REPORT OF THE PROVOST: David Prior. Core curriculum will be offered this summer. All dates and times proposed were accepted. Six emeriti faculty have been asked to vacate office so that we would have space for new future tenure-track faculty. A review of the Wisconsin Placement Test is being conducted. The Math and Computer Science Department has decided that the ACT is a better measure. The Language and Literature Department is less comfortable and is still considering. There are several problems with the Wisconsin Placement Test. We are notified of scores only at a time frame that works for them. Why ask students to buy the Wisconsin Placement Test when they have already taken the ACT.

Faculty Representative--Nick Sloboda. No report.

Undergraduate Academic Affairs Council--Tim Cummings. Last Fall the Undergraduate Academic Affairs Council approved a policy that students would not be required to get advisors' signatures on a drop/add slip through the last date to add classes. This item will be on the agenda for the February Senate meeting.

Senator Cummings discussed the IDS 400 graduation requirement. IDS 400 is to be suspended. Unless a department sends a letter, seniors will not know what to do. Departments are not sending letters. Assessment is linked to accreditation. The assessment program is in disarray. What steps need to be taken to clarify the situation?

Do we integrate the General Education Review Committee with the General Education Assessment responsibility?

Academic Staff Senate--Mary Lee Vance. As Academic Staff Senate Chair Vance stated at the December Faculty Senate meeting, the Academic Staff Senate passed a resolution requesting Faculty Senate support, as relates to teaching academic staff voting rights. "We realize that each department has its' autonomy, however, we are recommending that departments exercise more flexibility in recognizing teaching academic staff's rights. Per Tim Cummings, the subsection 7.1.1.2.1 (p. 7-1) in the latest faculty/staff handbook defines faculty status, a status that some teaching academic staff have (but not all). Below is the Academic Staff recommendation. . ."
 
"The Academic Staff Senate recommends that teaching  academic staff working at least 50% time be granted faculty status and the right to vote in their academic department, except in the matters of salary, promotion, retention, or tenure."

Motion (M. Einerson/P. Nordgren) to recommend that departments comply with this request, understanding that the ultimate decision regarding granting faculty status remains with the department was approved with 11 yes votes and 1 nay vote.

David Prior observed that some definitions (e.g., faculty travel money and Foundation travel money) need clarification. A nonbinding poll of the membership showed support for the resolution. The Executive Committee was asked to work on the clarification of definitions. Motion (O. Clark/M. Faerber) to postpone was approved.