Call to Order and Announcements

The University Senate was called to order at 3:30 p.m., via WebEx, on Monday, April 27, 2020. Attendance was not taken.

1. Announcements and Remarks by the Chair of Senate Executive Committee, Dana Cox.

   1. There were no announcements.

Approval of University Senate Minutes

2. A motion was received, seconded, and carried to approve the April 20, 2020, minutes of University Senate.

Consent Calendar

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

   1. Curriculum

   2. Graduate Council Minutes - March 2020

Provost Update

4. Campus Update – Jason Osborne, Provost 

   1. Provost Osborne highlighted several good news stories, including a projected led by Senator Ann Elizabeth Armstrong and Dr. Katie Johnson where students participated in an online workshop lead by a member of the Tectonic Theater Project in New York. Daisy Hernandez is also hosting a how to get published seminar.

   2. A Return to Campus Committee is being formed and will be led  by Senator Bielo and Provost Osborne. Several senators have volunteered to be on the committee.  Additionally, the Deans have been working in their units to handle special circumstances (e.g. CCA). Other areas, such as the Graduate School, Dean of Students Office, I.T., EMSS, Global Initiatives and the Provost Office (budget) will be contributing to the discussion.

   3. Similar to the Budget Symposium, there are plans to have a similar ‘Town Hall’ meeting with V.P. Jayne Brownell.

   4. Miami is continuing to look at interest in both health majors and data majors for students and is trying to leverage state support for capital projects such as the Health Sciences Building.

   5. There are always those who wonder if this is the  end of higher education?  Or, will everyone want to do online learning?  Approximately 16,000 students have been called, and the feeling is that students want to get back to get back to campus. There is even thought that this crisis may spark a surge in on-campus learning.

   6. Several universities in Ohio have stated they are having financial issues due to COVID-19.

   7. We have 3109 confirmed students for fall 2020. The confirmation deadline is June 1. Even if we have the numbers, there will probably not be the same budget as last year due to different proportions of international students, as one example.    

   8. There will be a virtual graduation ceremony that is being developed by a company in Austin, Texas, run by an alumnus.

   9. Provost Osborne reminded us where we started. Budgets were reallocated (Agile budget model). There were two allocations (auxiliary – 14% and administrative – 10%).  There was a lot of work up front that prepared Miami for COVID-19. No faculty positions are being cut or downsized. There still is a ‘budget pothole’ of a few million dollars. We are at the low end of student/faculty ratio as compared to other institutions, which leads us to more expenditures.  In most universities, tuition does not cover the cost of educating students. At Miami, the gap is widening partially due to lower enrollment of international students and an increase in costs. The gaps were being filled with other monies (conferences, retails, etc.), which now is going to be a challenge.  The RCM budget model is still running, but no money is being distributed (there is no money to distribute). We are in deficit spending, which we have had to backfill. We had a very big challenge even before COVID-19.  The goal is to get ahead of the next challenge.

   10. We need to keep innovating even through a crisis. Miami is the number one most efficient university in the nation.

New Business

5.  SR 20-20 - Sales Management Major, Bachelor of Science in Commerce – Ted Light – Chair, Commerce

   1. An overview was given on the B.S. in Commerce degree, which was created in 2015. There currently is one major – Small Business Management; however, the intent always was to have several majors within this degree.  There are three majors in development:  Sales Management,      Digital Commerce,      and      

   2. The current Small Business Management Major is popular with transfer students and international students and there are currently 615 enrolled. The department has realized that there is little demand created with this major.

   3. The Commerce Hub program provides academic and professional programs in a central location. It will provide academics of the Small Business Management Major combined with the proposed Sales Management Major and a major that is currently being developed, Digital Commerce. Also part of the Commerce Hub is       the Small Business Development Center of Butler County.

   4. The proposed Sales Management Major has limited resource needs. Three new courses are required, and at this time, no new faculty are needed.  By year four, it is projected that the program will bring in 1 Million dollars.

   5. A question was asked whether this was open to Oxford students. Yes, it is open to all students, except those in the Farmer School of Business.

   6. A question was asked regarding when the courses were offered. The face to face courses are offered both day and evening; however, approximately half of the courses are taken online.

   7. Senators approved SR 20-20 with 2 abstentions.

SR 20-20

April 27, 2020

BE IT HEREBY RESOLVED that University Senate endorse the proposed degree, Bachelor of Science in Commerce, with a major in Sales Management, College of Liberal Arts and Applied Science.

AND FURTHERMORE, that the endorsement by University Senate of the proposed degree and major will be forwarded to the Miami University Board of Trustees for consideration.

6. SR 20-21 – Entrepreneurship and Emerging Technology, Master in Entrepreneurship and Emerging Technology – Dr. Glenn Platt 

   1. The proposed Masters is a joint venture between the Entrepreneurship Department (formerly Program) and the ETBD Department (formerly IMS). Brett Smith is a co-creator of the program The program fulfills a market niche and builds off of the ongoing study-away semester program in San Francisco, which has been in operation ten years.

   2. The Masters is designed to be one year. The fall and spring semesters are online with students doing a boot camp experience in San Francisco during winter term. A subset of the Masters is a Graduate Certificate.

   3. There is no degree program close that is a combination of all of these components. It is a good fit for students doing a 3+1 or a 4+1.

   4. Some of the resources needed for the Masters include adding 500-level components to 400-level courses, hiring adjunct faculty, and having current faculty teach overload. There would also be a staff member needed in San Francisco. When asked how the program was being funded, Dr. Platt indicated that Boldly Creative funds were being used for the first year. If it is not revenue generating after one year, ‘the plug gets pulled’.

   5. The program is also in Cincinnati and in Luxembourg with extensive internship opportunities.

   6. A senator asked about the term ‘Emerging Technology’ in the major. Has it been tested and is it one of the search terms when people are looking for this type of degree.  It is thought that the term digital is getting old.  More research needs to be done on the wording.

SR 20-21

April 27, 2020

BE IT HEREBY RESOLVED that University Senate endorse the proposed degree, Masters in Entrepreneurship and Emerging Technology, with a major in Entrepreneurship and Emerging Technology, College of Creative Arts.

AND FURTHERMORE, that the endorsement by University Senate of the proposed degree and major will be forwarded to the Miami University Board of Trustees for consideration. 

7. SR 20-19 – Proclamation – Rodney Coates and Gaile Pohlhaus 

   1. Senator Cox explained that the resolution being introduced is a joint effort from Senator Coates, Senator Bretz, and Senator Pohlhaus. The resolution will be discussed and voted on next Monday, May 4, 2020.

   2. Senator Coates read the resolution.

 Old Business

8. SR 20-22 – Senate ByLaws Executive Committee

   1. Senator Cox showed the revisions to the recently approved SR 20-14, which makes adjustments to the Senate  Executive Committee.  There is a suggestion to allow staff to run for Executive Committee.  Additionally, there needs to be clarification on who is eligible to vote.  Two graphics were displayed.  Option A allows senators who have not been reelected to run for the Executive Committee and if elected, they would be ex-officio.  Option B allows only returning and new senators to run for election.

   2. Senators engaged in the following discussion:

      1. Several senators felt that a staff member should not be able to run for election due to their position only being one-year, without guarantee of renewal.  It was stated, however, that there should be a staff member as part of the Executive Committee. While this will not be part of continued discussion today, Senator Carlin will initiate the process with the Governance Committee. This will be an appointed position similar to the student representatives who currently serve and will not require additional elections.

      2. Some senators felt that non-returning senators should not be able to run because they would be on the Executive Committee as ex-officio for three years.

      3. A friendly amendment was made to separate the newly added text into a section.

   3. A straw poll was done to determine whether option A or B was preferable. Option A passed 17 to 13; however, there still was some confusion about the options and the margin was small. It was also noted that some senators wished to abstain, and that was not an option. Options A and B were explained again and Senators were invited to share their thoughts, and another straw poll was taken. The vote concluded with 14 voting for option A, 25 voting for option B, and 11 abstaining.

   4. SR 20-22 was approved with 5 abstentions. 

SR 20-22

April 27, 2020

BE IT HEREBY RESOLVED that the following changes be made to SR 20-14 where University Senate adopted the following additional language to the Bylaws of University Senate, clarifying the role of Chair of Executive Committee of University Senate as University Senate Moderator, and extending the term of the Chair-Elect/Chair on Executive Committee of University Senate for one additional year as Past Chair.

6.B. STANDING COMMITTEES OF UNIVERSITY SENATE The standing committees have broad responsibilities and will conduct the continuing and regular business of University Senate.

6.B.1. The Executive Committee of University Senate

6.B.1.a.

The Executive Committee of University Senate shall be composed of the Provost; four (4) members of Senate elected by Senate, one (1) of whom shall be elected Chair-elect, one (1) of whom shall be Chair (having served as Chair-elect the previous year); and one (1) of whom is the Past Chair of university senate (having served as chair the previous year); one (1) undergraduate student who shall be the Student Body President; and one (1) graduate student who is a member of University Senate. The Secretary of University Senate shall serve as an ex officio non-voting member of the Executive Committee.

6.B.1.b. In the event that the Chair or Past Chair of Executive Committee is no longer an elected member of Senate following the year of service as either Chair-Elect or Chair, they shall continue to serve on Executive Committee, but serve as an ex officio non-voting member of the Senate.

6.B.1.c The Chair of the Executive Committee of University Senate shall also serve as Vice-chair of University Senate. Chair of Executive Committee shall prepare a synopsis of University Senate deliberations and actions for transmission to the Board of Trustees on a regular basis as determined by the Senate Executive Committee. The Chair of Executive Committee, or a faculty member of the Executive Committee designated by the Chair, shall attend each public meeting of the Board of Trustees.

6.B.1.d. Further, the Chair of the Executive Committee shall, in collaboration with the Chair of University Senate, moderate discussions in regularly scheduled senate meetings and retreats and motivate further discussion among senators and constituents through university senate committees, work to build community and trust within and between diverse constituencies, and guide the senate in taking necessary and deliberate action.

6.B.1.e. The members shall be elected for one-year terms, except for the Chair-elect who shall serve a three-year term – one as Chair-elect, and one as Chair, and one as Past Chair. If the Chair cannot complete his/her term, the Chair-elect shall assume the Chair's responsibilities. If the Chair-elect or other faculty member of the Executive Committee cannot complete his/her term, Senate shall conduct a special election to fill the position.

 

Senator Cox indicated Senate did not discuss the Arrest Reporting Policy. It will be moved to the May 4, 2020 agenda.  Senator Bielo, Chair of the Arrest Reporting Policy Committee, asked senators to read the report and share it with constituents.

 

Adjournment

9. The Regular meeting of University Senate was adjourned at 5:02m.