Ohio Northern University
University Council
Minutes, May 4, 2010
Roll:
(Absentees underlined) President Kendall Baker, Dr. David Crago, Dr. Robert Ruble, Mr. Thomas
Stevick, Dean Karen Condeni, Ms. Adriane Thompson-Bradshaw, Dean Catherine Albrecht, Dean
Eric Baumgartner, Dean Jon Sprague, Dean James Fenton, Rev. Vernon LaSala, Dr. Jeffery Allison,
Dr. Khalid Al-Olimat, Dr. Robert Carrothers, Dr. Toni Clarke, Prof. Randall Ewing, Mr. Michael
Hamper, Dr. Errol Katayama, Dr. Brian Keas, Prof. Laurie Laird, Dr. John Lomax, Dr. David
Mikesell, Dr. Michael Milks, Prof. Traci Moritz, Dr. Sandra Schroeder, Dr. Kelly Shields, Dr. David
Smith, Dr. Amy Stockert, Dr. Marjorie Walker, Dr. Bryan Ward, Mr. Scott Wills, Dr. Sunny Zank,
Dr. Kay Zekany.
Dr. Sunny Zank, Chair of Council, called the meeting to order at 5:30 PM.
I.
Minutes of April 20, 2010 were approved with a minor wording change to item IX.b. New Business.
II. Reports from Constitutional Committees:
a. Budget and Appropriations: No report.
b. Academic Affairs: One item in unfinished business proposing a change in GPA calculation
(agenda Attachment A).
c. Student Activities: No report.
d. Personnel: One item in unfinished business to establish a telecommuting policy (agenda
Attachment B).
III. Reports from Operational Committees:
a. Athletics: No report.
b. Information Technology: No report.
c. Cultural & Special Events: No report.
d. International Affairs: One item in unfinished business requesting two additional staff persons on
standing membership of this committee (agenda Attachment C).
e. Religious Affairs: Vern LaSala reported some results from a survey regarding chapel attendance.
Of the 140 students responding to the survey, 95% supported continuing the 11am chapel hour,
and 60% reported that, when not in chapel on Wednesday mornings, they were either studying
or in lab.
f. General Education: There are 20 general education tags waiting to be approved at the next
committee meeting. The committee appreciates faculty submitting these requests.
IV. Planning Council: Continues to meeting every other Tuesday to develop metrics for strategic
planning.
V. Other Reports:
a. Jim Fenton celebrated the first place finish of students Josh Koza and Scott Bauman in the 2010
Innovation Chase competition at the Illinois Institute of Technology. Roughly 100 teams
competed for the prize. The Ohio Board of Regents presented their exit visit this morning after
reviewing the proposed graduate program in Accounting. The reviewers were generally pleased
b.
c.
d.
e.
with the proposal, and Dean Fenton anticipates that the College of Business may start delivering
the program as early as the end of January 2011.
Eric Baumgartner reported that the engineering college’s first entry into the regional IEEE
Micromouse competition garnered the top prize among 13 universities. Two teams competed
in the SAE Aero Design competition in Fort Worth, TX, placing 15th and 22nd out of 47 teams.
Catherine Albrecht was pleased with the very successful “One Fine Art Weekend,” and plans to
hold the event next year as well.
February bar results showed a 100% pass rate for first-time ONU examinees, with an 86% overall
pass rate.
The Health Services Advisory Committee had no report.
VI. Announcements:
a. Sunny Zank acknowledged those leaving University Council and thanked them for their service.
VII. Questions for the President:
a. Dr. Baker shared some comments from the Ohio Board of Regents report which, though
specifically addressing the Accounting program proposal, reflected highly on the university as a
whole.
b. May 1 deposits for Fall 2010-11 are down roughly 10% university-wide. Dr. Baker will begin to
consider a budget which will not meet prior expectations. He continues to expect savings
through lower spending this year. New positions which have already been authorized will not
be cancelled, and increases in faculty travel and summer research will not be affected. The final
budget will be determined in the fall.
VIII. Unfinished Business:
a. Attachment A to the agenda proposes to modify the method for calculating grade point
averages for all colleges at ONU. The Academic Affairs Committee was asked whether this
calculation would be retroactively applied for graduates; the answer was no. The proposal
passed according to the attached voting record.
b. Attachment B outlined a new addition to the Faculty Handbook to establish a Telecommuting
Policy. John Lomax proposed an amendment to change the wording of section A from “The
expectation is that it will not be available to faculty engaged in student instruction…” to
“Telecommuting is not available to faculty engaged in student instruction…”. This amendment
failed, but the unmodified policy passed. Voting records for each are attached.
c. Attachment C requested that two staff positions be added to the standing membership of the
International Affairs Committee. This motion passed without discussion according to the
attached voting record.
IX. New Business:
a. University Council was asked to consider allowing faculty to vote absentee or by proxy in the
upcoming election for at-large committee members. Some faculty teach classes off-campus or
are otherwise prevented from attending the faculty meeting due to their work obligations. The
Council Parliamentarian reported that, according to Roberts Rules of Order, persons wishing to
vote must be present at a meeting; exceptions to this rule would require a bylaw change.
Because there is insufficient time to act on such a change before the May 11 faculty meeting,
those requesting this change were asked to revisit the proposal next year.
X. Adjournment: Dr. Zank adjourned the meeting at 6:22pm. Council will next meet on September 1
during the opening faculty meetings.