D R A K E U N I V E R S I T Y Minutes of the Faculty Senate meeting November 29, 2000 A special meeting of the 2000-2001 Faculty Senate was called to order at 3:30 p.m. by President Lou Ann Simpson. The following Senators were present for all or part of the meeting: Allen, Bartschat, Gillespie, Kleiner, Lovell, McCrickerd, Parsa, Phillips, Rankin, Reed, Reynolds, Simpson, Symonds, Torgerson, Walker, Wright Absent: Cairns, DeLaet, Honts, Pomeroy, Sanders Jon Torrgerson was announced as the senator replacement for Linda Brady who has resigned. The upcoming Senate voting process was the first discussion topic. A sample ballot was distributed. The voting option of abstention was added. Senator Walker moved and McCrickerd seconded 01-04: To establish, for the purpose for Faculty Senate voting on a motion for discontinuance of a program, that once a quorum has been established, the action of the Senate will be determined by a majority of votes cast on the motion. Neither an abstention nor a doubly marked ballot will be included in the calculation of the number of votes cast. In discussion of the motion, Senator Walker illustrated the intent of the motion. If on a motion to discontinue a program, he said, four of the twenty one senators abstained, and the remaining Senators voted 9-8 in favor of the motion, the motion would pass. Nine Senators would be less than a majority of all Senators present and less than all Senators entitled to vote. This motion’s intent is for purposes of voting on a motion to discontinue a program, the abstentions would be regarded as votes not cast and Senate action would be determined by a majority of the votes actually cast. There was further discussion of why Senators may choose to abstain. The motion passed. President Simpson distributed the set of program discontinuance motions in draft form. The motion language was taken from the Program Review web published documents. There was a concern and discussion of the exact language to be presented. The General Catalog description of what programs Drake University offered was noted as important specific language to use. With various minor alterations, the motion language was accepted. The Senate then discussed the sequence the motions should be brought to the floor, the manner in which speakers should be received, and whether or not time limits should be used. All involved desired orderly proceedings but could not predict which motion might bring more discussion and from whom or if their presentations would bring new information to the discussion. A consensus was reached to limit individual speakers to three minutes each and place public discussion before Senate discussion. A sign-in sheet will be available at each meeting for the public wishing to address the Senate to identify themselves in an orderly fashion. Upon proper motion, the Senate suspended the rules to continue the meeting. The body was reminded of the electronic location for the Program Review materials. The Senate discussed and agreed on the meeting dates and times for the program discontinuance motions; December 13th for the Foreign Languages, December 6th for Religion and Nursing and all others on December 1st. Senator Torgerson announced that he is chairing the Faculty Hearing Committee and will not vote on any program that will affect the position of a tenured faculty. Upon proper motion the meeting adjourned at 5:15 p.m.