REGULAR MEETING OF THE UNIVERSITY FACULTY SENATE
December 7, 1992
MINUTES
Senator not in attendance was: Gene Bartlett
Senators excused were: Kenneth Biederman, Charles Boncelet,
Gordon Bonner, Rick Cunningham, Alexander
Doberenz, Bernard Herman, Carol Hoffecker,
Judy Hough-Goldstein, Edward Kerner,
James Kirby, Peter Lomtevas, Michelle
Provost-Craig, Daniel Rich, David P. Roselle,
Elaine Safer, Edward Schweizer, Stuart
Sharkey, Lesa Sterling
I. ADOPTION OF THE AGENDA
The Senate adopted the Agenda as printed.
II. APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES
The Senate approved the Minutes of November 2, 1992 as
distributed.
III. REMARKS BY UNIVERSITY PROVOST PIPES
University Provost Pipes extolled the seriousness and commitment of
players on the football team and commended the quality of academic
programs that are able to attract that kind of student athlete. He
drew attention to the recommendations of the Committee on Student
and Faculty Honors and the recommendation for the disestablishment
of the Council on Program Evaluation (COPE), and the establishment
of the Academic Program Review (APR) to be considered by the
Senate. He reiterated his commitment to working with the Senate
and the AAUP to restore confidence in higher education and stressed
that part of that endeavor is to increase efficiency. Provost Pipes
explained the $1.2 million budget cut from the colleges and the
$700,000 restoration for new program initiatives.
IV. ANNOUNCEMENTS
Senate President Lomax presented the revised procedures for the
writing of a Statement of Principles which includes the participation
of a representative committee and a second open hearing. David
Smith (Chairperson, Committee on Committees and Nominations)
announced that members of the Ad Hoc Greek Task Force for
monitoring Greek activities are almost in place and the new
Chairperson of the University Promotions and Tenure Committee is
Jon Olson.
V. OLD BUSINESS
Item A. Sense of the Senate Resolution from the Faculty Senate
Executive Committee concerning attitudes on campus and a need to
improve the climate of respect and tolerance. After discussion of the
resolution's wording and the passage of two amendments revising
its language, the Senate passed the following resolution:
WHEREAS, a traditional role of the University is to be
a locus for free inquiry, the interchange
of ideas, and the acquisition and
generation of knowledge, and
WHEREAS, the preservation of academic freedom
and First Amendment rights is crucial to
those endeavors, and
WHEREAS, the University has a duty to guard against
abuses of those rights and the disruption
of the environment of collegiality and
respect for differences that enables open
exchange, and
WHEREAS, recent incidents of verbal abuse, assault,
and intolerance in the campus community
have insulted and injured many members
and have jeopardized the University's
ability to maintain a safe and open
environment, therefore be it
RESOLVED, that the Faculty through the Faculty Senate
hereby denounces the attitudes that generate
intolerance, and destructive behavior, and be
it further
RESOLVED, that the Faculty through the Faculty Senate
exhorts all in the University community to
improve the climate of respect, tolerance,
and intellectual richness by education.
VI. NEW BUSINESS
Item A. Request from the Committee on Committees and
Nominations for Senate confirmation of a committee appointment to
the Committee on Academic Appeals. The following resolution was
approved:
RESOLVED, that the appointment of William Nichol,
Agricultural Engineering, as chairperson of
the Committee on Academic Appeals is
hereby confirmed.
Item B. Report and recommendations from the Committee on
Committees and Nominations (D. Smith, Chairperson) to establish
criteria and procedures for the Committee on Student and Faculty
Honors. After some discussion of how activities other than
classroom performance might be construed as excellent teaching, the
Senate approved the following resolution:
WHEREAS, written criteria and procedures for the
operation of the Committee on Student
and Faculty Honors do not exist, and
WHEREAS, the Committee on Committees and
Nominations was instructed to examine
the operation of the Committee on
Student and Faculty Honors and to
establish written criteria and procedures,
be it therefore
RESOLVED, that the report and recommendations
prepared by the Committee on Student and
Faculty Honors and endorsed by the
Committee on Committees and Nominations,
be approved as the operating instructions for
the conduct of the Committee on Student
and Faculty Honors, and that these
recommendations be maintained in the
Faculty Senate Office and made available to
anyone upon request, effective immediately.
Item C. Recommendation from the Coordinating Committee on
Education (K. Lomax, Chairperson '91-'92) for the disestablishment
of the Council on Program Evaluation (COPE) and the adoption of the
Academic Program Review (APR). After an explanation of the
changes in process represented by the new procedure, and a
question about the inclusion of non-academic units, the Senate
approved the following resolutions:
WHEREAS, current procedures for reviewing
academic programs (COPE, Council on
Program Evaluation), are no longer
effective, and
WHEREAS, a task force of Senate officers and
administrators in the Provost's Office
worked together to develop a new review
procedure (APR, Academic Program
Review) involving the Coordinating
Committee on Education in the review
process, be it therefore
RESOLVED, that the Council on Program Evaluation
(COPE), which was approved by the
University Faculty Senate on May 7, 1973,
be discontinued immediately, and be it
further
RESOLVED, that the University Faculty Senate adopt in
its place the Academic Program Review
policy, effective immediately.
Item D. Recommendation from the Committee on Student Life (R.
Bennett, Chairperson), for the deletion of the Harassment
section (4.B.) under the Code of Conduct in The Official
Student Handbook. The Senate discussed such issues as
the deletion's effect on sexual harassment policies,
whether it is necessary to remove the entire section,
whether anything can be done about harassment without
such a provision, the introduction of the Delaware State
criminal code on harassment, and the difficulties in
predicting the constitutionality of any speech code, and
after much citing of court dicta and opining about the
enforceability of provisions, the Senate approved the
following resolution:
WHEREAS, recent court decisions protecting first
amendment rights of free speech have
forced the retraction of university speech
code policies similar to the University of
Delaware's policy, and
WHEREAS, under existing circumstances the present
policy appears to be legally
unenforceable, therefore be it
RESOLVED, that Section 4.B. (Disruptive Conduct:
Harassment), under the Code of Conduct in
The Official Student Handbook be deleted.
Item E. David Smith (Chairperson, Committee on Committees
and Nominations) introduced the following new business:
WHEREAS, at the meeting of May 11, 1992, the
University Faculty Senate considered
several resolutions relating to Greek Life
at the University of Delaware, and
WHEREAS, the Senate instructed the Committee on
Committees and Nominations "to create
an Ad Hoc Task Force to report to the
Senate next year with a new proposal on
the house monitor concept," and
WHEREAS, the Committee on Committees and
Nominations has reviewed the house
monitor concept and has concluded that
the Faculty Senate does not have the
jurisdiction nor the expertise to make
meaningful recommendations on this
subject and that it is not an appropriate
matter for the University Faculty Senate
to take up, be it therefore
RESOLVED, that the University Faculty Senate withdraws
its instructions of May 11 to the Committee
on Committees and Nominations to create
this task force, and be it further
RESOLVED, that the University Faculty Senate requests
the administration of the University to
consult with the civic authorities of the City
of Newark to seek resolution of the concerns
raised at the May 11 meeting.
Senate President Lomax adjourned the meeting at 5:45 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Judith Roof
Senate Secretary
rg