December%202006 ( .pdf )

ACAD EMICS
A Monthly Newsletter for the Faculty of the University of Florida Published by the Faeulty S5Leate
fprrmher ?0i9(i


Chair's Message:



By: Danaya Wright, Faculty Senate Chair
Happy Holidays from the Senate
office! This is a busy time of year and
probably the last thing people are
thinking about is whether we sunset
another major or pass new constitu-
tional language. But this is an
important milestone half of the
academic year has passed and we
Danaya Wright
have only four more Senate meetings
to accomplish a number of important policy initiatives.
At the December Senate meeting we will be voting on
adding minus grades and re. ihl .liill i grade values.
The last time such a change was made was 1978. In
January the Senate will be voting on hiring a faculty
dispute resolution officer to work with faculty and
administration in resolving faculty concerns before
they become grievances or go to court. The Senate's
Councils and Committees are busily working away
and you can expect to see some other long-awaited
issues finally reaching the Senate floor this spring.
In other news, the President's Academic Enhance-
ment Program to charge an enhancement fee of $500
per semester to all incoming students to be used
exclusively for hiring of new faculty and academic
advisors is well on its way to becoming a reality. The
BOG has approved the BOT's request to the legisla-
ture to allow us to move forward on this program,
and the BOT approved a resolution to do so at its
December 1s meeting. This might possibly be
see Wright, page 2


Hot Topics:

Dispute Resolutions Officer
Proposed Language
The following language was presented at the De-
cember 14, 2006 Senate meeting and will be an action
item at the January 18, 2007 Senate meeting.
The Academic Freedom, Tenure, Professional Rela-
tions and Standards Committee unanimously requests
that the Faculty Senate approve the following recom-
mendation to hire a Dispute Resolution Officer
(DRO):
The University of Florida shall hire a Dispute Reso-
lution Officer whose primary duties will be to assist in
the resolution of faculty disputes, grievances, and
concerns by providing information to faculty about
grievance and dispute resolution processes available
at the University and to assist the faculty and adminis-
tration in resolving disputes before formal grievance
procedures are initiated. The DRO shall have faculty
status (either as a current tenured faculty member or a
newly-hired employee with faculty credentials) and
shall report to the Vice President for Human Re-
sources. The AFTPRS Committee shall participate in
the search for the DRO through membership on the
search committee and must approve the slate of
candidates from whom the final choice will be made.
The Vice President for Human Resources and the
AFTPRS Committee shall jointly evaluate the DRO's
performance on an annual basis, or bi-annually if the
parties so agree.


see DRO, page 2


a


CONTENTS


Announcements

Council in Review


J Faculty Senate News

4 Senate Agenda









ACAD EMICS
A Monthly Newsletter for the Faculty of the University of Florida Published by the Faeulty S5Leate
fprrmher ?0i9(i


Chair's Message:



By: Danaya Wright, Faculty Senate Chair
Happy Holidays from the Senate
office! This is a busy time of year and
probably the last thing people are
thinking about is whether we sunset
another major or pass new constitu-
tional language. But this is an
important milestone half of the
academic year has passed and we
Danaya Wright
have only four more Senate meetings
to accomplish a number of important policy initiatives.
At the December Senate meeting we will be voting on
adding minus grades and re. ihl .liill i grade values.
The last time such a change was made was 1978. In
January the Senate will be voting on hiring a faculty
dispute resolution officer to work with faculty and
administration in resolving faculty concerns before
they become grievances or go to court. The Senate's
Councils and Committees are busily working away
and you can expect to see some other long-awaited
issues finally reaching the Senate floor this spring.
In other news, the President's Academic Enhance-
ment Program to charge an enhancement fee of $500
per semester to all incoming students to be used
exclusively for hiring of new faculty and academic
advisors is well on its way to becoming a reality. The
BOG has approved the BOT's request to the legisla-
ture to allow us to move forward on this program,
and the BOT approved a resolution to do so at its
December 1s meeting. This might possibly be
see Wright, page 2


Hot Topics:

Dispute Resolutions Officer
Proposed Language
The following language was presented at the De-
cember 14, 2006 Senate meeting and will be an action
item at the January 18, 2007 Senate meeting.
The Academic Freedom, Tenure, Professional Rela-
tions and Standards Committee unanimously requests
that the Faculty Senate approve the following recom-
mendation to hire a Dispute Resolution Officer
(DRO):
The University of Florida shall hire a Dispute Reso-
lution Officer whose primary duties will be to assist in
the resolution of faculty disputes, grievances, and
concerns by providing information to faculty about
grievance and dispute resolution processes available
at the University and to assist the faculty and adminis-
tration in resolving disputes before formal grievance
procedures are initiated. The DRO shall have faculty
status (either as a current tenured faculty member or a
newly-hired employee with faculty credentials) and
shall report to the Vice President for Human Re-
sources. The AFTPRS Committee shall participate in
the search for the DRO through membership on the
search committee and must approve the slate of
candidates from whom the final choice will be made.
The Vice President for Human Resources and the
AFTPRS Committee shall jointly evaluate the DRO's
performance on an annual basis, or bi-annually if the
parties so agree.


see DRO, page 2


a


CONTENTS


Announcements

Council in Review


J Faculty Senate News

4 Senate Agenda






ACADEMICS


A Monthly Newsletter for the Faculty of the University of Florida


Wrightfrom, pg. 1
the single most important initiative of the year, as it
will allow for the hiring of 200 additional faculty over
the next four years to deal with understaffing in
undergraduate teaching. Moreover, the President has
committed these positions to being tenure-track lines.
While this won't solve the understaffing problems in
those colleges that provide the most undergraduate
tk-. i-ii i,, it should help significantly reduce some of
the pressure. The students should be commended for
their support of this program and, while the current
students are not likely to see much benefit from it and
won't be paying for it, they showed great leadership
in envisioning a better UF for future students.
I have been asked by a number of faculty about
administrative changes happening in Tigert, namely
the creation of a CFO and a Senior Vice President for
administration. The details are not entirely worked
out yet on either position, but the President's goal is
that faculty will see greater accountability and respon-
siveness on administrative matters without radical
changes in the day-to-day business of getting things
done.
In early January, the final candidates for the dean
of the graduate school will be on campus and a
group of Faculty Senators (as yet to be defined) will
be meeting with each candidate. Because the dean of
the graduate school crosses college and academic unit
boundaries, it is important that the Senate play an
important role in reviewing the candidates.
Not much else to report oh yes, we are going to
some game somewhere in Arizona in early January
but that's not really big news.


Danaya Wright is a professor in the College of Law.


DRO from, pg. 1

If more than one DRO is hired, the conditions of
appointment and evaluation shall be as stated above
for each DRO hired.
It is understood by the AFTPRS Committee and the
Faculty Senate that the DRO shall be as neutral as
possible in the administration of his or her duties,
shall assist in the resolution of disputes before formal
action becomes necessary, and that no oral and
written communications made in the DRO process -
prior to the grievance actually going forward could
be used in the grievance process. It is also under-
stood that when a faculty member contacts the DRO
with regard to a potential dispute, the time limit for
filing grievances under any University policy shall be
followed.


Diversity Organizations at UF (continued from the
October issue of Academics)

Association of Black Faculty and Staff (ABFS)

The Faculty Senate Office was recently notified about
the Association of Black Faculty and Staff (ABFS).
Please take a moment to read about the organization
as it should have been recognized in our October
Diversity issue.

The Association is a collective of University personnel
with an Afrocentric consciousness and a commitment
to improving the relations among all members of the
University community. The Association observes the
following objectives:
To participate in the decision-making process at the
university; To advise the university administrators on
policies, practices and procedures as they relate to
Black people at the university; To monitor the devel-
opment and implementation of policies, practices and
procedures which relate to Black people at the univer-
sity; To establish a communication and
information-sharing network among Black people at
the university; To si._--- -1 and coordinate programs
and activities for Black people at the university; To
promote goodwill and enlightenment throughout the
university community. http://grove.ufl.edu/-abfs/


ACADEMICS 2






ACADEMICS


A Monthly Newsletter for the Faculty of the University of Florida


December Announcements


January Shared Governance Conversation

The January 11, 2007 Faculty Development "Con-
versation about Shared Governance" will be an all
day workshop and discussion featuring Dr. Bernice
Durand, Vice Provost for Diversity and Climate,
Professor of Physics, University of Wisconsin-Madison
and Dr. Frank Cerra, Senior VP, Health Science Center,
University of MN. The event will be held at Emerson
Alumni Hall. As our visiting experts, Drs. Durand and
Cerra will address attendees briefly and enter into
discussion with each other and faculty during the
morning session. Afternoon (small group) workshops
in which attendees from colleges across campus
discuss best practices as well as concerns and chal-
lenges met thus far in their journey toward
implementing shared governance will begin after
lunch. To register, please visit the Faculty Develop-
ment Website at http://www.aa.ufl.edu/aa/facdev/
conversations/sessions. asp.
If you have questions or need additional informa-
tion please contact Dr. Debra Walker King at
dwking@aa.ufl.edu or 392-6004.



Academic Learning Compacts by Sheila Dickison,
Associate Provost
The Academic Learning Compacts for each under-
graduate major have been put into a consistent and
student-friendly format. You can take a look at them
at http://www.registrar.ufl.edu/catalog/programs/
majors/alc/
They represent a great deal of work on the part of
the faculty in the individual departments, college
associate deans, the Council on General Education
and the University Curriculum Committee, as well as
Vicki Clifford and her staff in the Registrar's Office.
Thanks to all who helped us get these done.


Call for Regulations Development

November 29, 2006 MEMORANDUM

TO:
Vice Presidents, Deans, Directors and Department Chairs

FROM:
Jamie Lewis Keith, Vice President and General Counsel

SUBJECT: 2006-2007 Call for Regulation Development

It is time to prepare proposed changes to University of
Fl1 .1i.l I regulations for 2006 to 2007. If you or those in
your units would like to propose changes to any
University of Fl ii. I regulation (refer to the University
of Fl.. i.1 I Regulations v' .1 '.i,. at http:
regulations.ufl.edu ), please submit the proposed
changes to the General Counsel's Office by January 8,
2007 so they may become effective in 2007.

Please include the following in the submission for each
proposed changed regulation:

1. the existing regulation with the proposed changes
(additions and deletions) highlighted;
2. a brief explanation of whether you consider the
change to be substantive, or merely a technical
correction or (.1 11 ii..- iii. and
3. the applicable Vice President's approval of the
proposal.

The General Counsel's office will analyze the proposals
and review with you whether the change is substantive
and Board of Trustees' approval will be required. If we
have any si..;;4..,l i ..i, we will contact you to finalize the
proposed changes. We will also place the final
proposed changes in regulation format, and draft the
necessary notices and other supporting documents.
Please share this memorandum with the person in your
office who is responsible for regulation development.
If Barbara Wingo or I can help in any way as you
consider changes, please feel free to contact either of
us.

cc: Barbara Wingo, Associate Vice President and Deputy
General Counsel Danaya Wright, Chair, Faculty Senate

*Admitted to the MA Bar and seeking admission to the Florida Bar.


ACADEMICS 3






ACADEMICS


A Monthly Newsletter for the Faculty of the University of Florida


Council in Review: Academic Policy Council


Beginning with this issue of Academics and for the
rest of the year we will be highlighting one of the
Senate Policy Councils and its contributing commit-
tees. This month it is the Academic Policy Council,
which is charged with "all matters of educational
policy, including the creation, modification, or dele-
tion of academic programs and units; curriculum;
academic standing; relationship of academic units to
each other; general policies concerning student in-
struction; and academic merits of candidatesfor
administrative positions of academic significance"
(UF Const. V(3)(1)). The Council's charge, members,
and current minutes are available at its Web site: http:/
/www.senate.ufl.edu/councils/policy/.
The APC is currently investigating issues surround-
ing commercial notes services and honor code
revisions. It is reviewing some of the recommenda-
tions in the CLAS 5-year plan to discontinue certain
academic programs (those involving the relationship
of academic units to each other) and it is working
with President Machen on a procedure for making
periodic revisions to the University Strategic Work
Plan. They spent a significant amount of time in the
fall looking at the implications for UF of the new
Bologna Process, a multi-lateral agreement among
European universities to grant 3-year baccalaureate
degrees. And of course, they spent quite a bit of time
reviewing the issue of adopting minus grades.
Many of you probably only have a slight tangential
interest in many of these issues, but this is where the
rubber hits the road for shared governance. If we
don't have dedicated faculty thinking long-range and
academically about the implications of these policy
matters we could easily find ourselves 3 or 5 years
down the road witnessing dramatic declines in inter-
national student attendance. Or, we could be caught
in a problematic bind when students' creativity and
new technologies challenge our luddite assumptions
about honor code violations. We might not be
nimble enough to respond quickly to emerging op-
portunities that could put UF at the forefront of cancer
research or literary scholarship without adequate
procedures for updating our Strategic Plan. More
importantly, UF may be nimble enough to respond,


but it will do so without the input of faculty be-
cause shared governance procedures have not been
well-enough implemented and tested. The APC is,
ultimately, the faculty's forum for determining aca-
demic policy and leading the academic mission of the
university.
Contributing Committees:
The chair of each of these committees (or an elected
faculty member) is a member of the Academic Policy
Council.
Graduate Council assists the UF Graduate School
Dean in setting up programs and policies related to
graduate study and research at the University of Florida.
Honorary Degrees Committee shall formulate prin-
ciples covering the conferring of honorary degrees by
the University, and shall initiate or entertain suggestions
as to individuals to whom honorary degrees shall be
granted. This Committee shall make its recommendations
to the Senate for transmission to the Board of Trustees.
Student Petitions Committee shall act for the Senate
on the petitions of students requesting waivers of Uni-
versity academic regulations except petitions requesting:
late registration, exceptions to minimum-maximum load
regulations, changes of schedule after the date autho-
rized for such changes, and adding of courses after the
date set in the University Calendar as the last time for
adding courses.
University Curriculum Committee shall consider all
requests for changes in undergraduate curricula or
catalog listings, and for the addition of new courses of
instruction in any of the colleges, divisions and schools
of the University, except the Graduate School. The
Committee's decision on proposals to add, delete, or
make changes in programs of instruction leading to
undergraduate degrees shall not be a final decision, but
shall be submitted to the Senate for final action.
General Education Council establishes a philosophy
of what constitutes the general education component for
baccalaureate degrees offered by the University. It
reviews all courses proposed to fulfill general education
and Gordon Rule requirements. It makes recommenda-
tions to the Curriculum Committee regarding the
continued effectiveness of the general education pro-
gram.


ACADEMICS 4






ACADEMICS


A Monthly Newsletter for the Faculty of the University of Florida


Faculty Senate News: 11.16.06 Meeting Outcomes


Chair's Report:

Dr. Wright reported on a few items that should be
ready for information items in December including
the Academic Freedom, Tenure, Professional Relations
and Standards Committee resolution regarding a
Dispute Resolutions Officer and timeline for filing
grievances. The Academic Policy Council also is
working to create a policy for revisions to the strategic
plan. Dr. Wright also reported that the Welfare council
has reviewed the climate survey which will be
distributed in January or February 2007 and
announced the follow up workshop on Shared
Governance that is scheduled for January.


Action Items:
Name Change: Department of Decision and Infor-
mation Sciences to the Department of Information
Systems and Operations Management from the Cur-
riculum Committee
Sheila Dickison, Curriculum Committee Chair
Laurence Alexander presented this information item
on behalf of Dr. Dickison.
The item was approved.


ACADEMICS 5






A C A D E M/I I C S A monthly Newsletter for the Faculty of the University of Florida


Faculty Senate Agenda:
December 14, 2006
3:00 -5:00 P.M.
Reitz Union Auditorium



Agenda:
Approval of November 16, 2006 minutes ........... .................... .................Danaya Wright, Chair


Reports:
*Chair's Report......................................... .......................................... .....Danaya W right, Chair
*Presidents Report............................................................ ... ............. ....... Bernie M achen, President


Information Items:
Provost Budget Allocation Committee Bob Jerry, Chair Budget Allocation Committee
Alternative Transportation Allen Preston, Physical Plant
Dispute Resolution Officer Recommendations Marc Heft, Chair AFTPRSC
Honorary Degrees Recommendations John Leavey, Committee on Committees Chair
Graduate Council Items Ken Gerhardt, Interim Dean Graduate School
o Proposal to sunset three degrees 1. the Master of Civil Engineering with a major in Civil
Engineering 2. the Engineer degree with a major in Civil Engineering
3. the Engineer degree with a major in Costal and Oceanographic Engineering

Action Items:

*Graduate Council Items Ken Gerhardt, Interim Dean Graduate School
o Proposal to move the concentration Entrepreneurship under the Master of Science with a
major in Business Administration to a Master of Science with a major in Entrepreneurship
o Proposal to sunset the International Relations PhD program in the Political Science
Department
Constitution Items Tim Taylor, Chair Constitution Committee
Compensation Committee Language
Nominating Committee Language
*Minus Grades Recommendations Anita Spring, Academic Policy Council Chair


Open Discussion from Floor of Senate:

Three minute limit per speaker, floor will be open to Senators first


ACADEMICS 6

PAGE 1

Announcements3 Council in Review4 Faculty Senate News5 Senate Agenda6 December 2006By: Danaya Wright , Faculty Senate Chair Chairs Message: Danaya Wright Hot Topics: Dispute Resolutions Officer Proposed LanguageHappy Holidays from the Senate office! This is a busy time of year and probably the last thing people are thinking about is whether we sunset another major or pass new constitutional language. But this is an important milestone … half of the academic year has passed and we have only four more Senate meetings to accomplish a number of important policy initiatives. At the December Senate meeting we will be voting on adding minus grades and recalibrating grade values. The last time such a change was made was 1978. In January the Senate will be voting on hiring a faculty dispute resolution officer to work with faculty and administration in resolving faculty concerns before they become grievances or go to court. The Senates Councils and Committees are busily working away and you can expect to see some other long-awaited issues finally reaching the Senate floor this spring. In other news, the Presidents Academic Enhancement Program to charge an enhancement fee of $500 per semester to all incoming students to be used exclusively for hiring of new faculty and academic advisors is well on its way to becoming a reality. The BOG has approved the BOTs request to the legislature to allow us to move forward on this program, and the BOT approved a resolution to do so at its December 1st meeting. This might possibly be The following language was presented at the December 14, 2006 Senate meeting and will be an action item at the January 18, 2007 Senate meeting. The Academic Freedom, Tenure, Professional Relations and Standards Committee unanimously requests that the Faculty Senate approve the following recommendation to hire a Dispute Resolution Officer (DRO): The University of Florida shall hire a Dispute Resolution Officer whose primary duties will be to assist in the resolution of faculty disputes, grievances, and concerns by providing information to faculty about grievance and dispute resolution processes available at the University and to assist the faculty and administration in resolving disputes before formal grievance procedures are initiated. The DRO shall have faculty status (either as a current tenured faculty member or a newly-hired employee with faculty credentials) and shall report to the Vice President for Human Resources. The AFTPRS Committee shall participate in the search for the DRO through membership on the search committee and must approve the slate of candidates from whom the final choice will be made. The Vice President for Human Resources and the AFTPRS Committee shall jointly evaluate the DROs performance on an annual basis, or bi-annually if the parties so agree. see Wright, page 2 see DRO, page 2

PAGE 2

2 If more than one DRO is hired, the conditions of appointment and evaluation shall be as stated above for each DRO hired. It is understood by the AFTPRS Committee and the Faculty Senate that the DRO shall be as neutral as possible in the administration of his or her duties, shall assist in the resolution of disputes before formal action becomes necessary, and that no oral and written communications made in the DRO process … prior to the grievance actually going forward … could be used in the grievance process. It is also understood that when a faculty member contacts the DRO with regard to a potential dispute, the time limit for filing grievances under any University policy shall be followed. Wright from, pg. 1the single most important initiative of the year, as it will allow for the hiring of 200 additional faculty over the next four years to deal with understaffing in undergraduate teaching. Moreover, the President has committed these positions to being tenure-track lines. While this wont solve the understaffing problems in those colleges that provide the most undergraduate teaching, it should help significantly reduce some of the pressure. The students should be commended for their support of this program and, while the current students are not likely to see much benefit from it and wont be paying for it, they showed great leadership in envisioning a better UF for future students. I have been asked by a number of faculty about administrative changes happening in Tigert, namely the creation of a CFO and a Senior Vice President for administration. The details are not entirely worked out yet on either position, but the Presidents goal is that faculty will see greater accountability and responsiveness on administrative matters without radical changes in the day-to-day business of getting things done. In early January, the final candidates for the dean of the graduate school will be on campus and a group of Faculty Senators (as yet to be defined) will be meeting with each candidate. Because the dean of the graduate school crosses college and academic unit boundaries, it is important that the Senate play an important role in reviewing the candidates. Not much else to report … oh yes, we are going to some game somewhere in Arizona in early January but thats not really big news. Danaya Wright is a prof essor in the College of Law. Diversity Organizations at UF Diversity Organizations at UF Diversity Organizations at UF Diversity Organizations at UF Diversity Organizations at UF (continued from the October issue of Academics) Association of Black Faculty and Staff (ABFS) Association of Black Faculty and Staff (ABFS) Association of Black Faculty and Staff (ABFS) Association of Black Faculty and Staff (ABFS) Association of Black Faculty and Staff (ABFS) The Faculty Senate Office was recently notified about the Association of Black Faculty and Staff (ABFS). Please take a moment to read about the organization as it should have been recognized in our October Diversity issue. The Association is a collective of University personnel with an Afrocentric consciousness and a commitment to improving the relations among all members of the University community. The Association observes the following objectives: To participate in the decision-making process at the university; To advise the university administrators on policies, practices and procedures as they relate to Black people at the university; To monitor the development and implementation of policies, practices and procedures which relate to Black people at the university; To establish a communication and information-sharing network among Black people at the university; To suggest and coordinate programs and activities for Black people at the university; To promote goodwill and enlightenment throughout the university community . http://grove.ufl.edu/~abfs/ DRO from, pg. 1

PAGE 3

3 December Announcements January Shared Governance Conversation Call for Regulations Development November 29, 2006 MEMORANDUM TO: Vice Presidents, Deans, Directors and Department Chairs FROM: Jamie Lewis Keith, Vice President and General CounselSUBJECT: 2006-2007 Call for Regulation Development It is time to prepare proposed changes to University of Florida regulations for 2006 to 2007. If you or those in your units would like to propose changes to any University of Florida regulation (refer to the University of Florida Regulations website at http:// regulations.ufl.edu ), please submit the proposed changes to the General Counsels Office by January 8, 2007 so they may become effective in 2007. Please include the following in the submission for each proposed changed regulation: 1. the existing regulation with the proposed changes (additions and deletions) highlighted; 2. a brief explanation of whether you consider the change to be substantive, or merely a technical correction or clarification; and 3. the applicable Vice Presidents approval of the proposal. The General Counsels office will analyze the proposals and review with you whether the change is substantive and Board of Trustees approval will be required. If we have any suggestions, we will contact you to finalize the proposed changes. We will also place the final proposed changes in regulation format, and draft the necessary notices and other supporting documents. Please share this memorandum with the person in your office who is responsible for regulation development. If Barbara Wingo or I can help in any way as you consider changes, please feel free to contact either of us.cc: Barbara Wingo, Associate Vice President and Deputy General Counsel Danaya Wright, Chair, Faculty Senate *Admitted to the MA Bar and seeking admission to the Florida Bar. Academic Learning Compacts by Sheila Dickison, Associate ProvostThe Academic Learning Compacts for each undergraduate major have been put into a consistent and student-friendly format. You can take a look at them at http://www .registr ar .ufl.edu/catalog/progr ams/ majors/alc/ They represent a great deal of work on the part of the faculty in the individual departments, college associate deans, the Council on General Education and the University Curriculum Committee, as well as Vicki Clifford and her staff in the Registrars Office. Thanks to all who helped us get these done. The January 11, 2007 Faculty Development Conversation about Shared GovernanceŽ will be an all day workshop and discussion featuring Dr. Bernice Durand, Vice Provost for Diversity and Climate, Professor of Physics, University of Wisconsin-Madison and Dr. Frank Cerra, Senior VP, Health Science Center, University of MN. The event will be held at Emerson Alumni Hall. As our visiting experts, Drs. Durand and Cerra will address attendees briefly and enter into discussion with each other and faculty during the morning session. Afternoon (small group) workshops in which attendees from colleges across campus discuss best practices as well as concerns and challenges met thus far in their journey toward implementing shared governance will begin after lunch. To register, please visit the Faculty Development Website at http://www .aa.ufl.edu/aa/facde v/ conversations/sessions.asp. If you have questions or need additional information please contact Dr. Debra Walker King at dwking@aa.ufl.edu or 392-6004.

PAGE 4

4 Council in Review: Academic Policy CouncilBeginning with this issue of Academics and for the rest of the year we will be highlighting one of the Senate Policy Councils and its contributing committees. This month it is the Academic Policy Council, which is charged with  all matters of educational policy, including the creation, modification, or deletion of academic programs and units; curriculum; academic standing; relationship of academic units to each other; general policies concerning student instruction; and academic merits of candidates for administrative positions of academic significance Ž (UF Const. V(3)(1)). The Councils charge, members, and current minutes are available at its Web site: http:/ /www .senate.ufl.edu/councils/policy/. The APC is currently investigating issues surrounding commercial notes services and honor code revisions. It is reviewing some of the recommendations in the CLAS 5-year plan to discontinue certain academic programs (those involving the relationship of academic units to each other) and it is working with President Machen on a procedure for making periodic revisions to the University Strategic Work Plan. They spent a significant amount of time in the fall looking at the implications for UF of the new Bologna Process, a multi-lateral agreement among European universities to grant 3-year baccalaureate degrees. And of course, they spent quite a bit of time reviewing the issue of adopting minus grades. Many of you probably only have a slight tangential interest in many of these issues, but this is where the rubber hits the road for shared governance. If we dont have dedicated faculty thinking long-range and academically about the implications of these policy matters we could easily find ourselves 3 or 5 years down the road witnessing dramatic declines in international student attendance. Or, we could be caught in a problematic bind when students creativity and new technologies challenge our luddite assumptions about honor code violations. We might not be nimble enough to respond quickly to emerging opportunities that could put UF at the forefront of cancer research or literary scholarship without adequate procedures for updating our Strategic Plan. More importantly, UF may be nimble enough to respond, but it will do so without the input of faculty because shared governance procedures have not been well-enough implemented and tested. The APC is, ultimately, the facultys forum for determining academic policy and leading the academic mission of the university. Contributing Committees:The chair of each of these committees (or an elected faculty member) is a member of the Academic Policy Council. Graduate Council Graduate Council Graduate Council Graduate Council Graduate Council assists the UF Graduate School Dean in setting up programs and policies related to graduate study and research at the University of Florida. Honorary Degrees Committee Honorary Degrees Committee Honorary Degrees Committee Honorary Degrees Committee Honorary Degrees Committee sh all formulate principles covering the conferring of honorary degrees by the University, and shall initiate or entertain suggestions as to individuals to whom honorary degrees shall be granted. This Committee shall make its recommendations to the Senate for transmission to the Board of Trustees. Student Petitions Committee Student Petitions Committee Student Petitions Committee Student Petitions Committee Student Petitions Committee shall act for the Senate on the petitions of students requesting waivers of University academic regulations except petitions requesting: late registration, exceptions to minimum-maximum load regulations, changes of schedule after the date authorized for such changes, and adding of courses after the date set in the University Calendar as the last time for adding courses. University Curriculum Committee University Curriculum Committee University Curriculum Committee University Curriculum Committee University Curriculum Committee shall consider all requests for changes in undergraduate curricula or catalog listings, and for the addition of new courses of instruction in any of the colleges, divisions and schools of the University, except the Graduate School. The Committees decision on proposals to add, delete, or make changes in programs of instruction leading to undergraduate degrees shall not be a final decision, but shall be submitted to the Senate for final action. General Education Council General Education Council General Education Council General Education Council General Education Council establishes a philos ophy of what constitutes the general education component for baccalaureate degrees offered by the University. It reviews all courses proposed to fulfill general education and Gordon Rule requirements. It makes recommendations to the Curriculum Committee regarding the continued effectiveness of the general education program.

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5 Faculty Senate News: 11.16.06 Meeting Outcomes Chair Chair Chair Chair Chair s R s R s R s R s R epor epor epor epor epor t: t: t: t: t: Name Change: Department of Decision and Information Sciences to the Department of Information Systems and Operations Management from the Curriculum Committee Sheila Dickison Sheila Dickison Sheila Dickison Sheila Dickison Sheila Dickison, Curriculum Committee Chair Laurence Alexander presented this information item on behalf of Dr. Dickison. The item was approved. Action Items: Action Items: Action Items: Action Items: Action Items: Dr. Wright reported on a few items that should be ready for information items in December including the Academic Freedom, Tenure, Professional Relations and Standards Committee resolution regarding a Dispute Resolutions Officer and timeline for filing grievances. The Academic Policy Council also is working to create a policy for revisions to the strategic plan. Dr. Wright also reported that the Welfare council has reviewed the climate survey which will be distributed in January or February 2007 and announced the follow up workshop on Shared Governance that is scheduled for January.

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6 Agenda: Agenda: Agenda: Agenda: Agenda: Appro Appro Appro Appro Appro v v v v v al of No al of No al of No al of No al of No v v v v v ember 16, ember 16, ember 16, ember 16, ember 16, 2006 minutes 2006 minutes 2006 minutes 2006 minutes 2006 minutes ...................................................... Dana Dana Dana Dana Dana ya W ya W ya W ya W ya W right right right right right, ChairReports: Reports: Reports: Reports: Reports: € Chair Chair Chair Chair Chair s R s R s R s R s R epor epor epor epor epor t. t. t. t. t................................................................................................... Dana Dana Dana Dana Dana ya W ya W ya W ya W ya W right right right right right, Chair € Presidents Report Presidents Report Presidents Report Presidents Report Presidents Report ..................................................................................... Bernie Machen, Bernie Machen, Bernie Machen, Bernie Machen, Bernie Machen, PresidentInformation Items: Information Items: Information Items: Information Items: Information Items: • Pro Pro Pro Pro Pro v v v v v ost Budget Allocation Committee Bob Jer ost Budget Allocation Committee Bob Jer ost Budget Allocation Committee Bob Jer ost Budget Allocation Committee Bob Jer ost Budget Allocation Committee Bob Jer r r r r r y y y y y , , , , , Chair Budget Allocation Committee € € € € € Alternative Transportation Alternative Transportation Alternative Transportation Alternative Transportation Alternative Transportation Allen Preston, Allen Preston, Allen Preston, Allen Preston, Allen Preston, Physical Plant € Dispute Resolution Officer Recommendations € Dispute Resolution Officer Recommendations € Dispute Resolution Officer Recommendations € Dispute Resolution Officer Recommendations € Dispute Resolution Officer Recommendations Marc Heft Marc Heft Marc Heft Marc Heft Marc Heft, Chair AFTPRSC € Honorary Degrees Recommendations € Honorary Degrees Recommendations € Honorary Degrees Recommendations € Honorary Degrees Recommendations € Honorary Degrees Recommendations John Lea John Lea John Lea John Lea John Lea v v v v v e e e e e y y y y y , , , , , Committee on Committees Chair € Graduate Council Items € Graduate Council Items € Graduate Council Items € Graduate Council Items € Graduate Council Items K K K K K en Ger en Ger en Ger en Ger en Ger hardt, hardt, hardt, hardt, hardt, Interim Dean Graduate SchooloProposal to sunset three degrees 1. the Master of Civil Engineering with a major in Civil Engineering 2. the Engineer degree with a major in Civil Engineering 3. the Engineer degree with a major in Costal and Oceanographic Engineering Action Items: Action Items: Action Items: Action Items: Action Items: € Graduate Council Items Graduate Council Items Graduate Council Items Graduate Council Items Graduate Council Items K K K K K en Ger en Ger en Ger en Ger en Ger hardt, hardt, hardt, hardt, hardt, Interim Dean Graduate SchooloProposal to move the concentration Entrepreneurship under the Master of Science with a major in Business Administration to a Master of Science with a major in Entrepreneurship oProposal to sunset the International Relations PhD program in the Political Science Department € Constitution Items Constitution Items Constitution Items Constitution Items Constitution Items T T T T T im im im im im T T T T T a a a a a ylor ylor ylor ylor ylor , , , , , Chair Constitution CommitteeCompensation Committee Language Nominating Committee Language € Minus Grades Recommendations Minus Grades Recommendations Minus Grades Recommendations Minus Grades Recommendations Minus Grades Recommendations Anita Spring, Anita Spring, Anita Spring, Anita Spring, Anita Spring, Academic Policy Council Chair Open Discussion from Floor of Senate: Open Discussion from Floor of Senate: Open Discussion from Floor of Senate: Open Discussion from Floor of Senate: Open Discussion from Floor of Senate: € Three minute limit per speaker, floor will be open to Senators first Faculty Senate Agenda:December 14, 2006 3:00 -5:00 P.M.Reitz Union Auditorium