Executive Committee Minutes

11/08/2017 03:30 PM - Peabody Boardroom, Administration Building
View Related Documents Online The University Council Executive Committee met on November 8, 2017 in the Administration Building's Peabody Boardroom. A quorum being present, chair Scott Pegan called the meeting to order at 3:30 p.m. Standing committee chairs in attendance included Alison Alexander of the University Curriculum Committee; David Shipley of the Committee on Statutes, Bylaws, and Committees; and Mark Farmer of the Educational Affairs Committee. Visitors to the meeting included Olivia Adams, Ginnefer Cox, Phillip Griffeth, Charlie Li, Jennifer Lindstrom, Tony Mallon, Michael Marshall, Paul Matthews, Kevin McPeak, Russ Mumper, Rielle Navitski, Stacey Neuharth-Pritchett, Rebekah Parker, Kathy Pharr, Lee Shearer, and Rahul Shrivastav.
  1. The minutes of the September 13, 2017 meeting were approved as distributed.
  2. Discussion Item: Recent Board of Regents changes and other information items: Dr. Pegan began the meeting by discussing recent changes passed by the Board of Regents. These include the Chancellor's effort to standardize language across policies, the subject of campus carry implementation, and issues involving the academic calendar. Regarding the academic calendar, the BOR policy now clarifies, for example, that a semester is defined as 15 weeks of classes plus exams. The policy also now states that the authority to set, within the policy's parameters, an academic calendar at a USG institution is assigned to the institution's president or his or her designee (Section 3.4.2). Dr. Pegan stated that the President has designated to the Vice President for Instruction the responsibility for recommending an academic calendar for approval, with the Educational Affairs Committee providing input in the process. Dr. Pegan then stated that the University Council bylaws, specifically the section regarding the Educational Affairs Committee,  would need to be examined by the Statutes and Bylaws Committee in light of these recent changes. A discussion then occurred among members of the Executive Committee regarding these changes, including a discussion on the University Council's role going forward in providing input on the formation of an academic calendar and the Council's bylaws that reference recommending an academic calendar.
  3. Action Items:
    1. Proposals from the University Curriculum Committee:
      1. Proposal to dissolve the Institute for Interdisciplinary Research on Education and Human Development. Following a brief discussion, a vote was called and the proposal was approved to be placed on the November 29, 2017 University Council agenda.
      2. Proposal for a new Phenomics and Plant Robotics Center. A vote was called and the proposal was approved to be placed on the November 29, 2017 University Council agenda.
      3. Proposal to terminate the major in Honors Interdisciplinary Studies (A.B.) in the Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication. A vote was called and the proposal was approved to be placed on the November 29, 2017 University Council agenda.
      4. Proposal to terminate the major in Honors Interdisciplinary Studies (B.S.F.C.S.). A vote was called and the proposal was approved to be placed on the November 29, 2017 University Council agenda.
      5. Proposal to terminate the Undergraduate Certificate in Latin American and Caribbean Studies. A vote was called and the proposal was approved to be placed on the November 29, 2017 University Council agenda.
      6. Proposal to make the following name changes in the College of Family and Consumer Sciences: Major Name Change- From: Consumer Foods (B.S.F.C.S.) To: Culinary Science and Nutrition (B.S.F.C.S.) Minor Name Change- From: Consumer Foods To: Culinary Science and Nutrition. A vote was called and the proposal was approved to be placed on the November 29, 2017 University Council agenda.
      7. Proposal to offer the existing Graduate Certificate in Dyslexia as an online program. Following a brief discussion, a vote was called and the proposal was approved to be placed on the November 29, 2017 University Council agenda.
      8. Proposal to offer the existing Graduate Certificate in Nonprofit Management and Leadership as an online program. Following a brief discussion, a vote was called and the proposal was approved to be placed on the November 29, 2017 University Council agenda.
      9. Proposal for a new minor in Design and Media. Following a brief discussion, a vote was called and the proposal was approved to be placed on the November 29, 2017 University Council agenda.
    2. Proposal from the Committee on Statutes, Bylaws, and Committees:
      1. Proposal to Amend the University Council Bylaws. A discussion occurred regarding the proposal among the members of the committee. The question was raised as to whether or not the University Council bylaws specify if only full-time faculty members can serve on the University Council and its standing committees. Due to the lack of certainty concerning this question, a motion was made to send the proposal back to the Statutes and Bylaws Committee so that the committee could clarify in the bylaws the status and eligibility of faculty serving on the Council and Council standing committees. The motion being seconded, a vote was called and the Executive Committee approved sending the proposal back to the Statutes and Bylaws Committee.
  4. Information Item:
    1. From the Educational Affairs Committee:
      1. 2016-2017 Academic Honesty Report. This report will appear on the November 29, 2017 University Council agenda as an information item.
  5. There was no old business to come before the committee.
  6. New Business:
    1. Graduate-Professional Student Association president Johnita Daniel stated that the GPSA is currently drafting a letter to send to the Board of Regents regarding the GPSA's opposition to the proposed federal tax bill's impact on graduate student tuition waivers and that the GPSA is looking for faculty support for their effort.  After extensive discussion, it was determined by the committee that the best option for the GPSA to gain backing for the letter from the Council would be to ask the Council for support in the form of a motion during the GPSA report at the November 29 University Council meeting.
    2. Brief remarks were made concerning the campus carry bill as well as the name of the Division of Marketing and Communications.
There being no further business, the meeting adjourned at 4:47 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,

Fiona Liken, Registrar
Secretary to University Council


Executive Committee Members Present
Malcolm Adams
Robert Bringolf
Rose Chepyator-Thomson
Johnita Daniel
Stephan Durham
Jeong-Yeob Han
Cameron Keen
Michael Lewis
Fiona Liken
Henry Munneke
Scott Nesbit
Kerry Oliver
Scott Pegan
Amy Rosemond
Esra Santesso
David Shipley
Beth Tobin
Beth Tolley
Pamela Whitten

Executive Committee Members Represented by Substitute
Melissa Freeman (Diann Jones)
Amanda Smith (Ben Campbell)
Patricia Yager (Janet Frick)