Motion passed as amended

2024-2025 Faculty Senate Handbook

Calendar Item: 
1716
Docket Number: 
1592
First Name: 
Melissa
Last Name: 
Dobosh
E-mail: 
melissa.dobosh@uni.edu
Facts: 

The Senate Governance Committee asks the Senate to approve the 2024-2025 Faculty Senate Handbook.

Upload Petition Facts: 
PDF icon 2024-2025_senate_handbook.pdf
PDF icon uni_faculty_senate_handbook_2024-25_approved_by_the_senate_2-26-24.pdf
Action: 

Therefore, be it resolved that the Senate approves the handbook.

The motion was amended so that the revised Nominating Committee charter (Docket #1591) will replace the older version of the charter in the 2024-2025 handbook.  The updated version was added to the petition.

Upload Supporting Information: 
PDF icon charter_of_the_senate_nominating_committee_approved_2_26_24.pdf
Status of the Item: 
Motion passed as amended
Meeting Date: 
Feb 26, 2024

Senate Budget Committee Charge

Calendar Item: 
1705
Docket Number: 
1582
First Name: 
Francis
Last Name: 
Degnin
E-mail: 
degnin@uni.edu
Facts: 

The Governance Committee submits the Charge for the University Senate Budget Committee for comments, changes, and approval to the full Senate. 

Upload Petition Facts: 
PDF icon senate_budget_committee_draft_charge.pdf
Upload Supporting Information: 
File senate_buget_committee_charge.docx
Status of the Item: 
Motion passed as amended
Final Action Taken: 
Committee to begin work in Spring 2024.
Meeting Date: 
Nov 27, 2023

Modifications to policy 4.21, Emeritus/a Status

Calendar Item: 
1388
Docket Number: 
1275
First Name: 
Tim
Last Name: 
Kidd
E-mail: 
tim.kidd@uni.edu
Facts: 

The current policy can be found here: https://policies.uni.edu/421

In certain extenuating circumstances, the behavior of individuals with emeritus/a status may be detrimental to the university.

The faculty, in particular the faculty senate, determine whether a faculty member should earn emeritus/a status.

There is currently no means for revoking such status within the policy.

Action: 

Therefore, be it resolved that the University Faculty Senate propose changes to policy 4.21 in order to add a mechanism for revocation of emeritus/a status. Note that deliberations can be made in executive session, per normal senate rules, but any vote would have to be public and recorded as per normal senate rules.

Upload Action to be Taken: 
File emeritus.docx
Status of the Item: 
Motion passed as amended
Final Action Taken: 
Motion passed with amendment
Meeting Date: 
Sep 10, 2018

Honorary Degree policy change

Calendar Item: 
1271
Docket Number: 
1166
First Name: 
April
Last Name: 
Chatham-Carpenter
E-mail: 
chatham@uni.edu
Facts: 

At the Dec. 8, 2014 Faculty Senate meeting, the Faculty Senate sent the Honorary Degree Policy change draft back to the Honorary Degree Committee for revisions made related to the membership of the committee and criteria for selection.  These changes were made and approved by the Honorary Degree Committee, and the policy put into the current format for university policies.  It is now coming back to the Faculty Senate for its recommendation.

Upload Petition Facts: 
File honorary_degree_policy_changes_2.12.15.docx
Action: 

that UNI's Faculty Senate recommend that the policy changes as attached be made to the Honorary Degree Policy, and forwarded to the Cabinet for approval.

Upload Action to be Taken: 
File honorary_degree_policy_changes_2.12.15_with_senate_changes_4-13.docx
Honorary Degree Policy Changes on 4/13/2015

This shows the changes made at the April 13, 2015 meeting

Status of the Item: 
Motion passed as amended
Final Action Taken: 
Motion to amend wording and membership
Meeting Date: 
Apr 13, 2015

Evaluation of expenditures from the General Education Fund

Calendar Item: 
1262
Docket Number: 
1157
First Name: 
Tim
Last Name: 
Kidd
E-mail: 
tim.kidd@uni.edu
Facts: 

While the current efficiency study is focused on academic programs, procurement, IT and human resources, among other areas, there are many aspects of the University which perhaps should be examined with regards to expenditures from the General Fund. Some form of cost-benefit analysis should be perfomed on non academic units outside the scope of the current efficiency study. Faculty have questions about how, and how much, money is spent on non-academic pursuits from the General Fund, Examination of such expenditures will increase transparency and shed light on the impacts such expenditures have on the University as a whole. This study should include the impact on the budget of the General Education fund, costs incurred to students via fees, and how these expenses affect student outcomes. 

Most areas of the University have been impacted by the cuts to state appropriations funding over the past 15 years. However, academics appears to have been impacted more than most. Overall spending on instruction category salaries has declined (as a percentage of total salary spending). The number of tenured and tenure track faculty has fallen by about 10%, almost entirely due to a drop off in the number of assistant professors (down 30%). Given these isues, it seems that during this time in which the University has been underfunded as a whole, academics has taken on more than its share of cost cutting and it would be appropriate for the University to re-examine its budgeting priorities.

Action: 

Therefore, be it resolved that the Senate shall ask the President's Office to form a joint ad hoc committee including members chosen by the Senate, the President's Office and Student Government to examine which areas of the University would benefit from a cost-benefit analysis and/or examine budget priorities and processes. The committee should be composed of nine individuals, with three chosen by the Senate, three by Student Government, and three members chosen by the President's Office. The committee will be formed by February 1st. The committee will choose which areas of the University should be examined with regards to their expenditures of the General Education Fund and make recomendations for which areas not currently under review by the efficiency study would benefit from a change in their expenditure levels to improve student outcomes and/or reduce their allotment from the General Education Fund. The committee will draft a report to the Senate of their suggestions by April 1st, 2015. At this time it will be decided whether further action is warranted in examining the budget priorities of the University as a whole with respect to the General Education Fund. 

Status of the Item: 
Motion passed as amended
Meeting Date: 
Dec 08, 2014

Actions to be undertaken on Receipt of Reports and Consultative Sessions

Calendar Item: 
1261
Docket Number: 
1156
First Name: 
Tim
Last Name: 
Kidd
E-mail: 
tim.kidd@uni.edu
Facts: 

There has been a general problem with the dissemination of information at UNI in the past. This situation has been improving in general. To further increase transparency, the senate should disseminate information to the faculty in general beyond a posting of the minutes. 

Action: 

Therefore, be it resolved that the senate shall make it a general practice to craft a summary statement to accompany reports received by the senate and disseminate this along with the report to the faculty in general through the senate-minutes mailing list as well as posting the report on the senate website. The following edits to the bylaws should be undertaken.

6.4 Committee reports: Procedures. Committee reports, as they are received by the chairperson, will be placed on the calendar of the Senate, normally in the order of their reception. Those reports that the Senate wishes to discuss or which appear to require Senate action will be moved to the docket following the procedures set forth below. Reports received by the senate will be posted on the senate website within one week following the meeting at which discussion is held or if discussion is not decided to be necessary. The chairperson will select members of the senate to also draft a summary of the report and disseminate this as well as the report itself to the faculty in general within two weeks of receipt of the report..

7.13 Consultative sessions. When an officer of administration wishes to report to the Senate or ask the advice of the Senate on a matter of the sort described above (Section 5.3), the Senate, by majority vote, may authorize a consultative session. Alternately, the Senate may wish to hear a report from an officer of administration on a matter of joint concern; in this case a senator may move to invite the appropriate officer(s) of administration to counsel with the Senate. Any documents associated with the consultative session will be posted to the senate website within a week of the consultative session. The chairperson will select members of the senate to also draft a summary of the consultative session and disseminate this as well as any documents related to the consultative session to the faculty in general within two weeks of of the consultation.

Current Pertinent section of bylaws

6.4 Committee reports: Procedures. Committee reports, as they are received by the chairperson, will be placed on the calendar of the Senate, normally in the order of their reception. Those reports that the Senate wishes to discuss or which appear to require Senate action will be moved to the docket following the procedures set forth below.

7.13 Consultative sessions. When an officer of administration wishes to report to the Senate or ask the advice of the Senate on a matter of the sort described above (Section 5.3), the Senate, by majority vote, may authorize a consultative session. Alternately, the Senate may wish to hear a report from an officer of administration on a matter of joint concern; in this case a senator may move to invite the appropriate officer(s) of administration to counsel with the Senate.

Status of the Item: 
Motion passed as amended
Meeting Date: 
Dec 08, 2014

Proposed Policy #2.04: Curriculum Management and Change

Calendar Item: 
1243
Docket Number: 
1139
First Name: 
Jerry
Last Name: 
Smith
E-mail: 
jerry.smith@uni.edu
Facts: 

Whereas it has become clear that, in addition to making changes to the curriculum, UNI faculty must also manage the curriculum to insure that it is current and makes effective use of scarce academic resources,

Upload Petition Facts: 
File policy_2.04__curriculum_management_and_change_as_approved_sept_22_2014.docx
Action: 

Therefore, be it resolved that the Faculty Senate approves the proposed Policy #2.04, Curriculum Management and Change.

Original Policy

http://www.uni.edu/policies/204

Status of the Item: 
Motion passed as amended
Final Action Taken: 
Policy Amended and Approved - Passed on to Next Step
Meeting Date: 
Sep 22, 2014

Curriculum Management

Calendar Item: 
1237
Docket Number: 
1133
First Name: 
Jerry
Last Name: 
Smith
E-mail: 
jerry.smith@uni.edu
Facts: 

Whereas an ad-hoc committee to recommend changes in curricular policies and the handbook to insure faculty control, hereinafter termed the Curriculum Management Committee (CMC), was established by the Faculty Senate in August 2012;

and whereas the CMC has consulted with College senates, the University Curriculum Committee (UCC), the Graduate College Curriculum Committee (GCCC), and other relevant bodies;

and whereas the CMC has considered AAUP statements and principles as well as other "best practices" in developing its recommendations;

Action: 

Therefore, be it resolved that the Faculty Senate:

1.  Create a centralized faculty committee to monitor the health of all academic programs.

2.  Amend the curricular process to allow proposals each year, rather than alternate years.

3.  Divide the curricular process, with distinct and different tracks for more substantive and less substantive changes.

4.  Consider, at the Faculty Senate, the curricular implications of expansions, divisions, and mergers of colleges, departments, schools, and programs.

Upload Action to be Taken: 
File report_of_curriculum_management_committee_apr_2014.docx
Referred to Committees

Item #1: An ad hoc committee, chaired by vice-chair Nelson, will meet to structure a proposed standing committee of the senate whose charge will be to monitor the health of programs to alert the senate to programs which might be in danger from low enrollment or other causes and/or that might be in need of more resources.

Items #2 and #3: Awaiting revisions from UCC and GCC. Will resume discussion upon receipt of revisions.

Item #4: This portion is now being considered with proposed revisions to policy 2.04: Senate agenda item 1243 1139 Proposed Policy #2.04: Curriculum Management and Change

The ad hoc committee has recomended the formation of a Curriculum Sustainability Committee as outlined in the supporting document

Upload Supporting Information for Box B: 
File draft_report2.docx
Status of the Item: 
Motion passed as amended
Final Action Taken: 
Motion passed, New Committee to be formed
Meeting Date: 
Sep 08, 2014

Proposed Policy #2.13: Faculty Participation in University Planning and Budgeting

Calendar Item: 
1232
Docket Number: 
1128
First Name: 
Jerry
Last Name: 
Smith
E-mail: 
jerry.smith@uni.edu
Facts: 

Whereas the critical role of the faculty in the University, including its acknowledged responsibility for the curriculum, necessitates substantive faculty participation in planning and budgeting activities at all levels of the University;

Action: 

Therefore, be it resolved that the Senate approve the proposed Policy #2.13:  Faculty Participation in University Planning and Budgeting.

Proposed Policy 2.13: Faculty Participation in University Planning and Budgeting
Upload Supporting Information: 
File policy_2.13_faculty_participation_in_university_planning_and_budgeting_as_approved_by_senate_april_2014.docx
Status of the Item: 
Motion passed as amended
Final Action Taken: 
Delivered to University Counsel Tim McKenna, 4-17-14
Meeting Date: 
Apr 14, 2014
Subscribe to RSS - Motion passed as amended