UpDate - Vol. 12, No. 26, Page 9
April 8, 1993
Senate approves institution's statement of purpose

     The University Faculty Senate approved a new mission statement for the
University and changed student membership of its Committee on Student Life
at its meeting Monday, April 5.
     The new mission statement, which is reprinted in the accompanying box,
calls for the University "to cultivate both learning and the free exchange
of ideas," enumerates some of the attributes University graduates should
have and outlines the faculty's strong tradition of scholarship, research
and training.
     The senate passed a resolution by Michelle Shapiro of the Delaware
Undergraduate Student Congress (DUSC) to revise the charge to the Committee
on Student Life to increase undergraduate student membership by one to
four. The resolution also stipulates that the students be appointed by
DUSC.
     Also at the meeting, Bruce Walker, associate provost of admissions and
student financial aid, gave a presentation on scholarship awards and the
new scholarship committee composed of volunteers from the University
community.
     Under new business, senate President Ken Lomax distributed copies of a
"Statement of Responsibility" from the Executive Committee, which will be
considered at the May meeting. The statement reads: "The University of
Delaware community values both personal and academic freedom. All members
of the campus community have the personal responsibility to promote an
atmosphere of civility in which the free exchange of ideas and opinions can
flourish. We do so by learning from individual and collective differences
and respecting every human being."
     Frank Murray, dean of the College of Education, introduced a motion
establishing a grade of A-plus, with a numerical value of 4.33, to be
established in September.
     Under his proposal, the grade point index would be calculated on the
weighted numerical values of each letter grade, with the restriction that a
GPI greater than 4.0 would be rounded to 4.0.
     This motion also will be considered at the May meeting.
                                        -Sue Swyers Moncure