To be followed by a reception for Senate award winners Miriam Bolton, Johnny Earl, Michael Dreiling, and Carol Stabile. The next and final Senate meeting will be June 3rd. I might get in a little live-blogging below, or Watch Live,
Senate Meeting Agenda – May 27, 2015
3:00 pm 1. Call to Order
3:00 pm 2. Approval of Minutes
3:05 pm 3. State of the University
3.1 Restart of the Senate General Election
3.2 Call for Nominations for Senate President-elect
3:15 pm 4. New Business
4.2 UO Senate Leadership and Service Award for Officers of Administration: Miriam Bolton, Administrative Director (Dean’s Office, College of Arts and Sciences)
Great choice. Lisa Raleigh introduces. For university service above and beyond the call of duty. Points out this is particularly important for OAs as they are not unionized. Worked to give OA Council a voice in shared governance. And good sense of humor, and all that while earning BA and MS degrees.
President Kyr presents an appropriately engraved and sturdy looking glass award.
Bolton’s speech focuses on shared governance, and support of OAC council members, asking hard questions, creating meaningful dialogue. Shout out to colleagues and to Jamie Moffitt for improving transparency.
4.3 UO Senate Classified Staff Leadership Award: Johnny Earl, Campus Operations
Not able to be present, will get award at June 3rd Senate meeting.
4.4 UO Senate Award for Shared Governance, Transparency, and Trust: Michael Dreiling, Associate Professor (Sociology)
Not able to be present, will get award at June 3rd Senate meeting.
4.5 Wayne Westling Award: Carol Stabile, Professor (School of Journalism and Communication)
Kyr: Award created in 2001 in honor of Westling, a fierce supporter of shared governance. Exemplary service to university over a period of years, and inspired commitment to shared governance.
John Bonine introduces: Award is for giants. Stabile has long service of committee leadership. Director of CSWS. Education and growth of students can be harmed by sexual violence, discrimination. Helping these students is important. Many leaders on this subject, and many supporters, but Stabile deserves special recognition for leading the Senate Task Force on Sexual Violence Prevention. Helped all UO community members work towards consensus report – 20 students per week – on what must be done. And she did it while on sabbatical. Work is not done, many new victims at UO each week. Nominated by 15 people from all over UO. Shining a light, and please continue your leadership!
Stabile: I was told the award for service is more service, so I’m glad to get an award too. Thanks Kyr and Senate for support. Task Force was a difficult process. Distrust, hurt, and trauma among the victims. Respect for work of student conduct office and ombudsman. The collective we has challenged the silence around rape culture. Wishes she could share the honor with the Task Force and the new Senate Standing Committee.
Kyr: You’re a beacon for what shared governance can do.
4.1 Curriculum Report, Spring Quarter 2015; Committee on Courses, Frances White (Anthropology), Chair of the Committee on Courses
Frances White: You’ve all had 2 weeks to do your reading. Notes that the student engagement policy in the Winter report was rescinded by the Senate. Presents some minor amendments, course additions, and technical changes. Only 50 or 60 pages this time. Thanks committee for their work. Kyr thanks Frances and committee, notes that this is one of the most hard-working committees on campus.
Passes unanimously.
4.6 US14/15-96: Approval of New Program: M.Ed. in Prevention Science and Health Promotion;Joe Lowndes, Chair of the Graduate Council
Kyr notes that the Senate is introducing a “New Program Tracker” along the lines of Bonine’s famous policy tracker, so that Senate can keep track of new programs as they go through college and committee approvals.
Additionally, new programs will now have a program summary which, in theory, will show the dates of approval, etc. New programs now need to get approval from the State HECC, so this is important.
Joe Lowndes (Poli Sci and GC chair.) Went through external review, very strong, also from GC.
Victoria Mitchell (Library). Notes that there is nothing in the budget for any of these 3 proposal for library expenses, e.g. new journals. Response: Emerging field.
(?) Notes that the syllabi have reading lists that include medical journals. With no UO med school (yet?) libraries may in fact need to get access to new journals.
Harbaugh: Perhaps these are already available via current library journal deals with publishers?
Motion passes unaimously.
4.7 US14/15-97: Approval of New Program: M.S. in Prevention Science and Health Promotion, Joe Lowndes, Chair of the Graduate Council
No new questions, passes unanimously.
4.8 US14/15-98: Approval of New Program: Ph.D. in Prevention Science and Health Promotion; Joe Lowndes, Chair of the Graduate Council
No new questions, passes unanimously.
4.9 US14/15-91: COIA Request for Member Senate Vote on Possible Presidential Commission; Senate Executive Committee
NCAA FAR Tim Gleason has written at length in opposition to having the Senate consider this resolution without sending it back to the IAC for discussion and a formal vote. The emails between Gleason, Tublitz, myself, and IAC Chair Kurt Krueger, and my response, are here.
To be blunt and civil, I think this is a delaying tactic by Gleason. While it’s encouraging to hear the administration’s athletic representative speak in support of the role of the Senate IAC in athletics, it would be more credible if it didn’t come with unveiled threats like this, from one of Gleason’s emails:
As for your statements concerning FAR participation in IAC meetings, I am attended IAC meetings and intend to continue to do so as long as it is productive to participate. Should the committee return to the “dysfunctional” state noted in the IAC chair’s 2014/15 report that resulted in the withdrawal of the athletic department and my predecessor, I will reconsider.
Meanwhile the administration’s PAGIA is still holding secret meetings, and is telling AD Rob Mullens that he does not need to engage with the Senate IAC.
After a brief discussion, the resolution passes unanimously.
4.10 US14/15-90: Committee to Consider Historical Markers to Acknowledge Diverse History at UO; Jane Cramer (Associate Professor, Political Science), Chair of the Discrimination Policies Workgroup; Alliance for Graduate Student Diversity, Jouapag Lee; Black Student Union; Jennifer Freyd, Professor (Psychology); Carol Stabile, Professor (School of Journalism and Communication); Michael Dreiling, Associate Professor (Sociology)
This is just fascinating. Great idea. Sorry, I’m listening not blogging. After a brief discussion, the resolution passes unanimously.
4:55 pm 5. Open Discussion
4:55 pm 6. Reports
Report on Academic Integrity will come soon.
4:55 pm 7. Notice(s) of Motion
4:55 pm 8. Other Business
5:00 pm 9. Adjournment
5:00 pm 10. Reception for Award Winners; A Time to Celebrate
NOTE: The Policy Tracker may be viewed here.
In shocking news, the Senate finishes its business early, at 4:30. But the beer will not be here until 4:45. Kyr decides to make us knock off a policy or two while we wait, dying of thirst. The lines on the projector screen blur into a miasma of black and red, as Senators collapse in the aisles of exhaustion.
US14/15-88: Revision and Adoption of Appointment Policy (Bonine #284, 294); Deborah Olson (Instructor, Special Education and Clinical Services), Co-Chair of the Employment Matters Workgroup
Olson: This came up last week, there where was some need for minor revisions, which have been addressed.
Koopman questions as to whether or not this supersedes the faculty union CBA. What happens when policies conflict with the CBA, or other policies.
Gordon Sayre says he sees this UO policy as a minimum standard, particularly for faculty that are not in the CBA, but the CBA rules where there is a discrepancy.
PAC Member (didn’t get name) reiterates these concerns.
Kyr points out that the Senate is not adopting these policies, it is sending them on to the PAC which will consider these issues.
Still some discomfort and it’s now 4:54 …
As a big fan of historical markers, I view the idea of erecting them to acknowledge UO’s diverse history as a fascinating and valuable one. So thanks for the head’s up from this alumni. But, I’m a little perplexed by the quality of the examples given in the Appendix accompanying the resolution. Who was responsible for that scholarship?
Personally, I would be extremely interested in seeing markers which are actually tied to the UO and which would be placed in appropriate locations geographically.
For example, Deady hall is named after Matthew Deady because he not only was a notable Oregon politician and jurist (we lawyers can blame him for Pennoyer v. Neff), but was part and parcel of the University’s history, serving as president of the Board of Regents from 1873 to 1893, helped found the law school, and, among other things, designed the University’s seal.
Renaming Deady Hall, which seems far beyond the ambit of historical markers, would seem like an attempt to white wash history rather than illuminate it as the markers would seek to do. History is complicated. It would seem to be much more illustrative of our state’s history (and the complexity of people, especially as they age and gain wisdom) to mount a marker explaining that while Deady commenced his political life as a pro-slavery pro-white only Oregon Democrat, a unfortunately popular strain of thought pre-Civil War in Oregon, he ended his public life pro-protection of minorities and having admitted the first woman to the Oregon bar. His motivations can be raised and examined, but the outcomes are noteworthy.
Life is complex, people are not simple, and students (and professors) need to be reminded that contradictions are more the norm than the exception (think Earl Warren). It’s a teachable moment that would be best used to illuminate than to delete.
Accordingly, I hope the Committee applies a much more rigorous academic research standard to its recommendations than what is presently being used to support an otherwise excellent idea.
I’d love to see markers talking about the University’s first minority students, first integrated dorms and frats, contributions to the civil rights movement (Freedom Riders and the black afro controversy would be good stories to tell) notable women, etc., etc., etc. Great idea, the history is there, but it needs to be mined much more vigorously and appropriately.
Thanks for this thoughtful and informed comment. I hope that you will keep in touch with the Senate committee as they do their work and give them your input.
– a fellow historical marker enthusiast