University Council Minutes

03/22/2017 03:30 PM - Tate Theatre, Tate Student Center
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The University Council met on March 22, 2017 in the Tate Theatre. A quorum being present, the meeting was called to order at 3:30 p.m. by President Morehead.

As the first order of business, the minutes of the November 16, 2016 meeting were approved as distributed.

The President then delivered the following report to the Council:

  • The President began his report by reporting to the Council on the tragic events that occurred earlier in the day in London. The President's Office has learned that there is no indication that any of the UGA students studying in England were near the Parliament building where the event occurred. All UGA students known to be in England have checked in but the University is still waiting to hear from a few who may have been traveling before their programs officially are underway or have concluded. The President stated that the University's thoughts are with the victims' families.
  • On Monday, March 20, the President participated in a ceremony to mark the reinterment of individuals whose remains were found on the Baldwin Hall construction site. The President stated that during this process the University followed the guidance of the Office of the State Archaeologist. At the ceremony, United States District Judge Steve Jones and Reverend Dr. Winfred Hope joined the President in paying tribute to these individuals. Dr. Gregory Broughton sang a beautiful song of reflection and inspiration. Since the discovery in November 2015, the guiding principle in this matter has been to treat these men, women, and children with dignity and respect. Oconee Hill Cemetery will provide perpetual care of the grave site and a granite marker now ensures these men, women, and children will not be forgotten. The President also announced on Monday that the University will sponsor a second stage of interdisciplinary research coordinated by the Vice President for Research Dr. David Lee to help the University better understand how these individuals lived and their connection to the Athens community. The University, Athens city officials, and other local leaders will meet to better collaborate on areas of mutual interest such as education and economic development.
  • The President stated that the University is committed to providing support and resources necessary to form an even more connected academic community for faculty, staff, and students to carry out the University's core values of diversity and inclusion. This involves recruiting diverse faculty and students. Toward that end, the second iteration of the Road Dawgs student recruitment tour was launched over spring break to promote the University as a destination school. The trip was coordinated by Mr. Arthur Tripp of the President's Office, Dr. Michelle Cook, Associate Provost for Institutional Diversity, and Mr. Patrick Winter, Associate Vice President for Undergraduate Admissions. The President thanked the students who participated in this endeavor.
  • The President also recognized 350 students who participated in service activities organized through Student Affairs' Center for Leadership and Service as well as other students who served others during spring break.
  • Student Laura Courchesne has been named UGA's 24th Rhodes Scholar. The President noted that UGA has produced more Rhodes Scholars over the past two decades than all but two public institutions in the United States.
  • The University has extended offers of admission to remaining members of the new entering class for next fall. More applications were received than ever in UGA's history, nearly 24,500. The academic credentials of the class are even better than last year's. As well, the most diverse pool in UGA's history was accepted.
  • The University is about six months into the public launch of a $1.2 billion Capital Campaign. The University has already received its single largest donation in history, $30 million, in support of need-based aid from the Robert W. Woodruff Foundation. The University is also on pace to pass last year's record-setting total in fundraising.
  • In January's State of the University address, the President introduced three shared priorities to move the University forward in the coming year: increasing scholarship support for students; further enhancing learning environments; and solving the great challenges of our time. New initiatives were announced related to these priorities.
    • The Georgia Commitment Scholarship Program was announced to grow the number of need-based scholarships awarded by UGA. The goal is to have 400-600 new need-based scholarship funds.
    • The President's Task Force on Student Learning and Success was also announced and charged with the task of identifying opportunities to enhance even further the rigorous educational experience for undergraduates both inside and outside the classroom.
    • A new $1 million interdisciplinary seed program was also announced to encourage interdisciplinary research proposals around the grand challenges of our time.
  • The President is pleased to announce that Dr. Jennifer Frum, Vice President for Public Service and Outreach, and Dr. Meg Amstutz, Associate Provost for Academic Programs, have both been named by the Chancellor to serve as interim presidents in the University System of Georgia. Dr. Frum as been named interm president of Armstrong State University. Dr. Amstutz has been named interim president of the College of Coastal Georgia. Both appointments are effective at the end of the academic year. The President and the Council recognized Dr. Frum and Dr. Amstutz.
  • A new dean has been hired for the School of Public and International Affairs. Dr. Matthew Auer will begin his appointment as dean on July 1. Dr. Lisa Nolan has also been named as the new dean for the College of Veterinary Medicine. Her appointment also is effective July 1.
  • The President lastly spoke regarding the academic calendar. The President stated that per the bylaws the Educational Affairs Committee recommends an academic calendar to the University Council which if approved goes to the President for final approval and that this is the way the process has always operated: through respecting a thoughtful, committee-driven governance process. The President thanked EAC chair Jean Williams-Woodward as well as all members of EAC for their work and efforts on the academic calendar during the year. The President stated that clear guidance has been received from the Board of Regents regarding the academic calendar. Both Dr. Shrivastav and Dr. Frick have received separate requests in writing from University System of Georgia Interim Executive Vice Chancellor and Chief Academic Officer Rob Anderson regarding the calendar. The President asked that these correspondences (Email from Dr. Anderson to Dr. Shrivastav and Email from Dr. Anderson to Dr. Frick) be submitted in the minutes of the meeting. The President stated that Dr. Anderson has openly invited UGA faculty to participate in the USG's review of academic calendars across the system and encouraged those with opinions to share those with the USG. However, the President stated that those supporting a change toward a different or shortened calendar would need to demonstrate how reducing instructional time will strengthen the rigor of the curriculum. The President stated that he also had been briefed on a conversation between the Vice Provost and SACSCOC where it was made clear that the Executive Committee's calendar proposal that was withdrawn prior to the start of the Council meeting would have violated SACSCOC requirements if a change to the UGA final exam policy was not made. The President stated that he believed that those who seek clarity on the academic calendar will receive it in the coming year but that now, in his view, the Council has no choice but to approve a calendar and the EAC's proposal is the only option that meets federal and USG guidelines. The President further stated that many other important issues face the University with regard to the USG, such as UGA's budget request for the upcoming fiscal year, funding for campus priorities, and permission to offer pay raises. Also, assistance is needed on several pieces of pending legislation in the state legislature. The President stated that he cannot ignore a request made directly by the USG Board of Regents, particularly when the BOR requests a delay for a year in any class time reduction, while issues regarding the calendar across the system are discussed. In closing, the President stated to the Council that he hoped they would give favorable consideration to the EAC proposal.

The floor was then opened for the following standing committee reports and minutes. Standing committee minutes submitted prior to the meeting are also included below:

The following Action Items were presented to the Council for consideration:

  • Jean Williams-Woodward, chair of the Educational Affairs Committee, presented the proposal listed below. Prior to the presentation of the proposal, the President reiterated that the Executive Committee's Proposal for the 2018-2019 Academic Calendar had been withdrawn from the agenda by the Executive Committee prior to the start of the meeting. Parliamentarian Usha Rodrigues then explained parliamentary rules regarding discussion of the EAC's proposal. Professor Rodrigues reminded Council members that Robert's Rules of Order require that all discussion be framed around the motion before Council. Also, no one may speak more than twice to a single issue and no one may speak a second time until everyone who wishes to speak has had the opportunity to do so.
    • Proposal for the 2018-2019 Academic Calendar. An extensive discussion occurred regarding the proposed calendar. Discussion included such topics as: the length of the calendar; concerns over the fall and spring start dates from students and faculty members regarding internships and conferences which included the reading of a student survey provided by SGA; SACSCOC requirements; federal guidelines and USG calendar guidelines; the final exam policies of UGA, Georgia Tech, and Georgia State as well as the notion of counting final exam time as instructional time; restrictions faced when developing an academic calendar; research that will be conducted by the Board of Regents to provide clarity on the academic calendar issue across the USG. A set of graphs were also displayed showing UGA's calendar length in relation to its peer and aspirational institutions as well as Georgia Tech and Georgia State. Following discussion, a motion was made to end discussion and call for a vote. Two-thirds of the Council voted in favor of the motion. A vote was then called. Of those members present and voting, 79 voted in favor of the proposal while 44 voted against, resulting in the proposal passing.
  • The report from the Graduate-Professional Student Association was then provided by president Michael Snell.

Because of a lack of quorum, no old or new business was considered. The meeting adjourned at 5:18 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,

Rosemary Segreti, Interim Registrar
Secretary to University Council


University Council Roster

Aderibigbe, Ibigbolade

Gupton, Timothy

Phillips, Dennis

Allen, Wesley

Han, Jeong-Yeob

Poland, Mary

Ayers, Benjamin

Harris, Keith

Prasad, Gurazada

Barbour, Suzanne

Herber, Eric

Reidenbaugh, Patrick

Barnard, Malcolm

Herist, Keith

Reinberger, Mark

Bartlett, Ruth

Hernandez, Sonia

Reyes De Corcuera, Jose

Bliss, Thomas

Hill, Janette

Rhicard, Laura

Bousquette, Joshua

Hollander, Barry

Richman, Erin

Briggs, Harold

Hoyt, Rob

Rizer, Jasmine

Carson, Jamie

Jackson, Chandra

Roberts, Susan

Coleman, Davis

Jackson, David

Rose, John

Collier, Marlin

James, Kevin

Rosemond, Amy

Cona, Kelly

Katz, Laura

Samp, Jennifer

Cooper, Diane

Kavoori, Andy

Sawhill, Ronald

Crawley, Laura

Kelley, Laura

Segreti, Rosemary

Cullen, Christian

Kennedy, Craig

Shaffer, Anne

Dahlen, Joseph

Lai, Ming-Jun

Shepherd, Shelley

Dellaria, Nancy

Lastrapes, William

Shetterley, Karen

Dennis, Carla

Lear, Kristen

Shipley, David

Diaz-Perez, Juan Carlos

Leigh, David

Shrivastav, Rahul

Doran-Peterson, Joy

Lewis, Denise

Sikes, Kris

Dorsey, Alan

Lewis, Michael

Siry, Jacek

Dougherty, Anjali

Lewis, Steven

Snell, Michael

Dunham, Richard

Li, Ke

Spivey, Julie

Durham, Stephan

Malone, Barrett

Stanger-Hall, Kathrin

Dvoracek, Douglas

Mandal, Abhyuday

Taha, Thiab

Easley, Morgan

Mattern, Susan

Toews, Mike

Eranezhath, Vinayak

Maurer, John

Tolley, Beth

Evans, Jonathan

Medlin, Sayge

Tompkins, Mark

Farmer, Mark

Miller, Deborah

Turner, Kari

Fitt, William

Miller, Joe

Vencill, William

Fox, Linda

Milot, Lisa

Vijayakumar, Kannan

Freeman, Melissa

Moore, Mary

von Waldner, Trina

Frick, Janet

Moore, Myra

Weeks Leonard, Elizabeth

Frum, Jennifer

Morehead, Jere

Whitten, Pamela

Fucetola, Jacob

Munneke, Henry

Wilde, Susan

Gaines, Houston

Muszynski, Artur

Williams, Phillip

Giraudo, Silvia

Naeher, Luke

Williams-Woodward, Jean

Gomez-Lainer, Lilia

Nesbit, Ryan

Wilson, Stacy

Gragson, Ted

Nibbelink, Nate

Wilson, Victor

Graham, Toby

Nuss, Michelle

Wolf, Montgomery

Grantham, Tarek

O'Neill, Peter

Yabsley, Michael

Greene, Erik

Oliver, Kerry

Yager, Patricia

Grey, Timothy

Parks, Andrew

Zheng, George

Griffin, Michele

Pegan, Scott

Øie, Svein


Represented by Proxy

Bray, John

Chepyator-Thomson, Rose

Cox, Wade

Davis, Charles

Escalera, Cris

Gittleman, John

Greene, Dale

Hansen, Nathan

Hyun, Seon

Ivy, Stuart

Jackson, Stan

Jordan, Brian

Kaplan, Holly

Kerner, Kelly

Mao, Leidong

Martin-Williams, Jean

Matthews, Paul

Miller, Shari

Naghepour, Roya

Pagnattaro, Marisa

Pardue, Samuel

Robinson, Eric

Roth, Gabrielle

Rutledge, Bo

Santesso, Esra

Scheyett, Anna

Snyder, Margaret

Speakman, Jeff

Watson, Eddie

Williams, Susan

Yi, Hyangsoon