remarks
President Bowman was unable to attend the Senate meeting.
Provost’s Remarks
Provost Presley: The University
will soon have a signed contract with the non-tenure track faculty union. Dr.
Sharon Stanford and Dr. Ira Schoenwald, Human Resources Assistant Vice
President, have begun conversations with department chairpersons and deans
about the provisions of the new contract. In dealing with several personnel
issues, we have located a policy called the Locus of Tenure Policy. It is not a
new policy, but one that is obscure. Since we intend to probably use it at one
point, I have placed the policy on the Provost’s website.
Senator Adams: Has the President
signed the non-tenure track faculty contract yet?
Provost Presley: I don’t believe
that he signed it before he left for
Senator Reid: Does the Locus of
Tenure Policy refer to the University level or the departmental level? If I
remember correctly, if it is on the University level, you can move people; but
if it is on the departmental level, you can’t.
Provost Presley: The policy is so
new to me that I would rather not quote it. I believe that it is on the
University level.
Vice President of Student Affairs Remarks
Senator Mamarchev: We have kicked off
the first of our many multicultural celebrations. This month is devoted to the
celebration of Latino heritage. I encourage you to look at the Student Affairs
website and click on Intercultural Programs and Services to find the extensive
list of activities planned. The Minority Scholar in Residence, Kathy Perkins,
Professor of Theatre at the
Dr. Mamarchev reported that, sadly, ISU lost two of its students in
very tragic car accidents during the preceding two weeks.
Vice President of Finance and Planning Remarks
Senator Bragg: I have received
questions about the slowdown related to construction and capital projects on
campus. Even though we have had monies appropriated for capital projects, the
funds from which contractors are paid has been depleted because the State has
not yet issued new bonds. The State does plan to issue a new set of bonds on
September 28th. This has not affected the move-in plans for both the
Senator Bragg will bring tentative FY06 budget requests to the Senate
Administrative Affairs Committee and report these requests to the full Senate
at the meeting of September 29, 2004.
Committee Reports
Academic Affairs Committee
Senator Reid: The Academic Affairs Committee met with representatives of the committee that was created to incorporate the responsibilities of FOI into COM 110 and ENG 101. The committee is considering ways in which to teach argumentation over a two-semester period, which would mean that students would continue to build critical thinking skills.
Senator Crothers: Does the Senate need to approve the proposals from this committee by November 1 in order to make sure that they are in the catalog?
Senator Reid: Jonathan Rosenthal, Council on General Education, stated that the committee needs to get the proposals to the University Curriculum Committee by November 12th. Additionally, between now and then, they would need to go through departmental and college curriculum committees. I am not sure if they will all need to come to the Senate, since these are course changes along with a general program change.
Senator Crothers: It is my interpretation that we required that the content of the courses be approved by the Senate, in addition to the program changes. Therefore, all three proposals should at least come to us for review and comment.
Senator Reid: Is that before it goes through the curriculum approval process?
Senator Borg: The courses would come to the Senate, after the curriculum approval process, as part of the framework for revisions to a program. We would not approve the individual courses, COM 110 and ENG 101.
Senator Crothers: I agree that we would not approve those courses; however, those courses would come to us for comment and discussion.
Administrative Affairs and Budget Committee
Senator Brockschmidt: The Administrative Affairs and Budget Committee hopes to complete its discussion on revisions to the Administrative Selection (Search Committee) Policy and report to the Senate within the next few weeks.
Faculty Affairs Committee
Senator Wylie: The Faculty Affairs Committee has set an agenda for the issues pending before it. The committee hopes to get the ombudsperson issue settled soon.
Planning and Finance Committee
Senator Plantholt: The Planning and Finance
Committee continues to seek a volunteer from the committee to serve on the
Academic Planning Committee. The committee spent a lot of time on a question
from the
Rules Committee
Senator Hammel: The committee concluded discussion
on the
IBHE-FAC Report
Professor Curt White, IBHE-FAC Representative: For those of you who don’t know, the Faculty Advisory Council to the Illinois Board of Higher Education is composed of representatives from the 12 public universities and all of the private universities and community colleges in the state. Our official job is to advise the IBHE and work with its staff on policy issues that it confronts. We see ourselves primarily as lobbyist for higher education. (The FAC Reports are posted on the Senate’s web site at the bottom of the Committees Page at: http://www.academicsenate.ilstu.edu/committee.html.)
Senator Reid: Did the legislators involved in your last meeting mention anything about possible rescissions this year or further cuts to the higher education budget?
Professor White: No. As you may know, the legislature did get the Governor to sign off on letters of understanding stating that he would not cut the budget in mid year this year for the state university system. They really do not have any idea what the legal status of those letters is, but they will certainly object if he attempts make additional cuts.
Senator Hampton: One of the demonstrable changes that we see occurring around us is the move of the community colleges away from their charters toward four-year programs. I have noted that the Governor seems to have considerable support for the community colleges. Was this ever discussed by the FAC?
Professor White: Yes, but from what I can see, there is little support for this.
Senator Koutsky: Can you give us the mood for
federal support for
Professor White: I have no idea about federal support.
Senator Hammel: Has there been any discussion on the part of politicians to the effect that as state funding of higher education decreases, state regulation and oversight of those institutions will also decrease?
Professor White: There has been no discussion of that. I don’t think that that will happen.
Senator Jerich: The legislation seems to be very supportive of FAC as an advocate for higher education. It also seems that, according to your last report, Representative McCarthy is very upset with university presidents who don’t say anything at the board meetings.
Professor White: While we were talking with legislators at the meeting, FAC actually received an invitation to testify before the House Higher Education Committee, which is unprecedented. They will hear something quite different from FAC than what they have been hearing from the IBHE and the presidents. I think that there are political realities that oblige the IBHE and the presidents to be discreet in ways that we are not obliged.
Senator Jerich: Do you see any negative implications of university faculty saying one thing and university presidents saying another?
Professor White: I don’t think that it will be incongruent so much as it will be different kinds of tones and facts brought to the fore. The kind of nuts and bolts of how budget realities affect the daily life of teachers and students is not something that the presidents or the IBHE are probably even capable of bringing, but we are. I think that the politicians really want someone to come forward and tell them these kinds of things because they would like to help, but they need help helping. I read it as good faith at this point.
Communications:
08.30.04.01
Powers and Responsibilities of the Committees
of the Academic Senate
Senator Crothers: You received in
your packets a document from the Senate Executive Committee called Powers and
Responsibilities of the Committees of the Academic Senate. This gives some
sense of what the parameters are of the Senate’s authorities and
responsibilities. I have been in the position of having senators ask me ‘if we
pass something, will the administration really do it?’ Also, I have had staff
people ask ‘Why don’t they (internal committees) just ask me? I will be happy
to do it if they just ask.’ The information contained in this memo is an
attempt to bridge these notions. The first two pages of the memo are a
discussion of the Senate’s role in shared governance, reminding you that the
Academic Senate is the central governance body on campus and that that brings
with it authorities and responsibilities. We tried to outline, at least on a
sketch basis, what some of those powers and responsibilities are. Very
important among the responsibilities is ‘timeliness in addressing issues before
them’, as noted on page three, bullet number one. There is one notation that is
not included, but should be because of the way in which the administration is
supporting the Senate’s internal committee activity. You received a list of
university staff persons who are designated to the internal committees by the
issue pending, rather than by committee. These designations place a strong
burden on committee chairs this year to contact these people when the issues
come up for discussion.
08.24.04.02
Patriot Act Sense of the Senate Resolution
Senator op de Beeck: At the last
meeting, we brought the proposed Patriot Act Sense of the Senate Resolution
back before the Senate. It was mentioned at that time that more information was
needed before the resolution could be endorsed by the Senate. We have,
therefore, asked Professor Robert Bradley of the Department of Politics and
Government here tonight to share information about the Patriot Act.
Professor Bradley: I am here to
provide information about the act, as I have been asked by the two senators,
rather than argue for or against the act. I have prepared a two-page handout
that should be informative. The Patriot Act was passed very soon after the
attack on the
There are essentially three goals to the act; the government’s biggest
goal in this act was to break down the wall between intelligence gathering and
law enforcement. They wanted a lot more coordination between the FBI and CIA,
as well as other agencies. Not all sections of the act will come up for
reauthorization under the sunset provision. There are parts of the Patriot Act
that are permanent and the only way to get rid of them is to pass another piece
of federal legislation to repeal those parts. There are a number of ways in
which the act directly impacts universities. One, obviously, concerns library
records—who has access to them?—how long are they kept?, etc. There are a
number of libraries that have adopted the policy of purging records as soon as
a book is returned. Another impact is felt in instructional technology. The
federal government, by the act, can actually insert what looks to be a virus
into an e-mail and collect e-mail messages remotely. There are a variety of
items within the act that affect students. The Patriot Act basically eliminates
the requirement of a student’s consent for release of student records. Other
parts of the act refer to biological substances. We have a variety of science
departments at this university that have in their possession things that would
be deemed to be toxic substances. There are many websites dedicated to the act:
The Congressional Research Service Overviews
of the Act:
http://www.fas.org/irp/crsRL31377.pdf
http://www.fas.org/irp/crs/RS21203.pdf
The Century Foundation Basics of the Patriot
Act: (Overview)
http://www.tcf.org/Publications/HomelandSecurity/USAPatAct.pdf
Patriot Act: (Full Text)
www.lifeandliberty.gov
(Department of Justice’s defense of the act)
www.ala.org (American Library
Association’s opposition to a variety of parts of the act)
Specifics on Higher Education:
The Bill of Rights Defense Committee has a list of many of the campuses
across the country that have adopted resolutions on the act. That committee
also has a web bibliography of the articles on the act’s impact on higher
education. The site for the
http://bordc.org/campus-resolutions
http://bordc.org/Student-tools.htm
Senator Koutsky: Are there any
universities within
Professor Bradley: I am almost
positive that a university in
Senator Koutsky: I believe that the City Council of Chicago
did adopt a resolution condemning it.
Professor Bradley: That is correct.
Senator Crothers: I would ask
Senators Reid and op de Beeck if they wish to move this resolution to a vote
now or, in light of Professor Bradley’s comments, amend the resolution or give
people a week to reference these sources.
Senator Reid: Professor
Bradley, have you looked at our particular resolution?
Professor Bradley: I did and
probably would suggest some changes.
Senator op de Beeck: The format you
provided of the typical resolutions is extremely helpful. I would suggest that
we amend our proposed resolution; it would be very helpful if you would assist
us in the editing process.
Professor Bradley: I would be happy
to do that.
The Senate will consider the resolution at a later date.
09.01.04.02
Presidential Inaugural Ceremony
On Friday, October 8, 2004, Dr. Al Bowman will be installed as
Senator Koutsky reminded the Senate that there were exactly 20 days
left to register to vote in the November election. There are various areas on
campus in which voter registration is being conducted, including Milner
Library, Normal Public Library, university residence halls and the quad.
Adjournment