Executive Committee Minutes

09/16/2020 03:30 PM - Online, Zoom Webinar. Please email univcouncil@uga.edu for information.
View Related Documents Online The University Council Executive Committee met on September 16, 2020 via Zoom Webinar for its first meeting of the 2020-2021 academic year. A quorum being present, Chair David Shipley called the meeting to order at 3:30 p.m. The standing chair of the University Curriculum Committee, John Maerz, was in attendance. Guests at the meeting included Erin Benson, Patti Hunt-Hurst, Jennifer MacDonald, Usha Rodrigues, Rahul Shrivastav, and Alton Standifer.


Professor Shipley began the meeting by explaining the purpose and charge of the Executive Committee in the campus governance process to the members present. Professor Shipley next explained changes in the recording of votes for this year. Following the University Council special meeting on August 12, 2020, the Office of Legal Affairs notified the Registrar and Professor Shipley that the voting procedures for Council and its standing committee were not following the Georgia Open Meetings Act. Going forward, University Council and its standing committees, including the Executive Committee, will be required to record in their meeting minutes how each member voted on a specific proposal unless the vote on the proposal was unanimous. As well, the votes must be taken in public, allowing the public to see how the committee is voting during the meeting. Accordingly, Professor Shipley recommended to the Executive Committee that for today's meeting votes on the previous meeting's minutes and the proposals on the agenda will be handled by first calling for any "nay" votes or abstentions.  If hearing none, the item will be considered unanimously approved. If any member casts a "nay" vote or abstains, a roll call vote will be held to record each member's vote via a spreadsheet to be shared in the minutes.

 
  1. As the first order of business, a motion was made by Janet Westpheling to approve the minutes of the February 5, 2020, Executive Committee meeting. The motion was seconded by Milton Masciadri. Following a roll call vote, the minutes were approved with 18 votes in favor of approving and 7 abstentions.
  2. Action Items:
    1. Proposals from the University Curriculum Committee:
      1. Proposal to change the name of the major in Consumer Journalism (B.S.F.C.S.) to Social Entrepreneurship for Consumer Well-Being (B.S.F.C.S.). A vote was called, and the proposal was approved to be placed on the September 30, 2020, University Council agenda with 24 votes in favor of moving the proposal forwrad to Council and 1 abstention.
      2. Proposal to revise Policy 4.06-2, Religious Holidays Attendance Policy. During discussion on the proposal, a friendly amendment was made to modify proposed language in the proposal to read, "Such assignments may be given or completed prior to the date of the absence." A roll call vote was taken, and the proposal with the friendly amendment was approved to be placed on the September 30, 2020, University Council agenda with 23 votes in favor of moving the proposal forward to Council and 2 abstentions. 
  3. Old Business:
    1. Professor Shipley followed up on an online vote taken by the Executive Committee in April to approve ten items from the University Curriculum Committee using the Executive Committee's ability to act "in matters of particular urgency, on behalf of the full Council."  The ten items will be before the full Council for a confirmation vote at the September 30 University Council meeting.
  4. New Business:
    1. Professor Shipley provided an overview of, and an update on, the formation of the ad hoc COVID-19 Crisis Response Committee (CCRC), which was passed by the full Council at its August 12 meeting and approved by President Morehead on September 4. Professor Shipley had previously emailed the Executive Committee prior to the day's meeting and suggested that the 12-member committee, whose membership would contain Council members and reflect the composition of  Council membership, should be comprised of nine faculty members, one staff member, one undergraduate student, and one graduate student and that four members of the Executive Committee, one of which would be Professor Shipley, should select who will serve on the committee. The Executive Committee discussed both how the ad hoc committee should be formed as well as the committee's composition. Following discussion, a motion was made by Janet Westpheling and seconded by Barbara Biesecker that the membership of the ad hoc committee should be comprised of eight faculty members, two staff members, one undergraduate student, and one graduate student. A vote was called, and the Executive Committee approved the motion with 25 votes in favor of the motion and 1 abstention. A motion was then made by Nate Nibbelink and seconded by Janet Westpheling that the selection of the ad hoc committee members should be delegated to Professor Shipley and three other Executive Committee members and that once the 12 members have been selected, a vote should be taken by the full Executive Committee to approve the formation of the ad hoc committee. A vote was called, and the Executive Committee approved the motion with 25 votes in favor of the motion and 1 abstention. Professor Shipley stated he would soon contact the full Council for volunteers.
    2. A brief discussion concerning the possible reconstitution of the Faculty Conference was held. According to both the University Bylaws and Statutes, the Faculty Conference "shall provide a forum for the discussion of issues of concern to the University Faculty."  Professor Shipley reported that the last time the Faculty Conference was formed was 2003 and can be formed at any time "upon petition of 10 members of the Conference." Professor Shipley asked the Executive Committee for their opinions on what the Executive Committee should do regarding its possible formation. Following discussion, it was agreed that Professor Shipley would make the full Council aware of the existence of the Faculty Conference during his report to the Council at the September 30 meeting.
    3. Provost Hu suggested avoiding use of the abbreviation "CCRC" for the ad hoc committee due to the existence of the Complex Carbohydrate Research Center on campus.  Accordingly, Professor Shipley agreed to refer to the ad hoc committee as the COVID-19 Response Committee (CRC) going forward.

There being no further new business, the meeting adjourned at 4:43 p.m.

Executive Committee Members Present
Asim Ahmed
Barbara Biesecker
Abigail Borron
Wayde Brown
Kevin Burke
Miguel Cabrera
Jim Carson
Stephan Durham
Victoria Hasko
Savannah Hembree
Keith Herist
Itai Himelboim
Steven Holladay
Jack Hu
Shayla Lee
Fiona Liken
Milton Masciadri
Luke Naeher
Nate Nibbelink
Kerry Oliver
Nina Santus
David Shipley
Pamela Turner
Janet Westpheling
Teena Wilhelm

Executive Committee Members Represented by Substitute
Amy Rosemond (Alan Covich)

Record of Votes