Chair's Report for May 12, 1998
Senate update
- remember to initial the roll call sheet when you enter the room
- meeting transcript available on the web site:
http://www.uwec.edu/Usenate
important links to documents and other sites of interest are also available on our Senate web site:
draft of Chapter 3, Faculty & Academic Staff handbook
Senior Computer Science majors have completed a Senate Action Tracking System for the office. The new database allows all motions to be easily searched by keyword or topic. Details of each motion such as the text of the motion, committee submitting the motion, date of Senate action, date of Chancellor action, and offices notified are included. If interested, stop by the Senate Office and check it out!
Open Forum Items from Senate Executive Committee Meeting minutes
- Bobby Pitts reported that a custodian in Fine Arts warned students that they could be fined $150 if they are in the building after 10 p.m. The rule exists to deal with vandalism and loitering. Pitts was concerned that art students, who have legitimate business in Fine Arts might be persecuted under this rule. Discussion followed regarding the differences from building to building regarding this policy and the need to communicate these rules to students and faculty.
- Sue Harrison reported that the University needs to study and possibly establish a campus-wide policy regarding the disposal and treatment of hazardous substances in University buildings and on the University grounds. (A concerned person on campus stated that while some departments have Chemical Hygiene Plans, but suggested the University develop a campus plan and reference the plan in the Faculty and Staff Handbook.)
- Ivar Lunde raised the issue of security between Fine Arts and the Chippewa River and on upper campus at the Stein parking lot. Vandalism has been reported at both areas. Discussion of the problem followed. University Police will be notified.
Other Items from Senate Executive Committee Meetings
- The committee reviewed a Recommended Plan for Senate Committee Transitions and Elections. Discussion centered around the need to maintain continuity on the committees. It was agreed that natural attrition should occur, but that committee members should not be forced off committees if they move from one college or school to another. Discussion also addressed the need to announce to Senators, either at the next Senate meeting or through the mail, the need for their participation on Senate Committees. {from the minutes}
- An update on parking was requested. Vice Chancellor for Business and Student Services Bauer stated:
- A new 300 car lot for resident students will open south of Oakridge hall on property leased from Sacred Heart.
- Oakridge lot (~150 spaces) will be closed sometime in October to construct the new residence hall on that site.
- GF permits will continue next year. Up to the authorized 117 spaces will be utilized, depending on demand. Faculty and staff should be receiving the invitation to apply for GF permits shortly. F permits will be available in August as usual.
- Bus service will continue next year with the Water Street loop continuing on a 20-minute cycle. The Stein Blvd. Loop will change to a 30-minute cycle because Holiday Inn-Campus will be added to the schedule since 175 students will be living there.
Student Senate Meetings
- Passed: resolution in opposition to the use of Social Security numbers by instructors for posting grades. "Be it resolved that the Student Senate opposes the use of nine digit social security numbers for the posting of grades; and be it further resolved that the Student Senate request professors not to post any portion of a student's social security number; and be it further resolved that the Student Senate suggests that professors initiate grade posting policies including, but not limited to, the following proposals:
(a) assign each student in class a random number at the beginning of the semester for the specific purpose of posting grades;
(b) assign a random number to each test that is handed out and post the student's grades by using that number;
(c) when posting student grades, professors should not arrange the random number identification number alphabetically according to student's names."
- Passed: resolution in support of student input in the hiring of professors - that the Student Senate (1) support all opportunities that would allow students to get to know applicants for faculty positions and give their input on each applicant's strengths and weaknesses; (2) encourage all departments to implement such opportunities in their hiring procedures or reinstitute those 'student input' processes that may be in place, just not in use, and (3) encourage departments to announce such opportunities to classes during the hiring process.
- Passed: resolution in support of requiring students to meet with advisors when declaring or changing majors.
Board of Regents Meeting
- The Board approved Plan 2008: Educational Quality through Racial and Ethnic Diversity (http://www.uwsa.edu/multcult/index.htm). During 1998-99, each campus will prepare a document outlining local implementation of the plan for Board approval. A special sub-committee of the Education Committee of the Board will be created to help monitor the development of the plans.
- UW-Superior was authorized to implement the B.S. in Transportation and Logistics Management. The first readings were held for UW-Oshkosh's proposed M.A. in Information Systems and M.A. in English.
- In closed session, the Board appointed the new Chancellors for UW-Milwaukee and UW-Eau Claire.
Your opinion needed
- In the past the Faculty and Academic Staff Handbook has been available only in printed form. About every two years a new edition, complete with revisions, has been printed. This year the handbook will go online. Discussions have centered around: 1) whether the handbook should be processed as a web file or as 'pdf' document readable with Adobe Acrobat Reader and 2) whether two copies of the handbook should be available - one copy identical to the printed handbook and one working copy reflecting all updates in policies as approved by administration and the Senate.
- While everyone can easily point-and-click to access a web file, hours will be needed to convert any text document to the html-web format. It is often difficult to maintain page numbers online similar to page numbers in the printed handbook. It would be difficult to incorporate appropriate page breaks for printing. It would be very costly to maintain two copies.
- To access a 'pdf' document, the handbook file would be downloaded from a web page to the user's computer and then Adobe Acrobat Reader would be started to read the document. The Reader is free and can easily be accessed by everyone on campus through the network. The main advantage of using the Reader is that the online handbook would then look identical to the printed handbook, including all page numbers. It would also be rather easy to maintain two versions of the handbook. The disadvantage is that navigation within the handbook depends on using the page-based navigation within Acrobat Reader rather than on using preset point-and-click links.
WHAT DO YOU THINK?
- Should everyone be given a printed copy of the handbook?
- Should two copies of the handbook go online? (one identical to the printed copy, one working copy reflecting updates)
- Which format would you prefer? (web-based or downloadable Adobe Acrobat file)
PLEASE SHARE YOU COMMENTS with the Senate Office before you leave for the summer.
Email: senateu@uwec.edu or call 836-5288 (chair) 836-3419 (office)
REMEMBER TO ...
ENCOURAGE all faculty and academic staff
to return the election ballots as soon as possible.
COMPLETE the Senator Survey and return the survey yet this week.
ENJOY the summer!