Grundy Reporter

Illinois State Senate Committee on University Statutes and Senate Procedures met Oct. 25.

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

Guest: Linda Moorhouse (Chair, Senate Committee on Educational Policy)

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 October 11, 2021 meeting were approved as amended 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 SP.19.15 and SP.20.23 were presented to the Senate for first reading on October 18. There were no revisions suggested by senators; however, the administration proposed a revision to SP.20.23. Chair Gilmore noted that he has asked the subcommittee (Grossman, Trei, and Tolliver) to consider the suggested revision. If it is decided to revise the proposal, then SP will need to determine if the revision is substantive enough to require another first reading.

Chair Gilmore suggested that an additional meeting be scheduled to discuss SP.22.01

(Proposed Revisions to the Statutes (USC ST-83)). It was agreed that the additional meeting will be held on Monday, November 15 at 11am.

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

See Chair’s Remarks for additional information.

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

Linda Moorhouse, Chair of the Senate Committee on Educational Policy, attended to discuss this issue. Moorhouse gave an overview of EP’s current draft document (dated 9/4/2021) and the changes to how EP processes proposals that are received for consideration. Moorhouse explained the new system, Course Inventory Management (CIM-P), used by units to submit proposals to EP. Moorhouse shared that EP found there was a fear by units that EP would give pushback on proposals, so EP’s goal is to try to dispel that myth so units will see that EP is a vehicle to help. She noted that EP’s goal is to ensure that the best possible proposal is sent to the Senate.

Moorhouse noted that EP’s current draft document added more duties including removing some items from Standing Rule 13 and adding them to the Bylaws in a way that better represents how the committee currently functions.

Chair Gilmore commented that the elements of Standing Rule 13 have been increasingly specified over the years to try to capture some of the program diminishments and closures that were not being reported.

Friedman noted that Standing Rule 13 was originally written to cover some flagrant cases in which deans and directors were cutting units, emptying units of faculty, emptying units of budget, and in effect terminating units without following the Statutes, namely faculty review, faculty voting, Senate review, and Senate voting. He commented that he cannot support the elimination of Standing Rule 13 unless the essence of those restrictions are written into the Bylaws or the University will face similar instances of units not following the Statutes in the future.

Chair Gilmore thanked Moorhouse for attending.

SP will discuss this issue further at the next meeting.

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

See Chair’s Remarks for additional information.

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

Chair Gilmore reported that a series of meetings including Rob Kar, Chair of the Senate Executive Committee; John Dallesasse, Vice-Chair of the Senate Executive Committee; James Shriner, Chair of the Conference on Conduct Governance; and Jenny Roether, Clerk of the Senate, are scheduled to discuss this issue.

SP.21.09, Revision to the Bylaws, Part F.5 (Evaluation of the Chancellor)

The proposal was approved by the Senate on October 18, so it will be removed from the agenda.

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

No new discussion.

SP.21.11, Revision to the Constitution, Article VI, Section 7 and the Bylaws, Parts A.1-9, B.1-5, and D.1.c.1 (Presiding Officer)

SP reviewed the draft proposal that was prepared by Chair Gilmore and Roether. Chair Gilmore gave an overview of the document.

Tolliver noted the wording “shall be an elected member of the Senate electorate” and “may not…participate in debate or vote”, so commented that she would not want a current senator to serve as the presiding officer. Roether agreed that while the individual would be eligible to be a senator, the presiding officer role would be filled by a non-senator. Tolliver suggested additional wording to clarify that a current senator would not serve in the role.

Friedman suggested a model of electing an individual as vice-chair, who would then become chair the following year, and then presiding officer the year following the term as chair. Roether commented that the Sixth Senate Review Commission Report

(XSR.07.01) recommended a three-year cycle and it was not well received at that time.

Grossman noted that it may discourage someone from agreeing to serve if they are not able to make a three-year commitment. Friedman also suggested the use of the title

President rather than Presiding Officer, as being more concise and familiar.

SP will discuss the draft proposal further at the next meeting.

SP.22.01, Proposed Revisions to the Statutes (USC ST-83)

No new discussion.

SP.22.02, Revision to Standing Rule 14 – Setting the Agenda for Senate Meetings

No new discussion.

VI. NEW BUSINESS

No new business.

VII. ADJOURNMENT

The meeting was adjourned at 12:30 pm.

https://uofi.app.box.com/v/USSP/file/882504193534