The fourth meeting of the Twin Cities Campus Assembly for 1998-99 was convened in 25 Law Building, Minneapolis campus, on Thursday, April, 22, 1999, at 2:36 p.m. Checking or signing the roll as present were 108 voting faculty/academic professional members, 15 voting student members, 1 ex officio member, and 9 nonmembers. President Mark Yudof presided

Agenda Items I and II are considered to be noncontroversial or "housekeeping" in nature and are offered as a "Consent Agenda" to be taken up as a single item with one vote. Any item will be taken up separately at the request of a senator. A simple majority is required for approval.

The Twin Cities Campus Assembly minutes are available on the Web at the following URL:

MOTION:

The Assembly authorizes the Assembly Steering Committee to make technical changes in all Assembly policies and practices to accommodate the change to semesters, with the understanding that such changes will be clerical only, and that any changes of a substantive nature, or that are subsequently in need of clarification, will be brought to the Assembly for action.

SARA EVANS, Chair
ASSEMBLY STEERING COMMITTEE

DISCUSSION:

The Consent Agenda was approved with no discussion.

APPROVED

MOTION:

That the Faculty Assembly approve the following slate of nominees to fill one 1999-02 Twin Cities faculty/academic professional vacancy on the Committee on Committees:

MURIEL BEBEAU: Professor of Preventative Sciences, School of Dentistry. University Senate member: 1993-96. Committee participation (past and present): Senate Judicial Committee; Academic Health Center Faculty Consultative Committee (Chair).

PHILLIP BROMILEY: Professor of Strategic Planning and Organization, Carlson School of Management. University Senate member: 1998-01. Committee participation (past and present): NONE.

INFORMATION:

The Twin Cities Campus Assembly Bylaws specify that the Assembly shall elect by written ballot at its spring quarter meeting faculty/academic professional members to fill vacancies on the Assembly Committee on Committees from a slate of candidates provided by a special nominating committee. Other candidates may be nominated by petition of 12 members of the Assembly. Petitions to nominate candidates not on the slate must be in the hands of the Clerk of the Assembly on the day before the meeting at which the election is to be conducted.
The elected Twin Cities faculty/academic professional members of the committee whose term continue at least through 1999-00 are:

CAROLYN WILLIAMS, Chair
AVNER BEN-NER
JOHN DAHLER
MARTI HOPE GONZALES
MARTY ROSSMANN

DISCUSSION:

The slate of candidates was approved with no discussion. Ballot were then distributed and Muriel Bebeau was elected to the Senate Committee on Committees.

APPROVED

MOTION:

To approve the following amendments to the Twin Cities Campus Assembly Constitution (additions are underlined, deletions are struck out).

A. Changes to reflect Semester Conversion and Other Housekeeping Matters

. . . .

ARTICLE II. TWIN CITIES CAMPUS ASSEMBLY

. . . .

4. Assembly Officers

The president of the University shall chair the Assembly. A vice chair shall be elected by the Assembly at its first meeting in the spring last meeting in the spring semester of the academic year from among its current members for a term of one year and shall be eligible for re-election...

. . . .

6. Assembly Meetings--Call--Quorum

The Assembly shall hold regular meetings, at least once in each quarter of the academic year at the call of the president or of the Assembly Steering Committee, at a time and place determined by the chair. Special meetings of the Assembly and meetings of the Faculty Assembly, Minnesota Student Association, or Graduate and Professional Student Assembly, may be held upon the call of the chair or upon request of the appropriate Steering Committee, or upon written request of ten members of the Assembly in question.

At any regular or special meeting of any Assembly, a majority of its membership shall constitute a quorum. Any member of the faculty and any student or academic professional eligible to vote for Assembly members may be admitted to Assembly meetings and shall be entitled to speak at the discretion of the Assembly. Only elected Assembly members (or designated faculty alternates), Assembly Steering Committee members, and, in the case of a tie, the presiding officer, shall be entitled to vote.

All members of the faculty who hold regular appointment as defined in the Faculty Tenure Code may be present at Faculty Assembly meetings and shall be entitled to speak and to offer motions for Faculty Assembly action. Only elected faculty members (or designated faculty alternates) shall be entitled to vote.

. . . .

ARTICLE VI. AMENDING PROCEDURE

An amendment to this Constitution shall be approved either by a two-thirds majority of all voting members of the Assembly at a regular or special meeting, or by a majority of all voting members of the Assembly at each of two meetings, the second of which shall be the next regular meeting; and provided the proposed amendment has been distributed, in writing, to the persons and in the manner provided in Article II, Section 5, for distribution of the Assembly agenda, at least ten days prior to the date of the vote on the approval of the proposed amendment. An amendment shall be effective following approval by the Assembly, the University Senate, and the regents.

. . . .

B. Change to Bylaws Amendment Requirements

. . . .

ARTICLE VII. BYLAWS

The Assembly may enact or amend its Bylaws either by a majority vote of the total membership of all voting members of the Assembly at a regular or special meeting, or by a majority of all members of the Assembly present and voting at each of two meetings, the second of which shall be the next regular meeting, majority vote of the total membership of the Assembly provided the proposed change has been submitted, in writing, to each member of the Assembly at least ten days prior to the date of the vote on the approval of the proposed change.

. . . .

COMMENT ON PART A:

At the request of the chair and vice chair of the Faculty Consultative Committee, the Senate staff went through the Senate and Assembly constitution, bylaws, and rules and identified all the changes that would be needed in order to accommodate the change to semesters. In addition, the Business and Rules Committee identified a number of additional housekeeping amendments that would clean up processes and bring the language up to date. It is believed that all of these changes are non-controversial, and each set should be voted on as a package. As a constitutional amendment 134 affirmative votes are required at one meeting or 101 at each of two consecutive meetings. The motion received 119 affirmative votes at the February 18, 1999, meeting.

COMMENT ON PART B:

[The Assembly Parliamentarian ruled, in March 1999, that in ARTICLES VI AND VII, "all voting members" shall mean Assembly seats filled and does not include vacant seats.]

See the comments under the parallel motion to amend the process for amending the Senate bylaws. The rationale is the same.

SARA EVANS, Chair
ASSEMBLY STEERING COMMITTEE

DISCUSSION:

A vote was taken on Part A and there were 104 votes in favor and none opposed. Part A was approved. A vote was then taken on Part B and there were 105 votes in favor and none opposed. Part B was not approved and will be brought back to the Assembly in May.

PART A WAS APPROVED
PART B WAS NOT APPROVED

MOTION:

To approve the following policy:

I. Introduction

In conjunction with the University's change to semesters, the Assembly Committee on Educational Policy has considered the recommendation of an academic progress policy to the Assembly. Students now commonly understand that they may enroll for as few or as many credits as they wish, at any time, and take as long as they wish to complete a degree. The proposed policy seeks to modify student behavior under the semester calendar by ensuring that students graduate in a timely fashion. The proposed policy applies only to undergraduate programs.

II. Policy

1. The University expects most students to graduate in a timely manner, defined here as four to five years. The administration shall adopt policies, and further publicize existing policies, which will facilitate timely graduation for most students (within four to five years). The Office of the Provost shall engage in regular conversations with the Assembly Committee on Educational Policy about these policies and their effectiveness.

2. All departments and programs must have in place a curricular plan that allows students to graduate in four years. Such a plan would require that students enroll for at least 15 credits per semester, on average (excluding such desirable educational enhancements as study abroad and internships). This plan may not require that students enroll for more than 17 credits per semester, on average. Course offerings must be scheduled on a two-year horizon so that students can progress in a way that leads to timely completion.

COMMENT:

A university in a large metropolitan area must meet the needs of a variety of students, some of whom do not wish to attend college full time, and some of whom may come to the University precisely because it offers flexibility in its educational programs. The University recognizes that some students may wish to attend on a part-time basis, and that others, for financial or other personal reasons, are unable to complete degrees in four to five years.

For many students, however, significant educational benefits may be derived from devoting the majority of their time and attention to studies while in college. Students should also recognize the opportunity costs of delayed graduation (paying additional tuition and fees, and the income and career advancement foregone when studies are extended). The University recognizes this, and already provides incentives to students who are making timely progress (e.g., priority in registration and for on-campus housing). Tuition banding, or other incentives in the tuition schedule, if adopted by the Regents, will provide another incentive.

A number of recent actions have been directed to helping students graduate on a timely basis. These actions include the following:

-- Establishment of the Four Year Graduation Plan: As part of the Four Year Graduation Plan, eligible majors have developed curricular plans for graduating in four years. These plans are available on the web. A Four Year Plan Advisory Committee, consisting primarily of collegiate advisors, has been established to help identify areas where existing plan requirements may inadvertently hinder the ability of advisers to help students graduate in four years.

-- New Undergraduate Tuition Structure: The President will be recommending a new undergraduate tuition structure to the Board of Regents that involves half price tuition for all credits over 12. Under this plan there is a clear financial incentive to take 15 rather than 12 credits a semester. A student who takes 15 credits a semester and graduates in 4 years will save between $900 and $1,000 as compared to a student who takes 12 credits a semester and graduates in 5 years. This tuition savings is in addition to any savings on living expenses, 5 years of student loans as opposed to 4 years and the income and career advancement that may be foregone when a student delays the start of his or her post-baccalaureate work experience.

-- Expectation that major scholarship winners will be full time students: Major University scholarships used to recruit new high school students will carry the expectation that students will complete 30 credits a year and thus be on track to graduate in four years.

-- University Residence Halls: Housing and Residential Life has increased the minimum credit requirement for living in one of the University residence halls from 6 to 9 credits. It should be noted that this fall less than 100 out of 5,200 students living in University residence halls were enrolled for fewer than 12 credits.

-- Standard undergraduate academic policies and practices: The set of standard undergraduate academic policies and practices that was adopted by the Twin Cities Assembly in May 1998 should reduce if not eliminate red tape that students might encounter when transferring between colleges. The intent is to insure that timely graduation is not impeded by inconsistent policies across colleges. The Twin Cities Council of Undergraduate Deans has also worked to identify additional areas where uniform policies are appropriate.

-- Course availability and access: It does no good to exhort students to graduate in four or five years if the University is unable to offer the necessary courses. Effective with FY 98, then-Provost Shively distributed over $1 million to colleges to improve course access. The subsequent adoption of IMG provides further incentive for colleges to offer courses that students want to take. The Twin Cities Council of Undergraduate Deans has facilitated sharing of information and cooperation among colleges to address issues of course access. The integration of University College credit courses into the basic registration system makes the availability of all courses, whether offered in the day or evening, more transparent to students.

JUDITH MARTIN, Chair
EDUCATIONAL POLICY COMMITTEE

DISCUSSION:

Professor Judith Martin, chair of the Educational Policy Committee (SCEP), said that after this policy was tabled at the February meeting, it was revised in response to student concerns. The current policy states that undergraduate students will graduate in a timely manner, namely 4 - 5 years, and the departments must have a curricular plan in place to allow this to happen. The floor was then opened for questions.

With no discussion, a vote was taken and the motion was approved by a majority.

APPROVED

FOR INFORMATION:

The Faculty Consultative Committee (FCC) of the University Senate, the elected representatives of the University of Minnesota faculty from all campuses, makes the following statement about the recent allegations concerning the Twin Cities men's basketball team. The faculty members of the Assembly Committee on Intercollegiate Athletics (ACIA), the Twin Cities campus committee charged with oversight of intercollegiate athletics, also endorses this statement.

The FCC and ACIA are firmly committed to defending the academic integrity of the University of Minnesota. As faculty with primary responsibility for teaching and learning, we are deeply concerned about the charges that have been made concerning the men's basketball team. We are gratified, however, by President Mark Yudof's swift response to the allegations and we endorse the President's decision to retain an outside firm to conduct an investigation. When the independent investigation is complete, we will work closely with the administration to define and implement any necessary actions to affirm and strengthen the educational process.

SARA EVANS, Chair
FACULTY CONSULTATIVE COMMITTEE

KATHRYN SEDO, Chair
INTERCOLLEGIATE ATHLETICS COMMITTEE

DISCUSSION:

Professor Sara Evan, chair of the Faculty Consultative Committee (FCC), said that when the allegations were reported, FCC and the Intercollegiate Athletic Committee (ACIA) felt that it was important that there be a faculty voice. FCC and ACIA then approved this statement which affirmed the great concern regarding academic integrity and the importance of defending it. The committees also took a position in support of President Yudof's decision to hire an outside investigation firm. The committees also believe that once the investigation is completed next year, there will be many issues that will need to be dealt with. The floor was then opened for questions.

Q: Is the athletic department an academic institution?

A: The athletic departments are not an academic unit and coaches do not usually hold academic appointments. The NCAA does require faculty oversight since these programs involve University students.

FOR INFORMATION:

Excerpt, Minutes
Senate Committee on Finance and Planning
March 30, 1999

Recommendation 3: The decision to build surface lots or ramps or underground garages cannot be made into policy but must remain situational and based on current and future needs and professional judgment.

Facilities Management agreed with the recommendation, Ms. Phillips reported, and suggested that this Committee may want to urge that the administration pursue the purchase of contiguous campus land which becomes available in order to provide for continued availability of surface lots. The Subcommittee concurred with this suggestion. The primary reason for the increase in the number of ramps and garages around the Minneapolis campus is that there has been no land available for surface lots. Purchasing land, however, raises questions about University expansion and the desirability of surrounding the campus with parking lots. The suggestion that non-adjacent land be used for parking, with a shuttle service, has the problems that people do not want to use it and there are objections to use of land for University parking away from the campus.

The Committee then unanimously adopted the following resolution:

Because of the high cost of parking spaces in garages and ramps compared to surface lots, the Senate Committee on Finance and Planning urges the administration to pursue the purchase of available adjacent lands for surface lots and that the University consider lands along the transitway and potential light rail routes for similar purposes.

CHARLES SPEAKS, Chair pro tem
SENATE FINANCE AND
PLANNING COMMITTEE

JANE PHILLIPS, Chair
SUBCOMMITTEE ON TWIN CITIES
FACILITIES AND SUPPORT SERVICES

Item IV will be taken up concurrently with Item IV of the University Senate docket.

The meeting was adjourned at 2:46 p.m.

Rebecca Hippert
Abstractor