Senate meeting
Faculty Senate elects new officers
11:40 a.m., May 10, 2012--The University of Delaware Faculty Senate elected new officers, approved instruction period time modifications and presented the 2012 Faculty Senate Excellence Awards during its regular meeting held Monday, May 7, in Gore Hall.
Officers and selected committee members elected during the senate’s final meeting of the spring semester include: Deni Galileo, president elect; Katherin Rogers, vice president; and Hans-Jörg Busch, chairperson and member at large of the Committee on Committees and Nominations.
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Doctoral hooding
The Faculty Senate Student and Honors Committee selected the following recipients for the 2011-12 academic year Faculty Advising Awards, including Vicki Cassman, assistant professor of art conservation; Lindsay Hoffman, assistant professor of communication, America Martinez, assistant professor, foreign languages and literatures; and Ali Poorani, associate professor, Hotel and Restaurant Management.
Faculty Teaching Awards honorees included James Atlas, Computer and Information Sciences Steven Mortenson, Communications Matthew Weinert, Political Science and International Relations
During his remarks, University Provost Tom Apple lauded the contributions to the University by the award recipients.
“Congratulations to our winners for a job very well done,” Apple said. “You really make a difference in transforming the lives of our students at UD.”
Apple also cited the work of the Faculty Senate and its committees for their work throughout the soon-to-be concluded academic year.
“You have standing room only this afternoon, which shows that you have been busy this year, and have a lot of items on your agenda today,” Apple said. “I think all your hard work has really helped to move this University forward.”
Consent agenda
During the consent agenda voting members approved recommendations to revise minors in entrepreneurial studies, Islamic studies and legal studies.
Senators also approved recommendations to revise majors in food science, animal and food science, visual communication and the concentration in Spanish Studies.
At the graduate level, recommendations for revision included revisions to the program policy for the doctorate in Physical Therapy Program and a new handbook for the program, and revision to the master of education in reading. A recommendation to revise the master’s (thesis and non-thesis) and the doctorate in plant and soil sciences also was approved.
Regular Agenda
After a considerable debate presenting both sides of the issue, senators approved a resolution to endorse the proposed emergency involuntary leave policy, and to review the policy if and when changes are proposed by the Welfare and Privileges Committee or by the UD administration.
The proposal would cover situations including emergency involuntary leave of absence with pay for any faculty member employed full-time or part-time by the University.
New Business
Senators also approved confirmations of appointments and several resolutions including a review of the Involuntary Leave Without Pay Policy by the Committee on Faculty Welfare and Privileges in the spring 2014.
Recommendations from the Faculty Senate Ad hoc Committee on Scheduling were passed to modify the current class scheduling system by adding two 75-minutes instruction periods for classes that meet on Mondays and Wednesdays, on Wednesdays and Fridays, and on Mondays and Fridays.
The recommended pattern, which will become effective for the fall 2013 semester, addresses scheduling issues resulting from concentration of classes in the middle of the day, particulary between 10:10 a.m. and 2:15 p.m., Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, and from 9:30-3:15 p.m., Tuesdays and Thursdays.
The recommendations were based on consideration of a survey of students on scheduling-related issues presented to the Ad Hoc Committee on Scheduling on March 28, 2011.
The new class meeting pattern is a follows:
Monday/Wednesday/Friday
Period 1 -- 8 a.m.-8:50 a.m.
Period 2 -- 9:05 a.m.‐9:55 a.m.
Period 3 -- 10:10 a.m.‐11 a.m.
Period 4 -- 11:15 a.m.‐12:05 p.m.
Period 5 -- 12:20 p.m.‐1:10 p.m.
Period 6 -- 1:25 p.m.‐2:15 p.m.
Period 7 -- 2:30 p.m.-3:20 p.m.
Period 8 -- 3:35 p.m.-4:25 p.m.
Period 9 -- 4:40 p.m.-5:30 p.m.
Tuesday/Thursday
Period 1 -- 8 a.m.-9:15 a.m.
Period 2 -- 9:30 a.m.-10:45 a.m.
Period 3 -- 11 a.m.-12:15 p.m.
Period 4 -- 12:30 p.m.-1:45 p.m.
Period 5 -- 2:00 p.m.-3:15 p.m.
Period 6 -- 3:30 p.m.-4:45 p.m.
Alternate 75-minute meeting pattern for Monday/Wednesday, Wednesday/Friday and Monday/Friday:
Periods 1 and 2 -- 8:40 a.m.–9:55 a.m.
Periods 8 and 9 -- 3:35 p.m.–4:50 p.m.
Faculty Handbook
Also approved was a resolution that the Registrar’s Office will make “all reasonable efforts to maximize the number of instructional days,” when a holiday calendar reduces the length of a semester to a minimum of 65 days, as opposed to the normal 68 days available for spring and fall instruction.
Senators also agreed to bring Section 4: Personnel Policies for Faculty into agreement with the 2010-2013 Collective Bargaining Agreement regarding full- or part-time semester relief after the birth of a child or the adoption of a child under 5 years of age.
John Madsen, associate professor of geological sciences and a past president of the Faculty Senate, was presented with the Faculty Senate Exemplary Service Award.
“John Madsen has been an outstanding force for the Faculty Senate,” Jeffrey Jordan, Faculty Senate president and professor of philosophy, said. “I doubt there is anybody better at writing resolutions and reviewing curriculum proposals."
Jordan also thanked Berlinda Orzada, senate vice president and professor of fashion and apparel studies, and Jack Baroudi, professor of accounting and management information systems and former chair of the Faculty Senate Committee on Promotion and Tenure, for their service as senate vice president and member of the executive committee, respectively.
Charles Mason, professor of entomology and wildlife ecology, also was cited for his long service as senate parliamentarian.
“Both Berlinda and Jack have provided valuable advice and perspective and experience throughout this year, and Chuck Mason has served for several years as parliamentarian and his experience and advice have provided important counsel this year.”
Full minutes of the May 7 meeting will be available soon on the Faculty Senate website.
Article by Jerry Rhodes