Minutes for March 22, 2006

A meeting of the University Senate was held at 4:15 p.m. on Wednesday, 22 March 2006, in Maxwell Auditorium.

Present were: Vice Chancellor Freund; Senators Alston, Anderson, Arvas, Bender, Bennett, Biklen, Breese, Burak, Carter, Cihon, Cleary, Crawford, Crowston, de Berly, Diaz, Doughty, Doyle, Elin, Ferree, Ferguson, Gensemer, Gilman, Glauser, Grimes, Hackman, Hamner, Harding, Heintz, Himes, Hogan, Horacek, Horton, Hurd, Isik, Jensen, Johnson (E.), Jones, Kasowitz-Scheer, Kelly (J.), Kelly (R.B.), Kelly (R.A.), Khalifa, Kornfilt, LaGraff, Lantier, Lasch-Quinn, Letterman, Mager, Marcoccia, McKay, Middlemiss, Mitchell, Murphy, Notas, O'Rourke, Palfai, Patrick, Pellow, Potter, Salatino, Scherzinger, Schiff, Sherman, Smith (C.J.), Spina, Sternlicht, Strodel, Thompson, Trento, Tucker, Urtz, Van Gulick, Wallace, Ware (B.), Willett, Wilmoth.

Presiding Officer: Vice Chancellor Deborah Freund

On motion duly made and seconded, it was voted to approve the minutes of the University Senate meeting of 15 February 2006, as written. The Vice Chancellor called Prof. Bruce Carter to present the report of the Agenda Committee, which included a motion to approve the following calendar of meetings for 2006-7:

A student senator asked why there was no fall open forum, and Prof. Carter said that it had been the case in the past couple years that the fall open forum was so sparsely attended that the Agenda Committee had decided to hold one per year, in the spring. He said that if in future it came to be seen as necessary, it could be reinstituted. The motion carried.

       Prof. Carter continued his report with announcement that an ad hoc committee had been appointed to look into the matter of a change of status for SU employees who had long experience but not as much energy as they once had, and wished to change the conditions of their jobs. He said the committee would begin meeting over the summer, and make a preliminary report in the fall.

       Prof. Carter continued his report with announcement that an ad hoc committee had been appointed to look into the matter of a change of status for SU employees who had long experience but not as much energy as they once had, and wished to change the conditions of their jobs. He said the committee would begin meeting over the summer, and make a preliminary report in the fall.

       Prof. Carter finished by reminding the body that there would be a special meeting of the Senate held on March 29th for the purpose of presentation and discussion of the Budget committee report, which included a report from the RCM committee. He said that a copy of the report would be sent to each Senate member, via e.mail, prior to the meeting.

        The Chair called on Dean Eric Spina, co-chairman of the Committee on Honorary Degrees. She asked that all non-senators wait outside the auditorium while the Senate discussed and voted on the nominations. Dean Spina made a motion to approve the three candidates listed in the report. In the discussion, a senator rose to propose an amendment to divide the question, separating the first two candidates from the third. The motion carried. A motion to approve the first two candidates listed also carried. Dean Spina moved approval of the third candidate. After considerable discussion, pro and con, the body voted (22:41:0) against the motion.

       A senator rose to suggest that, in view of the vote, the Committee on Honorary Degrees take up the question of whether an honorary degree should ever be awarded to a sitting politician. Another senator rose to make a motion to reconsider the last vote. He proposed that the body vote to table approval of the candidate instead. The motion was seconded, and after some discussion the motion to reconsider carried. On motion duly made and seconded, the body voted to table the third candidate in the report.

       The Vice Chancellor asked members of the Senate to invite non-senators back inside. She called Prof. Mike Olivette to present the report of the Committee on Curricula, which included a motion to approve new courses and changes in Arts and Sciences, Engineering and Computer Science, and the School of Public Communications, as well as a new program (B.S. in Recording & Allied Entertainment Industries) in the Colleger of Visual and Performing Arts. The motion carried.

       The Vice Chancellor called on Prof. Jaklin Kornfilt, who presented the report of the Committee on Appointment and Promotions in the absence of the chairman. The report included a motion recommending to the Board of Trustees that the following retiring faculty members be honored with the title Emeritus, to be added to the rank at which they retired:

• Joseph Barette, Professor of law
  
• Robert Bogdan, Professor of sociology and cultural foundations of education
  
• Michael Flusche, Associate Professor of history, and Associate Vice Chancellor
  
• Marvin Goldberg, Professor of physics
  
• Patricia Hassett, Professor of law
  
• Bruce Lagay, Professor of social work
  
• Marshall Matlock, Professor of public communications
  
• Allen Miller, Associate Professor of Physics
  
• Martin Sage, Professor of chemistry
  
• Larry Schafer, Professor of science teaching and leadership
  
• Lawson Smith, Associate Professor of art
  
• Stewart Thau, Associate Professor of philosophy
  
• Murray Tinkelman, Professor of art
  
• Patricia Waddy, Professor of architecture
  *
• George Abbott, Librarian

       Under new business, a senator rose to bring up the matter of classes having been suspended on the day Mayfest was to be held, without having consulted with the faculty. He said that it was a bad precedent, and he asked that the Agenda Committee look into the matter.

Teresa Gilman
University Senate Recorder

University Senate Office 104 Steele Hall Telephone (315)443-2254 For questions, comments or problems regarding this website, please contact our webmaster:kmvetter@syr.edu © 1995 - 2009 Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY 13244 (315) 443-1870 syracuse web site design: CustomWebHelp.com