UpDate - Vol. 15, No. 14, Page 8
December 7, 1995
Faculty Senate approves PTTP permanent status

     The Faculty Senate voted Monday to grant permanent status to the
Professional Theatre Training Program (PTTP).
     In other business, the senate passed a resolution on academic
conflicts of interest, approved concentration titles for the master of
fine arts in theatre and strongly recommended that the senate office
"continue to be located in a building that does not also house the
central administration."
     Although senate speakers praised the PTTP program as a
"remarkable success" and "absolutely excellent," some discussion was
held on a counter-resolution calling for continuation of the program's
provisional status.
     According to chairperson Marian Palley, the Coordinating
Committee on Education's resolution called for granting permanent
status to the program because the PTTP altered its policy statement
and procedures and the program now was in compliance with University
policies.
     In a memorandum to the graduate studies subcommittee last spring,
Provost Mel Schiavelli wrote that he would periodically review the
PTTP's implementation of its operating policies and procedures, its
admission process, the safety and appropriateness of its required
physical activities, its adherence to the standards of academic
freedom and an assessment of the outside programs recommended by the
PTTP.
     When introducing the resolution on academic conflicts of
interest, Judy McIness of the Committee on Faculty Welfare and
Privileges,  told the senators the resolution could protect the
faculty from future harassment suits by their students.
     As passed by the senate, the resolution requires that faculty
report to their supervisor if a family member or "someone in a
consensual amorous relationship" is enrolled in their courses. The
supervisor will then take steps to insure "the unbiased evaluation or
supervision of the student."
     Regarding members of the same family on the faculty, the
resolution states that "Faculty members should not participate in
instructional supervision or in other institutional decisions (initial
appointment, retention, promotion, salary, leave of absence, etc.)
involving a direct benefit to members of their immediate families or
those with whom they have consensual amorous relationships."
                                                        -Cornelia Weil