1. The regular meeting of the Faculty Senate was called to order at 3:08 p.m. in the Cherry Auditorium, Chester Kirk Building, Chairperson Rollo-Koster presiding.

All members were present except Senators Agostinucci, Brady, Cohen, Cooper, Dunn, Euler, Licht, Mahler, Mandel, Meagher, Onorato, Pearson- Merkowitz, and Ruemmele; ex officio members Vice Presidents Dougan and Sonnenfeld; Deans Bonn, Ebrahimpour, Larrat, Richmond, Sullivan, and Wright.  Associate Dean Smith represented Dean Corliss and Associate Dean Veeger represented Dean Kirby.

Chairperson Rollo-Koster asked for a moment of silence for victims of terrorism.

2. Chairperson Rollo-Koster announced that the minutes of Faculty Senate Meeting #2, October 15, 2015 had been posted with the agenda. She asked if there were any additions, corrections to or questions about these minutes. There were none. Chairperson Rollo-Koster ruled that, in the absence of any changes or corrections, the minutes were approved.

3. REPORTS OF OFFICERS AND EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

A. Announcements

1. Chairperson Rollo-Koster thanked President Dooley and Lynne Baker-Dooley for graciously agreeing to sponsor the Senate reception for a second time at their house after the meeting.

2. Chairperson Rollo-Koster announced that, as part of the administrator evaluation process, the Senate had distributed an electronic survey (through SurveyMonkey) inviting faculty to participate in the evaluation of President Dooley. She said that the survey would remain available until November 22 and encouraged Senators to complete the survey if they had not already done so. Chairperson Rollo-Koster also announced that evaluation committees had been formed for the review of Vice Provost Beauvais and Dean Kirby. Faculty were told to expect to receive electronic surveys next semester for these administrators.

3. Chairperson Rollo-Koster said that, at the October 15 Faculty Senate meeting, the Senate had approved conducting a referendum of the General Faculty on changes to the Constitution of the Faculty Senate. Changes to Article III, Membership of the Senate, would have allowed non-tenure track faculty to serve on the Faculty Senate after one year of service. She reported that, of 126 total votes, 78 voted to approve, 48 voted to not approve. The motion failed, she reported, as it required a 2/3rds majority to pass. As a consequence, the changes to the Faculty Senate By-Laws that would have been automatic, changing the ratio of faculty to senators, would not become effective.  The motion to make additional changes to the By-laws Section 2.2, for consistency, which had been moved and seconded at the October meeting, was off the table. Chairperson Rollo-Koster added that the Constitution, By-Laws, and University Manual Committee would work on a proposal to clarify the language in both the Constitution and the By-Laws concerning part time faculty members to ensure that that language is not misunderstood as referring to “PTF” part time faculty. The current reference to part time is to tenured or tenure track faculty members.

4. Chairperson Rollo-Koster reported that the General Education Committee, the General Education Implementation Steering Team, and the general education approval panels had been hard at work. The General Education Committee would present a report of courses approved for the new general education program, a minor change to the requirements of the new program, and finally, Manual and Catalog language describing the program.

5. The Chair announced that Vice President Valentino and Director Barrett would present the annual State of The Budget Address and Dean Ciccomascolo would present an overview of the proposed merger of the School of Education with the College of Continuing Education and the creation of the URI College of Education and Professional Studies.

6. Chairperson Rollo-Koster reminded non-Senators to sign the Permission to Speak form and asked everyone to remember to wait to be recognized and to identify themselves before speaking.

B. Activities of the Executive Committee

Vice Chairperson Welters announced that the Minutes of the 2015-16 Executive Committee Meetings #1 – #14 were available on the Faculty Senate website. She asked if there were any questions.  There were none.

4. REPORT OF THE PRESIDENT

The President said that, in order to conclude the meeting on time, he had no remarks. He invited all assembled to the reception at this house after the meeting. Legislation forwarded to the President after the September 17 Senate meeting had been approved.

5. REPORTS OF STANDING AND SPECIAL COMMITTEES

A. The Provost introduced Professor Emerita Tyler and Professor Emeritus Killilea who presented the annual Report of the Ombudsman. Professor Killilea distributed display cards detailing the contact information for their services. He asked Senators to spread the word of the availability of the Ombud and to direct students and colleagues to them when they needed help. Professor Killilea described the University Ombud as the appeal of last resort; however, individuals who contact the Office, he said, are assisted immediately in order to identify channels relevant to their complaints. Professor Tyler reported that, between Spring 2014 and the beginning of the Fall 2015 semester, their Office had received 36 appeals from 6 faculty members, 1 staff member, 10 graduate students, and 19 undergraduate students. She reported that, in most cases, a satisfactory outcome was achieved. Professors Tyler and Killilea made the following recommendations to the faculty: be familiar with the legal requirements of respecting students’ privacy rights, make clear on syllabi what constitutes plagiarism and what the penalties will be for academic dishonesty, be aware of what is required in accommodating faculty and students with certified disabilities. Professor Tyler commented that, nationally and internationally, the role of the Ombudsman has expanded across academia, business, the health industry and more. She said that Ombud offices in academia are being revived and expanded. She and Professor Killilea were invited to join the East Coast Ombuds Group (ECOG). In October, Professor Tyler represented URI at an all day meeting of ECOG at MIT.

B. Dean Zawia presented Curricular Report No. 2015-16-1 from the Graduate Council to the Faculty Senate. He summarized the Informational section of the Report (400 level courses offered for graduate credit and course changes). The Dean presented 5 new courses and moved approval. The motion passed. The Dean summarized the curricular proposals: a change to the catalog language describing the MA in Communication Studies, changes to the 5-year B.S.+M.S. in Medical Physics, the creation of the M.S. in Medical Physics, and changes to the Masters of Oceanography. He moved approval. The motion passed.

C. Professor Owens presented the Five Hundred and Twenty-Seventh Report of the Curricular Affairs Committee. She said that Section I was Informational and asked if there were any questions. There were none. She reported that Section II required Senate approval. One new course, two course changes, and requests to change the name of the degree (as it appears on a student’s diploma) in Biological Sciences and Marine Biology were moved for approval. The motion carried.

D. Professor Kinnie presented General Education Committee Report 2015-16-4. He presented a list of 35 existing courses that had been approved for offering in the new general education program. He moved approval of one course change (for the new general education program). The motion passed. Professor Kinnie provided a brief update on the status of the course submissions for the new program.

E. Professor Kinnie presented General Education Committee Report 2015-16-5. He said that, at the September 17 Faculty Senate Meeting, the following amendment to the General Education Program was approved:

Of the courses taken to complete General Education requirements, only three (3) courses, or up to 12 credits not exceeding three (3) courses, may share the same disciplinary code. An exception to the limit is allowed for the HPR (Honors Program topic) course code.

He said that the course limit of this requirement restricted the program in unintended ways. Many lecture-lab course combinations require that students register concurrently for the lecture course and the lab course separately. This requirement did not intend that such course combinations would count as two courses. Professor Kinnie said that the new general education was designed around credits not courses. He said that the General Education Committee (GEC) had recommended amending the requirement as follows:

Of the courses taken to complete General Education requirements, only three (3) courses, or up to 12 credits not exceeding three (3) courses, may share the same disciplinary code. An exception to the limit is allowed for the HPR (Honors Program topic) course code.

He moved approval of the change. The motion was seconded and discussion followed.  Senator Byrd asked how a single 12-credit course (internship) would be considered in this rule. He was told that the GEC had received a similar question from the Kinesiology Department and that the Committee would discuss it and make a decision at an upcoming meeting. Senator Kirschenbaum asked if the amendment would allow students to take 4 courses in the same disciplinary code. He was told that that was correct.  Senator Goldsmith said that, because of the many 1-credit Music courses, a student would be allowed to take as many as 12 courses under this rule.  The vote was called.  The motion passed. Professor Kinnie presented and moved approval of the University Manual and catalog language describing the program.  The motion passed.

F. Provost DeHayes and Senate Vice Chairperson Welters provided an update on the development of the Academic Strategic Plan 2016-2021. The Provost thanked the community for their feedback. He said that the Joint Committee on Academic Planning (JCAP) as a whole and JCAP subcommittees spent many hours reviewing comments and incorporating changes into the document. As a result, he said, the draft document was much improved and better reflected the work not only of the task forces but also of the views of the community more broadly.  Vice Chairperson Welters said that JCAP was still finalizing the feedback and would present the document to the Senate at the December 10th meeting for a final review. The Provost thanked members of JCAP, the task forces, and the subcommittees.

6. PRESENTATION 

A. Vice President Valentino and Director Barrett presented the annual State of the Budget address using Power Point slides. Director Barrett described the restricted and unrestricted revenue budgets for FY16. She said that tuition and fees were the largest revenue category in the unrestricted budget totaling, in FY16, $286.3 million. The state appropriation in FY16 was $71.4 million, representing 9.6% of the total budget of $743.2 million. Director Barrett summarized the other items comprising the total budget. She provided a breakdown of the revenue derived from the Auxiliary and Enterprise Units, noting that RI state law requires that these units be self-supporting. Director Barrett provided a profile of the new students, Fall 2015. Statistics included 21,251 undergraduate applications (a record number), 3,135 freshmen, 550 transfers, and 16,831 total students (a record number). She noted that student retention rates have increased, 73% of last year’s entering class completed 30 credits in their first year (the 15 To Finish initiative), and 115 individuals have been graduated through the Finish What You Started program.  Director Barrett said that the FY16 and FY17 budgets included new full-time faculty positions (55 new positions planned to be added over four years, FY16 – FY19). She said that there were currently 66 active faculty searches underway. Budget requests for FY17, recommended to the President by the Strategic Budget and Planning Council, were detailed. In addition to the ongoing new faculty initiative, professional advisors, web content strategists, and Talent Development advisors were included. A projection of the FY17 revenue budget was summarized. Highlights of the FY17 budget included the new Nursing Education Center in Providence. The Vice President and the Director answered questions.

B. Dean Ciccomascolo, Senator Byrd, and Ms. Vargas Warner delivered a Power Point presentation summarizing the proposed merger of the School of Education with the College of Continuing Education into a new college to be called the College of Education and Professional Studies. A Phase II Planning Committee was charged with developing a new identity and shared vision for a new organizational entity; determining synergies and vital endeavors in teacher preparation, adult education, workforce and professional development; and considering resources and a structure that would maximize mutual goals and outcomes.  The Committee worked for a year and a half and developed a plan for the creation of the URI College of Education and Professional Studies (CEPS). The Dean summarized the goals of the new College and the proposed new structure: the Dean’s Office, Shared Services, the School of Education, the Office of Strategic Initiatives, and the School of Professional and Continuing Studies. The existing Center for Human Services and Special Programs would comprise the Office of Strategic Initiatives. Program offerings in the School of Professional and Continuing Studies would include Communicative Disorders, English, Film, History, Human Development and Family Studies, and Psychology. The School of Professional and Continuing Studies would continue to award the Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Studies. Additional opportunities were identified: partnerships with Brown University and the Community College of Rhode Island, support for non-traditional students in teacher education programs, additional specialized certificates, and embedded educational training. Dean Ciccomascolo said that the proposal would be reviewed by the Curricular Affairs Committee on November 23 and, if passed, would come before the Faculty Senate on December 10 for approval.  The Dean answered questions from Senators. Concern was expressed about the ability of a largely part time faculty to deliver the curriculum for the new School of Professional and Continuing Studies. Questions were asked about improving transportation between the Kingston and Providence campuses, technology to allow telepresence course delivery, relocation of faculty to the Providence campus, and the development of more graduate programs at the Providence campus. The Dean was also asked if Summer Session would continue to operate out of the Providence campus. The Dean indicated that task forces would be established to address individual issues if the proposal to create to new College were approved.

7. UNFINISHED BUSINESS

Chairperson Rollo-Koster asked if there were any Unfinished Business. There was none.

8. NEW BUSINESS

Chairperson Rollo-Koster asked if there were any New Business.  There was none.

9. A motion was made to adjourn. The motion carried. The meeting was adjourned at 4:48 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,

Nancy Neff