ECUS Meeting

8 May, 2009

 

Present: Karynne Kleine (PO)

              Ken McGill (POE)

              Dean Baker (Sec)

              Tanya Goette

              Dorothy Leland (University President)

  Craig Turner (Webmaster)

  Deborah Vess EO

  Christine Zuger

 

Regrets: Sandra Jordan (University Provost)

 

Business:

1) Secure secretary

2) Discuss operating procedures

3) Assign reoccurring tasks (especially the Standing Committee Officer orientation to be held 21 August)

4) Discuss summer meetings

5) Determine meetings for fall semester (currently the two best times for response from 3 people is Monday 9:30-10:45; Wednesday 3:15-4:30)

 

V.Section1.A. The Executive Committee of the University Senate shall have no fewer than eight (8) but no more than ten (10) members distributed as follows: one (1) member that is the University President, one (1) member that is the Chief Academic Officer, one (1) member that is the Presiding Officer of the University Senate, one (1) member that is the Presiding Officer Elect of the University Senate, one (1) member that is the Secretary of the University Senate, and up to five (5) additional members as specified in V.Section1.A.1 and V.Section.1.A.2.  The Chair of the Executive Committee shall be the Presiding Officer of the University Senate.  The Vice-Chair of the Executive Committee shall be the Presiding Officer Elect of the University Senate.  Within ten (10) calendar days of its membership being completely determined, the incoming Executive Committee shall hold an organizational meeting at which they elect a Secretary.  This election shall be presided over by the Chair of the Executive Committee.

 

To consider for operating procedures:

·                      Frequency of meetings

·                      Order of business

·                      “Officialness” of agenda

·                      Reviewing minutes

·                      How we ensure voices are heard, perspectives are considered, we are meeting obligations

 

 

Governing Concepts of the University Senate

Endorsed by University Senate Bylaws and Governing Concepts Committee 02-22-06

Endorsed by the Executive Committee 09-12-06

Approved as MOTION 0607.EC.001.O by the University Senate on 09-25-06

Approved by President Leland on 09-25-06

 

The governing concepts of the University Senate listed below serve as ideals for shared governance and provide a means by which shared governance can be periodically evaluated.

 

 

1.  Shared Sense of Purpose

A shared sense of purpose for institutional governance is the university community's shared understanding of and commitment to its values, mission and goals through shared decision making.

 

2.  Collegial Leadership

Shared governance requires capable and competent leaders from among administrators, faculty, staff, and students.  Such leaders are characterized by the ability to critically evaluate how well they have performed, work to improve the leadership capabilities of themselves and others, and encourage and foster mutual respect among governance participants as they thoughtfully and thoroughly debate issues before the University Senate and its committees.  They should be proficient, dependable, and above all else trustworthy as they faithfully guide and direct the development of policies and procedures that are widely understood and supported by members of the University community.

 

3.  Transparent Decision Making

University policy, to be easily understood and widely supported by all constituencies, is readily available in a unified and consistent format and developed by full and complete vetting of issues using transparent processes of decision making.  Decision making is respectful of how the process affects the confidence and trust of the university community and of the distinct, yet interdependent roles the administration, faculty, staff and students have in developing and implementing university policy.

 

4.  Investment in Shared Governance

Members of the university community, by nature and profession, are invested in continual teaching and learning.  University policy based on vision, core values, and governing concepts invites all members of the university community to take responsibility for educating themselves and their colleagues in order to make informed decisions. 

 

5.  Shared Information

Timely and adequate information is readily available to all members of the university community.  Information is conveyed through multiple portals to promote broad access to enhance communication across campus. 

 

6.  Positive Motivators

Motivation of stakeholders in shared governance is impacted positively by identifying, confronting, communicating and debating policy issues, and building trust in an intelligent, respectful manner

 

7.  Adequate Resources

Shared governance requires adequate human, temporal, and fiscal resources to draft and review university policy, fully vet university policy under consideration with the University community as well as formulate voting positions in consultation with constituencies.  Adequate resources provide support for current senators, develop future senators, and provide a culture characterized by confidence, familiarity, trust, and participation in the shared governance process.

 

 

Executive Committee – A Summary of Committee Tasks

 

V.Section1.C.16.  The Executive Committee shall be responsible for operational matters of the University Senate including, but not limited to,

Ø      consulted for Presidential Appointees (II.Section1.A.1),

Ø      receive Corps of Instruction List (II.Section2.A.1),

Ø      apportion elected faculty senator positions (II.Section2.A.2),

Ø      receive election/selection procedures and results and announce results for academic units (II.Section2.A.3), Staff Council (II.Section1.A.3), students (II.Section1.A.4),

Ø      conduct at-large elections (II.Section2.A.4),

Ø      name a parliamentarian (II.Section3.B.3),

Ø      receive operating procedures of committees (III.Section1),

Ø      is one source that can initiate standing committee business (IV.Section1),

Ø      receive motion text and disseminate agenda for Senate meetings (IV.Section2),

Ø      receive and archive committee annual reports (IV.Section2),

Ø      name facilitator and necessary voting proxies for standing committee chair elections (IV.Section3.A),

Ø      receive committee composition report from Subcommittee on Nominations (V.Section1.D.2.d),

Ø      receive or make motions for the addition of permanent subcommittees (V.Section2.A.3.a), and

Ø      receive ad hoc committee charters (V.Section2.A.3.b).

 

ECUS Checklists

Ø      Calendar

Ø      University Senator Recognition

Ø      University Senate Education

Ø      Governance Calendar

Ø      Standing Committee Officer Orientation

Ø      Ongoing Reminders for Standing Committee Chairs

Ø      Governance Retreat

Ø      University Senate Faculty Elections (including at-large election)

 

Tasks for which a Point Person might be assigned

Ø      Governance Calendar for following academic year (as soon as possible)

Ø      Governance Retreat Planning Committee (year long)

Ø      Bylaws Updates (year long) – resignation, presidential appointees, elected staff

Ø      Apportionment (Sep 15 – Oct 1)

Ø      School/Library Faculty Elections (Dec 1 / Feb 1)

Ø      Staff Elections (of up to four Senators) for following academic  year (Dec 1 / Feb 1)

Ø      Student Selection (of two Senators) for following academic year (Dec 1 / Feb 1)

Ø      Standing Committee Officer Orientation (august/sept)

Ø      Committee on Nominations (Slate of Nominees for Senate Committees) (march/april)

Ø      At-Large Election (Procedure, Nomination, Ballot, Implementation, Results) (feb/march)