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Minutes for February 16, 2005
A meeting of the University Senate was held at 4:15 p.m. on Wednesday,
16 February 2005, in Maxwell Auditorium.
Present were: Associate Vice Chancellor Flusche; Senators: Bennett, Breese, Burak, Carter, Carty, Cavanagh, Cihon, Cleary, de Berly, Dekaney, Diaz, Easton,
Fiese, Gensemer, Gilman, Glauser, Harding, Himes, Hogan, Horwitz, Johnson,
Kasowitz-Scheer, Kenn, LaGay, LaGraff, Letterman (M.), Letterman (R.), MacDonald, Mager, Marcoccia, Maroney, Massey, McKay, Mitchell, Mosher, Murphy, Pellow, Phillips, Potter, Poulin, Robertson, Rosenzweig, Salatino, Sauer, Scherzinger, Sherman, Siegel, Smith (C.R.), Smith (D.), Smith (H.), Sternlicht, Trento, Urtz, Van Gulick, Vidali, Vitharana, Wadley, Wallace, Wallwork, Ware (B.), Webber, Wilbur.
Presiding officer: Associate Vice Chancellor Michael Flusche
On motion duly made and seconded, it was voted to approve the minutes of the University Senate meeting of 19 January 2005, as written. The Chairman then called Agenda Committee chairman Pat Cihon to present the report of the Agenda Committee.
Prof. Cihon began by telling the body that he would be chairing the Agenda Committee for spring semester because Prof. Biklen was on leave, and mentioned Biklen's Oscar nomination for the movie "Autism is a Life". He then called Prof. Don Siegel to read a memorial statement for Prof. Geoffrey Seltzer, who had died on January 15th. Afterward, he asked the body to stand for a moment of silent tribute, and then made a motion that the statement be included in the record of the meeting. The motion carried.
Prof. Cihon continued his report with a motion to add one more name to the list of honorary degree recipients for 2005. The Chairman asked non-senators to wait outside the auditorium during the Senate's discussion and vote. The body approved the motion, and non-senators were invited back inside. Cihon announced that the report of the Committee on LGBT Concerns had been withdrawn, and would be presented at the March meeting. He finished by reminding senators that if anyone did not get a chance to sign in, that they should e.mail the Senate office [susenate@syr.edu].
In response to a query, Prof. Cihon said that the proposal for revised tenure guidelines was not yet ready for presentation to the Senate.
The Chairman called Prof. Mike Olivette to present the report of the Committee on Curricula, which included a motion to approve the changes and new courses from Arts and Sciences, Education, Human Services and Health Professions, Information Studies, and Visual and Performing Arts listed in the report, including a C.A.S. in Security Studies. The motion carried.
The Chairman called Prof. Ray Letterman, chairman of the Committee on Administrative Operations, who presented an informational report on the revised proposal for a complaint hotline. He told the body that the revised wording called for its use solely for complaints about business and financial matters, with a crime section for Public Safety. In the discussion, questions raised and comments made included:
- What initiated the proposal? [Letterman said that it had come from the Board of Trustees in the aftermath of the Enron hearings];
- What had happened that such a hotline had become necessary at SU? [Letterman said that it was standard operating procedure in many corporations, considered a good business practice; thus SU adopted it.];
- a senator told the body that the AFT committee strongly opposed the proposal, that it had nothing to do with academic ethics, that it should be about business and finance only, and that they were concerned that Public Safety would be overseen by Business and Finance.
Vice President for Business and Finance Marcoccia rose to comment that the public safety aspect had been requested by the Dept. of Public Safety, and that there'd be no change made in the policy unless it came by way of the University Senate. Several members commented that the language was too vague, and a motion was duly made and seconded that the report be returned to the committee with the understanding that it be redrafted and presented at a future meeting. The motion carried [40:8].
The Chairman called Ms. Linda Straub, co-chairwoman of the Committee on Services to the Faculty and Staff, to report on a new approach to retiree health benefits. Ms. Straub told the body that Prof. John Palmer would present the plan, and that Neil Strodel and Myra Johnson from Human Resources would be on hand to respond to questions. After a lengthy presentation by Prof. Palmer, a senator rose to applaud the initiative, and another rose to make a motion endorsing the new health plan for retirees. The motion was seconded, and approved.
The Chairman called Ms. Geraldine de Berly to present the report of the Committee on the Library, which had been distributed in the packet. There was no discussion.
There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned.
Teresa Gilman
University Senate Recorder
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