REGULAR MEETING OF THE UNIVERSITY FACULTY SENATE
DECEMBER 3, 2012 – 104 GORE
November 26, 2012
TO: Senators and Executives
FROM: Katherin Rogers, Vice President
University Faculty Senate
SUBJECT: Regular Faculty Senate Meeting December 3, 2012
In accordance with Section IV, paragraph 6 of the Constitution, the regular meeting of the University Faculty Senate will be held on Monday, December 3, 2012 at 4:00 p.m. in 104 Gore Hall.
I certify that hard copies of the approval page for each undergraduate and graduate studies academic item on the agenda are filed in the Faculty Senate Office with the appropriate signatures of approval up through the Chair of the Faculty Senate Coordinating Committee on Education. The Agenda will be as follows:
I.
Adoption of the Agenda
II.
Approval of the Minutes: November
5, 2012
III. Memorial
Tributes
IV. Remarks: Provost Nancy Brickhouse
V. Announcements: Senate President Sheldon Pollack
VI. Consent Agenda
a. Recommendation from the Faculty Senate Committee on Undergraduate Studies (Fred Hofstetter, Chair) with the concurrence of the Coordinating Committee on Education (Deni Galileo, Chair) and the Executive Committee (Sheldon Pollack, Chair) for the request to revise the major: BA in Chemistry(UGS0177) (attachment)
b. Recommendation from the Faculty Senate Committee on Undergraduate Studies (Fred Hofstetter, Chair) with the concurrence of the Coordinating Committee on Education (Deni Galileo, Chair) and the Executive Committee (Sheldon Pollack, Chair) for the request to revise the major: BS in Biochemistry(UGS0178) (attachment)
c. Recommendation from the Faculty Senate Committee on Undergraduate Studies (Fred Hofstetter, Chair) with the concurrence of the Coordinating Committee on Education (Deni Galileo, Chair) and the Executive Committee (Sheldon Pollack, Chair) for the request to revise the major: BA in Chemistry Education(UGS0179) (attachment)
d. Recommendation from the Faculty Senate Committee on Undergraduate Studies (Fred Hofstetter, Chair) with the concurrence of the Coordinating Committee on Education (Deni Galileo, Chair) and the Executive Committee (Sheldon Pollack, Chair) for the request to revise the major: BS in Chemistry(UGS0180) (attachment)
e. Recommendation from the Faculty Senate Committee on Undergraduate Studies (Fred Hofstetter, Chair) with the concurrence of the Coordinating Committee on Education (Deni Galileo, Chair) and the Executive Committee (Sheldon Pollack, Chair) for the request to revise the major: BA in Philosophy(UGS 0181) (attachment)
f. Recommendation from the Faculty Senate Committee on Graduate Studies (Andrew Teplyakov, Chair) with the concurrence of the Coordinating Committee on Education (Deni Galileo, Chair) and the Executive Committee (Sheldon Pollack, Chair) for the request to revise the MS Accounting curriculum(GRD0186) (attachment)
VII.
Regular Agenda
1. Resolutions:
a. Recommendation
from the Faculty Senate Executive Committee (Sheldon Pollack, Chair) with the
concurrence of the Faculty Senate Committee on Rules (Anu Sivaraman, Chair) for
the approval of a resolution for amending the bylaws of the University Faculty
Senate (attachment
1)
Whereas, the
Bylaws of the Faculty Senate (the “Bylaws”) presently include a provision (Section
IV) that purportedly sets forth the voting requirements for amending such
Bylaws; and
Whereas, such
provision of the Bylaws in fact only sets forth the requirements for amending
the rules and regulations of the Senate, but not the Bylaws; and
Whereas, there
is no provision in the Bylaws that provides a procedure for amending such
Bylaws; and
Whereas, it
is important to have an official procedure in the Bylaws providing for
amendments to the Bylaws; and
Whereas, the
prior practice of the Senate has been to adopt amendments to the Bylaws upon
the affirmative vote of two-thirds of those senators present at a duly called meeting
of the Senate; and
Whereas, the
Bylaws of the Trustees of the University of Delaware include a provision
requiring an affirmative vote of two-thirds of those senators present at a duly
called meeting of the Senate to adopt, amend or repeal the Bylaws of the
Senate; and
Whereas, the
Senate’s own Bylaws must conform with such requirement included in the Bylaws of
the Trustees of the University of Delaware; be it therefore
Resolved, that
the Bylaws shall be amended to include a rule for amending such Bylaws by an
affirmative vote of two-thirds of those senators present at a duly called
meeting of the Senate.
b. Recommendation from the Faculty Senate Executive Committee
(Sheldon Pollack, Chair) with the concurrence of the Faculty Senate Committee
on Rules (Anu Sivaraman, Chair) for the approval of a resolution for amending
the bylaws of the University Faculty Senate concerning its rules and
regulations (attachment
1)
Whereas, the
Bylaws of the Faculty Senate (the “Bylaws”) presently include a provision
(Section IV) that sets forth the voting requirements for amending the rules and
regulations of the Faculty Senate (the “Senate”); and
Whereas, such
provision of the Bylaws requires an affirmative vote of two-thirds of those
senators present and voting at a duly called meeting of the Senate in order to amend
the rules and regulations of the Senate; and
Whereas, such
requirement for amending the rules and regulations of the Senate is overly
stringent and impractical; and
Whereas, the
prior practice of the Senate has been to adopt amendments to the rules and
regulations of the Senate by a majority of those senators present and voting at
a duly called meeting of the Senate; be it therefore
Resolved, that
Section IV of the Bylaws shall be amended to provide that the rules and
regulations of the Senate may be amended by a majority of those senators
present and voting at a duly called meeting of the Senate.
c. Recommendation
by the Faculty Senate Executive Committee (Sheldon Pollack, Chair) with the concurrence
of the Faculty Senate Rules Committee (Anu Sivaraman, Chair) for the approval
of a resolution concerning a policy for amending the Faculty Handbook (attachment
1)
Option 1: by a Majority Vote
Whereas, the policy
for changing the Faculty Handbook found in the Handbook (“Preface: about the
Handbook”) is vague; and,
Whereas, it is important to specify the
appropriate authority for changes to the Faculty Handbook; and,
Whereas, the
practice has been that changes to the Faculty Handbook require Faculty Senate
approval, with the concurrence of the provost; be it therefore
Resolved, that
the Handbook (“Preface: about the Handbook”) be revised to read “Policies
contained in the Faculty Handbook are official policies of the University and
remain in full effect until changed by an affirmative vote of a majority of the
Faculty Senate, with the concurrence of the Provost.”
*******************
Option 2: by a
Two-Thirds Vote
Whereas, the policy
for changing the Faculty Handbook found in the Handbook (“Preface: about the
Handbook”) is vague; and,
Whereas, it is
important to specify the appropriate authority for changes to the Faculty
Handbook; and,
Whereas, the
practice has been that changes to the Faculty Handbook require Faculty Senate
approval, with the concurrence of the provost; be it therefore
Resolved, that
the Handbook (“Preface: about the Handbook”) be revised to read “Policies
contained in the Faculty Handbook are official policies of the University and
remain in full effect until changed by an affirmative vote of two-thirds of
those members of the Faculty Senate present and voting, with the concurrence of
the Provost.”
2. Unfinished
Business: None
3. New
Business:
VIII. Introduction
of New Business
Such items as may come before the Senate. (No motion introduced under new business, except a motion to refer to committee, shall be acted upon until the next meeting of the Senate.)
/khs