CONSENT AGENDA
University of Nevada, Reno
2012-13 Faculty Senate
June 7 2012
RSJ 304
Process for Consideration of Consent Agenda Items:

All items on the Consent Agenda are action items. A single vote for the consent agenda passes all
items listed on the agenda. Any senator may request an agenda item be pulled for discussion and
held for a separate vote.
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Prior to a vote on the consent agenda, the Chair will open the floor for comment from senators
including requests to pull items.

Once all items to be pulled have been identified, the Chair will call for a vote on the remaining
Consent Agenda items.
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Discussion and action on items pulled will be managed individually.
1.
a) Request to Approve May 9, 2012 (2011-12) Meeting
Minutes
b) Request to Approve the May 9, 2012 (2012-13) Meeting
Minutes
Action/Enclosure
2
Request to Approve the University Administrative Manual
Revisions: vetted by the UAM Committee & the Executive Board
Please note that additions are underlined and blue
Deletions are strikethroughs
Student and Academic Sections (Multiple Policies)
Action/Enclosure
April 19, 2012 Consent Agenda Packet
Action/Enclosure
Page 1
UNR Faculty Senate Meeting
June 7, 2012
Consent Agenda Item #1a
May 9, 2012 (2011-12) Meeting Minutes
1. Roll Call and Introductions:
Gerald Ackerman (SOM), Pat Arnott (COS), Mike Bennett (A & F), Todd Borman (IT), Susan Donaldson
(COOP), Patricia Ellison (CABNR), Isabelle Favre (CLA), Isabelle Favre for Leah Wilds (CLA), Keith Hackett
(Pres), Julie Hogan (DHS), Yanyao Jiang (EN), Stephen Lafer (COE), Kami Larsen (SOM), Rosemary
McCarthy (JO), Amy McFarland (SOM), Glenn Miller (CABNR), Swatee Naik (COS), Vannessa Nicholas
(Prov), Elissa Palmer (SOM), Crystal Parrish (DEV), Chuck Price (SS), Maggie Ressel (Lib) David Ryfe
(Chair), Valerie Smith (VPR), Marjorie Vecchio (CLA), Jonathan Weinstein (COS), Claudene Wharton (Pres),
David Zeh (Chair-elect).
Absent: Rafik Beekun (COBA), Louis Niebur (CLA).
Guests: Duncan Aldrich (Lib), Jamie Anderson (SOM), Dean Dietrich (DEV), Mariah Evans (CLA), Todd
Renwick (A & F), Shanon Taylor (COE), George Thomas (CLA).
2. Campus Affairs Committee Year-end Report – Duncan Aldrich
Link to the report:
http://www.unr.edu/facultysenate/meetings/11-12/Agenda/CAC_Year-end2011-12.doc
Duncan Aldrich thanked the committee for their hard work. He then summarized the report.
Discussion/Questions:
The committee tried to get names of those faculty members who were included in the numbers given, but
privacy was cited so they could not get them. The committee has some names and they would have
conversations with those people. Some faculty members from Cooperative Extension might not be included in
those numbers. The current code revision being discussed has more faculty input throughout the process. Those
faculty members who retired and left the university under duress should be considered in these numbers. Ryfe
said that FTE for tenured faculty was fifty and with tenure track faculty the FTE was 63.
The online portal would be different from the PeopleSoft system and should have data for more than just one
semester and could be used as a marketing tool for off-campus constituents.
Regarding service learning: What things count for service learning? What activities are more effective than
others? Should service learning be tracked under academic assessment? There is a need to aggregate this
information from across campus.
MOTION: Lafer/Nicholas. To approve the report as published.
ACTION: Passed unanimously.
Aldrich said that the committee made 2 recommendations to the executive board for charges 7 & 8.
Charge 7: Create a general faculty morale survey to be vetted by the Faculty Senate Executive Board before
delivery to the faculty early in spring 2012. Include questions that test the criteria for curricular review and
relative effectiveness so far regarding how budgets have been cut either validating what has been done or
creating a path to a different direction. In devising the survey, the committee should consult the Accreditation
Survey and Campus Affairs Faculty Morale Climate Survey to gauge differences in faculty perception then and
now.
April 19, 2012 Consent Agenda Packet
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Recommendation to the Faculty Senate Executive Board:
That the Executive Board charge the Campus Affairs Committee next year with summarizing the results of the
analyses of survey data being undertaken this summer and recommend any actions that might be indicated by
the findings, in autumn 2012.
Charge 8: Of the faculty who received NNR’s and Notices of Lay off, how many were invited to apply for,
requested an opportunity to apply for, and/or were relocated into different positions? Explore how the academic
planning process could be revised to include a process for relocating faculty who received a notice of layoff.
Recommendations to the Faculty Senate Executive Board:
1) That the current subcommittee devise and implement a strategy for interviewing faculty who were either laid
off, received NNRs, or were relocated as a consequence of recent budget cuts and curricular review to
determine the extent to which efforts were made to locate alternative professional positions in the university.
2) That next year’s Bylaws Committee be charged to recommend changes to the University Bylaws and/or
Administrative Manual specifying the set of procedures to be used to facilitate the continuation of faculty in
employment in ‘appropriate qualified professional capacity within the university if possible and if the
employment does not result in the termination of employment of another faculty member’ as prescribed in
NSHE Code 5.4.7.
The committee also made 2 recommendations to the senate for charges 5 & 6.
Charge 5: Work with the generator of the online learning report determining what is needed to maintain the
online portal where students interested in online coursework can find all online courses offered. Is there an
ability to do this utilizing PeopleSoft? If so, what are the current obstacles to overcome (training, data entry,
etc.)? If not, what is the alternative, including resources needed and cost?
Recommendation to the Senate:
A committee, provisionally called the "Online Portal Executive Committee," informally has begun the work of
establishing a comprehensive web portal for all online courses and programs offered at UNR, and a plan for its
ongoing operation. We recommend that the Faculty Senate support the work of this group by asking the University
Administration to formally charge the committee. Further, we recommend that the committee consist of Kerri
Garcia and Shannon Brown (Online and Independent Learning), David Fenimore (College of Liberal Arts) and Nancy
LaTourrette (College of Engineering).
Also, we encourage the Faculty Senate to endorse the Academic Leadership Council's recommendation to set up an
"operational design committee" as described and outlined in the memo to David Ryfe from the President and
Provost dated 25 January 2012. As described, this committee will engage the essential long-range strategic
questions and issues concerning online education. By all measures UNR is falling behind in online education.
Individual courses and a limited number of programs are being offered but it is imperative that consistent academic
standards and the further development of online education become a Faculty Senate and institutional priority.
MOTION: Price/Borman. To approve the recommendation as printed
ACTION: Passed unanimously.
Charge 6: Work with the Vice Provost’s Office of Instruction and Undergraduate Programs to determine ways
that outside classroom activities assist in overall student success (such as increased graduation rates). How do
student community service activities affect student success? What are the variables affecting graduation and
April 19, 2012 Consent Agenda Packet
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retention rates? Determine what policies and practices the university currently has in place to achieve the goals
of increased graduation rate and retention.
Recommendation to the Senate:
Given the University’s investment in service learning and outside classroom activities, we recommend that the
Faculty Senate request University Administration to charge the VP of Student Services or other appropriate
office to collect, process, and report information relevant to these activities. Such reporting should include
assessments that evaluate the impact of service learning and outside classroom activities on student success,
including student retention and graduation rates when appropriate.
MOTION: Larsen/Nicholas. To approve the recommendation as printed
ACTION: Passed unanimously.
Chair’s Report:
Chair David Ryfe said it was his honor and privilege to represent the senate this year and thanked them for the
opportunity to learn on the job. He thanked the committee chairs, executive board and the senate office staff.
The senate accomplished many things this year. They reviewed and responded to work created by others:
 The implementation of curricular review in Cooperative Extension and Education
 The University’s Internal Cost Review Report
 The Northwest Commission on Colleges and Schools Year 1 Accreditation Report
 Changes to Faculty Workload Policy [at both the NSHE and university levels]
 The creation of a UCCC Syllabus Policy and new policies on S/U and test credit limits
 Modification of the Senate’s Special Hearing Committee Guidelines
 Implementation of a University Dismissal Policy
 A new policy on background checks for academic faculty
 And Modification of the University’s Promotion & Tenure Guidelines
 We also assisted in the hiring process for our new President and held a special senate meeting to
discuss the placement of laid off members of the faculty.
At the system level reviewed and commented on many new policies:
 A new 120 credit limit for majors
 A new low-yield policy for small units
 A new co-admissions policy
 Presidential Hiring Code Changes
 Tenure on Hire Code Changes
 Code changes to the section dealing with curricular review
 And we have sent individuals to participate in the System’s Compensation Survey Task Force and
its Accessibility and Affordability Committee
Some things that are still in process:
 Helping to create a University Technology Committee
 Helping to devise a survey for Dean Evaluations
 Dealing with the issue of retirement on overload money
 The transition of the Math Department out of Temporary Administrative Management
 The issue of increases in Chair Stipends.
April 19, 2012 Consent Agenda Packet
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At the system level, we are helping to work on:
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changes to the use of the ACT test in the K-12 system.
a new system policy on letters of instruction
the new funding formula
and as part of the new funding formula, the issue of “quality” in performance-based metrics
The Commission on the Future of the University was still meeting and would produce something of real value
to the university when they were done in December 2012.
Ryfe discussed the difficulties that the university faced over the last three years and the doubt and loss of voice
that faculty experienced and he hoped that the last year had helped faculty to regain some of that voice and
some confidence of where we were going in the future. He said that he felt that “faculty should inform and
infuse a broad, long-range vision for the university, its overall commitments and goals, its story … We must
accomplish it because, in truth, we are the only ones who can.”
Request to Approve the April 19, 2012 Meeting Minutes:
MOTION: Price/Ressel. To approve the minutes printed
ACTION: Passed unanimously
Senate Chair David Ryfe thanked the outgoing senators for their service and presented them with a certificate.
Chair-elect thanked Ryfe for his service and for developing a proactive senate and a great mentor.
Administrative Faculty Personnel Policy and Procedure Committee Year-end Report – Dean Dietrich,
Chair:
Link to the report:
http://www.unr.edu/facultysenate/meetings/11-12/Agenda/AFPPP_Year-end_2011-12.doc
Dean Dietrich thanked the committee, there were many meeting and a lot was asked of the members.
He then summarized the report.
The committee brought forward two recommendations for the executive board:
 To make the standing charge to conduct brown bag lunches an optional standing charge.
 The executive board should charge next year’s committee to continue looking at options for Professional
Development Leave for Administrative Faculty and that the committee should work with the Provost’s
Office to craft specific recommendations for the committee based on these four questions:
o Should a portion of the PDL funds be designated for administrative faculty development?
o Is there a minimum or maximum dollar commitment for an administrative faculty member or in
total?
o Given that academic leave is generally granted for a period of at least a semester, but that such a
length of time is not a practical option for administrative departments, is there a minimum or
maximum length of time that sould be considered for administrative professional development
leave?
o Is there currently an expectation for, or should there be, administrative faculty representation on
the committee?
Discussion/Questions:
Some questions raised were whether the issues of increasing the administrative side of the house were
management or policy issues. Is there a coherent vision in the university or is it fragmented?
April 19, 2012 Consent Agenda Packet
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Professional Development Leave for Administrative Faculty seems to be a good idea, but what should the
length of time be?
MOTION: Ackerman/Borman. To accept the report as published
ACTION: Passed Unanimously
Ryfe thank Dean Dietrich for his and the committee’s hard work.
Executive Board Elections
Ryfe asked for nominations from the floor for chair elect, there were no nominations from the floor. Swatee
Naik will be the 2012-13 Chair-elect.
Ryfe asked for nominations from the floor for Parliamentarian, there were no nominations from the floor.
Chuck Price was elected as Parliamentarian.
Ryfe asked for nominations from the floor for the two At Large seats, Crystal Parrish was nominated.
Trish Ellison and Glenn Miller were elected for the At Large seats.
Nominations from the floor for parliamentarian: no nom from floor Chuck Price
At large nominations: Crystal Parrish from the floor
At Large members: Trish Ellison and Glenn Miller
Meeting adjourned 3:00 pm
April 19, 2012 Consent Agenda Packet
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UNR Faculty Senate Meeting
June 7, 2012
Consent Agenda Item #1b
May 9, 2012 (2012-13) Meeting Minutes
1. Roll Call and Introductions:
Gerald Ackerman (SOM), Jamie Anderson (SOM), Pat Arnott (COS), Todd Borman (IT), John Dell (DHS),
Susan Donaldson (COOP), Patricia Ellison (CABNR), Mariah Evans (CLA), Rosemary McCarthy (JO), Glenn
Miller (CABNR), Swatee Naik (Chair-elect) , Vannessa Nicholas (Prov), Elissa Palmer (SOM), Anna Panorska
(COS), Crystal Parrish (DEV), Chuck Price (SS), Todd Renwick (A & F), David Ryfe (Ex-officio), Amy
Shannon (Lib), Deborah Shindell (DHS), Shanon Taylor (COE), George Thomas (CLA), Marjorie Vecchio
(CLA), Claudene Wharton (Pres), Stephanie Woolf (VPR), David Zeh (Chair).Leah Wilds (CLA).
Absent: Rafik Beekun (COBA), Catherine Goring (SOM), Keith Hackett (Pres), Robert Wang (SOM),
Guests: President Marc Johnson.
2. Visit with President Johnson:
President Marc Johnson welcomed the senators and thanked them for their service as this was a very important
body. They represent a group of faculty that interacts on a regular basis with administration to bring the voices
of faculty together for shared governance. This has been a difficult period of time, and now we need to move
forward into the future together. Good lines of communication needed to continue with the senate and with their
constituents. The president would continue to meet monthly with the senate chair, meet with the executive
board whenever they needed and he also would continue to speak with the senate regularly. He also meets
monthly with the SEC Chair and Ron Zurek, the ASUN and GSA. The university still faced some challenges,
but things were stabilizing and it was felt that there would be slow growth. He would like the senate to help
communicate that message and need to come together in a positive way for the future.
Discussion/Questions/Comments:
What would the effect of the funding formula be on the university?
In its current form, we would lose approximately $1.5 million. The issues with the formula at this point were
research dollars being based on SFTE and the definitions (such as incompletes, Fs and Unsatisfactory grades)
used for the output measures. If the formula goes through as it stands, and we lose the $1.5 million, it was felt
that as long as we were able to keep tuition and fees then we would still have revenue gains from growing our
student body. This formula would hurt the Northern Nevada Community Colleges more than us and President
Johnson offered to help get a conversation going to take care of rural students.
A senator expressed concern that the search for the provost would not be a fair and open search. Johnson
responded that he wanted the search to be fair and open and a national search. He contracted with Isaacson and
Miller (the search firm used when he was applying for the provost position) as he felt they were very thorough.
While there would always be questions about any committee the President convened, this committee had
balance with faculty, some deans, and the senate chair.
Chair David Zeh asked the president to talk about his vision for the university for the next 6 months to 2 years.
Johnson responded that along with the search for the Executive Vice President and Provost position, he had
formed a committee to identify a three year investment plan for research support he has been following through
with the Outreach Committee on how to implement a university outreach program. He was working on an
enrollment management strategy, so that if we get to keep our tuition and fees we would be ready to increase
April 19, 2012 Consent Agenda Packet
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enrollments. Johnson said that he has been encouraged by the Redfield Foundation to do something major with
the Redfield Campus such as focusing on an innovation campus. They would need enough support for research
professors and graduate students to be located there. The Technology Transfer Office has been working with
individual faculty to help them look at ways to tweak their research for more commercialization.
In discussions regarding restoring salary and merit, Johnson would like to bring everyone back to where they
belong and then look at the merit pool. Annual evaluations would count cumulatively when there was merit
money again. They would need to look at fair ways to spread the merit money over a couple of biennium. Part
of the discussion would include salary equity studies.
Johnson would like to have full-time faculty in the classrooms as opposed to hiring more LOAs.
A question was asked about an increase in department chair’s salaries. Johnson responded that a few years ago
they needed to increase the chair’s stipend to include a 10th month. In order to have faculty willing to be
department chairs they needed to reward leadership.
President Johnson requested that additional comments and questions be sent to him via email him at
marc@unr.edu.
3. Orientation:
Link to the orientation presentation:
http://www.unr.edu/facultysenate/meetings/12-13/Agendas/Senator_Orient_%202012.ppt
Chair David Zeh discussed the importance of shared governance.
NSHE is a three tiered system, with the community colleges, the state college, and the universities.
He briefly discussed the responsibilities of the chair and the responsibilities of the senators. It would be
important for senators to let their constituents know what was happening and getting their input prior to votes in
the senate.
He went over the order of senate business.
4. Where are we going:
Zeh said that the view he developed as the aftermath of curricular review was that the senate needed a plan. If
we could see a way forward, then we could get people on board. Faculty have a tendency to pretend that the
outside world does not exist.
UNR received 46% of its funding from state appropriations which was greater than most other universities.
Past Chair David Ryfe went over the funding formula and how money was disbursed to NSHE and the
institutions. A senator asked if Bruce Shively could come and speak to the senate on how the budget worked
with state appropriations and the general fund.
Zeh would speak regarding the funding formula at the Interim Committee on Funding of Higher Education
meeting May 23, 2012.
Senate work in the coming year would be:
 The Commission on the Future of the University
 Senate Apportionment
 Faculty Senate Committee Work
 General Education and Core Curriculum Revisions
 Faculty Morale Issues
We face a lot of challenges; we have 4 major issues facing higher education:
The economy
Our image problem
Disruptive innovation
April 19, 2012 Consent Agenda Packet
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Faculty morale
Job security and merit were things that the senate needed to look at. We need to communicate to
our constituents that the senate voice actually matters.
5. Executive Vice President and Provost Search Committee Members:
Ryfe said that while the turn-around time for the search committee members was short, we were
following policy. The reason for the short notice was that the President wanted to have the committee up and
running so they could begin their work over the summer and have a new EVPP in place for the spring semester.
The senate was not happy with the timing and would like a memo sent to the President regarding this. The
senate asked what would happen if they chose not to send forward names at this time. Ryfe said that the search
firm was scheduled to be on campus early next week and then the faculty senate committee members would not
have input into what characteristics they wanted in the new provost. It was decided to go forward with the
election and send a memo to the President regarding the short notice for this very important search. The senate
would like to see a timeline of how the search process would progress.
MOTION: Miller/Panorska. To have the election with an abbreviated voting schedule to begin Thursday and
end Friday and the senate would express their unhappiness regarding this issue.
Claudene Wharton asked to make a friendly amendment that would request a timeline on the search process.
This amendment was accepted.
ACTION: Passed unanimously
6. New Business:
Michelle Hritz said that we needed a senator to serve on a scholarship committee and asked for volunteers. Ana
Panorska said she would serve on this committee.
A question was asked if the chair or chair elect could proxy for a senator. Yes.
Meeting adjourned: 5:12 pm
April 19, 2012 Consent Agenda Packet
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UNR Faculty Senate Meeting
June 7, 2012
Consent Agenda Item #2
Student and Academic Sections (Multiple Policies)
Link to the UAM Revisions Packet:
http://www.unr.edu/facultysenate/meetings/12-13/Agendas/6-7-12_UAMConsentpkt.doc
April 19, 2012 Consent Agenda Packet
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