REGULAR MEETING OF THE UNIVERSITY FACULTY SENATE
November 1, 1993
MINUTES
Senator not in attendance was: Victor Martuza
Senators excused were: Joann Browning, Barbara Curry, Jeff Gillespie,
Vivian Klaff, Robert Knecht, Ajay Manrai,
Frank Murray, Mary Richards, David Roselle,
Janet Smith, Carolyn Thoroughgood
I. ADOPTION OF THE AGENDA
Under New Business the confirmation of Young-Doo Wang (see
below) was inserted as Item A and the remainder of New Business
items advanced by one letter. The Agenda was adopted with this
amendment.
II. APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES
The minutes for the October 4, 1993 meeting were approved as
submitted.
III. REMARKS BY VICE PROVOST ANDERSEN
Using overheads, Provost Andersen summarized the findings of the
National Faculty Survey in which Delaware participated. This
summary also appears in Update, and a copy of the prepared text
is available in the Senate Office. Eight overheads presented the
following:
1. Sixty-one percent of the University of Delaware faculty
participated with a slight under-representation of full
professors, women and tenured faculty and an over-
representation of lecturers/instructors.
2. University of Delaware faculty follow the national norms in
their various teaching and research activities.
3. At Delaware faculty women differ from men in that they are
more likely to serve on five or more committees, to have
interrupted their careers for health or family reasons, to
commute long distances and to have spouses or partners
employed in a different city.
4. University of Delaware faculty generally mirror national norms
in instructional practices. However, Delaware female faculty
are much more likely to include gender and racial-ethnic
readings than their male counterparts.
5. Additional issues show that University of Delaware faculty
perceive greater racial conflict here than the national norm
while believing that faculty are sensitive to minority interests
and that minority faculty are treated fairly.
6. University of Delaware faculty show greater job satisfaction
than the national norms.
7. Time pressures develop the greatest stress in Delaware
faculty, and women report more stress than men from their
teaching load and the promotion and review process.
8. The strongest finding of the survey is that at a level above the
national norm, the vast majority of Delaware faculty want to
continue as academics.
Questions established that the national survey had 29,000
responses from a general mix of post-secondary institutions.
IV. ANNOUNCEMENTS BY PRESIDENT SCOTT
1. Dan Rich, Chair of the Provost Search Committee, will report
on the progress of the search at the December and February
Senate meetings. The Committee encourages faculty to
submit nominations up to the closing date of November 15.
2. The Committee on Committees and Nominations (COCAN) has
revised the procedure for electing the chair. As in the past,
the Faculty Senate will elect members to this Committee in
the May Senate meeting. Under the new procedure, the
Senate then will elect the Chair from the elected COCAN
members later in the meeting or in the second session of the
May meeting. The COCAN members then will assume their
duties in September.
3. With the approval of COCAN the Committee on Student and
Faculty Honors will appoint a Board of Senior Thesis Readers,
who will assist in the evaluation of about 75 Degree with
Distinction and 23 Honors Degree theses.
4. The interim appointments made by COCAN were included with
the voting cards. [This information also is attached to these
minutes.]
V. OLD BUSINESS
A. Recommendation from the Coordinating Committee on
Education (J. McLaughlin, Chairperson) to amend the Faculty
Handbook, Section II, subsection 2, "Examinations and Tests,"
page II-3.
After a very brief discussion in which it was established that
the proposal applies to the Fall and Spring semesters only and
will take place first in Spring '94, the following resolution was
passed by a vote of 51-1-1.
RESOLVED, that the Examinations and Tests Policy in the
Faculty Handbook at II. "Selected Academic
Policy Statements," subsection 2.
"Examinations and Tests," page II-3 be
amended as follows:
2. Examinations and Tests
Faculty exercise academic judgment in determining appropriate
methods of evaluation in courses. However, the University sets the
academic calendar and includes an examination week as the final
week in a semester. Except in unusual circumstances, faculty are
expected to use the examination week for evaluation and
instructional purposes. Faculty should give the last examination in
a course during that week according to the printed scheduled issued
by the Registrar's Office. Courses following very different
instructional and evaluation formats, e.g., clinical experience,
individual research, laboratory or student teaching, will not be
restricted in this regard. If unusual circumstances exist, the
department chair or dean will be informed of the method and timing
of the final course assessment. Because the University does not
operate with a formal honor system, faculty are responsible for
proper monitoring of examinations and tests.
MIDDLE PARAGRAPH REMAINS UNCHANGED EXCEPT THAT
"REGISTRAR'S OFFICE replaces RECORDS
No examination, hourly examination, test, or quiz counting for 25
percent or more of the semester's grade for any class (except
laboratory exams) shall be given during the last five class days of
any regular semester. There shall be a break of at least 24 hours,
designated Reading Day(s), at the beginning of Finals Week. No
examinations, tests, or quizzes may be given on Reading Day(s), to
allow students to review for upcoming finals and to complete
projects.
VI. New Business
A. Young-Doo Wang was approved for a two-year term on the
Committee on Student and Faculty Honors by acclamation.
B. The following resolution on compliance with University
principles, was forwarded without recommendation by the
Committee on Undergraduate Studies but with the
recommendation of the Executive Committee:
WHEREAS, the University of Delaware is committed to
assuring equal opportunity to all persons and
does not discriminate on the basis of race,
color, gender, religion, ancestry, national
origin, sexual orientation, veteran status, age,
or disability in its educational programs,
activities, admissions or employment practices,
therefore be it
RESOLVED, that the University Faculty Senate will initiate
disestablishment procedures should any
program adopt a policy that directly violates
the published principles of the University of
Delaware.
The debate centered on the need and appropriateness of the
resolution. Senators Flynn, Bellamy, Cooper and Hoffecker
wondered if the resolution would require disestablishing
programs which exclude students with incapacitating physical
disabilities. Senators McCoy and Mayes replied that the
Americans with Disabilities Act provides protection to the
institution if a reasonable request for accommodation is
answered but the outcome is unsatisfactory. Senator McCoy
said the real issue of the resolution is
sex(ual orientation).
Colonel Martel (Air Force ROTC) and Senator Cooper (Army
ROTC) emphasized that the academic portion of their programs
are open to all students. Participation in the non-credit
leadership portion of AFROTC requires the participant to be able
to meet the requirements for commissioning. Colonel Martel,
Senator Cooper and Senator Grubb questioned the timing of the
resolution since permanent approval of the AFROTC program will
be considered in December. Chairperson Keefe (Undergraduate
Studies), Chairperson Dilley (COCAN) and President Elect
McLauglin answered that the resolution was intended to be
helpful to the approval process for AFROTC by decoupling
principle from a specific program. Senators Pizzuto, Bonner and
Dean Cooper questioned the need for the resolution.
McLaughlin, Dilley and Provost Andersen responded that the
resolution addresses "what if" policy issues.
The resolution was defeated by a vote of 7-40-5.
C. Introduction of New Business - None
Senate President Scott adjourned the meeting at 4:55 p.m.
JO/rg
Attachment: COCAN Appointments
B. 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.)
TA/rg
Attachments:
1. Page II-3 of the Faculty Handbook
Recommendation from the Committee on Graduate Studies (P. Hooper,
Chairperson '91-92) with the concurrence of the Coordinating Committee
on Education (J. McLaughlin, Chairperon) for permanent approval of the
Master of Physical Therapy degree
WHEREAS, the .... was provisionally approved on ...............
RESOLVED, that, effective immediately, the Master's degree program in
Physical Therapy be granted permanent status.
C. 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.)
BKS/rg
Attachments:
1. Biographies
2. Page II-3 of the Faculty Handbook
Resolution on Academic Freedom
Last part of the resolution was:
ADD
Limitations of academic freedom because of any aims of the University
should be clearly stated in writing at the time of the appointment.
Changed as followed per Dr. Dilley
Should there be any unwritten limitations of academic freedom because
of any aims of the University, any such limitations should be clearly
stated in writing at the time of the appointment.