Be there: Final Senate meeting today, Wed. 3PM. Pres-elect vote, legislation report, gavel to Sullivan, reception for award winners

Last updated on 08/22/2018

Senate Meeting Agenda – June 3, 2015, 2014-2015, Agendas

115 Lawrence, 3:00-5:00 p.m.

3:00 pm    1.   Call to Order

3:00 pm    2.   Approval of Minutes

2.1      April 15, 2015  2.2      May 13, 2015  2.3      May 20, 2015

3:05 pm    3.   State of the University

3.1       Report from the Academic Council on Academic Integrity: Frances White, Academic Council (Chair, Committee on Courses) 

White give a brief and positive report on the importance and efficiency of the AC.

3.2       Remarks from Robert Kyr, Outgoing Senate President

Kyr: The importance of self-determination and shared governance. The Senate as UO’s must durable and important institution during the recent troubles. [I have to add that without Rob Kyr I’m not sure that the Senate could have held it together.] I’ll post the full speech shortly.

3:15 pm    4.   New Business

4.1       Election of the Senate President-elect (Vice President) for 2015 – 2016

So far the only candidate is Bill Harbaugh (Economics), but fortunately the rules allow for nominations from the floor.

Is their no one else? Apparently not. I give a brief speech and then there’s a vote. 23 yes, 7 no.

4.9       US14/15-102: Amendment of Inherited State Board Computing Priorities Policy,Curriculum and Program Matters Workgoup; Colin Koopman (Associate Professor, Philosophy), Senator & Bruce McGough (Associate Professor, Economics), Senator

Koopman introduces: Passes unanimously after brief discussion about costs.

4.2       UO Senate Classified Staff Leadership Award: Johnny Earl, Campus Operations

[This man is widely loved across campus. SEIU steward, on the bargaining committee. The bit below is not verbatim, but close.]

Mr. Earl: We do what we do. My work at this university may not be as distinguished as that of some of the people in this room, but it’s important. What I do today is what matters. There are others here who have been forgotten. Wants to be a good steward for the buildings and people of the universities of Oregon. Hometown Chicago. We live in a bubble here in Eugene. A great bubble.

When he first applied to UO, he got the stare-down from the other staff. Campus has changed – I don’t feel out of place. But we can still do better.

I don’t know how causes find you. But here’s the one that found me. 1500 state university employees make less than $15 dollars an hour. Something is wrong when we have all these beautiful buildings, but our workers need public assistance. This is true all over the country. I’m just trying to plant a seed in you about this. Maybe it will grow like those blackberry plants.

Quotes Malcolm X: Usually, when people are sad, they don’t do anything. But when they get angry, they make change. [I’ve heard something similar from the Dali Lama].

We need to make change at the University of Oregon.

4.3       UO Senate Award for Shared Governance, Transparency, and Trust: Michael Dreiling, Associate Professor (Sociology)

Kyr reads Dreiling’s impressive list of accomplishments and university service, including as President of the faculty union.

Dreiling: I want thank Rob Kyr for his outstanding contributions this past year. As have so many others. Shout out to his partner, Yvonne for modeling integrity for him.

Senate is uniting the university community, making the university human. Our voices matters. A university administration that listens to the Senate’s voices will thrive.

The award is for shared  governance, trust and transparency. All these things need each other. Wants to add two other principles: humility and courage, that I’ve needed over these last few years. Acknowledge mistakes, apologize, get back to work.

4.4       US14/15-100: Announcement and Confirmation of Spring 2015 Committee Appointments; Commitee on Committees; Randy Sullivan (Senate Vice President), Chair

Passes unanimously.

4.5       US14/15-92: Regarding Negotiations on Recent Senate Legislation; Senate Executive Committee (through John Bonine; Professor, Law School)

Bonine: This will allow the Senate to work with the new president on working out compromises  on recent legislation passed by the Senate on athletics, sexual assault prevention, student conduct code, and the confidentiality of student counseling records.

Passes unanimously.

4.6       US14/15-06: Change of Membership for the Graduate Council, Joe Lowndes, Chair of the Graduate Council; Scott L. Pratt, Dean of the Graduate School

Housecleaning. Passes unanimously.

4.7      US14/15-99: Change of the Name of the Committee for LGBTQI (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Questioning and Intersex), Maure Smith-Benati, Director; Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Education Support and Services Program (LGBTESSP)

Smith-Benati: Motion is very clear. UO is one of top 10 trans friendly universities. We think this is bringing in new students, but UO does not give students a way to identify so data is not good.

Smith-Benati gives some tips on how to correctly use language when talking about trans people, unfortunately I couldn’t type quickly enough to get them down.

Passes unanimously.

4.8      US14/15-101: Repeal of Class Size Policy (Bonine #500), Curriculum and Program Matters Workgoup; Deborah Healey (Senior Instructor, American English Institute), Senator

Healey: It’s from 1962. Repealed unanimously.

4.10      Passing of the Gavel to the Incoming Senate President Randy Sullivan (Chemistry); Robert Kyr (Music), Outgoing Senate President

 

4:55 pm    5.   Open Discussion

4:55 pm    6.   Reports

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 & the 2014 – 2015 Senate; A Time to Celebrate