REGULAR MEETING OF THE UNIVERSITY FACULTY SENATE
October 5, 1992
MINUTES
Senators not in attendance were: Gene Bartlett, Barbara
Curry, Peter Roe
Senators excused were: Charles Boncelet, Christine Cannon,
Alexander Doberenz, Beth Haslett, Larry
Holmes, James Kirby, Betty Paulanka,
Michelle Provost-Craig, Chandra Reedy,
Daniel Rich, Elaine Safer, Jack Smith,
Roger Steiner
I. ADOPTION OF THE AGENDA
The Senate adopted the Agenda as printed.
II. APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES
The Senate approved the Minutes of the Meeting of September 14
as distributed.
Senate President Lomax yielded the floor to President Roselle who
outlined the events that occurred at West Towers on the morning
of September 20, 1992. Continuing with a description of the
ensuing meetings between University personnel and concerned
students and parents, the walk around campus by Concerned Black
Students, and the written demands made by them, President Roselle
explained that the University could not acquiesce to the Concerned
Black Students' demands since doing so would infringe on the rights
of others to due process and would contravene the University's
investigation. President Roselle delineated the steps of the
University's inquiry into the incidents and indicated the status of
pending civil and criminal charges against some of those involved.
III. REMARKS BY UNIVERSITY PROVOST PIPES
University Provost Pipes discussed contemporary criticism of higher
education and particularly of higher education's performance of the
implied "contract" between faculty and students. He stated that his
intention to both discern the truth of and allay such criticisms
prompted him to make certain that course syllabi containing
necessary information were being provided at the beginning of the
term and to see if the full semester course hours were being
utilized. He called upon the Faculty Senate to engage itself in an
evaluation of course delivery and procedures and general
instructional policies. The Provost invited the faculty to work with
administration to improve course scheduling and facility use and
responded to questions concerning the status of program review,
about whether more complaints have been received about
instruction at the University of Delaware, and about whether
instructional facilities and support should also be considered.
IV. ANNOUNCEMENTS
Senate President Lomax had no announcements.
V. OLD BUSINESS
There was no old business.
VI. NEW BUSINESS
Item A. The Senate considered the following motion from the
Faculty Senate Executive Committee:
WHEREAS, the University should have a statement
identifying its purpose and goals, and
WHEREAS, several committees developed a statement of
mission for the University during the
processes of first the Focused Vision effort,
and then the Middle States Accreditation
Self-Study, and
WHEREAS, the content and principles of a statement of
mission should reflect the consensus of the
faculty, and
WHEREAS, it is the responsibility of the Faculty Senate
to consider a statement of mission, be it
therefore
RESOLVED, that the University Faculty Senate approves as the
statement of mission, the "Mission Statement for
the University" and also recommends its approval
by the Board of Trustees.
After hearing about the genesis and history of the proposed
document and asking the purpose of such a statement, and
where it would appear, Senators commented that the document
tries to say too much, is too general, should be much shorter, is
too repetitive, is doomed to be too repetitive and general, doesn't
rule anything out, is irrelevant, has some problematic
phraseology, and doesn't define clearly what the University
should be. After discussion, the Senate approved a motion to
send the proposed statement of mission back to a Committee, to
be determined by the Faculty Senate Executive Committee. Such
Committee will revise the statement of mission, taking into
account the Senate's comments about the statement and about
potential community participation. The Senate defeated a motion
that proposed a wide community distribution of the document.
Item B. Vice President Sharkey proposed the following motion:
WHEREAS, the University does not have a concise
statement that communicates ideals to
which the community should aspire, and
WHEREAS, the University Faculty Senate is interested
in the campus community as it influences
the learning and social growth of
individuals, therefore be it
RESOLVED, that the University Faculty Senate authorize
the Executive Committee to appoint an ad
hoc task force to prepare a statement that
expresses the ideals to which the University
community should aspire, and be it further
RESOLVED, that the ad hoc task force prepare this
statement for the February meeting of the
University Faculty Senate.
President Lomax adjourned the meeting at 5:25 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Judith Roof
Senate Secretary
rg