Click for Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Forecast
HOME ISSUE

CALENDAR

BETWEEN ISSUES ARCHIVE DEADLINES CONTACT US
 
 
Print This Issue
Front Page
Contents
Crimes
Directory
All About Teaching
Subscribe to E-Alamanc!
Staffbox
Guidelines
 

SENATE From the Senate Office


The following statement is published in accordance with the Senate Rules. Among other purposes, the publication of SEC actions is intended to stimulate discussion among the constituencies and their representatives. Please communicate your comments to Senate Chair Mitchell Marcus, or Kristine Kelly, Box 12 College Hall/6303, (215) 898-6943 or kellyke@pobox.upenn.edu.

Senate Executive Committee Actions

Wednesday, May 7, 2003

Old Business

Chair's Report. Professor Mitchell Marcus began his report by informing SEC members that he was delighted that Les Hudson had been chosen as the new Vice Provost for Strategic Initiatives. Professor Marcus reminded SEC that he participated in the interview process, and stated that he was optimistic that Dr. Hudson's new role in the development and implementation of Penn's strategy for technology transfer and entrepreneurial initiatives will be very beneficial for Penn's faculty.

Professor Marcus told SEC that the three Senate Chairs had informed Provost Barchi of SEC's desire that a search for a new Associate Provost begin immediately, and communicated Provost Barchi's response that with two Vice Provost searches now underway, for both the Vice Provost for Research and Vice Provost for Libraries, that it would not be possible to begin the third search until the fall. Professor Marcus conveyed that Provost Barchi had committed that the search would begin early in the fall semester.

Finally, Professor Marcus pointed out that Chair-Elect Lance Donaldson-Evans would take over as Senate Chair with New Business during this meeting.. Professor Marcus thanked SEC, its Committee Chairs and committee members, and the Grievance Commission for their hard work this past year. Professor Marcus also thanked his colleagues, Past Chair David Hackney, Chair-Elect Lance Donaldson-Evans, and Senate Assistant Kristine Kelly.

Past Chair's Report on Academic Planning and Budget and Capital Council. Past Chair David Hackney reported that Provost Barchi had agreed that in the future many issues brought to Academic Planning & Budget can be shared with SEC, after clearing with the Provost to determine that discussion items had already been vetted through the University Administration and Trustees. By the nature of the items discussed at Capital Council, the confidentiality agreement will still stand and the past chair will not be able to report on Capital Council discussions to SEC.

Nominating Committee Update. Nominating Committee Chair and SEC member Peter Kuriloff updated SEC on the completed Nominating Committee slate. After reviewing the slate, he informed SEC that Almanac will be posting it in its May 13 issue. Professor Kuriloff also thanked the committee for their hard work.

Senate Committee on Administration Report on Faculty Retirement. Professor Peter McCleary, Chair of the Senate Committee on Administration presented his committee's final report on Faculty Retirement. For background purposes, Professor McCleary informed SEC that the Committee had discussions with Professor Gerald Porter and Associate Provost Walter Wales on the history and content of the Task Force study.

In its report, the Committee noted that while the Retirement Task Force Recommendations offer only marginal improvement to the University's existing policy on Faculty Retirement, the Committee nonetheless recommended that the Senate Executive Committee accept those recommendations. Additionally, the Committee recommended that SEC continue to study the issue in order to clarify or explain such questions as to whether a faculty retirement problem exists, what are the advantages or disadvantages of early retirement, what are the actual costs incurred, and so forth. SEC unanimously approved the Report, and encouraged follow up where necessary.

Professor Marcus turned the Chair over to Professor Donaldson-Evans.

New Business

Professor Donaldson-Evans thanked Professors Marcus and Hackney for this past year, and looked forward to continue to work with Professor Mitch Marcus this upcoming academic year. Professor Donaldson-Evans also noted that Professor David Hackney, while finishing his SEC tenure, will continue to be a valuable resource to him and SEC.

Elections. The following elections were held, with results to be tallied after the meeting:

  • Election of New Chair of Economic Status of the Faculty Committee
  • Election of 2003-04 Faculty Senate Committees
  • Election of SEC Members for the 2003-2004 University Council Steering Committee

Under the Faculty Senate Rules, formal notification to members may be accomplished by publication in Almanac. The following is published under that rule.

TO: Members of the Faculty Senate
FROM: Mitchell Marcus, Chair
SUBJECT: Senate Nominations 2003-2004

1. In accordance with the Faculty Senate Rules, official notice is given of the Senate Nominating Committee's slate of nominees for the incoming Senate Officers. The nominees, all of whom have indicated their willingness to serve, are:

Chair-Elect Charles Mooney, Professor, School of Law

Secretary-Elect Jacqueline French, Associate Professor of Neurology

At-Large Members of SEC (to serve a 3-year term beginning upon election):
Sherrill Adams, Professor of Biochemistry, School of Dental Medicine
Julie Fairman, Associate Professor of Nursing
Susan Gennaro, Professor, School of Nursing

Edward Rubin, Professor, School of Law

Assistant Professors (to serve a 2-year term beginning upon election):
Camille Charles, Assistant Professor of Sociology

Robert W. Neumar, Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine

Senate Committee on Academic Freedom and Responsibility (to serve a 3-year term beginning upon election):
Stephen Thom, Associate Professor of Emergency Medicine

Lorraine Tulman, Associate Professor of Nursing

Senate Committee on the Economic Status of the Faculty (to serve a 3-year term beginning upon election):
Amita Sehgal, Associate Professor of Neuroscience

Phoebe Leboy, Professor of Biochemistry, School of Dental Medicine

2. Again in accord with the Senate Rules you are invited to submit "additional nominations, which shall be accomplished via petitions containing at least twenty-five valid names and the signed approval of the candidate. All such petitions must be received no later than fourteen days subsequent to the circulation of the nominees of the Nominating Committee. Nominations will automatically be closed fourteen days after circulation of the slate of the Nominating Committee." Petitions must be received by mail at the Faculty Senate, Box 12 College Hall/6303, or by hand at the Faculty Senate Office, 109 Duhring Wing by 5 p.m., Tuesday, May 27, 2003.

3. Under the same provision of the Senate Rules, if no additional nominations are received, the slate nominated by the Nominating Committee will be declared elected. Should additional nominations be received, an election will thereafter be held by mail ballot.


  Almanac, Vol. 49, No. 33, May 13, 2003

HOME ISSUE CALENDAR BETWEEN ISSUES ARCHIVE DEADLINES CONTACT US