Grundy Reporter

Illinois State Senate Committee on University Statutes and Senate Procedures met Oct. 11.

Here are the minutes provided by the committee:

Present: Chair Shawn Gilmore, H. George Friedman, Michael Grossman, William Maher, Collin Ruud, Joyce Tolliver, Kelli Trei

Ex officio: Jessica Mette, Sharon Reynolds, Jenny Roether

Absent: Walter Deering, Kassim Jaffer

I. CALL TO ORDER

A regular meeting of the Senate Committee on University Statutes and Senate Procedures (SP) was called to order at 11:00 am with Chair Gilmore presiding.

II. APPROVAL OF MINUTES

The minutes of the September 27, 2021 meeting were approved as distributed by roll call vote.

Yes: Friedman, Gilmore, Grossman, Maher, Ruud, Tolliver, Trei

No: None

Abstain: None

III. PUBLIC COMMENT

No requests received.

IV. CHAIR’S REMARKS

Chair Gilmore reported that he has corresponded with Linda Moorhouse, Chair of the Senate Committee on Educational Policy (EP), to share SP’s initial concerns about differences between the EP version and the previous SP version of 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). He noted that a subcommittee of EP drafted the EP document over the summer based on input from the Council of Deans and the Office of the Provost, and the resulting document represents a compromise within the committee.

Chair Gilmore reported that he spoke with Rob Kar, Chair of the Senate Executive Committee and Chair of University Senates Conference (USC), regarding SP.22.01 (Proposed Revisions to the Statutes (USC ST-83)). Based on that conversation, Chair Gilmore has started an email correspondence with the chairs of the three senates and USC to share concerns that all three campuses should be aware of, including the removal of the phrase “academic staff.” Removal could create significant issues with other policy documents that rely on that phrase as it currently exists in the Statutes.

V. OLD BUSINESS

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 revised the updated draft proposal.

Friedman made a motion to approve the proposal to be presented for first reading at the October Senate meeting and approval at the November Senate meeting, The motion was seconded. SP approved the proposal via roll call vote.

Yes: Friedman, Gilmore, Grossman, Maher, Ruud, Tolliver, Trei

No: None

Abstain: None

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

See Chair’s Remarks for additional information.

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

SP reviewed and revised the updated draft proposal.

Grossman made a motion to approve the proposal, pending final review by SP via email, for first reading at the October Senate meeting and approval at the November Senate meeting. The motion was seconded. SP approved the proposal via roll call vote.

Yes: Friedman, Gilmore, Grossman, Maher, Ruud, Tolliver, Trei

No: None

Abstain: None

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

SP.21.05, Revision to the Bylaws, Part D.7 – Conference on Conduct Governance No new discussion.

SP.21.09, Revision to the Bylaws, Part F.5 (Evaluation of the Chancellor) SP reviewed the updated draft proposal and discussed wording regarding representatives of other University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign constituencies. SP revised the final two sentences to read:

Such a committee shall include faculty, academic professional, and student members, elected in accordance with Article VI, Section 11 of the Senate Constitution, and other University of Illinois Urbana Champaign constituencies as the Senate shall determine. Representatives of such University of Illinois Urbana Champaign constituencies shall be nominated in consultation with representative bodies of those constituencies and shall be elected by the full Senate.

Friedman made a motion to approve the proposal, pending final review by SP via email, to be presented for approval at the October Senate meeting. The motion was seconded. SP approved the proposal via roll call vote.

Yes: Friedman, Gilmore, Grossman, Maher, Ruud, Tolliver, Trei 

No: None

Abstain: None

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

No new discussion.

SP.21.11, Revision to the Bylaws, Part A.1 – Meetings (Speaker of the Senate) Chair Gilmore reported that Roether and he are drafting language to explore creating a presiding officer of the Senate. He commented that UIC has a named Presiding Officer, so the draft will include similar language.

SP.22.01, Proposed Revisions to the Statutes (USC ST-83) See Chair’s Remarks for additional information.

SP.22.02, Revision to Standing Rule 14 – Setting the Agenda for Senate Meetings Chair Gilmore reported that the Senate Executive Committee has faced challenges regarding how to move resolutions submitted by individual senators or small groups of senators through to the Senate. Currently, Standing Rule 13 implies that the resolution is usually included on the next Senate agenda, but provides some latitude to work with the authors of the resolution. SP will want to specify the process and the privileges of the sponsors of the resolution.

Chair Gilmore noted that the Bylaws, Part A.3 may also need revised. The current wording states:

…Items of business submitted to the Senate Executive Committee by any senator or Senate committee shall be placed on the agenda, provided that such items are submitted in writing prior to preparation and distribution of the agenda….

SP will discuss this issue further at a future meeting.

VI. NEW BUSINESS

No new business.

VII. ADJOURNMENT

The meeting was adjourned at 12:35 pm.

https://uofi.app.box.com/v/USSP/file/877553744620