Chancellor Phyllis M. Wise told Senate Executive Committee leaders at their March 11 meeting that she soon would be announcing specific initiatives to promote diversity on campus.
The chancellor has indicated diversity will be a major plank in her administration's platform and reiterated her commitment to that cause before supportive members of the U. of I. Board of Trustees at their meeting on the Urbana campus four days earlier. (See story on page 2.)
"We have not made great progress" in creating an adequately diverse workforce or student environment, she told senate leaders. "We're going to be instituting a few new steps."
She did not provide specifics, but said the initiatives will address campus diversity as it relates to how welcoming the campus is to newcomers. The initiatives will include metrics for tracking success over an 18-month and three-year period.
Wise said she also is concerned about the most recent budget proposed by the governor, which includes a nearly 5 percent cut in higher education funding.
She said her concern is that a cut in funding now could be especially challenging considering the university is in the process of re-plotting its mission - of which diversity is a part - and resources are already being stretched thin.
"Everything we're planning," she said, "always has to be in consideration of the budget impact. But you can't cut your way to excellence."
Sen. Nicholas Burbules, a professor of education policy, organization and leadership, reported that the General University Policy Committee, of which he is chair, has finished crafting a survey on shared governance and that it is ready to send to faculty members.
The online survey is designed to gauge whether faculty members feel they are adequately being included in departmental and college decision-making processes.
Burbules suggested, and senators agreed, that the SEC officially sponsor the survey and the committee analyze its results and provide any recommendations. The 10-question survey is anonymous and results will be analyzed generally, not by department and college.
Burbules is encouraging senators to ask constituents to participate in the survey, which will be sent out after spring break.
Following a final report on Saturday final exams, Sen. Gay Miller, a professor of pathobiology, recommended the practice be used in upcoming calendar years when scheduling dictates it. The next year that would require Saturday finals is 2017.
Miller said the comments on Saturday finals "were generally positive" and that for the most part things went smoothly.
The Office of the Registrar reported only minor reporting difficulties, which were limited to the local level. To avoid future problems, the office is recommending that the finals schedule not be released prior to the completion of the university holiday schedule.
In other business, SEC Chair Matthew Wheeler read a statement asking members of the Campus Faculty Association to cease attempts to obtain draft senate documents.
He said he had heard a report that a CFA representative had approached a faculty member and asked for a draft copy of the senate's shared governance survey.
"I am very concerned about this," he said. "I expect this behavior to be stopped immediately."
He urged senators to be vigilant in protecting draft-status documents.
Senators placed an item on the action agenda for the March 25 senate meeting that asks senators to vote against a student senate resolution appearing on the same agenda.
Several SEC members said the student resolution conflicts with a similar resolution being considered by the senate's Educational Policy Committee. They had asked the students to hold the resolution, passed in the student senate last year, until it could be more closely reviewed - but the students argued within parliamentary rules their right to move the measure forward more quickly.
After the students' success with the rules of order, Burbules proposed the competing agenda item asking that senators reject the student resolution pending further review.
Honorary degree debates to be public
Senate Executive Committee Chair Matthew Wheeler announced March 12 that senators no longer would vote on honorary degree nominations in closed session.
Wheeler, an animal sciences professor, said the change was made after questions were raised following a closed session meeting held after the March 4 senate meeting, at which the media and guests were asked to leave so senators could discuss the nominations.
Wheeler said leaders had discussed the issue with university lawyers, who determined the meeting likely violated the Illinois Open Meetings Act.
"Accordingly, the senate will no longer hold a closed meeting to discuss the topic of honorary degrees," Wheeler said in a written statement sent to senators.
Wheeler's full statement:
From: UIUC Senate
Sent: Monday, March 11, 2013 9:06 AM
Subject: Honorary Degree Consideration
Fellow Senators:
As you know, the conferring of honorary degrees has long been a tradition at this campus. It has been the practice of the Senate to discuss honorary degrees in closed session, as is stated in the Senate Bylaws. Questions have been raised, including by the Champaign-Urbana News-Gazette, regarding whether the Illinois Open Meetings Act (OMA) includes honorary degree discussions among exempted issues that may be discussed in closed session. We consulted with the Office of University Counsel, which confirmed that the News-Gazette's interpretation of the Act is consistent with case law on the subject and legal counsel's advice regarding closed meetings.
The OMA allows closed sessions to consider various subject matters. Some exceptions most commonly invoked include: the "appointment, employment, compensation, discipline, performance, or dismissal of specific employees" of the University; the purchase or lease of real property for the use of the University; pending, probable or imminent litigation; and collective negotiating matters when such negotiations are ongoing. Accordingly, the Senate will no longer hold a closed meeting to discuss the topic of honorary degrees. If you have any questions on this change, you may review the OMA at http://www.illinoisattorneygeneral.gov/government/openmeet.pdf.
Sincerely,
Matthew B. Wheeler, Chair
Senate Executive Committee