Grundy Reporter

Illinois State Senate Committee on University Statutes and Senate Procedures Met April 13.

Here is the minutes provided by the committee:

Present: Chair Shawn Gilmore, H. George Friedman, Michael Grossman, William Maher, Owen Skelding, Joyce Tolliver, Brent West

Ex officio: Jessica Mette, Sharon Reynolds, Jenny Roether

Absent: Terri Ciofalo, Kelli Trei

Guests: Sarah Zehr (Assistant Vice President for Academic Affairs)

I. CALL TO ORDER

A regular meeting of the Senate Committee on University Statutes and Senate Procedures (SP) was called to order at 9:00 am with Chair Gilmore presiding.

II. APPROVAL OF MINUTES

The minutes of the March 30, 2021 meeting were approved as amended by roll call vote.

Yes: Friedman, Gilmore, Grossman, Maher, Skelding, Tolliver, West

No: None

Abstain: None

III. PUBLIC COMMENT

No requests received.

IV. CHAIR’S REMARKS

Chair Gilmore reported that several items were approved by the Senate on April 5:

SP.21.03, Revision to the Bylaws, Part D.20 – Committee on University Student Life SP.21.04, Proposed Revision to the Constitution, Article VI, Section 7

SP.21.07, Revision to the Bylaws, Part D.12 – Committee on General University Policy SP.21.08, Revision to the Bylaws, Part F.3 – Military Education Council

Chair Gilmore noted that the focus of the meeting will be SP.19.15 (Proposed Revisions to the Statutes, Article IV, Section 1 – The Department, Section 2 – Department Organized with a Chair, Section 3 – Department Organized with a Head, and Section 4 – Change of Departmental Organization).

V. OLD BUSINESS

SP.18.15, Senate Handbook

No new discussion.

SP.19.15, Proposed Revisions to the Statutes, Article IV, Section 1 – The Department, Section 2 – Department Organized with a Chair, Section 3 – Department Organized with a Head, and Section 4 – Change of Departmental Organization

SP reviewed and discussed the feedback received from the Senate Committee on General University Policy (GP) including:

• The role of the head or chair on the advisory or executive committee in each department.

• The wording on lines 111-114: “The head may be relieved of title and duties as head of the department by the chancellor/vice president on recommendations by the dean of the college and the advisory committee of the department.”

Chair Gilmore shared the feedback he received from William Bernhard, Vice Provost for Academic Affairs, including:

• Revising the head and chair provisions to make them parallel would strengthen this section of the Statutes.

• Concerns regarding department level autonomy which is typically settled in department Bylaws.

• Concerns on the limits placed on department heads – implications for the authority of deans regarding review and appointment of heads.

• If heads and chairs are more parallel, do these positions differ without distinction?

• Revisions propose a global solution to local problems. Is a statutory revision the best solution?

In response to this feedback, Friedman noted that the majority of the revisions are simply rearranging the current language in the Statutes, and what is proposed as new ideas are relatively minor.

Chair Gilmore agreed and noted the need to better clarify in the background why the revisions are recommended for approval. He also noted that the proposal will go to the Senate in the fall semester, but he would like to finalize any additional revisions that are needed to the draft proposal prior to the end of the spring semester.

SP.20.05, Revision to the Bylaws, Part D.8 – Senate Committee on Educational Policy and Standing Rule 13 – Formation, Termination, Separation, Transfer, Merger, Change in Status, and Renaming of Units

Chair Gilmore noted that SP will discuss the proposal further once feedback is received from the Council of Deans.

SP.20.07, Revision to the Bylaws, Part E (Governing and Advisory Bodies) and Part F (Senate Representatives to Other Bodies)

No new discussion.

SP.20.23, Proposed Revisions to the Statutes, Article I, Section 5 – Chancellors and Vice Presidents, Article II, Section 3a(1) – Faculty Role in Governance, and Article III, Section 1 – The Campus

No new discussion.

SP.20.25, Revision to Senate Governing Documents Regarding Emergencies No new discussion.

SP.21.03, Revision to the Bylaws, Part D.20 – Committee on University Student Life The proposal was approved by the Senate on April 5, 20 it will be removed from the agenda.

SP.21.04, Revision to the Constitution, Article VI, Section 7

The proposal was approved by the Senate on April 5, 20 it will be removed from the agenda.

SP.21.05, Revision to the Bylaws, Part D.7 – Conference on Conduct Governance Chair Gilmore noted that SP will discuss the proposal further once feedback is received from the Conference on Conduct Governance.

SP.21.07, Revision to the Bylaws, Part D.12 – Committee on General University Policy The proposal was approved by the Senate on April 5, 20 it will be removed from the agenda.

SP.21.08, Revision to the Bylaws, Part F.3 – Military Education Council The proposal was approved by the Senate on April 5, 20 it will be removed from the agenda.

SP.21.09, Revision to the Bylaws, Part D.1.a – Senate Executive Committee, Duties (Evaluation of the Chancellor)

No new discussion.

SP.21.10, Revision to the Bylaws, Part D.1.c – Senate Executive Committee, Membership

Chair Gilmore commented during the Senate’s deliberations on SP.20.06 (Revision to the Bylaws, Part D.1 – Senate Executive Committee (eligibility/duties of Chair and Vice Chair)) on September 21, 2020, it was suggested that a Senate Committee of the Whole discussion on the membership of the Senate Executive Committee should occur. Chair Gilmore gave an overview of the draft document which would be sent to the Senate for the Committee of the Whole discussion.

Chair Gilmore encouraged SP members to send any suggested revisions to him via email.

SP.21.11, Revision to the Bylaws, Part A.1 – Meetings (Speaker of the Senate) Chair Gilmore asked SP members to review the draft document and to let him know of any suggested revisions. This issue may possibly be included on the April 26 Senate meeting agenda as a Committee of the Whole discussion.

VI. NEW BUSINESS

SP.21.12, Call for Volunteers to Serve as 2021-2022 Parliamentarians

Friedman suggested that an email could be sent to the Senate membership requesting volunteers to serve as parliamentarian for the 2021-2022 academic year. Roether noted that she included interest to serve as parliamentarian on the Senate committee interest form this year and has received some interest. She will share that information with SP.

SP.21.13, 2020-2021 Annual Report of the Senate Committee on University Statutes and Senate Procedures

No new discussion.

VII. ADJOURNMENT

The meeting was adjourned at 10:35 am.

https://uofi.app.box.com/v/USSP/file/801848317850