Category Archives: 19-20

Senate Meeting Agenda – June 10, 2020

Location: Zoom (Please find link below the agenda)
3:00 – 5:00 P.M.

3:00 P.M.  Call to Order

  • Introductory Remarks; Senate President Elizabeth Skowron
  • Remarks; Senate Vice President & President-Elect Elliot Berkman

3:10 P.M. Approval of the Minutes

May 13, 2020

3:15 P.M. State of the University

  • President Michael Schill

3:40 P.M. New Business

Gina Biancarosa ( College of Education, Senator), Jay Butler (Business Affairs, Senator), Jen Reynolds (Law, Senator), Pedro Garcia-Caro (CAS – Romance Languages, Senator), Suzie Stadelman (University Counseling Center, Senator), Mark Whalan (CAS – English, Senator), Monique Balbuena (Honors College, Senator), Chris, Chavez (Journalism, Senator), Beth Harn (College of Education, Senator), Volya Kapatsinski (CAS – Linguistics, Senator), Hans Dreyer (CAS – Human Physiology, Senator), Sam Stroich (EMU Outdoor Program, Senator), Zhuo Jing-Schmidt (CAS – East Asian Languages & Literature, Senator), Melissa Brunkan (Music, Senator), Akiko Walley (College of Design, Senator), Keith Zvoch (College of Education, Senator), Eileen Otis (CAS – Sociology, Senator), Stephanie Prentiss (Business Affairs, Senator), Kristy Bryant-Berg (CAS – English, Senator), Anne Wood (CAS – Biology, Senator)

4:10 P.M. Awards

  • Classified Staff Award:
    • Cimmeron Gillespie (Campus Planning & Facilities Management), Intro by Steve Mital and Robyn Hathcock
    • Char Fentress (University Health Center), Intro by Allie Heaman
  • OA Award:
    • Herlinda (Linda) Leon (Romance Languages); Intro by Amalia Gladhart & Fabienne Moore
  • Shared Governance Award:
    • Sierra Dawson (Office of the Provost), Intro by Elizabeth Skowron & Jessica Cronce
    • Jennifer Espinola (Law School), Intro by Elizabeth Skowron & Jessica Cronce
    • Chris Esparza (Law School), Intro by Elizabeth Skowron & Jessica Cronce
  • Wayne Westling Award:
    • Kassia Dellabough (College of Design); Intro by Kristin Grieger

4:58 P.M. Open Discussion
4:59 P.M. Other Business
5:00 P.M. Adjourn


Topic: University Senate – June Mtg
Time: Jun 10, 2020 03:00 PM Pacific Time (US and Canada)

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US19/20-19: Approval of Curriculum Report, Spring 2020

Date of Notice: April 8, 2020
Current Status: Approved June 10, 2020
Motion Type: Legislation
Sponsor: Frances White, Chair of UOCC


Motion

Section I

1.1 WHEREAS the UO Committee on Courses has submitted the Spring Term 2020 Preliminary Curriculum Report for University Senate review.

Section II

2.1 BE IT THEREFORE MOVED that the University Senate approves the Spring 2020 Curriculum Report as submitted by the UOCC (please see related documents).


Related Documents

UOCC_Spring 2020 Preliminary Curriculum Report

US19/20-18: Resolution Against Racism and Systemic Oppression

Date of Notice: June 2, 2020
Current Status: Approved June 10, 2020 (as amended in red below)
Motion Type: Resolution
Sponsor(s): Elizabeth Skowron (CAS – Psychology, Senate President)
Elliot Berkman (CAS – Psychology, Senate Vice President and President-Elect)
Isaiah Boyd (ASUO President 2020-2021)

Gina Biancarosa ( College of Education, Senator), Jay Butler (Business Affairs, Senator), Jen Reynolds (Law, Senator), Pedro Garcia-Caro (CAS – Romance Languages, Senator), Suzie Stadelman (University Counseling Center, Senator), Mark Whalan (CAS – English, Senator), Monique Balbuena (Honors College, Senator), Chris, Chavez (Journalism, Senator), Beth Harn (College of Education, Senator), Volya Kapatsinski (CAS – Linguistics, Senator), Hans Dreyer (CAS – Human Physiology, Senator), Sam Stroich (EMU Outdoor Program, Senator), Zhuo Jing-Schmidt (CAS – East Asian Languages & Literature, Senator), Melissa Brunkan (Music, Senator), Akiko Walley (College of Design, Senator), Keith Zvoch (College of Education, Senator), Eileen Otis (CAS – Sociology, Senator), Stephanie Prentiss (Business Affairs, Senator), Kristy Bryant-Berg (CAS – English, Senator), Anne Wood (CAS – Biology, Senator)


Motion

Section I

1.1 WHEREAS we are a nation in crisis; and

1.2 WHEREAS racism has long been and continues to be deeply rooted in our society; and

1.3 WHEREAS the University of Oregon has in the past celebrated racist individuals and institutions and, despite some progress, remains an institution with more work to do including eliminating microaggressions and other forms of exclusion consistently endured by Black students, faculty, and staff; and

1.4 WHEREAS historic and ongoing structural and systemic barriers in our society prevent Black Americans and communities of color from thriving in our country; and

1.5 WHEREAS the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and other public health crises are disproportionately borne by Black Americans and other communities of color; and

1.6 WHEREAS the senseless deaths of Black Americans continue at the hands of those who swore oaths to protect and serve; and

1.7 WHEREAS the senseless deaths of Black Americans continue at the hands of vigilantes, white supremacists, and white nationalists; and

1.8 WHEREAS the murders of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, and Breonna Taylor, Tony McDade, and David McAtee are only the most recent examples of the brutality of law enforcement and white vigilantes against Black men and women and the devaluing of Black lives; and

1.9 WHEREAS it is each of our responsibilities to ensure we understand the history of our own privileges, racism, and biases and the impact of our actions, or lack thereof, on the Black community, Native people, and other communities of color; and

1.10 WHEREAS decades of scholarship from faculty and students around the globe including many at the University of Oregon have documented but not succeeded in eliminating the pervasive existence, and insidious effects of structural racism; and

1.11 WHEREAS it is our responsibility as an academic institution to study, teach, and learn from the effects of structural racism and white nationalism on Black Americans, all people of color, and the wellbeing of our democracy.

Section II

2.1 THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that we in the strongest possible terms stand together to condemn the long-standing murder by police and other racially-motivated violence, injustice, and oppression that targets the Black community as well as state violence against peaceful protestors; and

2.2 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that all those with privileges and power will take full responsibility to continuously work in partnership with communities of color to recognize, examine, and address our own beliefs, biases, and privileges as we reaffirm our values of justice and equity; and

2.3 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that we will hold our leaders accountable to evaluate themselves and the systems over which they have power to actively combat and dismantle racism and oppression in all their forms and to embrace unity, build bridges between communities, and heal divisions; and

2.4 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Senate Leadership will charge all Senate academic committees with determining how they can best support fulfillment of our obligation to educate the next generation of leaders about these issues. Specific steps the Senate committees should consider taking, in consultation with the academic units, include but are not limited to:

  1. Revisiting their mission and charge to determine if any changes are necessary to appropriately support this work;
  2. Identifying and promoting existing scholarship and curricula, such as the Black Studies minor, that illuminate and mitigate structural racism and oppression and their effects on society, and also determining if there is a lack of such work and then facilitating its development;
  3. Supporting university-wide efforts to create and maintain inclusive learning environments that educate students, faculty, and community members;
  4. Advocating both faculty appointments and structural support for teaching and research that centers on the history of racial oppression and the ongoing and pervasive impacts of structural racism, and active support and retention of faculty, staff, and administrators of color;
  5. Encouraging the teaching of US: Difference Inequality, and Agency courses across all departments, including units that have rarely taught cultural and equity literacy courses and assess the degree to which DIA courses meet their stated purpose;
  6. Considering the addition of a new requirement, such as a course in Indigenous, Race and Ethnic Studies, and other incentives for students to study and participate in experiential learning in the areas of cultural and equity literacy;
  7. Advocating both faculty appointments and structural support for Indigenous, Race and Ethnic Studies and other expert teachers and scholars of race and power, and endorsing the value of faculty teaching development and lifelong learning opportunities about the history of racial oppression and the ongoing and pervasive impacts of structural racism;

2.5  BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Senate will invite an annual report from the Office of the Provost sharing disaggregated student outcomes (enrollment and achievement) across colleges and departments, and that institutional data be regularly disaggregated to help colleges and departments track and improve the achievement gap  for Black students and other students of color compared to white students; and

2.6  BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Senate will invite an annual report from the Center for Multicultural Academic Excellence, the Multicultural Center, the Ombuds Office, the Dean of Students, and the Office of Investigations and Civil Rights Compliance on the kinds of experiences students report in UO classrooms and campus, both ones that increase a sense of belonging and that exclude or negatively impact Black, Indigenous, Latinx, Asian, and Pacific Islander students, to heighten faculty awareness of how their teaching practices differentially impact students; and

2.7  BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Senate urges the university to create an independent civilian oversight process for the University of Oregon Police Department with investigatory and disciplinary authority; and

2.8  BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Senate urges the university to present to the Senate a written analysis of whether the University of Oregon should have a sworn law enforcement agency (i.e., UOPD) or an unarmed public safety structure; and

2.9 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Senate will encourage the Presidential Task Force on Recognizing our Diverse History to expedite their work, and to submit bold recommendations on removing or radically recontextualizing aspects of our shared material environment on campus that continue to honor the ideologies of white supremacy and/or settler colonialism; and

2.10 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that these will not simply be words on a page but must represent enduring structural change and a willingness to dismantle systems that perpetuate racial inequities to create justice for the Black community. The Senate hereby commits itself to revisiting each action presented in Section II of this resolution by the end of the 2020-2021 Academic Year. This report will be prepared by the Senate Executive Committee and submitted to the Daily Emerald for publication.

 

 

Academic Council Message to Faculty

6-4-20

Dear Colleagues

On 6-2-20, the ASUO Executive began circulating an “Open Letter to the University of Oregon” that expressed great concern about fellow students, especially students of color, and the unprecedented stress they are experiencing as a result of the local and national unrest over George Floyd’s murder, combined with the pandemic. In that letter, they call upon professors and course instructors to make finals “optional and non-grade diminishing” as a show of empathy and support for students. You may already be aware of this as we’ve been hearing from faculty, and we know faculty are hearing from students about this so we wanted to offer guidance on academic options available to you.

Below, we outline the tools available to both faculty and students that provide flexibility for academic coursework during these particularly trying circumstances.

First, we want to acknowledge the extraordinary time we are in, and that this is undoubtedly affecting many students’ abilities to cope with the varying demands in their lives. We also know that this particular moment is having a disproportionately negative effect on Black students, and students of color in ways that few can truly comprehend.

And we know the same is true for faculty and GEs. In pivoting to remote instruction for Winter term finals and all of Spring term, you accomplished a feat that seemed impossible at the time. To accomplish that while dealing with your own challenges from working at home, caring for children or relatives, continuing your own schoolwork, or dealing with loss and uncertainty is nothing short of remarkable. On top of all of that, this national crisis is affecting many of you in ways many of us can’t truly know. As representatives of the Academic Council and as your colleagues, we stand with you and are eager to support you however we can.

With all of this, we aren’t quite done. We know we’ve asked a great deal from you and put boundaries around instruction that some of you disagree with. We are committed to balancing the many competing needs of faculty, GEs, and students. Today, we are coming to you again to ask for your help in supporting our students. For many of our students, you represent a safe space, a tether to some kind of normalcy, a sane voice of leadership or just someone to see and hear them. We are asking that you continue being that pillar of support for your students, and that you find ways in the closing days of this term to respond with empathy and flexibility. In that, we are echoing Provost Phillips’ recent plea for us all to provide comfort and care for our students and for each other. We’d also like to offer some specific guidance in response to the open letter from the ASUO.

While we are not asking at this late date for you to completely rethink how you approach the end of the term for projects or finals, we want to remind you of changes we’ve already made that allow all of us  the flexibility in closing out the term successfully.

The first specific ask is simply to hear your students. In many cases, they just need someone, you, to really hear what they are going through and offer a way through it. If they come to you for help, assume the best in them and listen. And then try to help them find solutions to get through the next thing. For many of your students, you will be the one that gets them through the next tough moment. This recent post from the Teaching Engagement Program provides some helpful ways to engage with students around the recent national events. Know that we ask this of you in the context of what is possible for you, given your situation – we do not mean to ignore the challenges and constraints you face, nor the important role you play in students’ lives.

Next, offer flexibility where it is possible and makes sense in your class. Again, assume the best intentions of your students and find ways to help where possible. To that end, here are some reminders of policies already in place, and suggestions for other ways to offer flexibility:

  • The Academic Continuity expectations in place state the following: “instructors may modify course expectations such that required work is reduced or grading schemes are adjusted provided they can still meet course learning objectives.” This gives latitude for instructors to make changes to the syllabus for the advantage of students even this late in the term.

 

  • Related to the point above, you can modify the final in terms of points, duration, format, or other ways that would ease stress on students. Consider the purpose of the final and how that might be accomplished in different ways.

 

  • You can make the final optional and allow students to accept their grade to date.

 

  • You can reopen closed assignments or extend assignment deadlines to provide opportunities for students.

 

  • You can waive late penalties or waive lowest grades for some assignments.

 

  • You can relax grading criteria, e.g., by lowering grade cutoffs.

 

  • Remind students that they have the P/N option available to them for all courses and have until July 16, 2020 to change from graded to P/N. This option can prevent a negative effect on their GPA.

 

  • As a last resort, you can grant an “Incomplete”. We note it as a last resort because it can create delayed work for faculty and students, and potentially delay students from moving on to higher level classes. We do want to clarify here that the incomplete policy says the following:

An incomplete may be issued when the quality of work is satisfactory, but some minor yet essential requirement has not been completed, for reasons acceptable to the instructor. Faculty and students should develop a contract outlining the requirements and specific deadlines for making up the incomplete. Contracts should be filed in the departmental office through which the course is taught.”

We interpret this to mean that the granting of an incomplete is at the discretion of the instructor. Instructors and GEs might consult with their heads if they offer the incomplete option and clarify who will grade the work when it is submitted.

These represent options for you to respond with empathy and flexibility. We encourage you to let your students know that you have received these messages and how you intend to respond.

We regret coming to you late in the term with this. But as with so much lately, the situation changes daily. Thank you for all you are doing to support our students. Please do not hesitate to reach out to the Academic Council at any time with your thoughts, concerns or questions.

Sincerely,

Members of the Academic Council

Jagdeep Bala
Senior Instructor, Director of Undergraduate Studies, Psychology,
Chair of Scholastic Review Committee

Ali Emami
Senior II Instructor of Finance, LCB-Finance Department,
Chair of Senate Budget Committee 

Dorothee Ostmeier
Professor, German and Scandinavian, Folklore and Public Culture,
Chair of Graduate Council

Mike Price
Senior Instructor, Assistant Department Head, Mathematics,
Chair of Academic Requirements Committee

Jana Prikryl
Instructor/Advisor/Director, Biology and General Science,
Chair of Undergraduate Council

Margaret Sereno
Associate Professor, Psychology,
Chair of University Library Committee

Carol Silverman
Professor, Anthropology,
Chair of Faculty Personnel Committee

Emily Simnitt
Senior Instructor I, English,
Co-Chair of Core Ed Council

Christopher Sinclair
Associate Professor, Math,
Co-Chair of Core Ed Council

Elizabeth Skowron
Professor, Psychology,
Senate President

Frances White
Professor and Dept Head, Anthropology,
Chair of Committee on Courses
Chair of Academic Council

Janet Woodruff-Borden
Executive Vice Provost for Academic Affairs,
Office of the Provost

Ron Bramhall
Associate Vice Provost for Academic Affairs, Office of the Provost,
Provost designee

 

 

US19/20-16: Resolution to adopt an Open Access Scholarship Policy

Date of Notice: May 12, 2020
Current Status: Notice Given
Motion Type: Resolution
Sponsor: David Condon, Psychology
Margaret Sereno, Psychology
Miriam Rigby, Librarian
Beth Harn, College of Education
Andrew Kern, Biology
Franny Gaede, Librarian


Motion

Section I

1.1 WHEREAS the University of Oregon is a public university dedicated to excellence in research and scholarship; and

1.2 WHEREAS commercial and society publishers have used copyright restrictions to limit the distribution and access to scholarly works; and

1.3 WHEREAS the Faculty of the University of Oregon believe it is important to make the products of that work widely and publicly available for the public benefit.

Section II

2.1 THEREFORE BE IT MOVED that the University Senate endorses a resolution supporting the development of an Open Access Scholarship Policy by the Senate Subcommittee on Open Access in the 2020-2021 academic year, per recommendations outlined in the Related Documents.


Related Documents

Senate Meeting Agenda – May 13, 2020

Location: Zoom (Please see link to meeting below the agenda)
3:00 – 5:00 P.M.

3:00 P.M.   Call to Order

  • Introductory Remarks; Senate President Elizabeth Skowron

3:05 P.M.  Approval of the Minutes

3:10 P.M.   State of the University

  • President Michael Schill
  • Provost Patrick Phillips

3:30 P.M.   Open Discussion (senators may submit questions in advance to senatecoordinator@uoregon.edu and senatepres@uoregon.edu, or at meeting)

  • Academic Continuity Guidelines (April revisions/additions) & Remote Education, Spring & Summer; 2020 Slides
    • Academic Council, Chair (Frances White) & Members
    • Janet Woodruff-Borden, Executive Vice Provost
    • Ron Bramhall, Assoc Vice Prov Academic Exec
    • Kate Mondloch, Interim Dean Grad School
    • Doneka Scott, Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education and Student Success
    • Mark Watson, UO Libraries

4:00 P.M.    New Business

  • Updates: Open Access; David Condon, Mark Watson, et al

4:15 P.M.   Reports

  • Core Ed Council; Chris Sinclair/Emily Simnitt
  • SOAGIE; SJ Wilhelm (Community Director, University Housing), Slides

4:25 P.M. Notice(s) of Motion

  • US19/20-16: Resolution to adopt an Open Access Scholarship Policy; David Condon (Psychology), Margaret Sereno (Psychology), Mark Watson (UO Libraries)
  • US19/20-17: Creation of a School of Languages and Global Studies; Zhuo Jig-Schmidt (East Asian Languages & Literature)

4:25 P.M. Other Business

4:30 P.M. EXECUTIVE SESSION – AWARDS
5:00 P.M.   Adjourn


Topic: University Senate – May Mtg
Time: May 13, 2020 03:00 PM Pacific Time (US and Canada)

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Academic Council: Updated Academic Continuity Expectations

The Academic Council met 4-22-20 to discuss academic continuity planning for the duration of the COVID-19 disruption. The Academic Continuity Plan approved by the Academic Council on March 4, 2020 (https://senate.uoregon.edu/2020/03/05/academic-continuity-plan-for-the-coronavirus-health-emergency/) remains in effect until the academic disruption is declared over by the Academic Council except as modified below. The modifications and new expectations below are in effect beginning Summer 2020 and until the Academic Council declares the end of the Academic Disruption or approves new modifications.

(Note: “Instructor” is used in this document to indicate “Instructor of Record”, which may be instructors or GEs.)

Assumptions Guiding These Changes

  • Changes made to Winter and Spring had to consider the fact that we had less time to plan, and were changing expectations for students and instructors that they had not accounted for
  • We know how summer term will operate and have time to plan for that
  • We will know more about how fall term will operate and will have time to plan for that
  • We have policies governing student engagement and contact hours and should follow those as closely as possible
  • Students will be able to make choices about summer and fall courses that account for their specific situation, so we need fewer accommodations and we will insist on our high expectations for courses
  • Some students will still be in less than ideal situations for summer and beyond, and Instructors should try to accommodate them  where reasonable
  • In a non-pandemic scenario, instructors of courses would have been expected to deliver content and engage with students during scheduled class times
  • In a scenario where all or some courses are remote, some instructors will be in less than ideal situations in terms of workspaces, teaching materials, and technology.

Modifications to Current Expectations

The following expectation from the March 4th Academic Continuity Plan is modified by the Academic Council as indicated below:

  • March 4, 2020 language: Requires instructors with attendance or participation polices to modify those such that attendance is not counted in grades and participation points could be made up or waived.
  • April 29, 2020 update: Instructors may count attendance and participation as part of the grade provided they have reasonable ways for students to complete make-up assignments for missed class sessions or participation points without loss of credit. Instructors must communicate these policies in their syllabi. Instructors who are unsure whether they are making reasonable accommodations should confer with their unit heads for guidance.

Continuation of Grading Policy Adjustments

The following grading policy adjustments approved by the Academic Council on March 25, 2020 for Spring term are continued by the Academic Council until modified or disruption is declared over. These adjustments are in effect for undergraduate and graduate courses except for graduate courses offered in the JD and LLM programs in the Law School, which are under a different policy passed by the Law School.

  • The deadline to change grade-optional courses from graded to P/N (pass/no pass) will be extended 30 days after the date that final grades are posted for that term.
  • The option to change from graded to P/N will be available for all courses that are designated as graded only and for grade optional courses.
  • Courses that are designated as P/N only will remain as they are. There will be no additional options for these courses.
  • Any course grade of P will be counted as a P* grade for the purposes of the policies below. This means that courses taken as P/N can count toward graduation requirements. Credits earned in courses offered only as P/N will use the P* designation.
    • Undergraduate: “Students must earn 168 transfer or University of Oregon credits with grades of A, B, C, D, or P*.”
    • Graduate Master’s degrees: “A minimum of 24 credits must be University of Oregon graded (not pass/no pass) credits.”
  • Instructors of record shall maintain letter grades throughout the term and record final course grades for students in all courses).
  • If a student chooses P/N by the deadline, grades will be recorded as follows:
    • Undergraduate: a P grade for a C- or above, and an N grade for a D+ or below.
    • Graduate: a P grade for a B- or above, and an N grade for a C+ or below.
    • Law: a P grade for a D- or above, and an N grade for an F.
  • Departments are asked to waive any requirements that (a) limit how P/N courses count toward the major; that (b) require specific grades for courses that count toward the major; or that (c) serve as prerequisites for other courses. This is especially important for cases where the lack of such a waiver will require students to enroll in an additional term or delay graduation for students. Departments are to report how they want P/N grades from any term during the disruption to count toward requirements to the Registrar’s Office by May 6, 2020. The Registrar’s Office will send a link to a webform for reporting this information. The Registrar’s Office will reach out to departments directly regarding prerequisites.

New Expectations

The following new expectations are approved by the Academic Council as of April 29, 2020 and effective beginning Summer 2020. These expectations follow two principles: first, that we have policies on student engagement and contact hours that instructors should follow, and, second, that we have time for students and instructors to plan for new expectations that will improve remote education in Summer 2020 and beyond.

  • Courses that were originally scheduled for online and coded with “V” (for virtual) shall be taught as planned.
  • It is expected that non-WEB courses shall provide live engagement during the scheduled meeting times as defined by the Student Engagement Inventory for the course. Instructors may make the following adjustments for courses that have to be offered remotely or partially remotely (some face-to-face and some remote):
    • Live engagement can take many different forms. For example, it might include a mix of content delivery, facilitated discussions on Zoom, facilitated discussion board discussions, breakout sessions for students on Zoom, group project time with the instructor available for guidance. The following are not suitable replacements for contact under current policy:
      • Posting of supplemental content materials
      • Announcements
      • Assignments
      • Office hours, online or otherwise
    • Whatever the mix, at least 50% of the live engagement should include planned and structured content delivery or discussion.
    • Where appropriate and possible, instructors should create opportunities for student-student interaction.
    • Whatever the mix, instructors should be available to students during each scheduled class period. If instructors are not going to be available during a scheduled class period, they should treat that as a “cancelled” class meeting and handle that as they would during a regular, non-remote term with appropriate notifications to students and anyone else as required by the department, and appropriate replacement of that instructional time.
  • Instructors should schedule and be available to meet during office hours outside the scheduled class time in accordance with department and/or school/college policies on office hours.

Technology Tools and Software
It is required that Canvas be used for all courses during the academic disruption. Instructors shall publish their Canvas sites and use them to post materials, collect assignments, provide alternatives to lectures/discussions for students who are absent from class, and post grades. Students and Instructors are required by university policy to use their Uoregon accounts for university business including instruction, and must not share their credentials with anyone.

Instructors may use other FERPA-compliant software to supplement Canvas use. These include the UO licensed versions of Office 365, which includes One Drive and Teams, Zoom and Dropbox. You can find out more about acceptable technology tools and software here: https://is.uoregon.edu/remote.

 

 

Ian Winbrock Candidate Statement 2020

As a community organizer and UO Classified Employee, I believe that people have power when they are able to represent themselves. This is particularly true of underrepresented viewpoints, voices and faces that are institutionally marginalized.

I want to represent you and give you a greater voice in the Senate.

The workings of the University system are complex, but our messages don’t have to be.

Classified staff deserve equal representation on everything the University does from investments in our personnel to executive-level search committees, and layoffs. Too long have our voices been excluded or dismissed.

Since 2018, I’ve been a Program Assistant for the Center for Science Communication Research (SCR), partially funded by the Presidential Fund for Excellence. In my role, I’ve managed budgets, created financial projections, written grants, drafted a financial MoU for my Center and coordinated with the office of the President and the Office of the Provost on funding, reporting and finances.

Prior to joining the University I spent five years working in politics and public policy, managing economic and workforce development programs for disadvantaged youth in the City of West Sacramento, CA. I understand politics and the political process, how to navigate systems of power and advocate for the interests to those who cannot advocate for themselves. My full resume is here.

I currently serve on the board of several local non-profits, providing my expertise to manage projects and programs that are mitigating the social, health and economic impacts of COVID-19.

During this time of dire financial uncertainty, we need someone who is: compassionate, understands complex financial modeling and projections, comfortable working with the University Administration and experienced voicing the perspectives and needs of underrepresented voices.

I’d be humbled to be one of your representatives to the Senate and work with you to ensure that all classified staff are represented.

In Solidarity,

Ian Winbrock

Perri Schodorf Candidate Statement 2020

As a department manager, I have a wide range of experience working with various departments across campus. Even though I’ve only been an OA at UO for a couple of years, I have university administrative experience from my previous institutions. At Bellevue College I served as the Assistant Director for International Admissions and was part of the International Student Leadership Council. At Portland Community College I served as the International Admissions Coordinator for all campuses and centers, and was on the Diversity Committee at Rock Creek. I hold an M.A. in German Language & Literature from UO, and an M.A. in Education from PSU with a focus on working with international, permanent resident, and refugee/asylee students. Due to the constantly changing environment within international education, I have a great deal of experience with faculty/staff mediation, organizational restructuring and transition, and updating processes and procedures. In my spare time I like to read, sew, and go to concerts.

Spencer Smith Candidate Statement 2020

I have been affiliated with the UO since 2011 when I enrolled as an undergraduate student. Upon graduation I returned as a classified staff member within University Housing in 2016 before moving into my current OA position as the Financial Wellness Coordinator and Financial Aid Counselor in 2019. In my professional roles at the UO, I have had the opportunity to connect with front line workers, faculty members along with leadership. I have served as a bridge builder between different departments and employee groups. As a member on the OA Council, we need colleagues to listen, advocate and provide solutions.

If elected into the OA Council, I will utilize my strengths–empathy, harmony, woo to represent OA’s and advocate for our employee group and help find solutions. Each of our jobs, may have different day-to-day operations but we are united in one cause—to be ensure that UO students receive a high-quality of education, while ensuring they are safe, inclusive and positively contribute to their communities as a Duck and beyond. Thank you for your consideration.

Samuel Galli Candidate Statement 2020

Hello. My name is Samuel Galli and I work as a Library Tech 2 at the Allen Price Science Commons & Research Library with the UO Libraries. I am running for University Senate – classified staff position, Term 2020-2022. Shared governance is a vital part of the UO campus leadership. Staff bring a necessary perspective to the table that helps to drive decisive action, influence change, and supports the values of not only classified staff, but also students, OAs, and the faculty of our campus.

I have been working at the University of Oregon for nearly 4 years. I have spent that time working to promote and support Classified Staff within my campus unit. Since starting at the Libraries, I have served as a contact with our SIEU Local 085 to get important information and resources to staff working in my area and beyond. The last two years I have served on the Libraries Classified Staff Advisory Committee (CSAC), which serves as a connective bridge between classified staff and Library admin. During this last year, in this role, I’ve sat in and advocated for staff on our Library Council.

I want to take the next step and serve on the University Senate to continue to support Classified Staff across this campus. In these insecure and trying times, having your voice be heard is what makes a difference. I wish to do my part to make this campus and community the best it can be.

Thank you.

Don Daniels Candidate Statement 2020

I am a linguist who conducts field research on the indigenous languages of Papua New Guinea. I have been interested in language and culture for as long as I can remember. I am particularly intrigued by the ways that languages change over time, and the ways they do and don’t vary. This is the focus of my academic research, and it has given me a solid grounding in empirical and theoretical argumentation. Living with and befriending rural Papua New Guineans has also also taught me a great deal about the realities faced by marginalized people around the world, and I would approach serving on the Senate with a view to enhancing outcomes for communities that have historically been marginalized in the university context. I am a junior faculty member, and I would also bring to the Senate the perspective of someone currently at the bottom of the academic ladder.

Avinnash P. Tiwari Candidate Statement 2020

My work as a Career Instructor allows me to focus on serving students in the classroom and especially serving students facing barriers to their education. Currently, I teach Writing Composition courses, including a section for students receiving advising through the Center for Multicultural Academic Excellence where I get to work with primarily first generation students, and serve as the Acting Director of the new Black Studies Program. My position as Politics Chair on our faculty union’s executive council also gives me an opportunity to push for our work as faculty serving students to be better understood and supported in our community and State. My work will always center on students and I believe this perspective can enhance this committee’s engagement in serving our students and honoring our role as a public institution of higher education.

Jessica Cronce Candidate Statement 2020

I am running for the position of representative on the Faculty Advisory Committee and on the UO Senate. Over the full course of my career, I have been a classified staff member, an officer of administration, a graduate student, a pro tempore instructor, a career non-tenure track research faculty member, and (now) a tenured faculty member. These roles/experiences give me a unique perspective on the vital importance of each member of our university community and to the competing priorities that can create challenges (and opportunities) in a resource-limited environment. Since joining the Department of Counseling Psychology and Human Services faculty in 2015, I have served on committees at all levels of the institution, including (currently) the Undergraduate Council, as well as directed the Family and Human Services undergraduate major for 3 years. I am also a member of the UO Provost’s Teaching Academy and the UO Leadership Academy as well as a steward for United Academics, collectively demonstrating my dedication to fulfilling the missions of the University through a commitment to continuous professional improvement and shared governance. In all domains of my work, I am committed to uplifting diversity, increasing equity, and creating more inclusive academic environments. If elected, I look forward to working collaboratively with my colleagues to develop/refine/enact policies that support equity and excellence with efficiency and to representing the views of faculty to the Senate, the President, and other administrative officials.

 

 

Kristin Koch Candidate Statement 2020

Hello, my name is Kristin Koch. I have worked in Housing at the University of Oregon for the past 17 years. During this time, I have had the unique experience of hiring, training, and supervising over 2000 students and staff. This experience gives me a great connection to the pulse on campus, from many different perspectives. Food service employ’s one of the most diverse work groups on campus. Working with classified staff and student staff from a wide range of backgrounds and experience’s.

I am running for a senate position to help shape the policies and procedures for the University of Oregon, in relation to how we can help staff and students set up for success in the future.  The past cannot be changed; the future is yet to be determined.

Henry Wear Candidate Statement 2020

I’m a native of the Pacific Northwest and graduate of the University of Oregon, University of Kansas, and University of South Carolina. I came ‘home’ to the University of Oregon in the Fall of 2019 after spending the previous three years working at Deakin University in Melbourne, Australia. At Deakin, I was an Assistant Professor in the Sports Management program and Co-Director of the Sports Management Master’s degree program. My current role with the School of Journalism and Communication is to teach and advise students in both sports communication and public relations. This has led to the development and implementation of two new sports specific undergraduate classes in the school and the ongoing development of a new graduate degree focused on sports media and communication. Prior to my transition to academia I spent time working in college athletics at the University of Kansas and the University of South Carolina, specializing in student athlete academic services. I’ve also worked in professional baseball, spending time with Kansas City Royals in their Media Relations and Communication department, and Major League Baseball’s social media team.

I believe it’s the combination of my academic and professional background that make me a strong candidate for the Intercollegiate Athletic Advisory Committee position. I have worked directly with student athletes at high profile programs at large universities. I have a strong understanding and appreciation of what their lives look like at our university, and the systems and commitments they need to navigate. Through teaching, researching, and working in the sport industry I’m also perpetually aware of trends, institutions, and current events. Having worked with sport leagues and teams at various levels across Europe, Australia, and India, as well as nationally in professional, semi-pro, and amateur sport I have a strong sense of how different types of sport organizations operate and how various stakeholders engage with teams, leagues, and universities. I believe this global, big picture perspective would be an asset to the Intercollegiate Athletic Advisory Committee, and I look forward to contributing in any way I can.

Most importantly I am passionate about this university and community. As an undergraduate student here many years ago I experienced first-hand how impactful this place can be. The university whole-heartedly embraces and values everyone’s voices and contributions to create a community. College athletics plays a vital role in that process, and as countless research has shown, can be a catalyst to bring people together time after time. I am grateful for my education here and am proud to be back working in a place I love so much. I would be honored to contribute to the University Senate in a position where I could leverage my background and experience in a positive way.

Michelle Wood Candidate Statement 2020, IAAC

When I first arrived at UO, I was asked if I would like to serve on the Athletic Committee and I pointed out that I didn’t actually follow sports very much.   A few decades later, my perspective has been changed a lot by a particular few graduate students (you know who you are) and a remarkable encounter with “Coach B”.    I still don’t go to that many games but I have seen what having a premier sports program has meant in the daily lives of my students.  For grad students especially, game days and exciting track events provide low cost relaxation and great camaraderie. So, now I am an enthusiastic fan.  Great teams draw donors and students. That said, athletics is a big source of tension at a University like ours.  Concerns over the treatment of student athletes, issues around priorities and power, and a whole host of critical priorities related to athletics need thoughtful debate and oversight.  As a slow-to-the-table believer in the importance of our very significant sports program, I have become interested in serving on this committee in hopes of representing the best interests of all the students.

Michelle Wood Candidate Statement 2020, Senate

It’s been a great honor and real eye-opener to serve in the University Senate for the past two years.   The Senate has important powers, particularly related to curriculum, and it offers a voice that can speak to administrative power on behalf of faculty, staff, and students with considerable authority.   I’ve found it rewarding to serve as Co-Chair of the CAS Caucus and I’m humbled by the dedication of other Senators.  I’m inspired by their concern for academic freedom, academic excellence, and equitable treatment of all members of the community, It would be a privilege to continue to represent the Natural Sciences faculty in the Senate for another term.

 

Eleanor Wakefield Candidate Statement 2020

I have been a career instructor in Composition and English since 2018; previously, I taught here as a pro tem and as a GE beginning in 2009. In my decade here at Oregon, I’ve been active in both the faculty and graduate employee unions–I’m currently the secretary and chair of the communications committee for United Academics–and have served on departmental and university committees including on the Provost search committee. I also devote myself to improving my own and composition program pedagogy; I am interested in balancing faculty freedom with best practices and clear, simple instructions for accessible, effective instruction. In addition to advocating for good working conditions for faculty and good learning conditions for our students, I care deeply about shared governance and transparency in university decision making. I am also a new parent, so my experience taking leave and returning to the (virtual) classroom has recently given me new insight on many issues related to teaching, service, and evaluation. I am running for these roles with the senate to further contribute my time, experience, and perspective to the faculty and the campus.

Karl Reasoner Candidate Statement 2020

Karl Reasoner is the Sr. Program Manager of the Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program (UROP) in the Office of the Vice President for Research and Innovation. UROP and its partners provide fellowship programs that support student participation in research and creative scholarship across campus. Karl has expertise in designing and delivering high-impact experiential learning programs and specializes in fostering collaborations/partnerships with disparate units. He hopes to bring his expertise and insight in these areas to committees and looks forward to collaborating with colleagues on important issues and challenges.

Scott Fitzpatrick Candidate Statement 2020

I have been at the UO since 2012 and served as the Director of Undergraduate Studies and Associate Head for the Department of Anthropology, on numerous university scholarship committees, and was on the Faculty Personnel Committee from 2016-18. I look forward to serving the faculty to ensure that due process is followed and that individuals are treated fairly and respectfully in regards to matters of grievance.

Theresa Brostowitz Candidate Statement 2020

I am a proud UO alumna and have worked in higher education for over 10 years in multiple functional areas including University Advancement, Commuter Life, Housing and Residence Life, Retention Initiatives, and Academic and Career Advising. I currently serve as an Academic and Career Advisor in Tykeson College and Career Advising. What I enjoy most about my role as an advisor is helping a student move from confusion and anxiety regarding navigation of university policies to being informed and empowered to make intentional decisions about their educational journey.

I value and champion the streamlining and simplification of university procedures and policies in order to make them more inclusive and accessible for both students and staff. Complex processes can create intended and unintended barriers as they historically have been developed by and meant to benefit individuals with significant dominant culture navigational capital. I believe rigorous standards, quality education, and accessibility are not mutually exclusive. By simplifying and thinking critically about university processes, we can remove oppressive and invalidating barriers and give more staff and students the opportunity to fully realize their potential and contribute to the advancement of the University of Oregon community and communities beyond.

Thank you for your consideration of my candidacy.

Bailey Dobbs Candidate Statement 2020

Bailey Dobbs is an Instructional Designer with UO Online in the Office of the Provost. She has worked for the UO for two years, beginning as faculty support in the School of Law. Prior to UO, she spent 9 years at Oklahoma State University’s Center for Health Sciences performing academic support, developing curricula, and delivering educational content & simulated learning environments in the College of Osteopathic Medicine. She obtained her BA in Psychology from the University of Oklahoma and her M.Ed. in Instructional Design from Western Governors University. She hopes to provide service to the University through the OA Council, helping to identify and resolve issues of concern to fellow OAs.

Sara Mason Candidate Statement 2020

I am in the unique position, as I am both an alumni of the University of Oregon as well as having served in several academic units and divisions. In addition, prior to joining the UO, I spent nearly six years in every department on campus as a generalist in sales and editorial development for a major higher education publisher. As a result, I am very familiar with the university from a number of perspectives. Combining my time in publishing and my first career on campus as a Fundraiser in Development/Advancement for the College of Arts and Sciences and then the School of Journalism and Communication, I have spent ten years on campus. I then had the opportunity to connect deeply with our community as a fundraiser for human services and arts and culture in the non-profit sector. I have now returned to campus joining the Division of Student Life putting my relationship skills to work with employers and alumni at the University Career Center.  These experiences, along with my own identity as a woman with Native American family, whose mother and father had not finished college at the time I entered school, prepare me to bring insight, creativity, heart, and collaboration to the work of the Senate and/or OA Council.

I deeply value higher education and all it provided me personally, professionally, and intellectually. I value what it provides a community and our society through education, research, and service. I also see its gaps, weaknesses, and vulnerabilities in our current culture and economic climate.

If elected I will advocate for equity, inclusion, diversity, opportunity, and a student centered focus in our policies and investments of time, funds, and talent.

Theodora Ko Thompson Candidate Statement 2020

I am Theodora Ko Thompson, a workplace bullying and #MeToo survivor. A proud Double Duck alumna of the School of Journalism and Communication, and the College of Education. I carry my duck pride committed to be a representative voice joining in our senate shared governance, to weigh in the evolving paradigm of unprecedented challenges confronting higher education.

In this unprecedented challenging time it remains ever relevant and important to include all our voices for equity and equality of a diverse campus community, particularly of classified staff who inherently are stakeholders in the decision that are made. It matters that we are included, respected and valued to be serving in all search committees, in taskforces and committees in our common interest for forward thinking ideas toward a clean, green and sustainable future.

In our strive for excellence, Nihil de nobis, sine nobis. Nothing About Us, Without Us – let us strive to excel too in fostering a campus culture of welcoming, healthy, respectful and safe workplace climates and environments universally across campus unit to unit, from department to department.

Lets work together with dedicated intention to make a meaningful difference, for each other: Walk the walk, and walk the talk, with transparency and accountability benchmarked measurements and goals year to year, toward cultural competency and to address the systemic issues of white privilege, racism, workplace bullying and harassment, discrimination and biases in our collective experiences.

Thank you

Theodora Ko Thompson, BA 04, MS 07.

Maureen Procopio Candidate Statement 2020

I have been an employee of the UO since 1998 and an OA since 2002. My loyalty, patience and admiration for the UO has grown with me over the years. As a 20-year employee of University Advancement, my understanding of the institution has been through supporting our philanthropic mission. So that I would not lose sight of UO faculty, staff and other colleagues across campus, I sought committee and learning opportunities to build many cross-campus partnerships and friendships. These have helped me learn and grow through the years.

Decisions about resources, people, and units will be impactful, and must be made with intentionality and compassion. Should I be elected to this role, I would approach it through a lens of strategic partnership, equity and inclusion, and compassionate leadership. My current role involves peer benchmarking and best practice research for University Advancement. This work involves continuous assessment and understanding of our strengths and opportunities for improvement, which I believe will be a great asset as a member of shared governance at the UO. I look forward to serving my colleagues and institution during this time of great need and important partnership. Thank you for your consideration.

Sam Hopkins Candidate Statement 2020

The Clark Honors College is at a critical moment as we launch our new curriculum and settle in to the new faculty business model. I hope to take the knowledge I gained during my time as Associate Dean for Faculty to represent the needs of the Clark Honors College in our university’s faculty governance. As the university tackles big initiatives such as changes to teaching evaluation, ongoing core education revision, and efforts to contend with the coronavirus crisis, the Honors College needs a strong voice in the University Senate.

Alex Bisio Candidate Statement 2020

I am the Lead Processing Archivist in Special Collections and University Archives at the University of Oregon’s Knight Library. I hold a duel masters degree in Library Science, with an emphasis in Archives Management, and History from Simmons College. I have been at the Knight Library since Summer 2017, and held previous positions at the Jesuit Archives and Research Center in Saint Louis, Missouri, the University of California, Irvine Special Collections and Archives, Boston College’s John J. Burns Library, and the Harvard University Archives.
While I have not served at the university level, I serve on committees within the University of Oregon Libraries, and am currently the co-chair of the Grants and Awards Committee. I am also an active member of several regional and national professional organizations, including the Society of American Archivists, Northwest Archivists, Inc., Orbis Cascade Alliance, and the Midwest Archivist Conference.
I am particularly interested in issues of equity in education and research, and hope to focus on projects related to equity as part of the University Senate.

Larissa Ennis Candidate Statement 2020

I am seeking your vote for an Officer of Administration seat on the Faculty Advisory Council of the University Senate, 2020-2022. I will soon be ending my second of two consecutive terms on the Officers of Administration Council, the last two years in the role of co-chair. In my time on the OAC, I have made connections across the institution, learned about the processes for shared governance at University of Oregon, and seen and advocated for opportunities to improve the working conditions for OAs. In my day job, I serve as Associate Director of Community Relations in the Government and Community Relations team, which puts me in direct connection to regional nonprofits, public agencies, and civic leaders.

I would like to shift next to serving on the Faculty Advisory Council, to provide informed and knowledgeable guidance to the President and Provost on “the wide range of university affairs.” Officers of Administration, being the only non-unionized professional employee group at UO, remain underrepresented and at times unheard in decision-making that affects our work lives. I still have plenty to learn, but I have a good handle on the myriad issues that face OAs and can advocate knowledgably and competently for policies that benefit us as well as the broader university. I am open to your questions and suggestions, and I hope you’ll reach out directly if you feel so moved (look me up in Find People; I’d list my email but pretty sure I’d just be inviting bots to fill my inbox with spam!).

Thank you for your vote.

Roy Chan Candidate Statement 2020

I am running for both the Faculty Personnel Committee and the Faculty Grievance Appeals Committee. My reasons for putting myself forward for candidacy are twofold: first, my steadfast belief in and commitment to the role of the humanities in a public university, and second, my concern for equity in regards to faculty who are underrepresented. In regards to the first reason, I believe the humanities constitute a central field of inquiry that adjudicates the constitution of value, with the recognition that multiple systems of value (and various definitions of what comprises equity and justification) are at play at any given moment. I view myself as a fair and reasonable evaluator of and advocate for my humanist colleagues from diverse fields and approaches; whether they are interdisciplinary boundary pushers or steadfast curators of a disciplinary heritage, I promise to consider the work of my colleagues with utmost conscientiousness and appreciation. As for the second, as a gay, first-generation, and working-class faculty of color, I am viscerally aware of the challenges that continue to face our underrepresented colleagues. I have served as a mentor to many such colleagues across disciplines in navigating structural inequities that carry considerable personal distress. Joining Senate committee service will allow me to continue this advocacy in a more official role. My collegial style has always been professional and punctual, light on rhetoric, strong on plainspoken communication. I thank you, my colleagues, for your consideration.

Merle Weiner Candidate Statement 2020

I am interested in serving on the Faculty Grievance Appeals Committee because I am deeply committed to a fair appeals process for aggrieved faculty.  As a law professor, I am very familiar with the appeals process.  I will do my best to give fair and full consideration to every appellant’s case. 

Jane Cramer Candidate Statement 2020

I am an Associate Professor in Political Science and I focus on issues of international security in my research and teaching.  In the past I helped organize our faculty union, and I am a strong believer that the faculty should work to meaningfully help run this University so that it is the best University it can be. I served in the Senate previously and at that time I thought the Senate was able to achieve many very important things related to a high quality education, including such things as a new academic freedom policy, the student-directed employee reporting policy, gender neutral bathrooms and much more.  I think the Senate is also striving to maintain quality education even as we have more on-line classes, and I think this is very important for maintaining UO’s reputation. I look forward to serving again.
–Dr. Jane Cramer
Associate Professor
Political Science

Margaret Alexander Candidate Statement 2020

I am new to academia, teaching my first online class for the University of Washington this past Winter, and joining the University of Oregon Libraries just this January, but I have a long history of working in local government and participating in state and national professional organizations, as well as personal social justice work. I have recently helped to write State library legislation, and to update and expand State Library Standards, and have invested years volunteering in local women’s legal activism. As a professional technology librarian, I am dedicated to ensuring access to information, transparency in governance, and to making heard the voices of those who need support. My fresh perspective will be valuable as we enter a new era post-pandemic, developing new ways of communication and teaching and exploring how to rebuild our community in sustainable ways.

Deanna Linville Candidate Statement 2020

Deanna Linville is an associate professor in Counseling Psychology and Human Services, program director for the Couples and Family Therapy graduate program and a Research Scientist with the Center for Equity Promotion. She has been a faculty member at the University of Oregon since 2003 and has been actively involved in service at all levels of the university, including as a senator and member of the International Scholarship Committee. Deanna is an intervention researcher focused on reducing health disparities and developing/testing innovative solutions to issues affecting families such as eating disorders, obesity, violence and chronic illness. Deanna is an advocate for ensuring quality educational experiences for all students and promoting shared governance so that all voices are valued and respected.

Brady Nittmann Candidate Statement 2020

I arrived at the University of Oregon 4 years ago and currently serve as the Director of Finance in the College of Education. I have a diverse background in University finances and bring a strong analytical lens to my current role.

Since joining the OAC 2 years ago I have advocated to University leadership to bring awareness to the many challenges Officers of Administration face on an institutional level. As the only unrepresented group on campus, it is imperative that we are unified and ensure our collective voice is heard.

I want to play an active role in driving improvement and positive change at the UO. The Officers of Administration Council provides the opportunity to make constructive contributions that will benefit all OA’s and the University as a whole.

Kennedy Sparrow Candidate Statement 2020

Kennedy Sparrow is currently Receptionist for College of Design Student Services. They serve on University Senate Committee Sexual Orientation Attraction Gender Identity and Expression, City of Eugene Community Development Block Grant Advisory Committee, are an alumnx of Basic Rights Oregon’s Catalyst Transgender Leadership Program and mentor for the 2020-21 cohort, present Gender Inclusion trainings with Basic Rights Oregon, and is organizer and lead host of a monthly Sober Social event with Transponder. In collaboration with a student staff, they installed maps throughout Lawrence Hall providing how to locate ADA-compliant and all-gender bathrooms.

Kennedy’s background is working with 16-24-year-olds experiencing homelessness, and has seen firsthand the interplay of how this affects college students. They continue advocating in collaboration with this population, presenting workshops on Housing First at state conferences and organizing with emerging group PDX Queer Housing. In their role as receptionist, they have the experience of working alongside academic advisors, career advisors, instructors, and graduate and undergraduate students, within which they advocate for trans, disability, and racial justice. Their core values and daily praxis are Harm Reduction, Social Justice, Compassionate Communication, Trauma-Informed Care, Positive Youth Development and Engagement, and Compassionate Communication.

Matthew Norton Candidate Statement 2020

The University of Oregon has provided a wonderful intellectual and professional home for me over the past eight years. I owe it and all of you very much. I hope to honor that debt in part as a member of the UO senate. Our university faces many challenges and pressures, from degree completion rates to providing robust support for research in all areas to the apportionment of our resources among units. We also have many opportunities. The senate has a vital say in how our institution and community respond to these pressures and opportunities alike. I would love to contribute to the senate’s efforts to address these issues and think that I can do so in a way that is principled as well as “collegial and consultative.” Thank you!

Piper Fahrney Candidate Statement 2020

Hi, I’m Piper.  I work in CPFM/Maintenance Support fixing and upkeeping campus buildings and hardscapes.  And yes, I do play the bagpipes.  And that is why I am running for UO Senate.  Not the bagpipes, they are just a distraction: an example.  It is the issue of distractions itself that I wish to bring to the table.  The UO leadership has done a good job, yet as with any large organization distractions and loss of focus tend to creep in.  Some of the other things I bring to the table as blue collar staff are a grounding of why and for whom the University really exists; a vision of how enriching and critical is higher education; fresh views; and a plain, unashamed love of our campus, the students, facility, staff, even the weather.  I believe in our goal. A goal I’ve seen slipping in my five years here.  A goal I want to help re-focus on, build, and keep.  A goal of focused excellence.  Oh, and I’ve a spare umbrella in my work cart if you don’t like the weather as much as I do, and need it.  Thanks.

Dietrich Belitz Candidate Statement 2020

I am a theoretical physicist who has been at the UO for 33 years. I have served many times as member and/or chair of my departmental personnel committee. I served as Physics Department Head from 1998 to 2004, as Associate Dean for Natural Sciences from 2004 to 2010, and as Director of the Institute for Theoretical Science from 2013 to 2019.

Denita Strietelmeier Candidate Statement 2020

My name is Denita Strietelmeier, I am a project manager in the Office of the Dean at Lundquist College of Business. I have been in this position for 2.5 years, and am deeply committed to the University of Oregon, it’s staff, faculty and students. Over my 15 years working in higher ed, I have been exposed to a broad array of challenges related to research, operations, and education/curriculum. I look forward to putting my experience to work representing the university’s diverse group of OA’s, cultivating relationships and collaboration to drive improvement and sound decision-making for the university. Go Ducks!

Frank Hartigan Candidate Statement 2020

Cooking is my third career; beforehand, I spent years learning about every aspect of hotels and voice telecommunications (when there was still such a thing). Since I went to culinary school nearly 20 years ago, I have spent the majority of my working life on college campuses: Gonzaga, Portland State, Eastern Washington, and now Oregon.

I learned way back in the ‘80s that in any organization, the people most directly responsible for the delivery of goods and services get the lowest pay and the least respect. This year, those “essential” people are being asked to literally put their lives on the line to ensure that food gets served, mail and packages get delivered, bathrooms get cleaned, and work orders stay in motion. For this we pay many of them less than $15 an hour, and their voices are little heard in the places where policy is made.

What, then, is my purpose in such renowned company as the University Senate? Easy. To be the voice of the toilet scrubbers and dishwashers, speaking their truth to power. If we have learned anything so far from the pandemic, it is just how essential those workers really are. When the grocer’s shelves are bare, the call does not go out for political scientists, attorneys, engineers, or MBAs, but for the people with calloused hands whose jobs cannot be performed remotely — and who can’t afford to stay home — who will show up and unswervingly get things done.

The world is changing radically before our eyes. Let’s not waste this opportunity.

Joe Li Candidate Statement 2020

Joe (Yingjiu) Li is currently a Ripple Professor in the Department of Computer and Information Science at the University of Oregon. His research interests include Internet of Things (IoT) Security and Privacy, Mobile and System Security, Applied Cryptography and Cloud Security, and Data Application Security and Privacy. He has published over 140 technical papers in international conferences and journals, and served in the program committees for over 130 international conferences and workshops, including top-tier cybersecurity conferences.

Joe Li is interested in running for the seat in the Committee on Sexual and Gender Based Violence – Faculty Position, Term 2020-2022. He is motivated to serve the UO community and explore data-driven approaches to addressing campus problems, including sexual and gender based violence. In particular, he is working with several colleagues across UO toward developing an early cuing system with cyber data collected from multiple sources on UO campus so as to help mitigate various campus problems on a daily basis.

Jacob Glasser Candidate Statement 2020

As a 5 year volunteer a KWVA & SEIU local 085, a 15 year employee of university housing, and a lifetime resident of Eugene; I have always worked to make the University of Oregon more accessible. I believe in the awesome potential of the community of the University. If elected for either classified staff position I will exemplify the university’s core value inclusion by ensuring that all are represented.

Kelly Sutherland Candidate Statement 2020

A university works best as a democratic institution and I look forward to participating more actively in this process through a senate position. I bring to this post an interest in finding links between research and teaching across schools and colleges to the benefit of our students and our community. I have been at the UO for 8 years, first in the Clark Honors College, and now in the Biology Department.

Nicole Dahmen Candidate Statement 2020

Nicole Smith Dahmen is an Associate Professor at the School of Journalism and Communication at the University of Oregon. In the six years that she’s been on the UO faculty she’s served on the Faculty Advisory Council for President Schill, Scholastic Review Committee, Study Abroad Programs, and Scholarship Committee.

Senate Meeting Agenda – April 8, 2020

Location: Zoom (Please see link to meeting below the agenda)
3:00 – 5:00 P.M.

3:00 P.M.   Call to Order

  • Introductory Remarks; Senate President Elizabeth Skowron

3:08 P.M.  Approval of the Minutes

3:10 P.M.   State of the University

  • President Michael Schill

3:25 P.M.   Open Discussion

  • Coronavirus/Remote Work: What’s working well? What are the challenges?With Administrators:
    • Janet Woodruff-Borden, Executive Vice Provost
    • Ron Bramhall, Assoc Vice Prov Academic Exec
    • Cass Moseley, Sr Assoc Vice Pres Research
    • Kate Mondloch, Interim Dean Grad School
    • Doneka Scott, Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education and Student Success

3:50 P.M.    New Business

4:55 P.M.   Notice(s) of Motion
4:55 P.M.   Other Business
5:00 P.M.   Adjourn


Topic: University Senate – April Mtg
Time: Apr 8, 2020 03:00 PM Pacific Time (US and Canada)

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US19/20-15: New Program Proposal: Ph.D. in Bioengineering

Date of Notice: March 11, 2020
Current Status: Approved April 8, 2020
Motion Type: Legislation
Sponsor: Nathan Jacobs (Lecturer/Curriculum Director, Knight Campus), Jim Hutchison (Sr Assoc Vice President, Knight Campus)


Motion:

Section I

1.1 WHEREAS the Graduate Council is charged by the University Senate to “advise the Dean of the Graduate School on matters pertaining to graduate study at the University of Oregon;” and

1.2 WHEREAS the Graduate Council has responsibility for “providing for the maintenance of high standards of graduate instruction;” and

1.3 WHEREAS  the Graduate Council and the Graduate School have fully reviewed and endorsed the proposal for a new Ph.D. in Bioengineering and recommend that the Provost forward it to the University of Oregon Board of Trustees, the statewide Provost’s Council, and the Higher Education Coordinating Commission for approval:

Section II

2.1 BE IT HEREBY MOVED, on the recommendation of the Graduate Council, the new doctoral degree in Bioengineering is approved (please see related documents for program specifics).


Related Documents

Program Proposal – Ph.D. in Bioengineering
Due Diligence
UO-OSU Partnership Agreement
LOS-Joint Bioengineering Program to Graduate School
OSU-UO SPC Early Notice


OSU BIOE Grad Handbook
Berkeley BIOE Grad Handbook

US19/20-14: Policy on Search Procedures for Academic Administrator Positions

Date of Notice: March 18, 2020
Current Status: Approved April 8, 2020
Motion Type: Policy Proposal
Sponsor: Elizabeth Skowron, Senate President
Elliot Berkman, Senate Vice President
Bill Harbaugh, Immediate Past President


Motion

Section I

1.1 WHEREAS the University of Oregon does not currently have a policy on search procedures for hiring academic administrators with university-wide and unit-specific academic responsibilities; and

1.2 WHEREAS decisions around hiring processes reflect a university’s values around shared governance, professional excellence, rational decision-making, efficient and responsible management of resources, transparency, and affirmative action, diversity, and inclusion; and

1.3 WHEREAS searches for new academic administrators conducted with broad participation from faculty and the university community provide an appropriate voice for the university community in such decisions, lead to more informed decision-making, and help to position new hires for success by increasing community buy-in; and

1.4 WHEREAS Policies that outline hiring procedures for academic administrators are currently in place in many other AAU institutions; and

1.5 WHEREAS these procedures outline a set of guidelines grounded in best practices whilst also providing flexibility;

Section II

2.1 THEREFORE BE IT MOVED that the University Senate approves the Policy on Search Procedures for Academic Administrator Positions delineated in the Related Documents for immediate implementation; and

2.2 BE IT FURTHER MOVED that unless expressly renewed or modified by the Senate as Legislation signed by the University President, the policy shall automatically expire seven years after the effective date of the policy.


Related Documents

Policy – Search Procedures for Academic Administrator Positions

UO Senate Message – Coronavirus update & planning

Dear UO Senators,

We are facing unprecedented times created by the novel COVID-19 pandemic. As you know, the University of Oregon is closely monitoring the global outbreak and is working in close coordination with local, state, and federal health officials to guide decisions about university operations. We encourage you to visit the UO COVID-19 (Coronavirus) Information website often for information, answers to frequently asked questions, and links to important resources.

Senate leadership is working with the Administration, to ensure that solutions and supports provided to faculty and students reflect the input of broad representation across campus.

We thank our Academic Council for its extraordinary efforts to create guidance on academic continuity planning, and the Office of the Provost for developing resources to facilitate high-quality remote instruction even in these difficult times (e.g., Academic Continuity Resources and Guidance for Faculty and Instructors). The Senate will do its best to support these efforts and the work of other administrators and faculty who are working to ensure operations are running as smoothly as possible for our students.

Within the University Senate, we are preparing behind the scenes to transition upcoming Senate meetings from in-person meetings in the EMU to a remote format for the foreseeable future. Thus, beginning in April, 2020 and until further notice, we will (1) hold senate meetings via remote teleconferencing using Zoom, and (2) reserve 30 minutes at the outset of each meeting for Open Discussions, after which we will proceed to other scheduled senate business. Please contact us to add a topic to the open discussion section and we will add it and invite relevant members of the administration to participate and/or field queries. Topics may include discussion about how instructors and students are dealing with remote instructional approaches, impacts on research and scholarship, supporting members of our university community, and so forth, and provide additional opportunities for information sharing, for example. As always, we welcome your suggestions for discussion topics.

Please feel free to reach out to us directly as well. We will continue holding weekly drop-in office hours on Wednesdays 10:00 to 11:30 AM, however effectively immediately, these will occur via zoom meetings through Winter term finals week, and resume during Spring term week 1:

You may also contact us directly as well at the email addresses below. Thank you for your participation in shared governance here at the University of Oregon.

Elizabeth Skowron, Ph.D.
Professor, Department of Psychology President, University Senate eskowron@uoregon.edu

Elliot Berkman, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Department of Psychology Vice-President/President-Elect, University Senate berkman@uoregon.edu

US19/20-13: SAT/ACT Optional Undergraduate Admissions Criteria

Date of Notice: March 18, 2020
Current Status: Approved April 8, 2020
Motion Type: Legislation
Sponsor: Bill Harbaugh, Economics


Motion

Section I

1.1 WHEREAS a university task force comprised of faculty and administrators met during February 2020 to consider the use of standardized tests for admissions to the University of Oregon; and

1.2 WHEREAS the task force considered how to accomplish the goals of: increasing diversity, increasing the pool of qualified applicants, growing enrollment, and addressing equity in admissions; and

1.3 WHEREAS test-optional policies are currently in place at 13 institutions in Oregon and are being considered by numerous others around the country with those same goals; and

1.4 WHEREAS while standardized test scores such as the SAT and ACT have been a common metric in undergraduate admissions for many years, a growing body of research raises questions about their efficacy in equitably measuring college readiness; and

1.5 WHEREAS research has shown that SAT and ACT scores vary not just by academic ability, but also by confounding variables such as family income, parental education level, and race/ethnicity (Allensworth & Clark, 2020; Higdem et al., 2016); and

1.6 WHEREAS since the University of Oregon’s current admissions practices do not involve a fixed SAT/ACT cutoff, but instead involve review of a broad mix of academic factors (e.g., grade trends, rigor of courses, local context of school and its average GPA) as well as non-academic factors such as overcoming adversity, community participation, and racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic diversity, and the ability to contribute to university life in other ways, the impact of going test-optional is unlikely to decrease the average academic ability of UO undergraduates; and

1.7 WHEREAS because of the coronavirus shutdowns many students are currently unable to take SAT/ACT tests or complete prep courses for them and UO needs to take rapid action to ensure we remain an option for all students seeking higher education.

Section II

2.1 THEREFORE BE IT MOVED that the University Senate approves the Task Force Report: Recommendation regarding use of standardized test scores in admissions to the University of Oregon and its recommendation that UO move to a test-optional admissions policy, for students applying for Fall 2021 admission, in which most applicants can ask to be considered for admission and scholarships without submitting test scores, and that students have the ability to reverse this decision after submitting their application; and

2.2 BE IT FURTHER MOVED that the Senate authorizes the Provost to accelerate the timing of this change, if needed to respond to the developing coronavirus situation; and

2.3. BE IT FURTHER MOVED that some students may still be required to submit scores including those applicants whose high school curriculum includes study at an unaccredited school or homeschooled students, NCAA-recruited athletes, and other students who, on a case-by-case basis are determined to need to submit scores as additional evidence of college readiness.

2.4 BE IT FURTHER MOVED that the Office of Admissions shall deliver a report to the Senate in Fall of each year with data on the academic preparedness of the incoming undergraduate and their other relevant characteristics.

 

US19/20-11: Approval of Curriculum Report, Winter 2020

Date of Notice: January 8, 2020
Current Status: March 11, 2020
Motion Type: Legislation
Sponsor: Frances White, Chair of UOCC


Motion

Section I

1.1 WHEREAS the UO Committee on Courses has submitted the Winter Term 2020 Preliminary Curriculum Report for the University Senate Review.

Section II

2.1 THEREFORE BE IT MOVED that the University Senate approves the Winter 2020 Curriculum Report as submitted by the UOCC (please see related documents.


Related Documents

UOCC_Winter 2020 Preliminary Curriculum Report

Final Report

Academic Continuity Plan for the Coronavirus Health Emergency

Academic Council 2020

 

The Academic Council was convened on March 4, 2020 after the declaration of emergency on February 27, 2020 following the procedures described in the Academic Continuity Policy. The policy guides planning and decision-making in the event that a significant disruption to campus operations impedes academic activity. The goal of the policy is “to continue academic activities as much as possible and to mitigate the effects of a significant academic disruption, which include particularly grave academic and financial consequences for graduating students, international students, and students receiving financial aid.” The policy balances the principles of academic integrity, transparency for students, instructors, and staff, and fairness for students.

The Academic Council voted to approve the following guidelines for the duration of the coronavirus health emergency. These guidelines should be followed by course instructors in consultation with the Academic Continuity Team in their unit. The Academic Continuity Policy is clear that instructors of record (hereafter referred to as “instructors” which includes faculty and GEs) shall retain primary authority over how to manage their courses, assignments, instruction and grades, subject to the conditions described below.

During this time, Academic Council encourages us to come together to support our students and each other. During an emergency situation, it is important to be flexible, empathetic, and prepared to do a bit extra in the short run.

Academic principles to be followed:

In order to receive credit, the learning outcomes and goals of the course, as detailed in the approved course, must be met. The Instructor of Record (including any active additional Instructor(s) of Record) makes the determination about whether the learning outcomes have been met. The Academic Continuity plan allows for changes in various aspects in the way that course content is delivered, and the learning outcomes are achieved. If the instructor determines that the learning outcomes can be met with adjustments to the organization of the course, including reasonable modifications to the modality, delivery, and assessment practices, the instructor should make these changes under this emergency. Specific guidance on modifications is provided below.

Modality changes might include replacing lectures with video lecture replacements, changing methods of assessment (changing short-answer questions to multiple choice) and similar methods including those used as examples below during the duration of this emergency. The feasibility of such modality changes will be highly dependent on best pedagogical practices within the discipline concerned. Instructors should discuss such possibilities with their unit heads for guidance. If a unit head is unavailable, a unit head from a closely-aligned unit will be assigned. If the instructor determines that the learning outcomes cannot be met even with such adjustments, and the unit head concurs, then the completion of the course may be delayed until the missing instructional or grading work is completed.

Academic credit, and grades awarded to students for that credit, are based on delivery of course content in accordance with the learning objectives of the course and the assessment of the quality of student work in that course. As stated in the Academic Continuity Policy, as in any disruption, Instructors should endeavor to mitigate the effects of a significant academic disruption to ensure that the approved course content is delivered, and the appropriate assessment of student performance is undertaken.

The approved amount of student work for each course is listed in the approved Student Engagement Inventory (SEI). On average, for a 4-credit class, this totals 12 hours a week and includes 4 hours of lecture including discussion section or lab time for a lower level class and at least 3 hours for an upper level class. The remaining time is taken with other coursework such as readings and assignments.

Both delivery of content and assessment of student work can be impacted in an academic disruption. During any disruption, instructors should endeavor to ensure that the approved course content is delivered, and the appropriate assessment of student performance is undertaken by changes to the components of the SEI without significant increase or decrease in workload on the students enrolled in the course. Instructors may, for instance, reduce the number of assessed assignments by increasing work needed per assignment if they can still ensure sufficient assessment of learning outcomes. Instructors may also replace class time with out of class assignments that can meet the same learning outcomes. Finally, it may be possible for some class time and assignments to be missed, and still be able to fully assess learning outcomes by altering other assignments to include the missed class time or work.

During this coronavirus health emergency, the goals for academic continuity are:

  • To protect instructors, staff, students
  • To accommodate individual students and instructors who are ill or worried about contracting illness
  • To continue courses in the event of instructor absence or partial/complete campus closure

Therefore, the Academic Council has approved the following specific expectations for instructors.

During any term, including the current Winter term, the Academic Council:

  • Reminds instructors to work with their department head or supervisor as they normally would if they will need to miss class.
  • Reminds instructors to communicate to students in advance if class meetings are cancelled and let them know what work they should complete. The goal should be to continue instruction even if that has to be done by a replacement instructor and/or remotely.
  • Directs instructors that they cannot cancel courses. At present, campus is continuing courses as scheduled. Any decision to cancel courses will be made centrally.
  • Reminds instructors that they shall not ask students for doctor’s notes or other documentation to verify absences. Instructors shall have clear communication and make-up protocols in place for students to follow if they are going to be or have been absent. If a student is missing enough class that make-ups will be difficult and they are at risk of not passing, they should communicate with those students, and enlist advisors for help.
  • Requires instructors with attendance or participation polices to modify those such that attendance is not counted in grades and participation points could be made up or waived.
  • Informs instructors that they may modify course expectations such that required work is reduced or grading schemes are adjusted provided they can still meet course learning objectives.
  • Requires that instructors shall have make ups or alternatives to exams. If instructors will need support to manage an increased volume of make-ups, they should work with their department head, who will take guidance from the school/college Academic Continuity Team. In some cases, a grade of Incomplete may be used for make-ups that will take place after grades are due.
  • Requires instructors to provide clear, consistent, and specific communication to students about any modifications to the course and changes to assignments and deadlines. Instructors, as a matter of good practice, should provide clear and consistent expectations of course graders for timely grading and assessment of materials and recording of grades to the Canvas gradebook for students to see. Academic Council requires the use of the course Canvas site for all this communication.

In preparation for Spring and potentially Summer terms, the Academic Council:

  • Requires use of Canvas for courses starting in Spring term and for the duration of the academic disruption, as it will make adjusting for absences/campus closures easier. Instructors shall publish their Canvas sites and use them to post materials, collect assignments, provide alternatives to lectures/discussions for students who are absent from class, and post grades.
  • Asks instructors to explore options and tools to deliver their course content for an extended period on Canvas with either synchronous and/or asynchronous options. The Office of the Provost has created a resource page to help instructors (https://provost.uoregon.edu/academic-continuity-preparations). This page will be continually updated.

Absence of Instructor of Record:

If an Instructor of Record is unable to continue as instructor, unit heads may appoint an additional Instructor of Record who will continue to deliver course content and follow the course structure and content as laid out in the syllabus and any other additional resources such as the Canvas site to the best of their ability. The original Instructor of Record remains on the course and when they return, the additional Instructor of Record is removed after the appropriate transition between instructors has been affected. The Instructor of Record will then complete the course and submit grades.

The additional Instructor of Record will follow the established syllabus, including delivery of course content in accordance with the learning objectives of the course and such assessment that falls within the timeline of the course. The additional instructor will not require additional work of the enrolled students beyond the level specified in the SEI or syllabus or change the methods of assessment.

Whenever possible, submission of final grades will be done by the original Instructor of Record. If the original Instructor of Record does not return before the end of the class, course grades should not be submitted by the additional Instructor of Record until Finals Week and all assignments and scheduled exams are due and have been graded.

When the original Instructor of Record returns, they will accept the work done by the students under the additional Instructor of Record and not require additional work of the enrolled students for the time the original Instructor of Record was absent. The returning Instructor of Record will assess, in coordination with the unit head, the degree to which the learning outcomes were achieved, and the student work was correctly assessed given this disruption. If the conclusion of the Instructor of Record and the unit head is that the additional Instructor of Record was unable to deliver course content or conduct assessment as specified, or an additional Instructor of Record was unavailable, the Instructor of Record and unit head may conclude that the course has not been completed. In this case, emergency grades, if available, may be used, or incompletes if appropriate, until such time as the course can be completed.

The instructional work required to complete the course will be conducted and compensated according to appropriate labor agreements and requirements. Upon completion, students will then receive regular (non-emergency) grades.

Absence of GEs that support a faculty instructor:

The impact of loss of GEs from a faculty-taught class will vary with the number of GEs, the amount of GE FTE, and duties of those GEs. Instructors of Record may be able to complete a course with minor losses of GE support, but it is expected that major losses of GE support will require some form of replacement. The amount of loss of GE support will be reflected in the total FTE and associated total of hours of work lost.

The Academic Council recommends that Instructors of Record impacted by the academic disruption through the loss of GEs who run discussion sections, labs, etc., consider modifying the modes of delivery of the course content, activities, and assessments that are required to meet the learning outcomes and goals of the course. It is good pedagogical practice to maintain a set of alternative assignments that can be used as “make-ups” if students have valid reasons for missing class. These make-up assignments may be an acceptable method of delivering course material in accordance with course outcomes that can be deployed if planned course activities cannot be completed for any reason.

The assessment of any assignments used to replace planned course activity should be equivalent to the originally planned assessment for the missing activity. For example, a discussion section normally run by a GE could be replaced with a worksheet if the GE is ill. This worksheet covers the same material and the grading of that worksheet should be equivalent to the grading of the discussion section exercise.

Graded assignments should not generally be replaced by non-graded assignments unless completion of an assignment can be seen as having learning value. For instance, students might be asked to complete a module in Canvas that automatically records a completion grade as a replacement for attending a discussion section. Instructor should consult with their unit heads for guidance. If replacement assignments need to be graded, this must be done by a qualified person, following all applicable labor laws and negotiated contracts. Graders must be appropriately qualified. If GEs are unavailable to hold labs or sections, students should be held harmless so that any student credit for attendance to labs or sections should be waived.

Grading

The Council will continue to meet to provide guidance about grading procedures (e.g., whether to enable emergency grades) should the disruption continue.

Personnel considerations

Additional and Replacement Instructors of Record must be qualified to teach the course. Departments should follow their criteria for level qualification to teach classes, such as in replacement teaching pools, that should be followed. Departments should also follow their normal criteria for graduate students to be instructors of record such as advancement to candidacy or seniority, etc. Work associated with a course that does not involve any instruction or assessment, such as taking attendance, proctoring exams, distributing materials, supervising room occupancy, etc., may be done by individuals not qualified to instruct and following all applicable labor laws and negotiated contracts.

Unit Heads must consider whether the workload required to meet the course learning outcomes is reasonable with respect to the job description of additional instructors of record and their other obligations.

 

Senate Meeting Agenda – March 11, 2020

UPDATE: For those who prefer to attend remotely, rather than in person, we have set up an alternate option via Zoom. Here are the details for accessing the meeting:

Topic: University of Oregon Senate Meeting (March 11, 2020)
Time: Mar 11, 2020 03:00 PM Pacific Time (US and Canada)

Join Zoom Meeting

https://zoom.us/j/245214867?pwd=Y3VVSlV4QnNHV29WcEtKelgwWkdSZz09

Meeting ID: 245 214 867

Password: 945303

One tap mobile

+16699006833,,245214867# US (San Jose)
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Dial by your location

+1 669 900 6833 US (San Jose)
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Meeting ID: 245 214 867

Find your local number: https://zoom.us/u/anCklkmYH


Location: EMU 145 & 146 (Crater Lake rooms)
3:00 – 5:00 P.M.

3:00 P.M.   Call to Order

  • Introductory Remarks; Senate President Elizabeth Skowron

3:10 P.M.  Approval of the Minutes

3:11 P.M.   State of the University

  • Provost Patrick Phillips
    • Coronavirus planning, updates; Andre LeDuc (CRO/AssocVP Safety & Risk Services), Cass Mosely (Sr Assoc Vice Pres Research), Ron Bramhall (Assoc Vice Prov Academic Exec)

3:45 P.M.   New Business

4:20 P.M.    Open Discussion

  • Updates: Search Guidelines for Academic Administrator Positions

4:40 P.M.   Reports

  • Scheduling adjustment –> 3:30 P.M., CIET/CAIT: Sierra Dawson (Assoc VP Academic Affairs), Lee Rumbarger (Assist Vice Provost TEP), Janet Woodruff-Borden (Exec Vice Provost for Academic Affairs)
  • Open Access; David Condon, Psychology; Presentation

4:55 P.M.   Notice(s) of Motion
4:56 P.M.   Other Business

  • Legislative Updates; Melanie Muenzer

5:00 P.M.   Adjourn

Senate Meeting Agenda – February 12, 2020

Location: EMU 145 & 146 (Crater Lake rooms)
3:00 – 5:00 P.M.

3:00 P.M.   Call to Order

  • Introductory Remarks; Senate President Elizabeth Skowron

3:04 P.M.  Approval of the Minutes

3:05 P.M.   State of the University

  • President Schill

3:15 P.M.   New Business

4:30 P.M.    Open Discussion

4:50 P.M.   Reports
4:55 P.M.   Notice(s) of Motion
4:56 P.M.   Other Business

  • Legislative Updates; Libby Batlan and Hans Bernard

5:00 P.M.   Adjourn

US19/20-10: Revisions to Expedited Tenure process

Date of Notice: January 22, 2020
Current Status: Approved February 12, 2020
Motion Type: Legislation
Sponsor: Jack Boss (Music, Chair of FPC 2018-2009)
Carol Silverman (Anthropology, Chair of FPC 2019-2020)
Elizabeth Skowron (Psychology, Senate President 2019-2020)


Motion

Section I

1.1 WHEREAS the UO Senate passed an Expedited Tenure policy for the University of Oregon in January 2018 (Policy 11.02.04); and

1.2 WHEREAS the university’s experience with the policy to date demonstrates that the policy provides the academic units with leverage when seeking to hire tenured faculty members whose credentials have been established through promotion and tenure processes at other research institutions; and

1.3 WHEREAS the policy has demonstrated that it significantly lessens the administrative burden at the unit and college levels for these tenure reviews; and

1.4 WHEREAS all ten cases of expedited tenure considered since January 2018 have had positive outcomes;

1.5 WHEREAS expanding the expedited tenure review process to include experienced associate professor candidates will likely result in additional faculty hiring advantages,

1.6 WHEREAS no unit or department thus far involved in an expedited tenure case has elected to reconsider its decision to use the expedited process after the Expedited Tenure Review Committee (a subset of the Faculty Personnel Committee) has completed its review, as provided for in the original policy; and

1.7 WHEREAS consistently staffing a complement of five Faculty Personnel Committee (FPC) members on the Expedited Tenure Review Committee (ETRC) has resulted in an unmanageable service burden on University FPC members; and

1.8 WHEREAS excellent teaching at the University must be consistently fostered and maintained; and

Section II

2.1 BE IT HEREBY MOVED that the eligibility for expedited tenure review shall continue to include full professors and shall be changed to include associate professors who have been tenured and in rank for a minimum of three years, and

2.2 That new faculty who are hired through the expedited tenure process may be brought in as full professors or as associate professors, depending on their qualifications, and are brought in at no greater than their current rank (i.e., full professors or associate professors). For associate professors to be considered for a promotion to full will require the faculty member be reviewed by the full promotion and tenure process; and

2.3 That the final step of returning the completed review to the originating unit so that faculty members may reconsider their decision to recommend expedited tenure shall be designated as optional in the case of individuals appointed at the rank of full professor, enabling units that wish to retain this step to do so, whereas other units may elect to forego it, and

2.4 That the final step of returning the completed review to the originating unit so that faculty members may reconsider their decision to recommend expedited tenure shall be required in the case of individuals appointed at the rank of associate professor, with the unit faculty also required to vote on the decision to use expedited tenure, and

2.5 That the number of Faculty Personnel Committee members required constitute the Expedited Tenure Review Committee shall be changed from “five members” to “three to five members,” and

2.6 That the Expedited Tenure Review Committee shall always consider teaching evaluations of candidates, as available, in their review process for positions with significant any teaching responsibilities.


Financial Impact: Cost Neutral

Senate Meeting Agenda – January 8, 2020

Location: EMU 145 & 146 (Crater Lake rooms)
3:00 – 5:00 P.M.

3:00 P.M.   Call to Order

  • Introductory Remarks; Senate President Elizabeth Skowron
  • Land Acknowledgment; Sam Norgaard-Stroich

3:05 P.M.  Approval of the Minutes

3:10 P.M.   State of the University

  • President Schill
  • Bob Guldberg, VP and Exec Dir Knight Campus

3:40 P.M.   New Business

4:30 P.M.    Open Discussion
4:35 P.M.   Reports

  • Legislative Agenda; Hans Bernard (Asst VP for State Affairs) & Libby Batlan (Assoc VP State & Comm Affairs)

4:55 P.M.   Notice(s) of Motion
4:57 P.M.   Other Business
5:00 P.M.   Adjourn

US19/20-09: Accelerated Masters Programs proposal

Date of Notice: November 13, 2019
Current Status: Approved January 8, 2020
Motion Type: Legislation
Sponsor: Andy Karduna, Human Physiology and Associate Dean of the Graduate School


Motion

Section I

1.1 WHEREAS an Accelerated Master’s Programs model presents an opportunity for high achieving students to link advanced undergraduate coursework with graduate coursework and degree completion, thus reducing the time and cost of earning a Master’s degree; and

1.2 WHEREAS Accelerated Master’s Programs can be used as a recruitment tool, helping to increase enrollment both at the undergraduate and graduate levels; and

1.3 WHEREAS Accelerated Master’s Programs are very common among UO’s peer institutions, including most AAU public universities; and

1.4 WHEREAS the Graduate School has been consulting with numerous stakeholders on campus, including the Registrar’s Office, Office of Student Financial Aid and Scholarships, Office of the Provost, Undergraduate Council, Graduate Council, Academic Council and Senate Leadership; and

1.5 WHEREAS the Undergraduate Council and Graduate Council have fully reviewed and endorsed the proposal for an Accelerated Master’s Program model.

Section II

2.1 BE IT HEREBY MOVED, on the recommendation of the Undergraduate and Graduate Councils, the proposed Accelerated Master’s Program model is approved (see related documents for full details).


Related Documents

Accelerated Master’s Programs Model Proposal
Accelerated Master’s Programs Model Guidelines

Senate Meeting Agenda – December 11, 2019

Location: EMU 145 & 146 (Crater Lake rooms)
3:00 – 5:00 P.M.

3:00 P.M.   Call to Order

  • Introductory Remarks; Senate President Elizabeth Skowron

3:10 P.M.  Approval of the Minutes

3:15 P.M.   State of the University

  • Janet Woodruff-Borden, Executive Vice Provost

3:30 P.M.   New Business

4:30 P.M.    Open Discussion
4:40 P.M.   Reports
4:50 P.M.   Notice(s) of Motion
4:55 P.M.   Other Business
5:00 P.M.   Adjourn

US 19/20-08: New Program Proposal: Bioengineering

Date of Notice: November 20, 2019
Current Status: Approved January 8, 2020
Motion Type: Legislation
Sponsor: Jim Hutchison (Chemistry & Biochemistry), Nathan Jacobs (Knight Campus for Accelerating Scientific Impact), Mike Hahn (Human Physiology)


Motion

Section I

1.1 WHEREAS the Undergraduate Council is charged by the University Senate with the responsibility of “reviewing, evaluating and enhancing the quality of the University’s academic program;” and

1.2 WHEREAS the Undergraduate Council has the responsibility to “monitor, help shape, and approve new undergraduate programs (majors, minors, certificates) and changes to existing programs;” and

1.3 WHEREAS the Undergraduate Council has fully reviewed and endorsed the proposal for a new Bachelor’s degree in Bioengineering and recommend that the Provost forward it to the University of Oregon Board of Trustees, the statewide Provosts’ Council, Higher Education Coordinating Commission,and the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities for approval;

Section II

2.1 BE IT HEREBY MOVED, on the recommendation of the Undergraduate Council, the new Bachelor’s degree in Bioengineering is approved (please see related documents for program specifics).


Related Documents

Program Proposal
UGC Feedback
CAS Memo
Due Diligence

US19/20-07: Approval of Curriculum Report, Fall 2019

Date of Notice: November 13, 2019
Current Status: Approved December 11, 2019
Motion Type: Legislation
Sponsor: Frances White, Chair of UOCC


Motion

Section I

1.1 WHEREAS the UO Committee on Courses has submitted the Fall Term 2019 Preliminary Curriculum Report for University Senate Review.

Section II

2.1 THEREFORE BE IT MOVED the University Senate approves the Fall 2019 Curriculum Report as submitted by the UO Committee on Courses (please see Related Documents).


Related Documents

UOCC_Fall 2019 Preliminary Report

US19/20-06: New Program Proposal: Data Science

Date of Notice: November 6, 2019
Current Status: Approved December 11, 2019
Motion Type: Legislation
Sponsor: Joe Sventek (Computer & Information Science), Bill Cresko (Biology)


Motion

Section I

1.1 WHEREAS the Undergraduate Council is charged by the University Senate with the responsibility of “reviewing, evaluating and enhancing the quality of the University’s academic program;” and

1.2 WHEREAS the Undergraduate Council has the responsibility to “monitor, help shape, and approve new undergraduate programs (majors, minors, certificates) and changes to existing programs;” and

1.3 WHEREAS the Undergraduate Council has fully reviewed and endorsed the proposal for a new Bachelor’s degree in Data Science and recommend that the Provost forward it to the University of Oregon Board of Trustees, the statewide Provosts’ Council, Higher Education Coordinating Commission,and the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities for approval;

Section II

2.1 BE IT HEREBY MOVED that the University Senate approves the recommendation of the Undergraduate Council to approve the new Bachelor’s degree in Data Science (please see related documents for program specifics).


Related Documents

Program Proposal
Academic Plan Template
DSCI Faculty
Other Similar Programs
UGDS Curriculum
Summary for Statewide Provost’s Council


Supplemental Materials

Due Diligence – Domain Emphases
Due Diligence – Program Level
Due Diligence – Multilisting Agreements

Senate Meeting Agenda – November 13, 2019

Note: Please review linked materials and provide any feedback to senatecoordinator@uoregon.edu.


Location: EMU 145 & 146 (Crater Lake rooms)
3:00 – 5:00 P.M.

3:00 P.M.   Call to Order

  • Introductory Remarks; Senate President Elizabeth Skowron
  • Remarks; Senate Vice President Elliot Berkman

3:10 P.M.  Approval of the Minutes

3:15 P.M.   State of the University

  • President Schill
  • Tim Gardner, Knight Campus

3:30 P.M.   New Business

4:30 P.M.    Open Discussion

  • Committee on Recognizing our Diverse History: Updates (’10) and discussion (’20, time permitting); Melanie Muenzer (Assoc VP Vice Prov Acad Init)

4:50 P.M.   Reports
4:51 P.M.   Notice(s) of Motion
4:55 P.M.   Other Business
5:00 P.M.   Adjourn

US19/20-05: New Program Proposal: Bachelor’s in Neuroscience

Date of Notice: October 23, 2019
Current Status: Approved November 13, 2019
Motion Type: Legislation
Sponsor: Nicole Dudukovic (Psychology), Adrianne Huxtable (Human Physiology), Philip Washbourne (Biology)


Motion

Section I

1.1 WHEREAS the Undergraduate Council is charged by the University Senate  with the responsibility of “reviewing, evaluating and enhancing the quality of the University’s academic program;” and

1.2 WHEREAS the Undergraduate Council has the responsibility to “monitor, help shape, and approve new undergraduate programs (majors, minors, certificates) and changes to existing programs;” and

1.3 WHEREAS the Undergraduate Council has fully reviewed and endorsed the proposal for a new Bachelor’s degree in Neuroscience jointly administered by the Biology, Human Physiology, and Psychology departments and recommend that the Provost forward it to the University of Oregon Board of Trustees, the statewide Provosts’ Council, Higher Education Coordinating Commission,and the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities for approval;

Section II

2.1 BE IT HEREBY MOVED that the University Senate approves the recommendation of the Undergraduate Council to approve the new Bachelor’s degree in Neuroscience (please see related documents for program specifics).


Related Documents

Neuroscience proposal
Memo in Support
Sponsor Response to feedback from Undergrad Council

US19/20-04: UOCC rep to Graduate Council – voting status

Date of Notice: October 22, 2019
Current Status: Approved November 13, 2019
Motion Type: Legislation
Sponsor: Frances White, Chair of UOCC


Motion

Section I

1.1 WHEREAS the Graduate Council frequently works on program and course approval with the UO Committee on Courses (UOCC); and

1.2 WHEREAS there is a voting ex officio seat for the UOCC Chair or designee on the Undergraduate Council to coordinate course and program approval processes with that body; and

1.3 WHEREAS the University Senate approved US15/16-18: Revision of the Membership of the Graduate Council, adding the Chair of UOCC (or designee) as a non-voting ex officio member, in part to establish consistency with Undergraduate Council processes;

Section II

2.1 BE IT THEREFORE MOVED that the University approves revising the UOCC Chair or designee seat on the Graduate Council from non-voting to voting.

Senate Meeting Agenda – October 9, 2019

Location: EMU 145 & 146 (Crater Lake rooms)
3:00 – 5:00 P.M.

3:00 P.M.   Call to Order

    • Introductory Remarks; Senate President Elizabeth Skowron

3:15 P.M.  Approval of the Minutes

3:15 P.M.   State of the University

    • Patrick Phillips, Provost and Sr Vice President; White Paper on 2019-2020 Academic Initiatives
    • Undergraduate Advising at UO; Kimberly Johnson, UGS Asst Vice Prov Advising (Presentation Slides)

4:00 P.M.   New Business

4:30 P.M.    Open Discussion
4:30 P.M.   Reports

4:55 P.M.   Notice(s) of Motion
4:56 P.M.   Other Business
5:00 P.M.   Adjourn

US19/20-03: Approval of Curriculum Report, Summer 2019

Date of Notice: September 25, 2019
Current Status: Approved October 9, 2019
Motion Type: Legislation
Sponsor: Frances White, UOCC


Motion

Section I

1.1 WHEREAS the UO Committee on Courses has submitted the Summer Term 2019 Preliminary Curriculum Report for University Senate Review.

Section II

2.1 THEREFORE BE IT MOVED the University Senate approves the Summer 2019 Curriculum Report as submitted by the UO Committee on Courses (please see Related Documents).


Related Documents

Summer Term 2019 Preliminary Curriculum Report

US19/20-02: Revisions to Continuous Improvement and Evaluation of Teaching Committee

Date of Notice: September 18, 2019
Current Status: Approved October 9, 2019
Motion Type: Legislation
Sponsor: Elizabeth Skowron, Senate President
Elliot Berkman, Senate Vice President
Sierra Dawson, Chair of CIET committee


Motion

Section I

1.1 WHEREAS the Continuous Improvement and Evaluation of Teaching Committee (CIET) has broad relevance for and impact upon all UO faculty; and

1.2 WHEREAS the current membership criteria do not provide for consistent representation from all faculty units on campus; and

1.3 WHEREAS the faculty feedback and evaluation needs for different units on campus are varied;

Section II

2.1 THEREFORE BE IT MOVED that the membership for the Continuous Improvement and Evaluation of Teaching Committee be revised per the changes outlined in the Redline Draft of the committee’s 17 point chart (please see Related Documents).


Continuous Improvement and Evaluation of Teaching Committee 17 point chart – REDLINE_September 2019

US19/20-01: Rename the NTTF Committee

Date of Notice: September 18, 2019
Current Status: Approved October 9, 2019
Motion Type: Legislation
Sponsor: Elizabeth Skowron, Senate President
Elliot Berkman, Senate Vice President
Beth Harn, Special Education and Clinical Sciences


Motion

Section I

1.1  WHEREAS, the Non-tenure Track Faculty Committee indicated the need to ensure inclusiveness of all long-term faculty (i.e., clinical professor, professors of practice, instructional, library, and research); and

1.2 WHEREAS, the committee will also be inclusive of limited duration faculty employees; and

1.3  WHEREAS, non-tenured faculty on campus have expressed concerns over being disrespected and seen as “less than” compared to their tenured colleagues;

Section II

2.1 THEREFORE BE IT MOVED that the University Senate approves the renaming of the Non-tenured Track Faculty Committee to “Career Faculty Committee.”

Implementation Date: Immediate upon approval by University Senate


Related Documents

NTTF 2018-2019 Annual Report

Draft 17 point chart_Redline_Sept 2019