The regular monthly meeting of the Faculty Senate was called to order on April 5, 2001, at 3:00 PM, in the LaSells Stewart Center by President Henry Sayre. There were no corrections to the minutes of February or March 2001.
– Action Items: Category I Proposals - Establish a new study abroad program at the University of Cantabria in Santander, Spain and eliminate the M.S. degree in Home Economics; and proposed Standing Rules changes to: Baccalaureate Core, Faculty Status, and Undergraduate Admissions Committees and Research Council [Motion 01–565–01 through 06]
– Discussion Item: Undergraduate Admissions Issue Group - V. Tolar Burton
– Special Report: Athletics - M. Barnhart, B. Frank, H. Sayre, and M. Vydra
– New Business: None
Members Absent Without Representation:
Ahern, Balz, Barker, Beatty, Bliss, Braker, Bruce, Cloughesy, Collier, DeCarolis, Downing, Erickson, Gomez, Gross, Hamm, Horne, Huddleston, Jones, King, Merickel, Mosley, Mundt, Nelson, Niess, Nishihara, Pearson, Pegau, Reyes, Sanderson, Schuster, Schwab, Selker, Shaw, Smythe, Stang, Strik, Tesch, Trehu, Tynon, Wallace, Weber, and Winner.
Faculty Senate Officers, Ex-Officios and Staff Present:
H. Sayre, President; G. Matzke, Immediate Past President; M. Beachley, Parliamentarian Pro-tem; and V. Nunnemaker, Senate Staff.
Guests of the Senate:
G. Beach, M. Barnhart, F. Conway, B. Frank, L. Friedman, J. Lundy, D. Trump, and M. Vydra.
Leonard Friedman, Curriculum Council Chair, presented two Category I Proposals:
Establish a new study abroad program at the University of Cantabria in Santander, Spain - There was no discussion. Motion 01-565-01 passed by voice vote with no dissenting votes.
Eliminate the M.S. degree in Home Economics - There was no discussion. Motion 01-565-02 passed by voice vote with one dissenting vote.
Standing Rules Changes
Flaxen Conway, Committee on Committees Chair, presented the following proposed Standing Rules changes. All changes have been approved by both the individual committees and the Committee on Committees.
The proposed insertions are bolded and capitalized and the proposed deletions are bracketed.
As a way to engage the university community in a discussion of the possibilities for changing admission criteria, the group is sponsoring A Symposium on Changing the Criteria for Undergraduate Admissions on May 24 from 1:30-3:00 p.m. in MU 206. Speakers have been invited from institutions that have recently instituted changes in the way they admit students. They will be discussing how their admissions criteria changed and why, what context prompted the change, what process they used, what outcomes were realized and what they learned in the process. The focus questions will include:
- To review the research literature on admissions criteria;
- To review the experiences of other universities re. admissions criteria;
- To conduct research to determine if revised admission criteria will allow OSU to admit students more likely to contribute to OSU's mission, goals, and core values;
- To conduct a campus-wide review/discussion of undergraduate admissions criteria; and
- To develop policies that can be incorporated into a new model for admissions to OSU.
– Given OSU's potential for growth in enrollment, shifts in how we think about academic success, and our commitment to University goals, how should OSU change undergraduate admission criteria?The OSU community is invited to join in this symposium, learn from the speakers, and engage in the discussion of how OSU's admissions criteria might change.
– What can we learn from the experiences of other universities that have recently changed their criteria?
Athletics
Henry Sayre, NCAA Committee member, reported on the NCAA on-site visit. Mitch Barnhart, Athletic Director, Bob Frank, OSU Institutional Athletic Representative, and Marianne Vydra, Senior Woman Administrator, provided an Athletic Department status update.
Sayre explained that the NCAA certification team was on campus from February 19-22 to interview individuals from campus and the community and to review the self-study document prepared by the University.
The following four areas were included in the self-study and all but Equity, Welfare and Sportsmanship were found to be in substantial conformity, meaning that there were no problems which would prevent certification. Recommendations by the review team are listed below:
1) Governance and Commitment to Rules Compliance - Recommendations:The previously referenced Minority and Gender Equity Plans were distributed at the April Senate meeting and will be on the May Senate agenda for endorsement.
– Put NCAA compliance in all letters of appointment for personnel
– Formalize responsibilities of Faculty Athletic Representative
2) Academic Integrity - Recommendation:
– Athletics' academic services should be reviewed by the Academic Advising Council
3) Fiscal Integrity - Recommendation:
– Include all funding sources including construction and OSU Foundation in review by Vice Provost for Finance and Administration (NOTE: this has already been implemented)
4) Equity, Welfare and Sportsmanship - Recommendations:
– Complete plans to renovate the women's crew locker room
– Institute a roster management program
– Complete a review of the student-athlete exit interview form
– Provide greater emotional and intellectual development opportunities for student-athletes
– Reorganize gender-equity plan and obtain institutional adoption
– Obtain institutional adoption of minority plan
– The 43% graduation rate includes all students who enroll, including those who transfer prior to graduation.Frank reported on several NCAA issues being discussed:
– The OSU graduation rate of student-athletes who have exhausted their eligibility is about 90%. He noted that changes in coaching staffs can significantly affect graduation rates.
– The academic performance summary for student-athletes was an overall 2.89 gpa for winter 2001 which is the highest average since 1992.
– In the area of football, two-thirds who have exhausted their eligibility are on track to graduate.
– The Knight report has created an impetus for increased involvement by presidents and chancellors.Frank also reported that the conference is divided as to whether student-athletes (with the exception of basketball) should be allowed to play professional sports and then participate in college sports. It is proposed that each year played as a professional would count as a year of college eligibility.
– The graduation rate of mens basketball has become a focus of attention. Players will now take 6-9 credits during the summer to determine if this approach will make a difference in graduation rates.
– All sports, except basketball, would allow high school students to receive financial aid.
1) The exemplary way in which the athletes represent OSU - Out of 29 student-athlete seniors in the sport of football, 28 are on scholarship and 23 are on track to graduate. He recounted the letter received from the Scottsdale Plaza (where the Fiesta Bowl players were lodged) stated that OSU players were the best behaved in their 13 years of hosting bowl game teams.Barnhart mentioned the two new sports facilities currently under construction:
2) Finances:
– Football season ticket sales are up from 4,200 to 19,000.
– Beaver Athletic Scholarship Fund (BASF) - Expected to receive $800-900,000 in unrestricted funds for a total of over $3 million this year. The donor base has grown from 3,000 to over 7,000 members.
– Barnhart explained the financial break-down of the Fiesta Bowl. Since OSU is a member of a conference, out of the $13 million, $6.5 million comes to the conference and is divided among the 10 institutions in the conference. This resulted in about $350-500,000 coming to OSU. He noted that if two teams from the same conference are in bowl games, the conference only receives one-half of the revenue.
– Significant progress is being made toward working down the facility debt. There is also the possibility of some additional sponsorships in the near future.
– The new softball complex is nearly complete.Competitiveness allows the program to move forward and be successful. Out of 15 teams last year, 8 advanced to NCAA post-season play and there is a possibility of 10-11 advancing to post-season play this year. Barnhart explained that most student-athletes compete for the love of the sport since only 220 of 505 are on full or partial scholarship.
– The indoor practice facility will benefit seven teams which will allow quality workouts during the rainy season and result in healthier student-athletes. He noted that 15 private donors contributed $13 million for the two facilities.
INFORMATION ITEMS
– IFS, AOF, AAUP Joint Meeting - The joint meeting will be held Saturday, April 7 in the CH2M HILL Alumni Center. The meeting is scheduled between 8:00 AM and noon.
– Committee Interest Forms - The forms for University and Faculty Senate committees have been distributed and are due back in the Faculty Senate Office April 13.
– University Accreditation Recommendations - A summary of recommendations from the on-site evaluation committee conducting the University accreditation effort will be presented from 11:30- noon on April 20 in the Valley Library Rotunda, fourth floor; the meeting is open to all faculty, staff and students.
– Undergraduate Admissions Issue Group - The Issue Group will present A Symposium on Changing the Criteria for Undergraduate Admissions on May 24 from 1:30-3:00 PM in MU 206.
– On April 12 there will be a legislative panel in the MU Lounge beginning at 6:30 PM.
REPORT FROM & DIALOG WITH THE FACULTY SENATE PRESIDENT
President Sayre reported that, due to television network accommodations, the OSU/UO Civil War football game had been changed to the Saturday prior to finals week during fall 2001. This change was reviewed by several administrators prior to finalization but no one realized that finals week would be a full week earlier than normal (the first week of December). Sayre noted that he has been in contact with the UO Faculty Senate President Jim Earl and a joint resolution will be presented to the Senate in May asking both athletic departments to pay more attention to the academic calendar.
He also reported that Earl is contacting all PAC-10 Faculty Senates with the idea of de-emphasizing college sports. Sayre suggested that it is time that faculty supported having all PAC-10 Faculty Senates recommend to their respective institutional presidents that they discuss slowing the growth of athletics. This would be a symbolic gesture on behalf of faculties. Sayre encouraged faculty to read the article by Myles Brand found on the web at: http://www.indiana.edu/president/ speeches/press_club.html.
Senator Flahive, Science, questioned if there is any back-up plan for OUS to contribute funds to the branch campus; and if the answer is no, does OSU have a postponement or exit clause. Sayre responded that OSU money is not being spent in Bend. If the Legislature does not fund the branch campus at $7.2 million, the branch campus cannot go forward. In response to the second question, Sayre indicated that the Chancellor understands that OSU is spending money now and he feels that OUS is liable too. The biggest issue is the lease on the building which is $600,000 per year. There is a commitment to not damaging OSU in order to move forward in Bend.
On a budget note, Senator Sorte (Agricultural Sciences) encouraged faculty to talk with legislators regarding the budget. Sayre noted that legislators appear to respond more positively if they feel that a student issue is being discussed versus a faculty issue.
NEW BUSINESS
There was no new business.
Meeting was adjourned at 4:52 PM.
Respectfully submitted:
Vickie Nunnemaker
Faculty Senate Staff
