Senate approves Honors College and faculty trustee proposals

May 4, 2012

The University Senate has approved proposals regarding a new Honors College faculty governance committee, a faculty seat on the Board of Trustees, and the creation of a new committee for sustainability planning and assessment.

The Senate approved the following at its April 23 meeting:

* A resolution from the University Resources Policy Committee to endorse the creation of an Honors College. 

* A proposal from the Educational Policy Committee proposal to create a faculty governance committee for the Honors College. The governance body will include one faculty member from each college, Krannert School of Management and Purdue Libraries, a maximum of six at-large faculty members to be nominated by the Honors College and approved by the EPC, and ex officio student members appointed or elected by the Honors College.

The Honors College Faculty Governance Committee will advise the dean, act as a curriculum committee and assist with communication between the Honors College, Senate and academic units. The committee also will approve Honors College curricula.

* A resolution requesting that Purdue trustees advocate to the governor for a faculty member on the board. Faculty groups at Purdue North Central, Purdue Calumet and Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne as well as Purdue Graduate Student Government also have voted in favor of a faculty seat on the board.

* Revisions to Purdue's grief absence policy for students, which was approved in March 2011. The original policy applied to the entire Purdue system, and the revised version limits its scope to the West Lafayette campus.

* A University Resources Policy Committee recommendation to establish a new committee for sustainability planning and assessment. The 28-member committee would set five-year goals to advance the University's sustainability efforts.

* Two bylaw changes proposed by an ad hoc committee charged with evaluating the efficiency and effectiveness of Senate operations. The committee proposed that senators be limited to serving no more than two consecutive terms. The second change allows for the appointment of ex officio members to Senate committees.

In other Senate business:

* Senators heard an update from the Budget Interpretation, Evaluation and For Information
Review Committee by Larry DeBoer, professor of agricultural economics; Cliff Johnston, professor of agronomy; and Lou Sherman, professor biological sciences.

* Athletics director Morgan Burke presented his annual Athletic Affairs Committee Report to the Senate.

* Dale Whittaker, vice provost for undergraduate academic affairs, presented an update on Purdue and Foundations of Excellence, a program that aims to help participating institutions develop a consistent, campus-wide strategy for working with first-year students.

All Senate documents and reports may be viewed at www.purdue.edu/faculty/meetings.cfm.