SENATORS EXCUSED: Karen Butler, Michael Ferrari, Leslie Homzie, Clifford Keil, Mary Beth Miele, David Northmore, Michael Peterson, Bonnie Scott, Roland Smith, Paul Yager

SENATORS ABSENT: Mark Amsler, Cynthia Brown, Kathryn Denhardt, Rudy D=Souza, Gary Ebert, Janet Johnson, Tuncay Saydam, Rivers Singleton

Prior to the start of the regular meeting of the University Faculty Senate, President David Roselle presided over the semi-annual general faculty meeting. Memorial tributes were made to: Robert Hogan, Retired Professor of English; Gerald Milton Straka, retired Professor of History; Col. Daniel Norman Sundt, retired Professor of Mathematics; James McLaren, Professor Emeritus of Foreign Languages and Literatures; Hugh Campbell, administrator of research information systems; Lester W. Chadwick, Associate Professor of Accounting; and Dana J. Johnson, Dean of the College of Business and Economics. Following the tributes and a moment of silence, President Roselle introduced Robert Davis, Vice-President for Development and Alumni Relations, and remarked upon the progress of the University=s Capital Campaign. To date, nearly $110 million in gifts and pledges have been received, which is almost 50% of the Campaign=s total goal of $225 million. President Roselle also made note of a number of significant gifts, which are primarily funding endowed professorships and capital improvements/infrastructure enhancements. In briefer comments, President Roselle: commented upon this year=s admission process, in which we received more than 14,000 applications, with an acceptance rate of approximately 60%; stated that our presentations to the state legislature and committees were well-received; and reminded the faculty of Commencement on May 29. President Roselle=s presentation ended with slides illustrating many of the landscape and building renovations recently completed throughout campus.

I.    ADOPTION OF THE AGENDA

The agenda was adopted, with the following corrections: 1) COVER F. Recommendation for selecting members of the Committee on Rules; 2) PAGE 5 F. Recommendation from the Committee on Committees and Nominations (Jon Olson, chair) with the concurrence of the Executive Committee (Michael Keefe, President) for selecting members of the Committee on Rules; and 3) PAGE 6 Resolved that the charge to this committee be amended to read: AThis committee shall consist of the Secretary of the Senate, who shall be its chairperson, and four other members chosen from current and past members of the Senate who serve two-year staggered terms. Of these four appointed members, no more than two may be from the same college.  " Boldface replaces AThis committee shall consist of the Secretary of the Senate, who shall be its chairperson, and four other members chosen by the Senate. Of these four appointed members, no more than two may be from the same College."

II.    APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES

The minutes of the March 1, 1999 meeting of the Senate were approved as distributed, with the following changes: 1) Charles Link was present at the meeting and should not have been indicated as absent; and 2) a new item of business was presented (resolution concerning the shut-down of the Baha=i Institute of Higher Education) to the Senate for action at its next meeting.

III.    REMARKS BY PROVOST SCHIAVELLI

Provost Schiavelli did not have any remarks.

IV.    ANNOUNCEMENTS

President Michael Keefe made several announcement. First, he stated that the April 7, 1997 agenda contained errors regarding the first three announcements for challenge, which were corrected in the minutes but not correctly announced to the Faculty Senate. To correct that, he made the following announcement: AItems 1 & 2 had announcements that did NOT match their respective attachments. Announcements 1&2 did pass and involved reducing the total credits for the BA and B.S. in Economics offered by the College of Business and Economics. However, the attachments for those two announcements involved creating concentrations in the B.A. and B.S. in Economics; to date, these have not been approved by the Senate. Announcement 3, revision of the B.A. in Economics Education was removed from the agenda and not acted upon by the Senate." All of the items in question involved the College of Business and Economics only. Second, President Keefe reminded the Senators of the policy regarding the listing of courses in the course catalog: AA course at any level not given during three consecutive academic years will be dropped unless justified anew by completing the Course Data Form and Course Outline Form. Independent Study courses such as special problem, thesis, dissertation, etc., are exempt." The Registrar=s office will submit courses not given during three consecutive academic years to the challenge list for removal, and inform the department(s) of that action. Third, it was announced that there are no delinquent undergraduate programs. Last, President Keefe noted that the General Education proposal will be presented at the May Senate meeting for information only. The proposal will go through the normal Senate committee processes for new programs.

V.    OLD BUSINESS

A resolution condemning the closing of the Baha=i Institute of Higher Education by the Iranian government came before the Senate, with the recommendation of the Executive Committee. The resolution was approved by the Senate. The text follows:

Whereas the intellectual community to which the University of Delaware belongs encompasses all those pursuing knowledge worldwide, and

Whereas any attack on academic freedom serves to weaken that pursuit and thus is a threat to all in the community, and

Whereas the Iranian government through its systematic exclusion of young people of the Baha=i faith from colleges and universities in Iran since 1980 and through its recent closure of the Baha=i Institute of Higher Education has violated international declarations of human rights and deprived the Baha=i youth of their legitimate pursuit of knowledge solely on the basis of their religious beliefs, and therefore be it

Resolved that the Faculty of the University of Delaware condemns the recent shutdown of the Baha=i Institute of Higher Education by the Iranian government, the simultaneous arrest of faculty members and the confiscation and destruction of academic books and educational equipment, and be it further

Resolved that the Faculty of the University of Delaware calls for the reopening of the Baha=i Institute and allowing all citizens the freedom to pursue higher education, and be it further

Resolved that these resolutions be communicated to the Director General of UNESCO and to the Minister of Culture and Higher Education in the Islamic Republic of Iran.

VI.    NEW BUSINESS

A.     A request to establish a new M.A. degree in Physics and Astronomy was presented from the Committee on Graduate Studies, with the concurrence of the Coordinating Committee on Education and the Executive Committee. The motion, the text of which follows, was approved by the Senate. This is a 4 year provisional program, which must obtain permanent status approval by the end of the provisional period.

Whereas there is a clear need in the community for post-baccalaureate training in physics and astronomy that is shorter, more limited and less research-focused than the current M.S. offered by the department of Physics and Astronomy, and

Whereas the creation of such a program would not require an infusion of new resources but would instead build on existing courses, be it therefore

Resolved that an M.A. in Physics and Astronomy be established in the Department of Physics and Astronomy.
 

B.     A request to grant permanent approval for the Family Nurse Practitioner Program was presented from the Committee on Graduate Studies, with the concurrence of the Coordinating Committee on Education and the Executive Committee. The motion, the text of which follows, was approved by the Senate.

Whereas the Family Nurse Practitioner (F.N.P.) Program has since its inception in 1993 graduated 36 FNP students and awarded 17 post-mastered certificates, and

Whereas 100 percent of graduates have passed their national certification exams on their first attempt, and

Whereas all graduates are employed as FNPs and have expressed great satisfaction with the program, and

Whereas there is a continuing strong demand in our community for FNPs, be it therefore

Resolved that the Family Nurse Practitioner Program in the College of Health and Nursing Sciences be granted permanent status.
 

C.     A request to grant permanent status to the major in Women's Studies was presented from the Committee on Undergraduate Studies, with the concurrence of the Coordinating Committee on Education and the Executive Committee. The motion, the text of which follows, was approved by the Senate.

Whereas the Women's Studies major has since its inception in 1993 proved to be an attractive and stable program, graduating 56 majors (in addition to 267 minors) and

Whereas support for the program across the campus has been strong, with participation by faculty and staff from three colleges and fifteen academic departments, and

Whereas this program and its majors play an important role in the broader community, be it therefore

Resolved that the major in Women's Studies be granted permanent status.
 

D.     A recommendation to disestablish the Budget and Space Priorities Committee was presented by the Committee on Committees and Nominations, with the concurrence of the Executive Committee. The motion, the text of which follows, was approved by the Senate.

Whereas the functions of the Budget and Space Priorities Committee and the Academic Priorities Review Committee are very similar, and

Whereas these two committees have met jointly once a year for a budget presentation by the Provost, and

Whereas the last two chairs of the Budget and Space Priorities Committee have suggested elimination of this committee, be it therefore

Resolved that the Budget and Space Priorities Committee be eliminated on August 31, 1999.
 

E.     A recommendation to disestablish the Faculty Advisory Committee was presented by the Committee on Committees and Nominations, with the concurrence of the Executive Committee. The motion, the text of which follows, was approved by the Senate.

Whereas the issues which led to the formation of this committee have disappeared, and

Whereas this committee has been inactive for several years, and

Whereas the function of this committee is filled by a faculty observer, be it therefore

Resolved that the Faculty Advisory Committee on Honorary Degrees will be eliminated on August 31, 1999.
 

F.     A recommendation to change the methods of selecting members of the Committee on Rules was presented by the Committee on Committees and Nominations, with the concurrence of the Executive Committee. The motion, the text of which follows, was approved by the Senate.

Whereas the Committee on Rules serves as a staff function to the Senate, and

Whereas the work load of this committee is modest, and

Whereas the election of members to the Committee on Rules has lacked meaning, be it therefore

Resolved that the charge to this committee be amended to read:   This committee shall consist of the Secretary of the Senate, who shall be its chairperson, and four other members chosen from current and past members of the Senate who serve two-year staggered terms. Of these four appointed members, no more than two may be from the same college.
 

G. President Keefe asked if there were other items of new business, reminding the Senate that such proposed items could not be acted upon until the next meeting. Student representatives from DUSC (Delaware Undergraduate Student Congress) asked the Faculty

Senate to consider two policies: 1) that Colleges provide the results of course evaluations to students; and 2) the Senate re-examine the policy of prohibiting exams on Reading Day. Karen Stein, Chair of the Committee on Rules, noted that the Committee has already re-examined the Reading Day policy and will be bringing a recommendation to the Senate. Hearing no other proposed new business, the meeting was adjourned.

Respectfully submitted

Karen F. Stein, Secretary
University Faculty Senate

KFS/rg