Minutes of 19 October 1998
Circulated 20 October 1998
Approved 16 November 1998

MATERIALS DISTRIBUTED
1. Agenda for 19 October 1998
2. SACUA and Senate Assembly Skeletal Agendas
3. Draft Minutes of 28 September 1998
4. Approved Minutes of 18 May 1998
5. Tobacco Divestment Report to the Senate Assembly, 29 Sept 1997
6. Item for Consideration, dated 27 Oct 1997
7. Report of the Budget Study Committee, May 1998
8. Senate Assembly Item for Action, dated 19 October 1998

Chair Ensminger convened the meeting at 3:17 P.M.

CONSIDERATION OF THE MINUTES OF 28 SEPTEMBER 1998
The minutes of 28 September 1998 were approved as submitted.

ANNOUNCEMENTS
Chair Ensminger announced:
1. Approximately 9 tickets remain available for the Faculty Forum on Research Universities and Undergraduate Education. The tickets are available through the Senate Assembly office. The forum will be recorded on videotape and copies will be made available to Senate Assembly members.

2. The December meeting of the Senate Assembly will feature presentations by Vice President and General Counsel Marvin Krislov, Vice President for Development Susan Feagin, and Human Resources Director Jackie McClain. McClain will discuss staff benefits, M-Care steerage, and the ombuds program.

3. Jose Marie Griffiths from ITD has proposed to conduct a survey of faculty to determine their information technology needs. The survey will likely be distributed in January, with reply requested by February. Ms. Griffiths intends to report on the results to the Senate Assembly at its April meeting.

4. The Academic Affairs Advisory Committee will meet with the Academic Programs Group and the Provost on 27 October 1998 to discuss the report of the study group on the professoriate. Provost Cantor will report on the outcome of the retreat at the November meeting of the Senate Assembly.

REPORT FROM CFO ROBERT KASDIN
Chair Ensminger introduced Vice President Kasdin at 3:22 P.M. The vice president reported to the faculty that one of his responsibilities was to oversee the financial strength of the university. He stated that the U-M was healthy financially.

Vice President Kasdin described the administrative and reporting line structure of his office. He pointed out that DPS Director Leo Heatley has announced his retirement plans and that a search for a new Public Safety director would soon commence. Kasdin explained further that spending priorities were undergoing a pattern of change under the leadership of the new central administration, and that he felt a responsibility to ensure wise spending practices on priorities set by the Provost.

Kasdin said that one recent development has been to break down the notion that separate reserves of money are controlled by the Provost and the CFO. He said that financial resources were for ideas from the faculty that had been prioritized by the Provost. The vice president pointed out that faculty have traditionally expected and received a high level of service from the Central Administration regarding upkeep of buildings, grounds, and other matters, and that such service must be preserved.

Kasdin said that the current Central Administration is making sure that every dollar that can be spent on academic affairs is being spent. He pointed out that he had willingly experienced a base cut of 3 to 4 percent last year in his budget so that more funds could be made available for the Provost. He stated that the president has made a master planning initiative because there is limited space remaining for university expansion and its use should be planned carefully. He said that additional building will proceed, but that most of the expenditures over coming years will go into rehabilitation of existing structures.

Vice President Kasdin concluded his prepared remarks at 3:36 P.M. and invited questions from the audience. In response to audience questions, Kasdin explained that the firm engaged for master plan advice, Venturi, Scott, and Brown, will work this year on the relationship between North Campus and Central Campus. He added that planning was being coordinated with city and state officials. He said that his office was interested in getting more input from deans and building residents regarding renovation plans for specific buildings. He said that overall renovation costs for both Hill Auditorium and the Rackham building were very large, and that consequently resources will have to be allocated in a phased manner.

Chair Ensminger thanked CFO Kasdin for his report, and Kasdin left the meeting at 3:48 P.M.

REPORT FROM THE BUDGET STUDY COMMITTEE
Chair Ensminger invited Professor Elizabeth Duell to review the contents of the report from the Budget Study Committee (item 7). Duell outlined the content of the distributed report and informed the Senate Assembly that Committee activity this year would focus on financial aid for graduate students, trends in the new budget system, and mechanisms by which the budget remains in balance despite lower tuition increases in recent years.

In response to audience questions, Duell explained that the Budget Study Committee selects topics for examination based on queries or complaints received by its members. She said that the reports are submitted to the Senate Assembly, and in some cases specific findings have been published in the Faculty Perspectives Page of the University Record. She noted that the committee was not charged with making recommendations for action, however.

Provost Cantor commented that declines in some cost categories identified in item 7 may not be accurate. She said that she would like to have a member of her staff sit with Budget Study Committee members to explain the cost codes. Professor Duell replied that the Committee occasionally invited Robert Holbrook to attend its meetings to help interpret points.

OLD BUSINESS
There was no old business.

NEW BUSINESS
Professor MacAlpine moved adoption of the following resolution (multiple seconds).

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ACTION OF THE SENATE ASSEMBLY 981019-1
The Senate Assembly, the representative body of the Faculty at the University of Michigan, deplores and is deeply saddened by recent acts of violence directed against college or university students. No hate crime, based on such factors as race, sexual orientation, ethnicity or religion, can be tolerated anywhere. We call upon members of the Academic Community to renew efforts toward fostering an environment of mutual respect for all.
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Professor MacAlpine said that the motion stemmed from deep concern about recent incidents of violence on or near other campuses, including arson of the dormitory room of an African American student, and the beating death of a gay student. He said that he hoped by placing its concern on the record, the faculty would make a statement meaningful to the student population.

The active motion was approved by voice vote, without dissent or abstentions of record.

Provost Cantor asked faculty members to make accommodations with respect to coursework and assignments for a large group of residence hall friends of a freshman student who died tragically over the weekend.

The meeting adjourned at 4:06 P.M.

Respectfully submitted,

John T. Lehman
Senate Secretary

 

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