The University of Iowa
FACULTY SENATE
Tuesday, September 6, 2005
3:30 pm – 5:15 pm
Iowa Room, 335 Iowa Memorial Union

Members Present: David Asprey, Daniel Balderston, Susan Birrell, Linda Boyle, Kenneth Brown, Gloria Bulechek, Christine Catney, Jay Christensen-Szalanski, Steve Collins, Jane Desmond, Virginia Dominguez, Edwin Dove, David Drake, Claibourne Dungy, Sarah Fagan, Denise Filios, Richard Fumerton, Robert Garrett, Jennifer Glass, Frederick Goodman, Carin Green, Kathleen Hanson, Judith Heggen, Paul Heidger, Ronald Herman, Geoffrey Hope, Bruce Justman, Mark Karwal, Craig Kletzing, Sheldon Kurtz, Johna Leddy, Yi Li, Thomas Loew, Rene Martin, Steve McGuire, David Min, Frank Mitros, Michael O’Hara, Christine Pawley, Todd Pettys, Amy Poremba, Lynn Richman, Catherine Ringen, Thomas Schmidt, Victoria Sharp, William Sharp, Linda Snetselaar, Karin Southard, Janet Specht, John Sutphin, Downing Thomas, Brad Thompson, Tuong Ton-That, Walter Vispoel, Marcia Ward, John Westefeld

Members Absent: William Clarke, Lance Lichtor, Donald MacFarlane, James Nepola, Thomas O’Dorisio, Gary Russell, Jarjisu Sa-Aadu, Anne Sullivan, Christie Thomas

Members Excused: Garry Buettner, Thomas Grabowski, Vicki Grassian, Mazen Maktabi, Jose Morcuende, Beth Pelton, Geb Thomas, Steve Vincent, Catherine Woodman

Faculty Senate Officers in Attendance: Richard LeBlond, President; Michael Cohen, Secretary; Katherine Tachau, Past President

Guests: Charles Drum (University Relations), Sam Edsill (The Daily Iowan), George Lance (Emeritus Faculty Council), Susan Johnson (Office of the Provost), Jennie Smazik (Faculty Senate Office)

I.  Call to Order

Faculty Senate President, Richard LeBlond, called the meeting to order at 3:34 pm.  He indicated the Provost Hogan was away and would be unable to attend the meeting.

II.  Approvals

   A.   Meeting Agenda

President LeBlond requested approval of the revised meeting agenda.  The revised meeting agenda was approved by voice vote after a motion by Professor O’Hara and a second by Professor Asprey.

   B.   Faculty Senate Minutes, April 26, 2005 (Attachment 1)

Professor Kurtz moved, second by Professor Collins, to approve both sets of minutes of April 26, 2005, with minor modifications.  The motion was approved unanimously by voice vote.

   C.    Recommended Committee Replacements

Senate President LeBlond made the following recommendations for Committee replacements:

President’s Committee on Athletics: Michael Cohen (Pathology), 5-year term
President’s Committee on Athletics: John Solow  (Economics), 1-year term
University Diversity Committee: Tarrell Portman (Education); Salome Raheim (Social Work) chair; Victor Rodgers (Engineering); Rachel Williams (Art Education)
Financial Aid Advisory Committee: Mark Young (Chemistry)
Government Relations: Art Bettis (Geosciences); Richard Hichwa (Radiology)
Professor Kurtz made a motion for approval, seconded by Professor Herman, which was unanimously approved by voice vote.

A couple of vacancies remain: one each on the Council on Teaching and FRIC.  Several names of potential committee members were suggested to Faculty Senate President FRIC

   C.   Resolution: Professor Tachau

Professor Tachau presented a motion for approval to the Faculty Senate: 

Proposed Faculty Senate Resolution Expressing Appreciation to David Skorton      

The Faculty of The University of Iowa expresses its strong endorsement of, and appreciation to, its President, David Skorton, for all of his continuing efforts to sustain and advance the quality of this University in the face of difficult challenges.  We further applaud his ongoing commitment to improving the lives of all Iowans.

Serving as President of Iowa’s most comprehensive University--the largest and most financially complicated institution in this State--is a difficult task.  The Faculty recognizes how fortunate Iowans and the University are to have a President who undertakes that position with intelligence, sensitivity, a good element of common sense, and, when needed, humor.  He is a principled leader who shares the values that Iowans hold dear and who exhibits the highest standards of personal integrity.

Demonstrating wise and inclusive leadership, President Skorton has steered the University through multiple budgetary crises.  Most recently, he vigorously represented the University in an effort to spare its health science units from debilitating budgetary shortfalls.  He has consistently shown strong support financially and otherwise for the arts and humanities at the University.  He also has largely been responsible for the substantial increase in the University’s endowment.  In addition, both by his words and personal deeds President Skorton has reached out to our state and its citizens. 

We trust that in the near future the national recognition he has helped bring to Iowa and the University through his inspired and skillful leadership and actions as a spokesman for the University will be fully recognized by all of the people of Iowa.

Professor Kurtz seconded the motion.  After a brief and very supportive discussion the motion was unanimously approved by voice vote.

III.  Faculty Senate Vice President Elections, Professor Tachau

  1. Sheldon Kurtz Statement (Attachment 3)
  2.  Linda Snetselaar Statement (Attachment 4)

Professor Tachau indicated that two candidates for the vice presidential election had been identified and their personal statements had been distributed.  The Senate indicated its thanks to Professor McGuire.

Subsequently, Professor Kurtz was identified as the winner of the election, and thanks were extended to Professor Snetselaar.

IV.   Reports

   A.   Faculty Senate President, Richard LeBlond

1.   Action of the US House of Representatives re Prof. Wasserman
President LeBlond reported that a letter in support of Professor Wasserman from the Faculty Senate Officers was sent to Iowa Congressional representatives.  Other University officials have also sent letters.  It is currently unclear what the status of this bill is in Congress.

2.  Work Plan for Review of University and Faculty Policies
President LeBlond indicated that the Council and the Senate spent too much time wordsmithing policies and procedures, and not enough time deliberating substantive issues.  He recommended that committees charged with specific policies and procedures attend to the details, in conjunction with the Committee on Policies and Compensation, and that the Council focus on the spirit and intent of policies.  In addition, President LeBlond suggested that chairs of committees come largely from the Council in order to improve bi-directional communication and feedback. 

3.  Rules & Bylaws Committee Plans
President LeBlond indicated that revisions, amendments, and updates were necessary in the Senate bylaws so that they were consistent with current practice, and that these would need to be approved by the Board of Regents.  Further, he indicated that a manual of procedure, including job descriptions for the Faculty Senate Officers and Faculty Senate Committee Chairs, would help with the workflow of the Council and the Senate but that this would not require Board of Regents approval. 

4.  Iowa City Human Rights Commission: Nominations for Human Rights Awards
President LeBlond solicited names for this citywide award; the deadline is September 7th. 

5.  Summary of the August 16 Retreat
The conclusion that President LeBlond conveyed to the Senate was that the faculty was very much on the right track and that they should adhere to what they were doing, including their involvement in faculty governance. 
There was little support for the faculty senate going out and engaging statewide constituents as a primary mission.

6.   Communication and Coordination with Charter and Faculty Senate Committees
Professor Tachau, Past Faculty Senate President, and Cheryl Reardon, Past Staff Council President, will be reviewing the charter committees.  President LeBlond indicated that enhancement of relationships with internal constituencies, e.g. Staff Council, Student Government, UI Central Administration, and other committees, should be actively pursued. In addition, he hoped that the Senate could establish a closer, more formal link between University and college elected faculty.  Potential avenues that were noted: reports at college faculty meetings by Senators, and the use of the anticipated on line version of FYI. 

   B.   Other Issues—President LeBlond

There was no report from Professor Collins.

1.   Research Track Discussions
President LeBlond reported that discussions had been initiated in the College of Medicine about the establishment of a research track.

2.  Annual Report of the Office of the Ombudsperson: Professional Ethics and Academic Responsibility, Section 15.4.  Report due October 4, 2005
The annual report of the Ombudsperson is available on line.  The Office of the Ombudsperson has requested input on Section 15.4.  The two new Ombudspersons will be present at the next Faculty Senate meeting.

   C.    Faculty Awards and Recognition Committee

President LeBlond reported that the Provost is interested in establishing a centralized mechanism for conferring honorary degrees.  Professor John Scott (Art & Art History) has been asked to develop an Honorary Degrees Policy, with a report due November 15, 2005.

V.   Unfinished Business: Criminal Background Checks, Richard LeBlond (Attachment 2)

President LeBlond highlighted the minor revisions in language that had been incorporated into the document.  A motion for approval was put forth by Professor Heidger, and seconded by Professor Kurtz.  A discussion amongst the Senate ensued that focused on what was considered as unacceptable risk.  The motion carried by voice vote.  The annual follow-up, covering the number, types, cost, and implementation of the policy will be important. 

VI.  New Business

   A.   Communication with Faculty and Organization of Senate and Council Representation

President referred to his previous comments (see IV. A. 6.)

   B.   Road Scholar Proposal

Jane Van Voorhis, in President Skorton’s Office, is leading an initiative that is allied with the Year of Engagement.  $10-20,000 grants are available to help support interactions between University faculty and Iowa constituents.   President LeBlond led a discussion about whether the Faculty Senate/Council should put together a proposal.  Professor Tachau moved, seconded by Professor Collins, that the Government Committee’s proposal from about 3 year’s ago be modified to a proposal from the Faculty Senate.  The motion passed by hand vote.  Professors Thomas, McGuire, and Tachau were asked to spearhead this effort that is due October 6th.

VII.  From the floor

None

VIII.  Announcement

Faculty Senate, October 18, 3:30-5:15, Iowa Room 335 IMU

IX.  Adjournment

The meeting was adjourned at 4:35 pm.

 

Respectfully submitted,

______________________________________
Michael B. Cohen
Secretary, Faculty Senate