1995-96 UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA No. 2
STUDENT SENATE MINUTES
APRIL 18, 1996
The second meeting of the Student Senate for 1995-96 was convened in 102
Fraser Hall, Minneapolis Campus, on Thursday, April 18, 1996, at 11:30 a.m.
Coordinate campuses were linked by telephone. Checking or signing the roll as
present were 27 voting student members. Mr. Joel Bergstrom, Student Senate
Chair, presided.
I. APPROVAL OF AGENDA
Action
APPROVED
II. MINUTES FOR NOVEMBER 16, 1995
Action
APPROVED
III. STUDENT SENATE CONSULTATIVE COMMITTEE REPORT
Mr. Joel Bergstrom, chair of the Student Senate Consultative Committee
(SSCC), reported on two issues affecting students. First, the SSCC is
preparing a letter to the Board of Regents urging that students be involved
more actively in dean searches. Second, the 1996-97 chair and vice chair of
the Student Senate will be elected at the May 16 Student Senate meeting and
students were encouraged to think about candidates for those positions.
IV. ELECTION OF STUDENT SENATE CONSULTATIVE COMMITTEE VICE CHAIR
Jamie Geyen, Morris campus, was unanimously elected to serve as the vice
chair of the Student Senate Consultative Committee for the remainder of the
academic year.
V. AD HOC COMMITTEE ON STUDENT GOVERNANCE REPORT
Eric Bretl, chair of the Ad hoc Committee on Student Governance,
reported that the committee is working with student representatives from all
four campuses to consider ways of improving student governance and the Student
Senate's relationship with the University Senate and Faculty Senate. As soon
as the report is complete, it will be shared with the student senators.
One senator asked how many minority students serve on the Board of
Regents and/or its committees. Mr. Bretl replied that he did not have that
information at hand but knew of at least one person. The committee was then
encouraged to include the issue of diversity in its study.
VI. UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA COALITION FOR HIGHER EDUCATION (UMCHE) REPORT
Mr. Eric Newell, chair of the U of M Coalition for Higher Education,
provided a breakdown of the capital appropriation which included funding for U
of M health and safety, facility renewal, the Humanities and Fine Arts
building at Morris, the Archives and Architecture Buildings on the Twin Cities
campus, the Duluth Library, the Morris science project, the Academic Health
Center, and several other projects.
VII. POLICY ON UNIFORM GRADING AND TRANSCRIPT POLICY
Discussion
Chair Bergstrom reminded senators that the Uniform Grading and
Transcript Policy is on the agenda for discussion and will be presented for
action by the University Senate spring quarter.
In response to an inquiry about whether the proposal is intended to
apply to all four campuses, Senator Bergstrom said he understands the
Educational Policy Committee would like the agreement of all four campuses on
a uniform policy and that they are considering sending the proposed policy to
each campus Assembly seeking their endorsement.
Several senators discussed the pros and cons of a plus-minus system of
grading and a question was raised about options for retaking classes.
Students should not be penalized for needing to retake a class because of poor
teaching, said one senator, and the proposal as currently written appears to
disadvantage students in that situation. In response, another senator noted
that if a class is retaken, both grades will appear on the transcript although
only one of the grades will be included in the student's GPA.
VIII. OLD BUSINESS
NONE
IX. NEW BUSINESS
Senator James reviewed with student senators a policy adopted by the
Regents in which the chancellors and senior vice president for academic
affairs are required to meet with the student representatives to the Board of
Regents and the student body presidents to discuss tuition and fees proposals
before the budget is forwarded to the Regents for action. In a recent meeting
with Vice President Infante regarding fees, she said, students expressed their
concerns about the inadequacy of the consultation that is taking place,
particularly concerning college fees, and asked Vice President Infante to
communicate to the deans and provosts and other appropriate individuals this
concern and also to provide students with a precise budget proposal for how
fee dollars will be spent, including a follow up plan for next year. Senator
James reported that students in CLA, CBS, Nursing, Dentistry, and General
College have expressed the most concern.
Next, a motion to suspend the rules to consider the following item of
new business was approved.
UNIVERSITY RESTRUCTURING, REORGANIZATION AND APPROVAL POLICY
PREAMBLE
In the recent announcements concerning the reorganization of the
Biological Sciences, the structural changes within the Academic Health Center,
the closure of General College and the consolidating of the College of
Education and Human Development with the College of Human Ecology, the
administration made unilateral decisions without consulting with the deans,
college assemblies or student bodies. Nor have they engaged in discussions
with the appropriate University governance groups in the previously mentioned
matters. It has come to the attention of concerned University students that
the administration makes decisions that impact large numbers of students,
faculty and staff not necessarily for the common good of the university.
Currently, any information on proposals regarding restructuring comes to the
Senate for general information only, the Senate does not have a say in what
proposals are beneficial to the institution and which are not. Therefore, the
members of the Minnesota Student Association propose the following:
MOTION:
Final proposals for restructuring and reorganization of collegiate units
be brought to the Senate for approval and/or amendment.
DISCUSSION:
The motion was approved without discussion.
APPROVED
X. ADJOURNMENT
The meeting was adjourned at 12:10 p.m.
Martha Kvanbeck
Abstractor