Call to Order and Announcements

The University Senate was called to order at 3:30 p.m., in Room 111 Harrison Hall, Oxford Campus, on Monday, April 22, 2019.  Members absent:  Burcin Bayram, Dana Cox, Bradley Davis, Michele Dickey, Dawn Fahner, Annika Fowler, Jannie Kamara, Richard Keifer, Lei Kerr, Vahagn Manukian, Max Mellott, Meaghan Murtagh, Molly O’Donnell, Ashley Pool, Breanna Robinson, Vince Smith, Caroline Weimer, Madeline Zinkl, and Andy Zeisler.

1. Announcements and Remarks by the Secretary of University Senate, Phyllis Callahan

   1. The summer reading book has been selected and is One Size Fits All by Stephanie Anderson. The Office of Liberal Education is looking for facilitators for the student sessions. Stephanie Anderson will be the convocation speaker.

   2. The four candidates for Provost have been announced. There will be open forums for faculty beginning April 29.

Approval of University Senate Minutes

2. A motion was received, seconded, and carried to approve the April 15, 2019, minutes of University Senate.

Consent Calendar

3. The following items were received on the consent calendar:

   1. Curriculum Consent

   2. 3-D Printing Policy

   3. Eligibility for Rehire Policy

   4. Faculty Family Teaching Policy

   5. Independent Contractor Policy

   6. Reporting Arrests Policy

   7. Text Messaging Policy

   8. Graduate Council Minutes – March 19, 2019

Senators asked to remove the 3-D Printing policy, the Eligibility for Rehire policy, and the Reporting Arrests policy for further discussion. The Curriculum Consent was approved with provisional approval of the Applied Biology major pending modest revisions. The remaining Consent calendars items (d, e, g, and, h) were approved. 

3-D Printing Policy: it was agreed that the language regarding manufacturer’s recommendations and terms of use would be removed.

The 3-D Printing Policy was approved by voice vote as amended.

The Eligibility for Rehire Policy was discussed. It was explained that an employee is not ‘terminated for cause’ unless all of the disciplinary steps are complete. 

The Eligibility for Rehire Policy was approved by voice vote.

Reporting Arrests Policy:

There were concerns regarding the consequences for not reporting and protections from retaliation. It was noted by Counsel that it is not possible to spell out the consequences, and language regarding protection from retaliation would be added.  The victim is going to have to report the incident, because the police won’t in most cases. 

There was concern about police reports and whether they should be included. They need to be included because it is part of the process for determining whether the person should be suspended while the investigation is being done.  

A question was raised concerning international travel. It was not thought about in regards to this policy, but there are policies in place for issues during workshops.  This policy is meant to address U.S. violence and drug offenses.  

The evaluation process is done by General Counsel with a written recommendation coming from General Counsel to the Vice President of the Division of the employee. The policy is designed to be more open and transparent.

The Reporting Arrests Policy was approved by voice vote with one nay vote and one abstention with a friendly amendment

New Business

4. Creation of an IMS Department – Liz Mullenix, Dean, College of Creative Arts

   1. Currently IMS (Interactive Media Studies) is a program that has grown to approximately 900 majors since the co-major began in 2011. The Program was moved over to the College of Creative Arts in 2017 and has an operating budget and staff, including full-time professors, AIMS professors, VAPS, Adjuncts, and Affiliates. 

   2. The working title of the prospective department is Technology, Entrepreneurship, and Design (TED), which is thought to be more fitting and relatable terminology.

   3. The current majors and minors include: IMS Major, IMS Minor, Game & Simulation Major, Game Minor, Minor in Digital Innovation, an anticipated graduate program in Digital Innovation, and anticipated certificates in esports.

   4. The following discussion points were made:

      1. There was concern about the term ‘entrepreneurship’ in the title. It was chosen due to it accurately reflecting the work of the program.  It has been vetted with the Farmer School of Business; however, it was noted that Technology, Entrepreneurship, and Design is a working title at this time and is open to discussion.

      2. Will there still be an Armstrong Institute for Interactive Media Studies (AIMS) and what happens to the endowment? It was explained that AIMS is the research arm and reports to the Provost and is a sandbox for what is new.  There will still be joint appointments and every division will have an AIMS faculty.  There is a budget line for each of the five faculty.  IMS faculty lines were created in 2017, and there are currently two Tenure/Tenure Track faculty members in IMS.

      3. The following resolution in support of the creation of an IMS department (name may be changed at a later date) was passed by voice vote.

SR 19-11

April 22, 2019

BE IT HEREBY RESOLVED that University Senate supports the formation of a new department, Interactive Media Studies, in the College of Creative Arts.

5. Consolidation of the Classics Department – Steve Tuck, Chair, Classics

   1. Senator Tuck, Chair of Classics, submitted a request to the Provost on April 3, 2019, to initiate S.R. 14.01 for consolidation of the Classics department. Department has decreased in size from nine to four members, and this is also in response to a departmental review.  The department currently does not have any direct administrative support, and no one will step forward to be chair after June 30.

   2. R. 14.01 was reviewed with Senate. The next step will be for the Provost to select a process coordinator to guide Classics into a merger with another unit.  The process coordinator works with departments and periodically reports on progress to Senate.  The process would probably not be initiated until the fall.  The process is in place to ensure faculty have a voice.  Department consolidation has been done with MJF, BIO, and GIC and can be a complex process and one that continues to evolve after the merger happens.

   3. The Classics department has had extensive internal conversations, including discussions involving reducing/consolidating curriculum.

   4.  

Old Business

6. SR 19-07 – Tenure/Tenure Track Guidelines

   1. Revisions to the Tenure/Tenure Track Guidelines were made based on discussion at the April 15, 2019, meeting.

SR 19-07

April 22 2019

Promotion and Tenure Guidelines for Dossier Preparation 2019-2020

BE IT HEREBY RESOLVED that University Senate adopts revisions as amended to the 2019–2020 Promotion and Tenure Guidelines for Dossier Preparation.

SR 19-07 passed by voice vote.

7. SR 19-08 – TCPL Guidelines

   1. The TCPL Guidelines were shown. There are no changes for this year.

SR 19-08

April 22, 2019

Dossier and Evaluation Guidelines for Teaching Professors, Clinical Professors, Lecturers, and Clinical Faculty 2019-2020

BE IT HEREBY RESOLVED that University Senate approve the 2019-2020 Dossier and Evaluation Guidelines for Teaching Professors, Clinical Professors, Lecturers, and Clinical Lecturers as written without revisions.

SR 19-08 passed by voice vote.

8. SR 19-09 – Revisions to MUPIM 7.4.E

   1. Changes to MUPIM 7.4.E were shown and are outlined in the Resolution below.

SR 19-09

April 22, 2019

BE IT HEREBY RESOLVED that University Senate endorse proposed revisions to the Miami University Policy and Information Manual (MUPIM) 7.4.E., as set forth below:

Professor (tenure-eligible rank) (MUPIM 7.4.E)

Appointment or promotion to the rank of Professor at Miami University will ordinarily be recommended to the Board of Trustees only for those members of the instructional staff who will enhance the excellence of this group and the academic standard of the University.

A Professor must hold an earned doctorate or other terminal degree, or the equivalent of such a degree, from an accredited college or university. (It is recognized that the equivalent of a doctor’s degree may involve specialized training, study, or experience that does not culminate in a doctorate.)

For promotion to this rank, a candidate must demonstrate excellence in the first and second criteria listed below and must demonstrate strength in the third:

a cumulative record of high-quality teaching and academic advising;

a cumulative record of research, scholarly and/or creative achievement, including recent work produced while at Miami University or since promotion at Miami Universitywhich has resulted in an established reputation within the discipline;

performance of productive professional service.

Regional campus faculty may elect to demonstrate excellence in the first and third criteria and demonstrate strength in the second.

SR 19-09 passed by voice vote.

8. SR 19-10 – Revisions to MUPIM 7.11

   1. Senators were asked to carefully read the proposed revisions. They will be discussed at the April 29, 2019, meeting.

Report

9. Executive Committee Report – Terri Barr, Chair, Senate Executive Committee

   1. Senator Barr indicated that continuing contracts will be discussed at the April 29, 2019, meeting, and that it will be presented in the form of a Sense of the Senate. There may be need for a meeting on May 6.

Adjournment

10. A motion was received, seconded, and carried to adjourn the Regular Session of University Senate.