Motions Passed
Motions
Passed May, 2002
B) Motion for a vote:
REAUTHORIZATION OF THE AD HOC INTERDISCIPLINARY STUDIES COMMITTEE
FOR THE ACADEMIC YEAR 2002-2003
PREAMBLE:
Whereas interdisciplinary
endeavors in teaching, research, and service continue to grow in
significance in post-secondary education, and
Whereas the Strategic Plan of
the University of Maine places particularly strong emphasis on the
further development of interdisciplinary endeavors at the
University of Maine, and
Whereas the Faculty Senate
anticipates both the expansion of interdisciplinary endeavors, and
an increasing role of the Faculty Senate in the encouragement and
development of those endeavors,
MOTION:
Be it moved that the Faculty
Senate re-authorize the Interdisciplinary Studies Committee to
continue as an Ad Hoc Committee of the Faculty Senate for academic
year 2002 - 2003.
Bob Rice moved, Dan Sandweiss
seconded.
VOTE:
34 in favor, none opposed, 2
abstentions. Motion is approved.
C) Policy for Vote: GENERAL
GUIDELINES FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF INTERDISCIPLINARY FACULTY GROUPS
AT THE UNIVERSITY OF MAINE (Report of the ad hoc Interdisciplinary
Studies Committee)
PREAMBLE:
The Interdisciplinary Studies
Committee of the Faculty Senate has worked with the Provost and
the Graduate School Director in developing a set of guidelines for
the establishment of interdisciplinary endeavors at the University
of Maine. The committee’s work has been guided by the charge given
to the committee to encourage the development of interdisciplinary
initiatives at the University of Maine, by the Strategic Plan’s
considerable emphasis devoted to the expansion of
interdisciplinary endeavors, and by the fact that no cross-College
guidelines currently are in place to facilitate the establishment
of such endeavors. The proposed Guidelines have been specifically
crafted to allow a sufficient degree of flexibility in the
conception and implementation of a broad array of
interdisciplinary endeavors, yet also provide a framework within
which the interests of all participants are safeguarded.
MOTION:
Whereas an expansion of
interdisciplinary endeavors in teaching, research, and service are
acknowledged by the Faculty Senate and the Office of the Provost
to be of increasing significance for the academic vitality of the
University of Maine, and
Whereas the Strategic Plan of
the University of Maine specifically calls in numerous places for
the further development of interdisciplinary endeavors, and
Whereas the Faculty Senate
considers its role in the encouragement and development of
interdisciplinary endeavors to be fully consistent with the
Senate’s mission,
Be it moved that the document
below, "General Guidelines for the Development of
Interdisciplinary Faculty Groups at the University of Maine" be
recommended for approval by the University of Maine
administration.
General Guidelines for the
Development of Interdisciplinary Faculty Groups at the University
of Maine
Interdisciplinary groups are
self-governing faculty bodies in which membership is based on
scholarly interest in a particular field or discipline, regardless
of departmental affiliation. These guidelines are intended to
apply to interdisciplinary groups that involve faculty and
resources from more than one College.
An interdisciplinary group
may be formed by an ad hoc committee of the faculty or by a
steering committee appointed by the Executive Vice President and
Provost. Faculty membership in interdisciplinary groups is
voluntary unless a joint-appointment was part of the faculty
member’s initial appointment to the University of Maine. Workload
reassignments, joint evaluation procedures, and compensation for
the faculty member and/or home departments of faculty members
joining interdisciplinary groups may be subject to renegotiation
at the time the faculty member joins the interdisciplinary group.
All changes must be approved by the home department, the Dean of
the home College, and the Provost. If a joint appointment between
a department and an interdisciplinary group is part of a faculty
member’s job description when they are hired, then such
negotiations should take place at the time of appointment.
Group members shall adopt
bylaws that are subject to review and approval by the Associate
Vice President for Academic Affairs and/or the Graduate School
depending on the nature and purpose of the group. An Executive
Committee selected from the group’s membership shall oversee the
administration of the program. The Executive Committee shall
nominate members to serve on various standing committees for the
group (e.g. Curriculum Committee, Membership Committee).
Interdisciplinary faculty
groups may develop undergraduate programs, graduate programs, or
both. With the exception of new concentrations offered under the
existing Interdisciplinary Doctor of Philosophy program, a program
proposed by a new interdisciplinary group is subject to the same
review and approval process, both campus and system-wide, as a
program proposed by a department. Existing group programs are also
subject to the same review process as departmentally based
programs to assure that program quality is maintained or improved.
Groups may or may not formally sponsor courses, but do not receive
support for the direct expenses of instruction. Instructional
support for the group program shall be supplied by the department
or departments providing the instructors. Departments receive
workload credit for group course offerings just as for any other
course.
Establishment of
Interdisciplinary Graduate Faculty Groups
In accordance with the
appointment of Graduate Faculty at the University of Maine as
outlined in the Constitution, the Graduate School may establish
interdisciplinary groups of the Graduate Faculty. Each
interdisciplinary group must develop its own bylaws describing the
purpose of the group, the graduate degree program(s) to be offered
by the faculty, and the governance processes to be implemented.
The faculty bylaws shall be reviewed by the Graduate Board, and
upon approval of the Board, the interdisciplinary graduate group
will be recognized by the Graduate School.
Interdisciplinary graduate
faculty groups may develop new graduate certificate programs,
master’s degree programs, or doctoral programs or may develop
concentrations within the existing Interdisciplinary Doctor of
Philosophy program. Such programs will be reviewed by the Graduate
Board periodically to ensure that they are meeting their stated
goals. With the recommendation of the Graduate Board, the
Executive Vice President and Provost may terminate any
concentration offered under the Interdisciplinary Doctor of
Philosophy program.
Moved by Dan Sandweiss,
seconded by Bob Rice.
DISCUSSION:
[Owen Smith] In principle,
great idea, but he is wondering what are the potential budgetary
implications, potential implications to degree programs, etc.
[Jim Warhola] Some faculty
envision that some interdisciplinary aspect would put faculty in
stronger position to seek external funds, so they don’t view it as
zero-sum game. No guarantee that funding would be sought, but hard
to imagine that.
[Dan Sandweiss] They did
consider this. This is why provision for negotiating workload was
added, so that these concerns could be considered.
[Warhola] Expressed
appreciation for collegial manner in which they were able to work
with Delcourt and Kennedy.
VOTE:
34 in favor, none opposed, 1
abstention. Motion approved.
D) Motion for a vote: TO
CONTINUE WINTER TERM IN 2003
PREAMBLE
The following letter was
received from Robert Kennedy, addressed to Peter S. Hoff, with
copies to the Provost’s Council and Faculty Senate:
This is to request your
approval of the unanimous decision made by the Provost’s Council
at its February meeting to discontinue the Winter/January Session.
Several deans pointed out
that the between-semester session pulls enrollments out of spring
and May Term courses and the enrollment in winter session has been
going down. This would save on administrative time and expenses as
well.
Elimination of the January
inter-session would allow adjustments to be made in the spring
semester academic calendar as well. Commencement could be held
earlier and May Term could be completed entirely within the month
of May since it would begin earlier. This, in turn, provides one
of the most logical reasons to terminate Winter Session, namely,
the "jump on the market" that it would provide to our graduates
for summer employment.
If you support this
recommendation, please inform the Faculty Senate.
I would be pleased to answer
any questions you may have.
Winter Term 2003 classes have
already been announced to students and faculty in the Schedule of
Classes for Fall 2002 and Spring 2003. Some students have been
advised to take such classes, and may even be planning to take
Winter Term classes as a means to completing course requirements
for graduation in May 2003.
MOTION:
The Senate votes to continue
Winter Term for January 2003.
Moved by Kim McKeage, seconded
by Darlene Bay.
DISCUSSION:
[Paul Creasman] This was posed
to Student Senate last night and received a unanimous vote to
continue. Nearly half of the senators had taken advantage of this,
and considered it important for meeting the "4-year guarantee".
[Dick Cook] Could we hear from
Bob White about this?
[Bob White] Deferred to
Kennedy.
[Provost Kennedy] This question
came up last spring semester. Provost Council considered this, since
there are budgetary considerations. These were as much as anything
the driving force for the decision to try to get rid of it.
[Bob White] Winter Session was
created as retention tool in 96–97. It started with 30 courses, 288
students. The high has been 45 courses, with 745 students, in 2001.
As this increased, there was a decrease in May Term. In the past
year dropped from 45 to 29, and enrollment dropped 14%, too. This
represents about 1% of total activity [of CED?]. They looked at
courses being mounted for FY ’03 (Winter Term ’03): 23 courses, and
of these, 18 (78%) are going to be offered in fall, spring, and
summer session. So given enrollment trends and percentage of the
total contribution, they considered this as part of their part of
the reallocation of the budget. The thinking was that the students
who were counting on winter term would be able to shift to summer
and other terms. He thinks it’s prudent in terms of the reallocation
of resources they were asked to make.
[Bob Rice] He understands that
Winter Term schedule for next year has already been published?
[Bob White] What is published
is a preliminary schedule – we all know that there is a great deal
of changes made.
[Rice] But for planning
purposes, they are listed at this point?
[White] [Indicated agreement]
Data does not include Hutchinson Center.
[President Hoff] Asked for
clarification from student representative: If the student government
were presented with a choice of either maintaining winter session or
going to a calendar that got students out earlier in Spring – any
sense of which way they’d go?
[Creasman] He talked to some
senators about that. Companies seem to wait about a month after
graduation.
[Hoff] Just to be clear, he was
thinking of summer employment.
[Creasman] Didn’t address that.
[Kim McKeage] There was a lot
of discussion last meeting that this came at exactly wrong time for
advisors. Even though courses in winter are tentative, so are the
ones for spring, and they have to think of that when registering,
too. Currently we have students planning to graduate in winter ’03
who’ll be all messed up if this happens. Also, sounds like a
one-year dip, and there may be several things that could have
contributed to this: 9/11, or first year with year-long catalog, and
students had a lot of trouble finding the winter term courses. In
the business school, students have to plan out a year at a time and
submit at the time of advising.
[Kathleen March] Asked for
clarification about Bob’s statistics. About a 50% drop, but a 14%
drop in number of students. So average number of students/class is
better.
[White] He was not saying it’s
not working, necessarily, since it has been opportunity for students
to expedite their graduation. They were looking at cuts that would
least impact their operation, and there are courses that are offered
at other times.
[Creasman] When students are
being recruited, winter and May term are both touted as ways of
shortening the time till graduation.
[Warhola] Called the question.
Need 2/3 majority to close off
debate: for 32, 4 against.
VOTE:
In favor: 26; opposed: 5;
abstentions: 5. Motion passes.
E) Motion for a Vote: RETAIN
THE ACADEMIC CALENDAR FOR 2002-2003, AS PUBLISHED IN THE GRADUATE
AND UNDERGRADUATE UNIVERSITY CATALOGS FOR 2001-2002.
PREAMBLE:
The Faculty Senate adopted
the Seven Year Rotating Calendar (see below) in April, 1992.
According to that calendar, the Spring semester began no earlier
than Monday, January 11th, and no later than January 17th. In
years in which January 15, 16, or 17 fall on a Monday, the 1992
calendar called for classes to begin on those dates. The
introduction of Winter Term was accompanied by a one-week delay in
the start of Spring semester. In those years in which the Spring
semester was scheduled to begin on the third Monday of January,
the introduction of Martin Luther King Jr. Day (the third Monday
in January) as a university holiday, caused a further delay in the
start of Spring semester to the Tuesday of the same week.
The University academic
calendar for 2002-2003 has been published in the graduate and
undergraduate catalogs for 2001-2002, which are widely available.
That calendar shows that the Spring semester will begin on the
Tuesday following the third Monday in January 2003 (i.e., January
21). Some members of the University community may already have
made plans for January 2003 and for Spring Semester 2003 based on
those catalogs. Maintaining the calendar as published would avoid
confusion and the possibility of having to change plans already
made.
MOTION:
The Senate votes to begin the
Spring Semester 2003 on the Tuesday following the third Monday in
January 2003 (i.e., January 21).
ADDENDUM: Seven Year Rotating
Calendar Approved by Faculty Senate 4/1992 Changes since then are
in red and italic [sic]. April 19, 2002
When Labor Day is September
1:
Fall semester (2003, 2008,
2014) Classes begin Tuesday, September 2 Fall break Monday and
Tuesday, October 13-14 Thanksgiving Break Begins Wednesday,
November 26 Classes end Friday December 12 Final exams December
15-19 (5 days) Spring semester (2004, 2009, 2015) Classes begin
Monday, January 12 No classes on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day,
January 19 7 weeks of classes 2 week spring break 7 weeks of
classes Maine Day penultimate Wednesday (approved through 2006) 1
week of final exams
When Labor Day is September
2:
Fall semester (2002, 2013)
Classes begin Tuesday, September 3 Fall break Monday and Tuesday,
October 14-15 Thanksgiving Break Begins Wednesday, November 27
Classes end Friday, December 13 Final exams December 16-20 (5
days) Spring semester (2014) Classes begin Monday, January 13 No
classes on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, January 20 (Same as spring
semester above)
When Labor Day is September
3:
Fall semester (2007, 2012)
Classes begin Tuesday, September 4 Fall break Monday and Tuesday,
October 8-9 Thanksgiving Break Begins Wednesday, November 21
Classes end Friday, December 14 Final exams December 17-21 (5
days) Spring semester (2008, 2013) Classes begin Monday, January
14 No classes on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, January 21 (Same as
spring semester above) When Labor Day is September 4:
Fall semester (2006, 2012)
Classes begin Tuesday, September 5 Fall break Monday and Tuesday,
October 9-10 Thanksgiving Break Begins Wednesday, November 22
Classes end Friday, December 15 Final exams December 18-22 (5
days) Spring semester (2007, 2013) Classes begin Tuesday, January
16 Martin Luther King, Jr., Day (Same as spring semester above)
When Labor Day is September
5:
Fall semester (2005, 2011)
Classes begin Tuesday, September 6 Fall break Monday and Tuesday,
October 10-11 Thanksgiving Break Begins Wednesday, November 23
Classes end Friday December 16 Final exams December 19-22/23 (4/5
days) new exam format requires 5 days Spring semester (2006, 2012)
Classes begin Tuesday, January 17 Martin Luther King, Jr., Day
(Same as spring semester above)
When Labor Day is September
6:
Fall semester (2004, 2010)
Classes begin Tuesday, September 7 or [Monday, August 30] Fall
break Monday and Tuesday, October 11-12 Thanksgiving Break Begins
Wednesday, November 24 Classes end Friday December 16 [10] Final
exams December 20-23/24 (4/5 days) [13-17 5 days] new exam format
requires 5 days Spring semester (2005, 2011) Classes begin
Tuesday, January 18 Martin Luther King, Jr., Day (Same as spring
semester above)
When Labor Day is September
7:
Fall semester (2009, 2015)
Classes begin Monday, August 31 No Classes on Labor Day, Monday
September 7 Fall break Monday and Tuesday, October 12-13
Thanksgiving Break Begins Wednesday, November 25 Classes end
Friday December 11 Final exams December 14-18 (5 days) Spring
semester (2010, 2016) Classes begin Monday, January 11 No classes
on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, January 18 (Same as spring
semester above)
Moved by Bob Rice. Seconded by
Tom Brann.
DISCUSSION:
[Creasman] Was concerned about
Labor Day information.
[John Maddaus] That is not part
of motion.
[Keith Hutchison] Could have
chaos if this doesn’t pass, given the one we just passed.
[Rice Eason] If this passes,
calendar will come up in October, so it will come up again.
[Dick Cook] If this passes –
when will semester start?
[Maddaus] As published, Jan.
21.
[Kathleen March] Isn’t this
moot, since the only reason we brought this up was because the
calendar and winter term are separate?
[Jim McClymer] Called the
question.
VOTE:
:32 in favor, none opposed, 3
abstentions. Motion approved.
Return to
Motions Passed
