Recap of University Senate's April 21 meeting

A recap of the University Senate's meeting held April 21.

* Action postponed on proposed evening-exam prohibition. The Senate tabled a proposed policy that would disallow the scheduling of evening exams for single-section courses except under extraordinary circumstances.

Senator Hal Kirkwood stated that, since the proposal was first discussed at last month's Senate meeting, it has undergone several changes that are not reflected in the policy document available on the Senate's website. The proposal was tabled to allow time for that document to be updated. The Senate is expected to revisit the proposal in the fall.

* Formation of a new standing committee. The Senate created and amended its bylaws to accommodate the existence of a standing Equity and Diversity Committee. Members will be determined at a later date.

The committee will provide strong faculty and staff leadership in University-level conversations related to diversity, said senators Alberto Rodriguez and Heather Servaty-Seib. It will work in conjunction with other efforts related to the subject on campus.

The proposal to create the committee is here. The update to the Senate's bylaws is here.

* Support for restoration of the Common Reading Program. The Senate endorsed a statement to restore the program, which was canceled during winter break. The statement includes a call for better assessment of the program's effectiveness. Its text is here.

* The raising of Purdue students' required minimum performance. The Senate passed a policy that simplifies students' minimum academic performance requirement. It also replaces the current, graduating GPA scale with a minimum semester and cumulative GPA requirement of 2.0.

The text of the policy is here.

* Members of the Nominating and Steering committees elected.

Nominating Committee: Russell Jones, visual and performing arts, will serve a two-year term, and Julie Mariga, computer and information technology, will serve a three-year term.

Steering Committee: Sophie Lelievre, basic medical sciences, will serve a two-year term.

* Members of standing committees elected.

These new members of the Educational Policy Committee will serve three-year terms: Evelyn Blackwood, anthropology; Ryan Cabot, animal sciences; Christine Hrycyna, chemistry; Victoria Walker, curriculum and instruction.

These new members of the Faculty Affairs Committee will serve the terms indicated: J. Stuart Bolton, mechanical engineering, three years; Linda Prokopy, forestry and natural resources, three years; Alberto Rodriguez, curriculum and instruction, two years; Elizabeth Strickland, speech, language, and hearing sciences, three years; Yuehwern Yih, industrial engineering, one year.

These new members of the Student Affairs Committee will serve the terms indicated: Jenny Daugherty, technology leadership and innovation, one year; Russell Jones, visual and performing arts, three years; Charles Krousgrill, mechanical engineering, three years; Kipling Williams, psychological sciences, three years; Monika Ivantysynova, agricultural and biological engineering, three years.

These new members of the University Resources Policy Committee will serve the terms indicated: Elena Coda, languages and cultures, three years; Clifford Fisher, management, three years; William Hutzel, mechanical engineering, three years; Sophie Lelievre, basic medical sciences, two years; Joseph Sinfield, civil engineering, three years.

* Members of faculty committees elected.

These new members of the University Grade Appeals Committee will serve terms through the end of the 2017 summer session: Kristine Holtvedt, visual and performing arts; Grant Richards, electrical and computer engineering technology; Dawn Stinchcomb, languages and cultures.

These new members of the University Censure and Dismissal Procedures Committee will serve terms through May 31, 2017: Michael Shulz, animal sciences; George Bodner, chemistry; Nathan Hartman, computer graphics technology. Shulz is a regular member and Bodner and Hartman are alternate members.

* Athletic Affairs Committee Report. Morgan Burke, director of intercollegiate athletics, presented the annual report. It is available here.

* Revisions to retirement and overtime policy. Luis Lewin, vice president for human resources, presented about changes that will be effective Jan. 12, 2015. The presentation is available here.

* Passing of the gavel. David Williams, Senate chair, concluded his final meeting as chair by handing the gavel to Patricia Hart, current Senate vice chair and 2014-15 chair.