MINUTES OF JOINT MEETING OF
UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI-ST. LOUIS
UNIVERSITY ASSEMBLY AND FACULTY SENATE
November 13, 2007
3 p.m. Millennium Student Center
Century Room C
The joint meeting of the University Assembly and Faculty Senate was called to order at 3:02 p.m. by Assembly/Senate Chairperson Timothy Farmer.
Minutes from the September 4, 2007, joint meeting were accepted as submitted.
University Assembly Portion of Meeting
Report from the Chairperson - Dr. Timothy Farmer
(see attached)
At the close of his remarks Dr. Farmer announced that Dr. Leonid Hurwicz, winner of the Nobel Prize in Economics, has a UMSL connection. He is the uncle of our own Associate Professor of Anthropology, Margo Lea Hurwicz.
Report from the Chancellor - Chancellor Thomas George
Chancellor George reported that the Board of Curators meets on November 29-30, at which time they will take a close look at centers and institutes. This campus has a total of 39 of them. Dr. Sonya Bahar, of the Center for Neurodynamics, was recognized for excellence in a recent White House ceremony. The Chancellor said he will report to the Curators that we are watching centers and institutes closely and adding funds judiciously.
Regarding the "Preparing to Care" funding initiative mentioned by Dr. Farmer, the Chancellor said Interim President Lamb has singled out Nursing and Optometry on this campus.
Another equity adjustment, this time for $2.6 million, is in the Board's budget for UMSL.
Chancellor George mentioned that he returned from a trip to Columbia last Saturday pleased at the response to the Missouri One Hundred effort to get industry leaders to support higher education. About 30 of the 85 named members were in attendance.
Dr. George was among the chancellors, presidents, and legislators meeting recently in Des Moines to discuss higher education in our state. Seven summits, one in the St. Louis area, will be mounted by the group.
At the close of his remarks, Chancellor George was asked by Dr. Mark Pope if the "Preparing to Care" initiative will extend to mental health. The Chancellor deferred to Dean Sebastian, who commented that our mental health problems are so great that we couldn't get them included because the budget request would be too large to be politically feasible, and Provost Glen Cope expressed the hope that mental health could be covered in another statewide initiative next year.
Report from the Student Government Association President - Mr. Bryan Goers
(see attached)
Report from the Committee on Bylaws and Rules - Dr. Matthew Keefer
Dr. Keefer introduced senators to two proposed new documents replacing our current bylaws and operating rules. He explained that nothing substantive is changed by these two proposals, but committee memberships are one example of a detail moved to the operating rules, for the purpose of amending titles as necessary without employing the cumbersome bylaw amendment process that requires a vote of the Senate/Assembly, a vote of full-time regular faculty, review by the University's legal counsel, and - finally - approval by the Board of Curators. Structure and functions of committees, on the other hand, remain in the bylaws. Copies of the proposed documents were distributed. Dr. Keefer offered to take suggestions/comments on them in December and January. Then, when the Committee is comfortable with making a final recommendation, he will present it for vote at the February meeting of the Assembly and Senate.
Report from the Committee on Student Affairs - Mr. Jonathan Eftink, co-chair
In the absence of Mr. Eftink, it was decided to append his written report to these minutes.
(see attached)
Completing the business at hand, the University Assembly portion of the meeting adjourned at 3:30 p.m.
Faculty Senate Portion of the Meeting
At 3:35 p.m. Dr. Farmer convened the Faculty Senate portion of the meeting.
Chancellor George offered to take questions from the floor, but there were none.
Report from the Intercampus Faculty Council - Dr. Timothy Farmer
(see attached)
Election - Committee on Committees Chairperson Donna Taliaferro
The Committee on Committees brought forth three nominees for the Ad Hoc Faculty Senate Committee on University Relations: Drs. Bernard Feldman (Physics and Astronomy), Maite Nunez-Betelu (Foreign Languages and Literatures), and Paul Speck (Marketing). Dr. Taliaferro added another nominee: Dr. Linda Sherman (Nursing). In the absence of additional nominations, Dr. Joseph Martinich moved and Dr. Carole Murphy seconded a motion to elect the four nominees by acclamation. The motion was approved. The Committee on Committees was asked to find another nominee to propose to serve on this newly-created ad hoc committee, which will likely meet only once in the current semester and twice next semester.
Report from the Committee on Curriculum and Instruction - Dr. Michael Allison
On behalf of C&I, Dr. Allison proposed making the MPPA Emphasis Area in Health Policy inactive due to the lack of sufficient faculty to offer the emphasis area. The motion was approved.
Course changes, eliminations, and additions approved by the Committee were called to the Senate's attention.
Report from the Committee on Research - Dr. G. David Curry
Dr. Curry's written report is appended to these minutes.
(see attached)
Report from the Academic Advisory Committee - Dr. Carole Murphy
(see attached)
Report from the Honorary Awards Committee - Ms. Lucinda Vantine for Vice Chancellor Thomas Eschen
The Senate then met IN EXECUTIVE SESSION to consider candidates proposed to receive honorary degrees.
Completing the business at hand, the Faculty Senate adjourned at 4 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Fred Willman
University Assembly/Faculty Senate Secretary
(minutes written by
Ms. Joan M. Arban, Executive Assistant
to the University Assembly and Faculty
Senate Chairman)
