Illinois State Senate Committee on University Statutes and Senate Procedures met Nov. 29.
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), 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 11:00 am with Chair Gilmore presiding.
II. APPROVAL OF MINUTES
The minutes of the November 8, 2021 meeting were approved as distributed by roll call vote.
Yes: Friedman, Gilmore, Grossman, Maher, Ruud
No: None
Abstain: None
The minutes of the November 15, 2021 meetings 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 two items were presented for action at the November Senate meeting:
• 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 University) was approved as amended by the Senate.
• 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) was returned to the committee specifically to address concerns by a senator regarding how a dean might be able to override the faculty’s vote to change their department’s organization from a head to a chair or a chair to a head. Chair Gilmore asked the subcommittee (Grossman, Tolliver, Trei) to review the matter. Tolliver commented that the subcommittee had a consensus that in case of a conflict between a dean and the faculty of the unit, then the dean would forward the advice of the unit along with the advice of the dean to the Chancellor, and the Chancellor would make the final decision. Friedman noted that the current Statutes state that the chancellor shall transmit the vote of the faculty along with the dean and the chancellor’s recommendations to the Board of Trustees.
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 SP reviewed and revised the draft proposal including:
• Remove lines 23-26 in the Legislative Jurisdiction section to insert elsewhere in the proposal.
• Agreement with addition of phrase “prior to any attempt to implement” on lines 43-44 to clarify the timeline when a recommendation must be shared with the Senate.
• Addition of reference to the Statutes, Article VIII, Sections 3 and 4 in lines 43-54.
• Wording regarding temporarily or permanently suspending enrollment to an approved program of study needs to be revised for clarification.
The draft proposal will be updated for further discussion 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 University
The proposal was amended and approved by the Senate on November 15, so it will be removed from the agenda.
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.21.10, Revision to the Bylaws, Part D.1.c – Senate Executive Committee,
Membership
A draft proposal was shared with SP prior to the meeting. SP will discuss the draft proposal at a future meeting.
SP.21.11, Proposed Revisions 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 updated draft proposal. Friedman noted concern with the removal of “faculty members of” on line 74. He commented that this wording ensures faculty members are elected to the Senate Executive Committee (SEC), so the removal will not guarantee the election of faculty members to SEC if an academic professional or student serve as chair of standing committee of the Senate. Tolliver noted agreement with Friedman. SP agreed to retain “faculty members of” to ensure the election of faculty members to SEC.
Roether noted that the Bylaws, part D.1.c.1.g should be revised to specify faculty committee chairs, so it is parallel with the Bylaws, Part A.6.e.
Friedman suggested President of the Senate instead of Presiding Officer of the Senate. Roether noted that the only role of this position is to preside over the meetings, so SP does not want to create confusion between this role and the role of the chair of the SEC.
Chair Gilmore noted that the UIC Senate has a Presiding Officer of the Senate.
The draft proposal will be updated for further discussion at the next meeting.
SP.22.01, Proposed Revisions to the Statutes (USC ST-83)
No new discussion.
SP.22.02, Revision to the Bylaws, Part A.3 and Standing Rule 14 – Setting the Agenda for Senate Meetings
No new discussion.
SP.22.03, Proposed Revisions to the Constitution, Article VI, Section 9 (Senate review) and the Bylaws, Part D.1.a – Senate Executive Committee Duties
No new discussion.
VI. NEW BUSINESS
No new business.
VII. ADJOURNMENT
The meeting was adjourned at 12:30 pm.
https://www.senate.illinois.edu/committees.asp
Alerts Sign-up