UNIVERSITY SENATE MINUTES
April 12, 1999
The University Senate met at 3:30 p.m. in Room 338 of the Memorial Union
with Dr. J. Gerst presiding and the following members present: Baiocchi,
Buckhoff, Chihos, T. Christensen, R. Collins, T. Colville, Corry, Danbom,
Esslinger, Gessel, Grafton, Hageman, D. Hawley, Helweg, Horvik, Jackman,
Khan, A. Kostecki, C. W. Lee, Leitch, Martens, McCaul, McCourt, D. Miller,
R. O'Connor, N. A. Olson, Padmanabhan, C. D. Peterson, Pieri, Rottman,
R. C. Schnell, W. Slanger, N. Waldhaus, Youngs, Bernstein, M. H. Hubbard,
T. M. Jackson, J. W. Larson.
Substitutes: Sanders for V. Clark, Loll for J. R. Cook, M. Morris for
Hershberger, Garrison for S. Jacobson, Statler for P. Jensen, Kianian for
Novy, G. Cook for Sibi, Rasmussen for Steffenson, and E. Leier for T. Topero.
Previous Minutes
MOTION (T. Colville/Chihos): to approve the minutes of March 15, 1999.
MOTION PASSED.
General Announcements
1. Library Budget
Dr. Schnell reported that Interim President Fischer allocated $200,000 to
stave off net serial cancellations for the next two years. He noted that
this is a temporary measure. The serials cost-versus-budget issue will need
to be faced again in the future.
2. Impact of the Governor's 95% Budget
Dr. Schnell announced that the Governor's 95% budget will result in position
reductions for the following units:
ø Agriculture - part of four positions
ø Athletics - part of one position
ø Geography - one position
ø Hotel, Motel & Restaurant Management - one position
ø Health, Physical Education & Recreation - parts of two positions
ø Industrial Engineering - one position
ø Theatre - four one-half-time positions
ø Office of Vice President for Academic Affairs - $15,000 used to add extra
sections to high-demand courses
ø Economics - potentially four positions, which may be via early retirements
3. Legislative Update
Dr. Schnell reported that we should receive 98% of our budget. If received,
the added 3% (beyond the Governor's 95%) would be designated for equity and
special programming.
4. Call for Presiding Officer-Elect Nominations
Presiding Officer Gerst urged senators to submit nominations for presiding
officer-elect. Eligible nominees include any elected member of the University
Senate who has at least two years of membership remaining at the conclusion
of this academic year.
Reports
1. Teaching and Professional Service Committee
Demcey Johnson, committee chair, reviewed the committee's report on
recommendations for expanding the means available to evaluate teaching
effectiveness, shown in Attachment 1 (attachment is available by calling
the Office of the Registrar at 701-231-7988). Their charge was to consider
ways to supplement data provided by student evaluations.
Committee recommendations are to conduct evaluations that serve both formative
and summative functions. The report includes three points:
a. Measurement of teaching effectiveness should be multi-dimensional, and
not confined to student evaluations.
b. Each department should broaden the scope of its teaching evaluation while
retaining control over methods and format.
c. For each instructor, at least one course should be evaluated every
semester.
MOTION (Gerst/Colville): to accept the recommendations in Attachment 1 and
forward the three points to department chairs. MOTION PASSED BY UNANIMOUS
CONSENT.
2. Computer Planning and Goals (CPG) Committee
a. NDSU Modem Pool Recommendations
Val Tareski, committee chair, distributed a handout shown in Attachment 2
(attachment is available by calling the Office of the Registrar at 701-231-7988).
He reported that survey results from a sample of campus users indicated that
a significant percentage would be hampered if the modem pool was not
continued. Survey results are available from the CPG web page.
MOTION (Tareski/M. Hubbard): to accept the CPG committee modem pool
recommendations as shown in Attachment 2. MOTION PASSED BY UNANIMOUS CONSENT.
CPG committee recommendations are the following:
(1) Keep the present modem pool and associated telephone lines "as is" for
at least one more academic year (1999-2000) with only some policy changes
regarding maximum connection time during peak usage periods.
(2) Undertake a significant effort involving the computer user community
to explore alternate means to provide appropriate access to NDSU
computing resources.
Bonnie Neas, Director of ITS, responded to questions regarding consequences
of accepting the CPG committee recommendations. She said they would recommend
limiting access time during peak usage periods (5:00 p.m.-1:00 a.m.).
Further, except for implementing a Service Center, there would be no new
initiatives. She stated that planning for the future would be very important,
and asked senators to provide input by February 2000 to plan for the next
biennium.
b. Computer Users Project
Tareski distributed a handout titled "NDSU Computer Users Project," shown
in Attachment 3 (attachment is available by calling the Office of the
Registrar at 701-231-7988). He reported that the project aim is to find a more
consistent way to do planning through two phases: (1) a broad-based survey
and (2) an ongoing, annual evaluation of user-driven computing needs.
MOTION (R. C. Schnell/McCaul): to receive the report. MOTION PASSED BY
UNANIMOUS CONSENT.
Tareski also announced that, at the recommendation of the Cluster Committee,
the software in the computer clusters would remain with Windows 95 for the
next year.
Unfinished Business
ø Establishing a Technology-Enhanced Learning Committee - Second Reading
MOTION (McCourt/Jackman): To approve a new University Senate standing
committee on Technology-Enhanced Learning as presented in Attachment 4
(attachment is available by calling the Office of the Registrar at 701-231-7988).
MOTION PASSED BY UNANIMOUS CONSENT.
New Business
ø World Wide Web Use Policies - Draft
MOTION (Youngs/Jackman): to suspend the Senate rules to discuss the draft
of the World Wide Web Use Policies, shown in Attachment 5 (attachment is
available by calling the Office of the Registrar at 701-231-7988), without
taking a vote. MOTION PASSED BY UNANIMOUS CONSENT.
William Slanger, chair of the Web Advisory Board, reviewed the chronology
of events leading up to the current draft of the World Wide Web Use Policies.
He highlighted responses made to issues raised regarding policy. He
emphasized the aims of the policy:
1. A successful North Dakota State University web site attracts prospective
students; markets the university and its resident expertise; and strives
to swiftly guide users to all resources. A coordinated and consistent
visual identity system creates and reinforces the image of North Dakota
State University as a credible institution. Users will appreciate,
recognize, remember, and understand the NDSU web site because its graphic
imagery and navigational tools are consistent.
2. The WWW is one vehicle by which each campus unit may express to the world
its perception of its unique contribution to the North Dakota State
University mission. It is important that each unit emphasize its
relationship to the entire NDSU community on the WWW site. It is the
policy of NDSU that the Web Advisory Board will promote an environment
that facilitates the development of high quality NDSU WWW sites where
units express both their uniqueness and affiliation with NDSU.
3. Lines and extents of responsibility for initiating and maintaining WWW
pages are the same as those currently in place for other NDSU-related
activities. These responsibilities include compliance with requirements
specified for the pertinent class(es) of WWW page(s).
W. Slanger asked senators to focus on the preamble/preface to the document,
and explained that the policies flow from this.
Discussion yielded the following:
1. Clarification of the approval process on this policy may need to be
reviewed.
2. The Policy Coordinating Committee has approved the draft document.
3. Issues underlying the policy are the following:
ø Consistency
ø Liability
ø Accuracy
4. The Computer Planning and Goals committee has drafted proposed amendments
to the draft policy. These may be acquired from the CPG web page.
RECOMMENDATION: The Web Advisory Board and the Computer Planning and Goals
committee should hold a joint meeting to resolve the proposed amendment
issues. Related materials are to be distributed one week in advance of the
next Senate meeting, which is scheduled for May 3, 1999.
Adjournment
The meeting was adjourned at 5:12 p.m.
Alberta M. Dobry, Ph.D.
Secretary
