COUNCIL OF FACULTY DELEGATES
MINUTES
7th Meeting

March 4, 1996

Present:  Professors C. Chancey, R. Colon, S. Conners, K. Corey, M. Dobberstein, R. Evans, J. Hack, J. Jennings, D. Kark, D. Kirkpatrick, S. Lerner, L. Mura, D. Niedner, B. Pai, D. Pick, L. Rittenmeyer, W. Robinson, (President), C. Sekhar, S. Tickoo, W. Ting, C. Torres-Robles, J. Walker, M. Zahraee, Vice Chancellor G. Newsom, Chancellor J. Yackel, M. Dakich (Parliamentarian), J. Wermuth (Secretary),

Absent:  Professor M. Vermaat, Vice Chancellor S. Singer, Vice Chancellor L. Bryant, Student T. Moffitt.

I. The meeting was called to order by Professor Robinson.

II. Professor Jennings moved the approval of the minutes of the February 5, 1996, meeting.  Professor Sekhar seconded the motion.  The motion to approve the minutes passed.

III. Professor Hack moved the acceptance of the agenda for the March 4, 1996, meeting.  Professor Corey seconded the motion.  Professor Jennings moved that the Council add consideration of the petition addressed to the Council President so that the Council could add Council Documents 96-1 and 96-2 to the present agenda; and that this item precede discussion of Council Document 96-3(Rev) under item V., Special Business of the Day.  Professor Pai seconded the motion.  The secretary assigned Council Document Number 96-6 to the Consideration of the Petition addressed to the President for the Purposes of Placing 96-1 and 96-2 on the February 1996 agenda.  Copy of the petition was distributed.  The motion to approve changes to the agenda as described above passed.

IV. Chancellor's Report

Chancellor Yackel said that a campus retreat will be held on March 9 for deans, directors, department heads, members of the Council's Resources and Planning Committee, and other interested parties to gather information on budgetary issues and requests that might amend the campus Vision Statement and might be part of the 1997-99 legislative request.  He said the legislative bill approving the building has been approved by both houses, and signed by the governor.  He said that while the authorization had been changed to be effective July 1, 1995; movement on the building will be delayed while architectural work is completed.  He said a contract with the Hellenic Cultural Center had been signed for classroom space for the Fall 1996 semester, with expansion of hours of service from 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.  He said a team from the North Central Association will visit campus on April 15 and 16 for a focused evaluation on general education, student outcomes assessment plans, and long range university planning.

Vice Chancellor Newsom reviewed the recent campus wide discussions and recommendations on parking, and said that the university will construct additional flatland parking north of Porter Hall.  He said the university will add more than 200 trees to the campus inventory in the near future, double the number which will be removed by building the new lot.  He said the lot west of the Gyte Annex will remain in use for at least the 1996-1997 academic year.  He said the potential new greenhouse will not be built on the parking lot site.

V. Special Business of the Day

- Council Document 96-4  Resolution in Support of Cultural Enrichment on Campus.  Student Affairs Committee.  For Discussion.

Professor Hack introduced the document.  She said that the Student Affairs Committee had eliminated the Lecture and Assembly Committee, and was now looking for an alternative to meet student and, incidentally, community needs for quality programming.  Chancellor Yackel said that Professor Leslie who directs the Artist/Lecturer series will be requesting programming recommendations for next year.  He said no funding change for the series had been discussed.  He said, in response to a question by Professor Sekhar, that $35,000 in operating funds is being budgeted annually for the series.  He said that any request for increase in funding will require identifying sources of funding for the increase.  He said that Professor Leslie will be pleased to accept suggestions in this regard also.  In the discussion that followed, it was suggested requesting funds from the Student Activity Fee account; and charging some amount for the items offered.

Professor Hack moved the document to action.  Professor Rittenmenyer seconded the motion.  The motion passed. 

- Council Document 96-5  Recall Petition Student Government President.  Agenda Committee.  For Discussion.

Professor Hack reviewed the actions of the Student Affairs Committee, the Vice Chancellor for Student Services, and the Agenda Committee; and said that Council Document 96-5 was prepared in light of the responses received from Mr. Moffitt and further actions or lack thereof on his part.  Professor Hack said the recall petition is being presented to ensure student representation on the Council.  In response to a question by Vice Chancellor Newsom, Professor Hack said that Mr. Moffitt had offered to resign from the Student Affairs Committee and had named two persons to rotate as representatives for Student Government on that standing committee.  She said this rotating representation was not permitted.  Professor Hack then moved Council Document 96-5 to action, and there were several seconds.  Professor Robinson said that he had received a letter from Mr. Moffitt, in which Mr. Moffit resigned his Council seat and named two persons to attend in his stead; which arrangement Professor Robinson noted the Articles of Organization does not allow this sort of membership.  In the discussion that followed, Professor Jennings noted that Student Government must remove its own president.  Chancellor Yackel said that the student voting seat can be held by the president or a member of the executive council of Student Government.  Professor Robinson said that the Council could accept the resignation of Mr. Moffitt, but that it was more appropriate for the Council to remove its erring member.  Upon vote, the motion passed.

- Council Document 96-6.  Consideration of the Petition addressed to the President for the Purpose of Placing Council Document 96-1 and 96-2 on the March 1996 Agenda.  Council of Faculty Delegates.  For Discussion.

Professor Jennings initiated the discussion by claiming that the Council did not have the authority to remove Council Documents 96-1 and 96-2 from the February Agenda or to declare the petition void.  He cited Article of Organization VIII.2. in support of his statement, and declared that the Council had to consider the petition and act accordingly.  Professor Kirkpatrick, citing the same Article, said that the petition lacked objections and was therefore unacceptable.  In the discussion that follows, others spoke to the intent of the petition (to object to the General Education Core); the role of the Agenda Committee in accepting the petition in the first place; the value of the intent of the signers in validating the petition, the lack of correspondence between the petition and the Articles, and the integrity of the council.

Professor Robinson, as Chair, ruled the present petition out of order as lacking properly stated objections.  He also said the petition carried no authority in itself.  Professor Dobberstein appealed the decision of the chair.  Professor Pick and several other members of the Council seconded the decision to appeal.  Discussion followed, and most of it was concerned with various scenarios that would result from a vote to support and a vote not to support.  Professor Dobberstein attempted to withdraw his motion; Professor Robinson declared the action out of order.  Professor Lerner moved to table Council Document 96-6.  Professor Pick seconded the motion.  Professor Trusty, granted leave to address the Council, said the intent of the original petition was to provide the entire faculty the opportunity to vote on the General Education Basic Skills and Knowledge documents.  Professor Lerner said that if the document is tabled, Professor Kirkpatrick's motion at the previous meeting to rescind can be brought forward.  Professor Lerner said this action would provide the Council the opportunity to rescind its previous action on Council Document 96-1 and 96-2.  He said this action would then provide the faculty the opportunity to vote on the General Education Basic Skill and Collegiate Knowledge documents.  The motion to table passed with 12 Ayes and 9 Noes recorded.

- Council Document 96-3(Revised)  Establishment of the General Education Oversight Committee.  Research and Educational Policy Committee.  For Discussion.

Professor Kark opened discussion on the document, noting there was little reason to discuss until there was resolution on Documents 96-1 and 96-2.  Professor Pick moved to Table Council Document 96-3(Rev).  Professor Lerner seconded the motion.  The motion to table passed.

VI. Unfinished Business

Professor Kirkpatrick moved to rescind the action by the Council on February 5 supporting the action of the presiding officer of the Council in ruling the petition out of order.  Professor Hack seconded the motion.  The motion to rescind passed.

Professor Lerner moved to reconsider the vote on Council Documents 96-1 and 96-2.  Professor Dobberstein seconded the motion.  The motion passed.

Professor Jennings moved to affirm the vote on Council Document 96-1.  Professor Lerner seconded the motion.  The motion passed.

Professor Jennings moved to affirm the vote on Council Document 96-2.  Professor Lerner seconded the motion.  The motion passed.

VII. Reports of Committees

Agenda Committee:  Professor Hack said the committee met February 19 to prepare the March agenda, and will meet March 11 to prepare the April agenda.  Professor Robinson said the April meeting will be the final meeting as meetings are disallowed during final exams week.

Faculty Affairs Committee:  Professor Zahraee said the Faculty Affairs Committee will meet on March 11 at 10:30 a.m.

Nominating Committee:  Professor Corey said more than one hundred committee preference surveys have been received.  She distributed a list of those eligible for the 1996-97 Council presidency.  In response to a question from Professor Robinson, she said that the Schools will be notified of their need to elect members to the Council for 1996-97.

Research and Educational Policy Committee:  Professor Kark said the committee will be meeting soon.

Resources and Planning Committee:  Professor Dobberstein said the committee will meet the week of March 11.

Student Affairs Committee:  Professor Hack said that the committee had met on February 13 to discuss cultural enrichment and student government.  She said the committee will meet again March 15.

Intercampus Faculty Council:  Professor Hack said the committee met on February 28, and that little of substance was discussed.

Student Government:  There was no report from Student Government.  Professor Robinson afforded Mr. David Spott, of the Student Government Executive Committee, speaking privileges.  Mr. Spott said that action is being taken against Mr. Moffitt to ensure student representation at future Council of Faculty Delegates and Student Affairs Committee meetings.

VIII. Other New Business

There was no other new business.

IX. Adjournment

Professor Robinson called for a motion to adjourn.  Professor Chancey so moved.  There was a second to the motion.  The motion to adjourn passed.