UpDate - Vol. 12, No. 19, Page 10
February 11, 1993
Senate addresses frat house monitors, degree changes

     The University Faculty Senate Monday opted to let the University
administration work with the city, rather than implement an earlier
resolution to create another task force to study the concept of  house
monitors for fraternal organizations.
     The Faculty Senate had voted to create the ad hoc task force almost a
year ago. The Committee on Committees and Nominations, however, determined
that the senate has neither the jurisdiction nor the expertise to make
recommendations on house monitors, according to David Smith, chairperson of
the committee. Engineering questions and zoning laws must be addressed and
questions on who will bear the costs are involved, he said.
     In the spring of 1991, the senate voted to establish a two-year pilot
program in which three fraternities with more than 20 members were asked to
hire house directors. At the May 1992 meeting,  the senate's Greek Life
Task Force asked for the termination of the house monitor experiment. The
senate agreed, but added an amendment creating another ad hoc committee to
look at the issue. The resolution at Monday's meeting rescinded that
amendment.
     In other business, the senate voted to create a new title for the
master's degree in nursing, changing it from master of science to master of
science in nursing, or MSN. A number of slight revisions in requirements
for bachelor's degrees in music were passed, as was  a clarification of
requirements for a bachelor of arts in sociology.
     The senate also voted to accept written criteria and procedures
brought forward by the Committee on Student and Faculty Honors for the
determination of Alison Award recipients. The Alison Award, which is
usually presented at Convocation, honors the highest levels of excellence
as a scholar-educator at the University.
     For this award, as determined by the senate committee, faculty must
make nominations to their deans by April 15. By May 1, deans are to forward
one best candidate, with supporting materials, to the honors committee.
Because of its size, the College of Arts and Science may send the ranked
names of three persons.
     According to the new guidelines, candidates must make their notable
contributions while at the University and four criteria will be used to
judge nominations. The committee will consider impact of the subject's
scholarship on his or her field and recognition of his or her scholarship
by the field through awards, speaking and consulting requests. To show
impact as a "schoolmaster," candidates will be judged on how their students
have influenced the field and on how they have affected the University, as
evidenced by educational programs developed or impact on Delaware
colleagues or  students in general.
     Speaking earlier to the senate, Provost R. Byron Pipes announced that
he intends to reinitiate regular meetings with the Chairs Caucus, pledging
himself to "free and open communication in our community of scholars."
                                        -Cornelia Weil