Faculty Senate of the University of Nebraska at Omaha

2001-2002 Senate Minutes

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Attendees: W. Bacon, N. Bacon, Bishop, Blair, Bruckner, Buetersloh, J.Carroll, M. Carroll, Chung, Coyne, Dickson, Engelmann, Fawcett, File, Hagen, Helm, Johnson, Landis, Latchaw, Littrell, Mitchell, Moritz, Nazem, O'Connell, Paterson, Pedersen, Sadlek, Schulte, Shroder, Smallwood, Thompson, Valle, E. Williams, S. Williams, Wolcott, Zhao

Excused: Azadmanesh, Bragg, Carlson, Neathery-Castro, Mande, Tuan

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1. President Wally Bacon called the meeting to order at 2:10 pm.



2. Guests, Pastors Karen Moritz and Ralph Buetersloh, were introduced. They are on campus to comfort and counsel students, faculty, and staff, in the aftermath of yesterday's terrorist activities.



3. The August 2001 minutes were approved as corrected.



4. President Bacon reported on the Board of Regents meeting of September 7, 2001.



5. Standing Committee Reports:

A. Senator Landis, for the Committee on Academic and Curricular Affairs, reported that the Committee worked via e-mail to draft a resolution recommending that Colleges accept the new C minus as the minimum grade average for eligibility. The Executive Committee referred this resolution back to Academic and Curricular Affairs. The committee was unable to reach a compromise consensus via e-mail and will address the issues again in its September meeting. Other issues to be considered include the following:

1. Policy regarding probation, scholarships, etc., related to the C- grade descriptions
2. Unit in which tenure is held (department or university); remanded to ACA Committee by the Exec Committee as a result of a suggestion from President Smith
3. Educational resources required for full implementation of the China Plan and how they will affect the other educational tasks of IS&T
4. Data on success of MCC students at UNO in selected courses; needed to determine the effectiveness of articulation agreements with MCC
5. Use of the technology fee for laboratory equipment in the sciences distance education
6. Periodic distribution of grade trend data to faculty
7. Academic Freedom Coalition of Nebraska

1. On behalf of the Committee on Rules, Senator File moved the following resolutions:

1. For the Academic Freedom and Tenure Committee

Resolution 2589, 09/12/01: BE IT RESOLVED, that in accordance with section 6.1 of the Faculty Senate Bylaws, the following nominees for the Academic Freedom and Tenure Committee are brought forward by the Rules Committee for senate nomination. If approved, a ballot will be presented to the UNOmaha faculty campus-wide.

One tenured faculty member will be elected from the following two nominees to serve a three-year term from October 16, 2001, through October 15, 2004, to replace retiring member, Thomas Tollman whose term was extended through October 15, 2001, per Resolution 2457 to accommodate changing the election process from April to October:

James Shaw
Christine Reed

One non-tenured faculty member will be elected from the following two nominees to serve a three-year term from October 16, 2001, through October 15, 2004, to replace retiring member, Alice Schumaker, whose term was extended through October 15, 2001, per Resolution 2457 to accommodate changing the election process from April to October:

Carol Ebdon
Robert Blair

The motion passed.

• For the Faculty Grievance Committee:

1. Resolution 2590, 09/12/01: Ballot Vote by Senate: BE IT RESOLVED, that in accordance with the Faculty Senate of the University of Nebraska at Omaha Bylaws, section 6.1, Faculty Grievance Committee, the following faculty members are brought forward by the Rules Committee for ballot election by the senate to replace Wai-ning Mei as the full professor representative for a three-year term from September 16, 2001, through September 15, 2004:

James Hagen (elected)
Jack McKay

• Resolution 2591, 09/12/01: Ballot Vote by Senate: BE IT RESOLVED, that in accordance with the Faculty Senate of the University of Nebraska at Omaha Bylaws, section 6.1, Faculty Grievance Committee, the following faculty members are brought forward by the Rules Committee for ballot election by the senate to replace Renee Irvin as the assistant professor representative for a three-year term from September 16, 2001, through September 15, 2004.

Karen Hayes (elected)
Jonathan Benjamin-Alvarado

The motion passed.

• Resolution 2592, 09/12/01: Ballot Vote by Senate: BE IT RESOLVED, that in accordance with the Faculty Senate of the University of Nebraska at Bylaws, section 6.1, Faculty Grievance Committee, the following faculty members are brought forward by the Rules Committee for ballot election by the senate to replace Robert Carlson as the Committee on Faculty Personnel & Welfare representative for a one-year term from September 16, 2001, through September 15, 2002:

Vaughn Johnson
Jack Shroder (elected)

• For the University of Nebraska at Omaha Professional Conduct Committee
  

1. Resolution 2593, 09/12/01: Ballet Vote by Senate: BE IT RESOLVED, that in accordance with Section 1.1 of the University of Nebraska at Omaha Professional Conduct Committee's Rules and Procedures, the following three nominees (all tenured faculty ranked assistant professor or above) are brought forward by the Committee on Rules for ballot election by the full senate as follows:

John Price
Rebecca Morris (elected)
Carol Mitchell (elected)

Two representatives must be elected by ballot vote to serve three-year terms from October 16, 2001, through October 15, 2004, to replace outgoing members Sunny Andrews and Richard Stacy. These newly elected representatives will also serve as alternates for three-years from October 16, 2004 through October 15 2007.

Sunny Andrews and Richard Stacy will continue serving as an alternate (replacing Jim Czarnecki and Carole Larson) for three-years from October 16, 2001, through October 15, 2004, per Resolution 2345.

• Resolution 2594, 09/12/01: Ballot Vote by Senate: BE IT RESOLVED, that in accordance with Section 1.1 of the University of Nebraska at Omaha Professional Conduct Committee's rules and Procedures, the following three nominees (all tenured faculty ranked assistant professor or above) are brought forward by the Committee on Rules for ballot election by the full senate as follows:

One representative must be elected by ballot vote to complete the term of service from September 13, 2001, through October 15, 2003, for alternate Justin Stolen who no longer works at UNO:

Jerry Cederbloom (elected)
David Conway

• For University Committees
  

• Resolution 2595, 09/12/01: BE IT RESOLVED:



• that Cassia Spohn be recommended for service on the University Committee on Excellence in Teaching to serve a three-year term from August 1, 2001, through July 31, 2004, replacing Philip Secret (PACS, 08/01/98 to 07/31/01) who was appointed by the chancellor prior to the Faculty Senate taking over the appointment of all faculty members;



• that the following name go forward as a three-year appointment from 07/01/2001, through 06/30/2004, to the University Committee on Facilities Planning to replace Russell Smith:

Michael Carroll;

• that the following name go forward to complete the term of Hesham El-Rewini through 07/31/2002, on the University Committee on Library and Learning Resources:
• Rebecca Pasco;

• that the following name go forward to complete the term of Hesham El-Rewini through 07/31/2003 on the University Committee on Research: Yong Shi.

The motion passed.

• Resolution 2596, 09/12/01: BE IT RESOLVED, that the following names go forward as three-year appointments, from 07/01/2001 through 06/30/2004, to the Educational Policy Advisory Board to replace Faud Abdullah, Tom Lorsbach, and Bob Welk:

Tej Adidam, CBA
David Corbin, COE
Mary Carolyn Simpson, CFA

The motion passed.

• Resolution 2597, 09/12/01: BE IT RESOLVED, that the following name go forward to complete the term of Sharon Sobel on the Multi-Cultural Affairs Commission: Melissa Berke

The motion passed.

• Senator File requested contacting him if any senator knows of anyone who would be interested in serving on a University Committee.

VI Senator Valle reported that the Graduate Council met September 11, 2001 and the discussion included Committee C. She will submit a written Graduate Council report at the next Faculty Senate meeting.

VII Old Business:

On behalf of the Ad Hoc Committee, Senator Engelmann moved the following resolution:

Resolution 2598, 09/12/01: WHEREAS both the potential benefits and the potential risks of the proposed Global e-Learning Initiative at UNO are significant, and WHEREAS the English curriculum has been identified in Senate discussions as the linchpin of the proposed project, and
WHEREAS serious pedagogical concerns have arisen with the current CD-ROM model for delivery of IIIST English courses; therefore,
BE IT RESOLVED, that the UNO Administration is urged with all due haste, working with the leadership of the Department of English, to address quality control and resource issues, in particular staffing concerns both at UNO and IIIST; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that when and only when these issues are addressed to the satisfaction of the Department of English, could the Senate approve the concept of the Global e-Learning Initiative.

Discussion was invited, but there was none. The motion passed unanimously. Senator Engelmann thanked the Senate on behalf of the committee.

VII New Business: Senator N. Bacon moved the Global eLearning Project resolution prepared, in part, by Senator Paterson. Senator Paterson seconded her motion. After much discussion and amending of the resolution the following was passed by the Senate as a whole:

Resolution 2599, 09/12/01: WHEREAS the Global eLearning Project has the potential to offer unprecedented benefits to students in China and in Omaha in the form of opportunities for intercultural exchange; and,
WHEREAS the Global eLearning Project has the potential to build people-to-people bridges between American and Chinese citizens at a historical moment when such relationships are of particular importance; and,
WHEREAS the benefits accruing to UNOmaha students might include overseas exchange programs, the development of a graduate program in TESL (Teaching English as a Second Language), and other possibilities not yet foreseen; and,
WHEREAS this potential can be realized only if the program adheres to high standards of academic quality consistent with those upheld by existing UNOmaha programs; and,
WHEREAS academic quality requires committed action in the form of resource allocation, selection of qualified personnel, respect for established university procedures, and genuine collaboration among participating academic units; and,
WHEREAS academic quality requires that the background and needs of students be considered in course planning; and,
WHEREAS it is the right and the responsibility of the UNOmaha faculty to determine the content and pedagogy of any course offered as part of a degree program; and,
WHEREAS we value open communication among all partners in the educational enterprise and recognize the right of Nebraska citizens to accurate information about university programs and budgets; and,
WHEREAS we fulfill our mission as a metropolitan university within the context of limited resources, so that resources allocated to a new program must either be awarded through external funding or reallocated from existing programs; and,
WHEREAS the Global eLearning Program has already involved the expenditure of significant sums in faculty and administrative time and travel expenses; THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that Professor Peter Ng and Dean Thomas Gouttierre are to be commended for their vision in proposing a partnership between UNOmaha and IIIST; and,
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that we support the further development of this program if the following are firmly in place:

1) an approval process requiring that any UNOmaha course offered through IIIST be subject to review and approval by the appropriate academic department at UNOmaha;
2) a hiring process which gives UNOmaha faculty a central role in selecting overseas tutors commensurate with the faculty's usual role in the selection of instructional staff;
3) adequate opportunities for UNOmaha faculty to assess the academic background and needs of an unfamiliar student population;
4) additional resources, including faculty lines, for any departments in which these duties will create an extraordinary and continuing administrative burden;
5) a compensation plan for course development which recognizes the substantial labor involved in designing a high-quality distance-learning course and which honors the intellectual property rights of participating faculty;
6) a written document outlining the goals and design of the program, including an appropriate accounting of steps already taken, a timeline for future steps, and a plan for program evaluation;
7) financial statements which report expenses already incurred in faculty and administrative time, travel expenses, and course development; projections of future expenses including course development, faculty mentoring of on-site tutors, and interdepartmental coordination; projections of future income and descriptions of present and projected funding sources including the role of corporate donors.

VII The meeting adjourned at 3:40 p.m.