Subject:                University Senate Meeting Report

Date:                    31 October 2005

Committee:           Executive Committee

Submitted by:        Dr. Cheryl Reynolds, Chair

The overall role of the Executive Committee of the University Senate includes the function of shared governance coordination and education. This function has been a focal point for ECUS during this reporting period.  In fulfillment of the function as a follow-up to the University Senate’s Standing Committee Officers luncheon on September 16, ECUS held a shared governance seminar for members of the Standing Committees on Friday, October 14, 2005.

Based on the discussions from the shared governance seminar and the standing committee officers luncheon, ECUS has invited the standing committee chairs or their designee to attend the November 10, 2005 ECUS meeting from 3:30 – 4:30 pm in Atkinson 202.   The agenda for this meeting will include:

• Review of relevant US Bylaws identifying the role of ECUS and the US Standing Committees
• Discussion of the historical realization of the coordination function of ECUS
• Identification of types of business of US Standing Committees
• Discussion of case studies
• Questions and answers

Information compiled from these meetings and others is being shared with the University Senate Bylaws and Governing Concepts Committee chaired by Dr. J. W. Good.  Past and present ECUS members serve on this administrative committee. 

In addition to the shared governance seminar, ECUS has taken action in the following areas:

• Drafted a governance calendar for the 2006-2007 academic year to include meetings of the University Senate and its standing committees, University Faculty meetings, schools and their standing committees, and departments, but deleting governance forums or overflow meetings currently in the present format.

• Accepted the resignation of Dr. Nicholas Beadles and recognized the election of Dr. Jan Flynn by the School of Business to complete the term of Dr. Beadles.

• Reported the non-Senator Budget and Planning Committee vacancy of Dr. Jan Flynn to the Committee on Nominations as she replaced Dr. Nicholas Beadles effective 09-29-05

• Reviewed and accepted the University Senate apportionment report with no apportionment changes for 2006-2007.  (The apportionment report is informed by the Corps of Instruction list received from the Office of Academic Affairs.)

In conclusion, I would like to thank ECUS and the University Senate Standing Committee members for their continued commitment to shared governance through agenda coordination, communication, and education. Our enhanced capacity for shared governance enhances our promise and potential as an institution of national distinction.