Executive Committee Minutes

03/02/2016 03:30 PM - Peabody Boardroom, Administration Building
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The University Council Executive Committee met on March 2, 2016 in the Administration Building's Peabody Boardroom. A quorum being present, Chair David Shipley called the meeting to order at 3:30 p.m. Standing committee chairs of the University Council in attendance to present action items were William Vencill of the University Curriculum Committee and Silvia Giraudo of the Committee on Statutes, Bylaws, and Committees. Guests to the meeting included Gayle Andrews, Scott Ardoin, Kevin Ayers, Jack Crowley, John Drake, John Gittleman, Aaron Hale, Steve Holloway, Kathryn Huller, Fazal Khan, David Lee, Fiona Liken, Mumbi Okundaye, Kathy Pharr, Rahul Shrivastav, Kim Skobba, Joanna Warren, and Yiping Zhao.

  1. The minutes of the February 3, 2016 meeting were approved as distributed.
  2. Action Items:
    1. Proposals from the University Curriculum Committee:
      1. Proposal to dissolve the Nanoscale Science and Engineering Center. A vote was called and the proposal was approved to be placed on the March 16, 2016 University Council agenda.
      2. Proposal for a new major in Applied Behavior Analysis (M.S.). A vote was called and the proposal was approved to be placed on the March 16, 2016 University Council agenda.
      3. Proposal for a new dual degree in Juris Doctor (J.D.) and Master of Public Health (M.P.H). A vote was called and the proposal was approved to be placed on the March 16, 2016 University Council agenda.
      4. Proposal to deactivate the existing external degree in Master of Environmental Planning and Design (M.E.P.D., Thesis and Non-Thesis) on the Gwinnett campus. A vote was called and the proposal was approved to be placed on the March 16, 2016 University Council agenda.
      5. Proposal for a new Graduate Certificate in Urban and Metropolitan Studies. A vote was called and the proposal was approved to be placed on the March 16, 2016 University Council agenda.
      6. Proposal to change the name of the following major: Major Name Change: From: Middle School Education (B.S.Ed., M.AT., M.Ed., M.Ed. Online, Ed.S.) to Middle Grades Education (B.S.Ed., M.A.T., M.Ed., M.Ed. Online, Ed.S.). A vote was called and the proposal was approved to be placed on the March 16, 2016 University Council agenda.
      7. Proposal to change the name of the major in Housing (B.S.F.C.S.) to Housing Management and Policy (B.S.F.C.S.). A vote was called and the proposal was approved to be placed on the March 16, 2016 University Council agenda.
      8. Proposal to change the name of the existing Center for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Processes to the Center for the Ecology of Infectious Diseases. A vote was called and the proposal was approved to be placed on the March 16, 2016 University Council agenda.
    2. Proposal from the Committee on Statutes, Bylaws, and Committees
      1. Proposal for an amendment to the University Council Bylaws. Following a brief discussion regarding this proposed modification to the Strategic Planning Committee's membership, a vote was called and the proposal was approved to be placed on the March 16, 2016 University Council agenda for a first required reading and vote.
  3. There was no old business to come before the committee.
  4. New Business
    1. A discussion occurred among committee members regarding the availability of minutes from meetings held by University Council standing committees. Part II, Section V of the University Council bylaws states that minutes of each committee shall be furnished to the Secretary of the Council who shall make them available to the University community electronically. Currently not all standing committees are submitting minutes of their meetings for electronic distribution. As Secretary of the Council, Dr. Hathcote stated that the Council website as it exists currently does not have the capability of posting minutes from all standing committees and that a review of the website is underway to allow for this. Dr. Hathcote also stated that when committee chairs provide reports at Council meetings, such reports often represent their committee's minutes as well; these reports are then posted as part of the Council's minutes. The ensuing discussion then included how standing committee minutes could be made available and what changes in the practice of submitting minutes could occur. It was suggested that minutes should be submitted by committee chairs after they have been vetted and approved by their respective committees and then made available as information items in the Council minutes.
    2. A discussion occurred among committee members regarding the recent passage of Georgia House Bills 859 and 792. A question was raised concerning if the Executive Committee can make a statement or a motion at the next meeting of the Council so that faculty members can have the opportunity to stand in agreement with the Board of Regents and President Morehead against the passage of these bills. Some committee members suggested that since this is a real concern for many faculty members, a statement of solidarity or a motion of support for the Board of Regents and the President from the Executive Committee should be made. Other members stated that due to issues of timing and the fact that the Board of Regents and the President have already strongly opposed the bills and will continue to do so, such action would not be necessary. Following the discussion, the Executive Committee determined not to pursue any actions in this regard.
    3. Professor Shipley informed committee members that they will be electing the next chair-elect of the Executive Committee at its April 13 meeting. This person will serve as chair-elect during 2016-2017 and will take over as chair of the committee in 2017-2018.
There being no further new business, the meeting adjourned at 4:01 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,

Dr. Jan Hathcote, Registrar
Secretary to University Council


Executive Committee Members Present
Laura Bierema
Barbara Biesecker
Jeff Dorfman
Melissa Freeman
Janet Frick
Silvia Giraudo
Jeong-Yeob Han
Jan Hathcote
Audrey Lewis
Michael Lewis
Henry Munneke
Scott Pegan
David Shipley
Ashley Steffens
Beth Tobin
Pamela Whitten

Executive Committee Members Represented by Proxy
Luke Naeher (Travis Glenn)

If you require these minutes in an alternative format, please contact Neal Lawson at neal@uga.edu.