University Senate - October 25, 2021 Meeting Minutes

The University Senate was called to order at 3:30 p.m., Remote Access, on Monday, October 25, 2021. Members absent: Abayaomi Abodunrin, Debbie Coleman, Jennifer Fox, Becca Pallant, Carrie Ann Sharrit, Vada Stephens, Victoria Villanueva, Elizabeth Wardle, and Cheryl Young.

Call to Order and Announcements

1. Announcements and Remarks by Chair of University Senate Executive Committee, Jennifer Green

Approval of University Senate Minutes

2. Approval of Senate Minutes: A motion was received, seconded, and carried to approve the October 11, 2021 Minutes with edits (Yes, 47 No, 1, Abstain 0)

Consent Calendar

3. The following items were accepted and received on the consent calendar:
  • October 25, 2021 Curricular Items

  • LEC Minutes - 9.21.21

  • Graduate Council Minutes - 9.14.2021

New Business

4. New Business:
  1. SR22-07 Sense-of-the –Senate HBs.10.8.21 – Council on Diversity & Inclusion Senate Liaison Rosemary Pennington

    1. Motion was received and seconded to place resolution on the floor for discussion. Discussion began with a question as to whether the general counsel was notified of this bill, and how it may intersect with Miami’s policy on political action by faculty in university capacity. Counsel had not been consulted, but reviewing Miami policy and how political activity is defined, it was believed that the resolution could be put to a vote.
    2. Resolution put to the floor for a vote; resolution passed (Yes 45; No 2; Abstain 0)

Special Reports

5. Special Report Presentations

  1. Benefits and Open Enrollment – VP Benefits Committee Chair John Bowblis and Associate Vice President for Human Resources Dawn Fahner
    1. Health Insurance Premiums for 2022
      • Fixed monthly fee for the PPO will remain the same as 2021
      • Amounts contributed to the HDHP by Miami remain the same
      • Percentage of salary contribution will increase for all plans
    2. Open Enrollment Roll-Out
    3. No Cost-Share Prescription Drug
      • Miami covers the full cost of certain preventive prescription medications; cost to the employee at an in-network pharmacy is $0.
      • Anthem has changed the list of drugs covered under the program, and Miami has adopted the expanded coverage.
  2. Enrollment Update – Vice President for Enrollment Management and Student Success Brent Shock
    1. Enrollment management trends and the current landscape in recruiting:
      • Trends are affected by variables including shifting demographics, yield rates, and influencers such as costs, value, and programs offered;
      • Competitor review – How Miami compares to other institutions with tuition and discounts offered was shared.
      • Strategies – Many were shared including new programs and scholarship strategies, out of state market expansion, key influencers, and international student recruitment agencies on country specific marketing and communication tactics.

Old Business

6. No Items of Old Business

Executive Session

7. Executive Session began; only elected Senators are permitted to be present during the executive session portion of the meeting. All non-senators were asked to leave the Zoom meeting.

Adjournment

8. Meeting was adjourned

Resolutions 

SR 22-07
Sense of the Senate Resolution - HBs 10.8.21
October 25, 2021

WHEREAS WE as representatives of the Miami Community are committed to the free and honest exchange of ideas as enshrined in the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution; 

Whereas we believe that in a democratic society, the true test of our beliefs and values is how we express and respond to disparate views;

WHEREAS WE understand as critical to the mission of the university the ability of students, faculty, and staff to listen, to understand, and to think critically about issues and recognize that academic freedom allows us to provide curricular and extracurricular opportunities for such critical engagement with ideas; 

WHEREAS WE believe Ohio House Bill 322 and Ohio House Bill 327 to be impediments to the exercise of First Amendment rights by university faculty, staff, and students through the production of what the courts have labeled a “chilling effect” on expression and see the punitive measures as outlined in HB 322 and HB 327 as destructive to the very foundations of academic freedom and free expression in higher education in Ohio; 

WE, the members of the Miami University Senate, reaffirm our commitment to helping shape a healthy marketplace of ideas full of diverse perspectives. We also urge all legislators to reject these bills that are intrusive and harmful to academic freedom and free expression for students, faculty, and staff in higher education in Ohio.