UNH Faculty Senate
Summary Minutes from 22 January, 2001
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UNIVERSITY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
2000/01 FACULTY SENATE
JANUARY 22, 2001 - MINUTES SUMMARY
I. Roll - The following Faculty Senate members were absent Afolayan, Denis, Halstead, Macieski, McCann, Morgan,
Reardon, and VonDamm. Excused were Finn, Hiller, Schiller and Trowbridge.
II.. Communications from the Chair - The acting chair presented plans for amendments to the Faculty Senate Constitution
and then a referendum on the senate, which is called for in Article 12 of the senate constitution. He asked that
faculty senators review the senate constitution, which is available on the senate's web site, and give input to
the senate chair within the next two weeks. A request will be sent to all faculty, asking for their input as well.
The acting chair said that the Agenda Committee proposed that the referendum procedure be that each senator would
poll the faculty in that department and inform the senate office of how many faculty from that department were
for and how many against the Faculty Senate as constituted by its constitution and amendments, as stated in article
12. Discussion ensued as to whether the referendum should be before or after the constitutional amendments and
whether the referendum should be on the senate constitution or on the senate as a whole. Everyone agrees that
Article 12 must be followed; and it states that "Five years after the enactment of this constitution, the
chair of the Faculty Senate shall organize a referendum to determine whether the faculty are satisfied with the
Faculty Senate as constituted by this document and any subsequent amendments."
The acting chair said that the academic calendar for 2004/5 will be considered soon and will be sent to the senate's
Academic Affairs Committee for input. He also asked that senators who would be willing to serve on the Supported
Products Advisory Committee contact the senate chair.
III. Minutes - The minutes of the last senate meeting were approved unanimously, with some changes suggested by
the president. The beginning of item II of the December 4 senate minutes will be: "The president said that
the National Center for Higher Education Policy has issued data comparing higher education in the six New England
States and showing that New Hampshire is costly for students. Our state did poorly in the affordability category
but very well in completion, fairly well in preparation, and moderately in participation and in benefits to the
state." In paragraph 2 of that item, the third and fourth sentences will be: "Each college's resources
will reflect the college enrollments, on a two-year rolling basis. At the present time, the enrollment at UNH
is 600 students smaller and the physical plant slightly bigger than in the 1994/95 academic year." The last
sentence in that paragraph will state: "The president later determined that the report of that committee
was given to Assistant Vice President for Business Affairs Anthony Zizos, who is looking into this situation on
behalf of Vice President Corvey."
IV. UCAPC Motion - David Kaye, the chair of the senate's Library Committee, made a motion that "the Library
be granted one representative to serve on the University Curriculum and Academic Policy Committee (UCAPC)".
A friendly amendment was made and accepted to change "the Library" to "the library faculty members".
After discussion, the amended motion was unanimously approved.
V. New Agenda Committee Member and New UCAPC Member - Bill Stine was unanimously approved as the new Agenda Committee
member and the new UCAPC member from Liberal Arts.
VI. Discussion with the Chancellor - The president introduced Chancellor Stephen Reno who said that he has traveled
a great deal throughout the state, in order to talk with people and listen to their ideas about our university
system. Many people in other areas of the state see the university at work through Cooperative Extension, and
people in the north of the state want more access to our programs. The chancellor said that he is very impressed
with people at the university and with the access students have to participate in research projects here. He said
that the Board of Trustees is giving a great deal of support to the campaign to enhance understanding of the need
for better funding for higher education. We must help legislators and people across the state understand how important
it is to have a robust university system for the quality of life in this state. The chancellor added that we have
an unprecedented solidarity with the leaders of industry, who are working for better university funding which they
believe will lead to a better economy and quality of life. Support for better funding is being given by the Business
and Industry Association, the Alumni Association, the Parent's Association, and many others. The chancellor asked
that faculty participate in the effort to support better access to higher education. The university needs an increase
in its operating budget and its budget for renovation and repairs. A six-year capital funding proposal totaling
$185,000,000 has been made to the legislature.
Discussion ensued on the issue of bringing into our programs students who have attended two-year institutions and
the request that the university accept courses that may not adequately prepare students for the level of work required
in university courses. The chancellor said that the university provost is now chair of a committee to review this
issue. The chancellor and the senators discussed the role of the system office and the chancellor. A professor
said that the idea of consumerism in education is very inappropriate, because faculty and students are in a professional
relationship and not in a buying and selling relationship.
In response to a question about the possibility of new programs, the chancellor said that new programs may be possible
and that there are courses and programs that the university must offer even if they are not net revenue producers;
but tough decisions would have to be made in a multi-faceted and difficult process; and strategic planning is needed.
A faculty member said that, whenever a new building is added, funds must be provided for maintenance of that building;
and moreover, when a building is renovated, the costs for upkeep usually increase. The president said that the
state provides funding for maintenance for state-funded buildings and that privately-funded buildings should not
be accepted without an endowment for upkeep. The chancellor asked the senators to send any further input to him
on email at sreno@unh.edu.
VII. Land Use - Elizabeth Dolan, who is the senate's representative to the UNH Advisory Committee on Lands and
Property, said that a private soccer association has proposed developing part of the Moore Fields into soccer fields
to be used by both that organization and the university. Nine fields for soccer, lacrosse and field hockey would
be located to the right of Mast Road near the West Edge Parking Lot, and two of those fields would have lights
and stands. Parking could be in the nearby lot and would be most used by the soccer association during non-peak
times for university parking. The private soccer association would pay for both construction and maintenance of
the facility, and the land would remain the property of the university. The university is reviewing all current
uses of the land, including its use as agricultural land, how the manure from the university barns could be dealt
with if those fields were no longer agricultural, and the potential costs of the change in manure processing.
The new playing fields would be valuable for university athletics. No final decision has been made, and all input
is requested.
VIII. Adjournment - Today's meeting was adjourned.
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