Present: J. Caldwell, P. Chase, P. Cucchi, L. Culmer-Nier, C. Cunningham,
T. Dickens, D. Isenberg, T. Kean, W. Kolmar,  J. McGregor, T. Magnell, M.
Merkel, C. Messmer, K. Morton, N. Ollman, G. Polanski, K. Prentiss, A.
Rosan, V. Samuel,  P. Samuels, J. Warner, T. Whitton, D.J. Wright,

Call to order:
Called to order by Ginny Samuel, past Chair.  Peggy Samuels, elected Chair
last year, is unable to serve in that capacity.  Thomas Magnell had been
approached in September, and agreed to serve, if elected, as Chair.  His
election was approved unanimously, and Thomas Magnell assumed the Chair.
He thanked Ginny Samuel for the work she had done and for the transition
help she, Peggy Samuels, Paolo Cucchi and Jody Caldwell had provided.

Senate minutes from May will be distributed and approved via email.  Thomas
Magnell asked Senate members to introduce themselves.

President's Report:
President Kean noted that the opening of school went well, admissions are
good in both quantity and quality.  Events since opening of school went
very well.

Capital campaign is ahead of its schedule.  Priorities were developed and
set by community for $62 million. The established priorities are not coming
in evenly.  Some identified priorities might exceed limits, while other
areas may not, and some gifts coming in outside priorities as well. Funding
for buildings, such as the Arts Building and the Sciences wing, is going
well.

Searches are underway for some major positions, e.g. Vice President/Dean of
the Theological School, Library Director, Dean of Student Life. We are
also making good additions to the University Board of Trustees.

Proposed Senate Constitution:

Thomas Magnell began the discussion by emphasizing the importance of the
task at hand, reading the introduction to the proposed constitution to
outline its centrality:
         "The University Senate, a body representative of the University
faculties, student bodies, University staff, and administrative officers,
shall be a consultative and recommending body dealing with all matters
which concern the University as a whole. Its agenda may be drawn from
matters brought to it by the President, by the Board of Trustees, by the
separate faculties, by the University Faculty, by student governments, by
the University staff and by members of the Senate or committees thereof.
The Senate may make recommendations to the University Faculty, the several
faculties, or any other component of the University.  The Senate shall
report regularly to the several faculties, to other constituencies of the
University, to the University Faculty, and through the President to the
Board of Trustees."

Cathy Messmer, as Chair of Governance Committee, reported on the work of
the Committee over last year and this year.  She reported that the intent
of an earlier proposed constitution was to facilitate communication among
the faculties.  The current proposed constitution is an attempt to describe
its function, and to reduce its size to facilitate the Senate's work.
Cathy Messmer distributed a draft of the proposed constitution and 1987
version currently in force.  The following substantive changes were
identified:
          Scope of the Senate is defined as "All matters dealing with the
University as a whole" rather than simply "academic matters".
          Broader representation of the University community.
          Reduced size of the Senate, from 24 members (20 voting members)
to 19 members (14 voting members).
          Reduced numbers of standing committees and reliance on contacts
with other committees based in the various constituencies.  The Student
Affairs Committee remains, since the three student associations still
function independently.
          Ad hoc committees section, the financial exigency committee
makeup.

Thomas Magnell laid out the following time line for approval: The proposed
constitution to be discussed (as a review process) among constituencies,
with questions, thoughts, suggestions for revision to Cathy Messmer,
Paolo Cucchi, Thomas Magnell or Peggy Samuels by 11/15 for review by
Governance Committee, with discussion by the Senate at its 12/2/99 meeting.
Governance Committee members will come to constituent discussions if desired.
Constituent bodies need to vote and approve by the end of second semester.
Senate must approve by end of the Fall 1999 semester to permit formal vote by
bodies in the Spring.  Senators must review the December document carefully
before the December Senate meeting, in case any significant changes are
incorporated by the Governance Committee.

Financial Exigency Committee: The Governance Committee put forward a
proposal for a representative, elected committee, with people from budget
committees (III C.1.b).  A revision to the proposal (III C.1.b) was put
forward by Lessie Culmer-Nier:
           This committee shall be constituted by the Senate when a
condition of financial exigency exists or is imminent.  As mandated in
Article XII of the Faculty Personnel Policy, this committee shall
participate in the decision to determine whether a condition of financial
exists, and shall consult with the President to develop a plan to meet the
financial exigency.

Discussion:
The proposed revision brings the section into compliance with the Faculty
Personnel Policy.  In response to a suggestion that the Senate draw members
of the Committee from its own members or from the budget committees, the
Governance Committee stated its intent as ensuring that constituencies had
the chance to select the best representative for the specific task, rather
than the person who was currently serving on the Senate or the budget
committees.

Thomas Magnell expressed concern about creating a structure in which a
president would have to declare that she or he were thinking of declaring
financial exigency to the entire University community in order to have a
committee elected to consider whether or not such a declaration was
warranted.  He suggested that this might create serious problems on its own
and could make matters worse even if the committee were to be inclined
against declaring financial exigency.  He suggested that it be a standing
committee.

Lessie Culmer-Nier's proposed change brings the Financial Exigency
Committee into play quickly.  President  Kean pointed out that the community
should be discussing such situations well in advance.

Tasha Whitton raised the issue that the Graduate Student Association and
the Theological Student Association don't operate jointly, and would have a
hard time designating a single representative quickly.

Paolo Cucchi observed that the proposed revision would be consistent with
existing policies, and that the Senate needs to be aware when changes to
its own documents may contradict those of other University bodies.

Wendy Kolmar moved, Peggy Samuels seconded that the Governance Committee
accept revised wording to match Faculty Personnel Policy wording.  Approved.

Sexual Harassment Committee:
Wendy Kolmar and Ginnie Samuel presented a report of four years of
statistics of activity on the part of the Sexual Harassment Committee.
1998-99 saw 16 contacts, 1 formal hearing, and 3 informal processes.  W.
Kolmar reminded the Senate that this is only a reflection of those who came
to the committee  many of course do not.

Health Services and Residential Life has begun sending anonymous reports so
that the statistics will reflect what really happens on campus, with10
contacts in first 6 weeks of the 1999 Fall semester.  The Committee will
start to break out sexual assault statistics from harassment.   Rising
statistics may reflect rising awareness and willingness to report.
President Kean asked if the Committee has seen any changes on campus in
patterns of behavior.   Technology has added another avenue for
harassment.   Drew experiences the same incidents that other campuses do,
but the Committee is seeing increasing numbers willing to use the process.
Thomas Magnell asked if the report should go out as an attachment to the
Senate minutes.  Wendy Kolmar agreed, and the Senate approved. The report
given to the Senate will also go out to the Acorn.  The Senate
should assist in educational process.

Faculty Salary Report:
Nicky Ollman and Dorene Isenberg presented a brief report from the Senate
Committee on Faculty.  They usually look at a variety of lists and make
recommendations.  This year, the University Compensation Committee will
make that more extensive report.

Drew's standing vis a vis its comparison schools hasn't changed much:
          "All New Jersey" and "Aspiration" schools:  our standing is
slipping.
          University Compensation Committee list looks very similar to US
News and World Report list the SCOF has been using.

Thomas Magnell observed that if regional cost-of-living is important, the
NJ list is disheartening.

The SCOF believes faculty salaries should have a high priority, and hopes
that the UCC's gathering of deep information will complement the breadth of
data, and expects that the two reports will track together.  SCOF is not
making a recommendation but is waiting for the UCC report.  The SCOF report is
submitted to the University  Senate for its information, and for
distribution.  The Senate accepted the report as presented to be forwarded
to the Expenses and Allocation Committee.

Orientation proposal:
Michelle Merkel observed that faculty had problems with the Graduate School
orientation schedule for area meetings and advisement, and had a very difficult
time working out schedules with the Theological School and the CLA.  The
Graduate Student Association proposes designating a set 3 hours the
Wednesday before the beginning of classes for area meetings and advisement
reserved for GS faculty.  It locks up the schedule somewhat, but would
guarantee GS access.  In the past, conflict for Graduate School professors
also involved with First Year Seminars and common reading activities in the
CLA has prevented their participation in incoming graduate student
advising.  Thomas Magnell observed that, since the academic year does not
always start on the same day of the week, specifying Wednesday might be
problematic.  The proposal was revised to:

           "A block of three hours on the third working day prior to
beginning of classes should be reserved for Graduate School orientation."

During that time, no other orientation activities should involve any
faculty teaching in the Graduate School.  (Senate can only make a
recommendation, but cannot legislate.)  Dean Lawler will review the
schedules.  DJ Wright, who will be on CLA Orientation Committee, recommends
coordination among Orientation Committees.  The proposal was approved, with
one abstention.

Old business: None

New business: None.

Meeting adjourned at 5:25.

Respectfully submitted,

Jody Caldwell,
Secretary, University Senate
 

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