Grundy Reporter

University of Illinois System University Senates Conference met Aug. 27.

Here is the minutes provided by the senates

PRESENT: Brennan, Campbell, Dallesasse, De Groote, Erricolo, Fisher, Hunt, Jenkins, Kar (Vice Chair), 

Maher, Razfar, Span, Steinberg, Stroscio, Varden, Wade (Chair)

ABSENT:  Danziger, Strahle, Zhan

GUESTS: Timothy Killeen, Jay Walsh, Barbara Wilson

Professor Wade, Chair, called the meeting to order at 10:00 a.m. She welcomed the new members and thanked President Killeen and Executive Vice President Wilson for all of the time they have spent meeting with USC.

I. Meeting with President Killeen and Executive Vice President Wilson

President Killeen described the process that began in March of many disciplines throughout the system working to reopen the campuses in the fall and keep them open. The SHIELD saliva test for COVID-19 does not require swabs and medical technicians, provides quick results, and is low-cost. Along with T3 – target, test, and tell – the virus can be quickly detected and those who are infected can be isolated. This, along with masks and distancing, allowed the system to reopen. While a spike of positive cases is expected at the beginning, the number should go down quickly with these processes in place. He discussed the positivity rates at each university and problems with students who were hosting parties, some knowingly with the virus.

President Killeen said that the Governor relied on the University of Illinois System for data and modeling, which included assessing exposure and risk. This most likely saved tens of thousands of lives.

USC members reported problems with the Safer Illinois app, such as battery function, and difficulties some employees are having getting to the Urbana campus to be tested. There were also concerns at UIUC with how the question is being asked about race when being tested. Vice President Walsh replied that there are requirements by the federal government that guide what questions must be asked to those receiving a COVID-19 test. Executive Vice President Wilson said that she appreciated the feedback. There might be better ways to handle the question on race. In addition, there might be the possibility of relaxing testing requirements for those who are not coming to campus.

President Killeen said that there is interest in the SHIELD saliva-based test from the community, from the state, nationally, and internationally. SHIELD Illinois is being set up to help address the needs of the state. SHIELD T3 is an LLC that is being formed to market the testing and tracking program nationally and internationally. The President said that labs are being expanded in Illinois and there will be SHIELD mobile units in various locations.

Executive Vice President Wilson reported that the system is working on a dashboard for all three universities that will include more data. She added that the three universities stepped up on their health campaigns for students.

President Killeen provided an update on the budget, including some of the costs to the system and the money provided by the state and the CARES ACT to address the pandemic. One important factor is whether the federal government will pass another stimulus package and, if so, whether it will include relief money for the states. He commented that faculty recruiting is ongoing, including the program to recruit stellar faculty.

Executive Vice President Wilson commented that she thinks the Student Mental Health Symposium scheduled for September 16 will be a great event. Dr. Gary Glass from Emory University will be the guest speaker. She reported on the number of registered participants.

The discussion returned to SHIELD and how it can help serve the communities and the state. President Killeen said that the current cost of a test is $15. The goal is to drive the cost down as low as possible, expand testing, particularly to those who are asymptomatic and typically do not get tested. Companies are interested in the test in order to get employees back to work. There are ongoing discussions with the state to address areas that have been hit hard by the pandemic.

Executive Vice President Wilson said that the revisions to the Statutes and the General Rules are scheduled to go to the Board in September. She will be sending a letter that outlines which issues are not being endorsed. She expressed her appreciation for all the faculty groups that have participated in moving this effort forward.

II. Approval of University Senates Conference Minutes of June 25, 2020

Approval of University Senates Conference Organizational Minutes of June 25, 2020 Approval of University Senates Conference Minutes of August 6, 2020

Professor Jenkins moved to approve the June 25 minutes. The motion was seconded by Professor Fisher and approved by voice vote. Professor Fisher moved to approve the June 25 organizational minutes. The motion was seconded by Professor Jenkins and approved by voice vote. Professor Jenkins moved to approve the August 6 minutes. The motion was seconded by Professor Span and approved by voice vote.

III. Classification of Senate Minutes

Class I: Matters of policy affecting one campus only. Item is sent to the President and Board of Trustees for action.

Class II: Matters affecting more than one campus. Item is sent to Senate(s) for action, then to President and Board of Trustees. At the time of this classification, the Conference member will file with the recording secretary an accurate final copy of the Senate action.

Class III: Amendments to the University of Illinois Statutes. Procedure is the same as with Class II items. At the time of reporting this classification, the Conference member will file with the recording secretary an accurate final copy of the Senate action.

Class N: This designation requires no USC action, but alerts one or more Senates to an item of interest from the originating Senate. The "N" is preceded by and followed by a lower case letter(s); c = Chicago; s = Springfield; u = Urbana-Champaign; usc = University Senates Conference. Example: "cNs,u" means | | that a matter has come up in the Chicago Senate, which may be of interest to Springfield and Urbana-Champaign.

Professor Jenkins moved to approve the classification of senate minutes. The motion was seconded and approved by voice vote.

A. The following items were classified N by the University Senates Conference:

1. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, July 13, 2020

uNc,s  SP.20.16 Revision to the Bylaws, Part D.3 – Committee on Admissions

SP.20.28 Revision to the Bylaws, Part D.11 – Committee on Faculty and

Academic Staff Benefits

SP.20.30 Revision to the Bylaws, Part A – Meetings

SC.20.38 Authorizing the Senate Committee on Academic Freedom and

Tenure Hearing Committees to Complete Work on Cases Submitted

During the 2019-2020 Academic Year

RS.20.06 Urbana-Champaign Senate Resolution on CDC Guidelines and

Student Isolation/Quarantining

RS.20.02 Resolution on Sexual Harassment Reporting

IV. Remarks from the USC Chair

Professor Wade commented that she was thankful for the extra meetings USC had over the summer with President Killeen and EVP Wilson. She was glad to hear that the system will be best positioned in the country in terms of surveillance testing and tracking. While there are still concerns, the system is a point of pride and confidence. Professor Wade stressed that the pandemic is not the only issue impacting higher education and our world. When a serious problem needs to be addressed, we have shown that there is a way to get the resources to deal with it. Systemic racism needs to be addressed as well as the pandemic.

V. USC Committee of the Whole Discussion: Follow-up Items from the morning session

The group discussed various issues, including information gaps and how to make information more available to everyone, recognizing that we are in a world of surveillance when it comes to technology while still being able to have trust when certain mechanisms are safety-guided, not dismissing skepticism but rather addressing it, and ongoing union negotiations.

Explanation of File Numbers

ST - University of Illinois Statutes

GR - The General Rules Concerning University Organization and Procedure NC - Nominating Committee

OT - All other items

VI. Old Business - Action Items

1. OT-369. Addressing Systemic Racism and Racial Justice (formerly Proposed action plan for Black Lives Matter). Letter to President Killeen 6/25/20.

USC discussed the letter that was sent to the President in June. Professor Kar clarified that the group was recommending some type of entity at the system level that brings experts together, not necessarily an actual center. Professor Razfar added that the letter sets the tone that systemic racism and racial justice should be addressed with similar effort that COVID- 19 is being addressed. There needs to be commitment at the system level, and efforts substantiated at the university level. Professor Steinberg said that there should be a permanent rather than temporary form. Professor Brennan stressed the need for academic connections to any system institutions. Professor Dallesasse commented that each university has had significant authority over their own policies and practices concerning the pandemic, with the system providing some general, overriding principles. This structure could be effective with this issue. In addition to system coordination, Professor Jenkins stressed that resources need to be dedicated to these efforts. Professor Hunt said that this is the time and place for a mass move against systemic racism. We should not be only responding to pressures of the moment.

2. OT-371. Proposed revisions to the University of Illinois Residency Status Policy.

Professor Wade reported that this item would not be taken to the Board in September. Professor Brennan reported on the meeting that he and Professors Burbules and Tolliver had with Dr. Julian Parrott in the Executive Vice President’s Office regarding revisions to the policy. Professor Wade asked the USC Statutes and Governance Committee to review the document prepared by the group that met with Dr. Parrott and provide recommendations to USC.

VII. New Business

3. USC Observer to Board of Trustees meeting:

4. OT-372. Proposal to establish a consultation process for system policies.

USC decided to discuss this issue at its retreat in September.

5. OT-373. Proposal to revise the University Senates Conference Mission Statement.

USC considered changing its mission statement from: “To work for the greater good of the University of Illinois and all of its campuses.” to: “To work for the greater good of the University of Illinois System and all of its universities.” Professor Kar moved to revise the mission statement accordingly. The motion was seconded by Professor Span and approved by voice vote.

VIII. Old Business – Information and Discussion Items

6. OT-326. USC Presentations to the Board of Trustees.

USC discussed Professor Wade’s draft report to the Board and provided comments.

7. ST-83. Revisions to the Statutes – new proposed revisions and proposed revisions from ST-77 that need further discussion (B File). Sent to Executive Vice President Wilson 5/1/20.

There was no new information.

8. ST-84. Proposed Revisions to the Statutes, Article VIII, Section 4 – Changes in Existing Units. Passed UIUC Senate 11/12/18. Transmitted to Senates 12/18/18. Revised UIUC Senate document transmitted to UIC and UIS Senates 5/7/19. Passed UIS Senate 8/30/19. Passed with amendments UIC Senate 1/30/20. UIC Senate amendments transmitted to UIS and UIUC Senates 3/2/20. Passed UIS Senate 4/3/20. Passed with amendments UIUC Senate 4/27/20. Reconciled language approved by USC 5/29/29. Reconciled language to Senates 6/2/20. UIUC Senate USSP response 6/5/20. UIC SEC response 6/10/20.

There was no new information.

9. ST-85. Proposed Revisions to the Statute, Article X, Section 1 (Tenure of Academic Staff) (a) 6 and 7 – to permit the use of five-year appointments for non-tenure track faculty. Passed UIC Senate 4/22/20. Transmitted to UIS and UIUC Senates 5/1/20.

There was no new information.

10. ST-86. Proposed Revisions to the Statutes, Article III, Sections 3 and 5, and Article VI – Dean, Director, or Campus Librarian. Passed UIUC Senate 4/27/20. Transmitted to UIC and UIS Senates 5/1/20.

There was no new information.

11. OT-356. Discovery Partners Institute. Transmitted to Senates 2/28/19. Endorsed UIS Senate 3/22/19. UIC Senate did not pass; sent list of concerns 3/27/19. Endorsed UIUC

Senate 4/22/19. Transmitted to President 5/7/19. USC Response to Recommendations for Shared Governance for the Discovery Partners Institute from the DPI Academic Governance Advisory Group 9/23/19.

There was no new information.

12. OT-363. Recognizing and Rewarding Faculty Participation in Shared Governance.

There was no new information.

13. OT-364. Student Mental Health Services Symposium.

There was no new information.

14. OT-365. System Policies on Sexual Misconduct - University of Illinois System Policy on Intimate Personal Relationships and University of Illinois Policy on Consideration of Sexual Misconduct in Prior Employment. Sent to USC by the Executive Vice President 2/14/20. USC advice 2/25/20. Revised policies to USC from the Executive Vice President 3/30/20. Transmitted to Senates 4/2/20. Approved by the Board of Trustees 5/21/20.

There was no new information.

15. OT-366. Policy on Integrity in Research and Publication. Sent to USC by the Executive Vice President 3/16/20. Transmitted to Senates 4/2/20.

There was no new information.

16. OT-367. Clarification of the General Rules sections on intellectual property in relation to course materials. Approved by USC 5/29/20. Transmitted to Senates 6/2/20. UIC SEC response 6/10/20.

There was no new information.

17. OT-368. USC in the next academic year.

There was no new information.

18. OT-123. University Senates Conference Guests.

The Conference discussed guests to invite to future meetings and, specifically, to its September retreat.

19. Report from USC Observer to Board of Trustees meeting:

Thursday, July 23, 2020 Livestream Nicholas Burbules

A written report was provided by Professor Burbules.

20. UniversityUpdates. 

There were no updates.

21. OT-142. External Groups with USC Representatives: Enrollment Management Policy Council (Wade); President’s Executive Leadership Program (De Groote); Vice President for Academic Affairs Faculty Advisory Committee for System Academic Affairs; Student Mental Health Services Summit Working Group (Hunt); Sexual Misconduct Implementation Group (Kar, Strahle, Stroscio); U of I System Going Forward: Excellence Amid COVID-19 Steering Committee (John Dallesasse); DPI Bylaws Task Force (De Groote).

There were no updates.

22. Reports from USC Committee Chairs:

Academic Affairs and Research Committee Finance, Budget and Benefits Committee Statutes and Governance Committee

There were no updates. 

IX. Adjournment

The meeting adjourned at 4:15 p.m.

http://www.usc.uillinois.edu/sites/usc.uillinois.edu/files/minutes/MIN-0827.20.pdf