UpDate - Vol. 15, No. 3, Page 9
September 14, 1995
Faculty Senate rejects limits to teaching, advising awards

     At its first meeting of the year, the University Faculty Senate
Monday voted down the only resolution on its agenda.
     Senators defeated a proposal prohibiting winners of the
University's Excellence in Teaching Award or the Undergraduate
Academic Advising Award from eligibililty for future awards in the
same category. At present, award rules require a 10-year period
between awards.
     Also at the meeting, Provost Mel Schiavelli read from his letter
to academic deans and departmental chairpersons, urging them, over the
next two years, to assess and redirect their current financial
resources to enhance the scholarly reputation of the University.
     Observing that the University is entering a period of financial
stability, Schiavelli suggested that now is the time to look at good
programs that are underfunded and academic areas with potential for
prestige.
     Schiavelli noted that over the next two years the University does
not expect enrollment to grow, tuition increases are predicted to
match those of recent years and the University expects a moderate
increase in state funding. However, most additional funds will be used
for compensation of employees, salaries and benefits that must
increase along with the consumer price index, he said.
     Therefore, he said, to attempt new academic initiatives requires
reallocation of funds in existing academic budgets. He asked the deans
to review degree requirements, the appropriate use of new technologies
for teaching, the breadth of curriculum offerings that current
resources can support, the administrative structures of the colleges
and the provost's office and the identification of areas of strength.
     "The goal of this review should be to increase the pool of
discretionary and recurring resources available to allow us to achieve
qualitative enhancements to the University's academic programs,"
Schiavelli said.
     "Fortunately, it is not a review undertaken to balance our
budget," he said. "Successfully concluded and implemented, it holds
the promise of affecting positively the University's scholarly and
academic reputation."
                                                        -Cornelia Weil