UpDate - Vol. 12, No. 14, Page 2
December 10, 1992
Senate addresses speech code, faculty honors

     Accepting the argument that the University's speech code probably
wouldn't withstand a legal challenge, the University Faculty Senate Monday
removed the "harassment by personal vilification" policy from The Official
Student Handbook.
     In other action, the senate established new criteria and procedures
for granting student and faculty honors, created a new academic program
review process and passed a "sense of the senate" resolution urging faculty
to improve the climate of respect and tolerance on campus.
     Dean of Students Tim Brooks told the senate that recent court
decisions have made "hate speech" codes unenforceable. However, he said,
since most cases involving hate speech violate the misuse of property and
disruptive conduct sections of the code of conduct, they could still be
prosecuted by his office. Senator and president-elect Bonnie Scott
suggested that the section be sent back to committee with instructions to
maintain the sexual harassment prohibitions while dropping the speech code.
Her amendment was defeated, and the resolution to delete the section passed
by a 30 to 15 vote.
     The new procedures and criteria for the Committee on Student and
Faculty Honors provide "a document to fall back on" when selecting
recipients of teaching and advising awards, according to David Smith,
chairperson of the senate's Committee on Committees and Nominations.
Revised procedures for the annual Francis Alison award will be presented to
the senate in February, he said.
     Sen. Stanley Sandler questioned the value of teaching awards that
simply go to those faculty with "excellent stage presence" and "don't
address the impact of the person nationwide in their field."  Linda
Gottfredson said her writing committee attempted to go beyond simple
popularity by making the first criteria for nomination "highly
knowledgeable and intellectually rigorous" in their chosen field.  Other
criteria include a deep commitment to teaching and students, skilled
interaction with students and a positive and lasting impact. Students and
alumni make the nominations.
     The new procedures also call for keeping nominations from previous
years because deserving individuals who receive a few nominations every
year might be added to the pool of finalists. New nomination forms for the
teaching and advising awards also were created. The forms are usually
available to students and alumni in February, and the awards are presented
on Honors Day in May.
     Dropping the Council on Program Evaluation (COPE) established by the
senate in 1973, the senate approved a new academic program review policy
that would be coordinated by either the vice provost for academic affairs
or the associate provost for graduate studies.
     According to Vice Provost Margaret Andersen, the new review procedures
allow the faculty senate, the appropriate dean and the provost's office to
share in the selection of the review committee. Each committee will consist
of three University faculty and two external reviewers. The department,
college or program under review will also engage in a self-study process.
     A new single committee will do the review, Andersen told the senate.
Previously, the external review was sent to an all-faculty COPE committee,
which prepared its own second report. "More often than not, they were in
total conflict with each other," Andersen said.
     As amended, the "sense of the senate" resolution passed Monday states
"The faculty through the Faculty Senate hereby denounces the attitudes that
generate intolerance and destructive behavior, and be it further resolved
that the faculty through the Faculty Senate exhorts all in the University
community to improve the climate of respect, tolerance and intellectual
richness by education." During the debate about the wording, Sen. Henry
Reynolds said, "Part of a university is giving the benefit of doubt to
people who hold what may be to other people hateful opinions."
     Earlier, Senate President Ken Lomax told the assembly that a new
mission statement was in its fifth draft, and that the senate's executive
committee was selecting a writing committee for the philosophical statement
of ideals. He said the first draft of this statement would be reviewed by
an invited representative committee and comments incorporated before
sending the statement to the senate.
     Provost Byron Pipes told the senators that, although $1.2 million
would be cut from college budgets in 1993-94 budget, some $700,000 would be
allotted for new program initiatives, "offering a chance for program
renewal and growth."
                                        -Cornelia Weil