REGULAR MEETING OF THE UNIVERSITY FACULTY SENATE
December 2, 1991
MINUTES
On Monday, December 2 at 4:00 p.m. Senate President Taggart called the
regular meeting of the University Faculty Senate to order.
Senators not in attendance were: Steven Dentel, Robert Knecht, Richard
Libera, Betty McGrath, Michelle Provost-
Craig
Senators excused were: Kenneth Biederman, Bernard Herman, Anne McCourt-Lewis,
Jon Olson, David P. Roselle, William Saylor, Edward
Schweizer, Janet Smith
I. ADOPTION OF THE AGENDA
The Senate adopted the agenda as published.
II. APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES
The Senate approved the Minutes of the November 4 meeting as published.
III. REMARKS BY PROVOST PIPES
Provost Pipes discussed Parallel Program expansion in Georgetown, the
Middle States Accreditation visit, the progress of the Budget Council,
admissions, changes in telephone service, the Longwood Foundation grant,
research funding, and the plus/minus grading system. After noting that
the University will share space with Delaware State and DelTech in the
higher education building in Georgetown, Provost Pipes reaffirmed the
University's commitment to providing higher education in southern
Delaware. He also drew attention to the visit of the Middle State
Accreditation team on February 23 through 26.
Provost Pipes discussed the activities of the Budget Council, announcing
that the budget must be reduced by $8.3 million for the next year which
will include the loss of 76 positions, 40 of which are vacancies. Provost
Pipes pointed out that of the budget reductions already made, 18.8% of
the cuts have been in the administrative side, 14.4% in academic support,
and 7.9% in academic units. He announced that programs still under
discussion include Medical Technology, Interior Design, American Studies,
Cognitive Sciences, and Neuroscience. He also announced that he had made
a budgetary presentation before the Coordinating Committee on Education
and the Committee on Budgetary and Space Priorities.
Provost Pipes disclosed that admissions are up 10% and that the
Admissions Office has initiated a new enrollment management committee
whose primary objective is to include faculty in the admissions process.
He reminded the Senate that the telephone numbers on campus will change
on January 18th.
Provost Pipes also announced that the University had received a major
grant of $2.5 million from the Longwood Foundation for the development of
the new chemistry, biochemistry, and marine studies building. In the area
of research, Provost Pipes reported an increase in the number of
proposals for sponsored programs to $37 million in proposals and that
over $500,000 is being distributed within the University for faculty
research.
Provost Pipes ended by reaffirming that faculty have the authority and
responsibility to measure student performance, that students have the
right to uniformity and equity in grading systems, and that the Provost's
Office will enforce policies that have been duly passed by the Faculty
Senate.
IV. ANNOUNCEMENTS
Senate President Taggart announced that the Senate Office is receiving
two new printers and a fax machine. He also reiterated the Senate
attendance policy, reminding Senators that substitutes can attend and
speak in Senate meetings, but they cannot vote unless they are permanent
replacements elected by secret ballot. He announced the results of the
1992 apportionment which increases the number of Senators by one added to
the number of Senators from the College of Agricultural Sciences.
Finally, he reported that the Committee on Committees and Nominations'
review of the Committee on Faculty Welfare and Privileges is close to
completion.
Announcements for Challenge: After amending the Bilingualism portion of
the proposed revision of the B.A. in Educational Studies (attached), the
Senate approved the proposal. The Senate also approved the change in the
name of the Department of Sociology to the Department of Sociology and
Criminal Justice.
V. NEW BUSINESS
Item A on the agenda was a resolution brought by Senator Signorielli who
agreed to a substitute resolution proposing a return to the grading
system in effect through the 1990/1991 academic year as of September,
1992. After voting down an amendment that attempted to make the change
immediate, and discussing issues of faculty prerogative, Senate
intention, the Senate history of plus/minus, the reliability of catalogue
information and the meaning of "optional," the Senate approved the
following resolution substituted for the original substitute resolution:
WHEREAS, the University Faculty Senate approved the establishment of a
plus/minus grading system on May 6, 1985 by a vote of 29 to 25,
and
WHEREAS, the Senate renewed its analysis of the merits of a plus/minus
grading system in an informational discussion (no motion
presented) at its meeting of March 2, 1987, and
WHEREAS, the Senate reaffirmed its support of a plus/minus grading system
on November 13, 1989 by a vote of 32 to 22, and
WHEREAS, in each of these three meetings there were explicit comments
that the plus/minus system should only be approved if it were
optional for each faculty member, and
WHEREAS, due to delays relating to the installation of a new computer
system for student records, the plus/minus grading system was
implemented for the first time in the fall of 1991, with the
result that many current faculty are at a considerable distance
from the original discussion, and
WHEREAS, the plus/minus grading system currently implemented is being
interpreted as a non-optional grading policy, be it therefore
RESOLVED, that the Senate reaffirms the existence of the 11-point
grading system with the understanding that the faculty may use
as many points as in their academic judgment are appropriate
for the purposes of evaluating the students' academic
achievement.
President Taggart adjourned the meeting at 5:30 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Judith Roof
Senate Secretary
rg