The University Senate opened with an address from University President Richard Lariviere on his controversial proposal that the state of Oregon buy a bond worth up to $1 billion to finance the University for the next 30 years.
The Senate also approved the disbandment of its Child Care and Family Services Committee, the creation of a new committee for faculty access to University information, the notice of motion of a new Facility Use policy and preliminary results of the
Undergraduate Council’s grade inflation study.
Lariviere explained to the University Senate the proposal he made to the state of Oregon, saying that, should this bond be approved by members of the Oregon Legislation, it would be the first of its kind in the nation.
The proposal for the bond aims to not only support the University financially for the next 30 years, but it also would change its governance by and accountability to the state.
“This proposal is our best thinking to date,” Lariviere said. “We’re trying to change the relationship between the state through several models of governance, finance and accountability.”
Lariviere explained that the bond money would be invested like an endowment, and the University of Oregon Foundation would match the bond dollar-for-dollar. He wants the money to be managed through the Foundation; however, he expects the state will not approve it and thinks the bond will be managed by a state-approved council.
“This (proposed bond) gives us some stability,” University Senate President Nathan Tublitz said to Senate members as Lariviere left the meeting. “This gives us some hope for the future.”
The University Senate unanimously passed all motions and nominations proposed at
the meeting.
The Senate’s Child Care and Family Services Committee proposed itself that it be disbanded, based on a decline of participation and energy in the committee. However, ex officio committee member and Director of Work/Life Resources Karen Logvin explained to the Senate that the disbandment didn’t signal the end of the University’s support of working families.
“Far from it,” Logvin said. “We’re just exploring different avenues to help families. There is just no need to keep structuring the support services for people on campus.”
Afterward, economics professor Bill Harbaugh proposed to the Senate that it establish a committee that reviews how accessible public records are to faculty members and the public, especially in the aftermath of the Bellotti media storm, saying it brought these accessibility issues to light. Harbaugh also said it is vital that the committee be composed of tenured faculty.
“I think it’s important to have tenured faculty looking into this because historically, these requests are contentious,” Harbaugh said. “Because of this, (tenured faculty) have more (job) protection.”
Vice Provost of Academic Affairs Russ Tomlin appeared at the Senate meeting to discuss revisions to the University’s Facility Use policy, during which the motion to further discuss and adopt the new policy passed.
“We have had problems with various individuals and groups having access to facilities,” Tomlin said. “Rules were problematic, outdated.”
Finally, history professor and Undergraduate Council chairperson Ian McNeely discussed the council’s preliminary findings on grade inflation at the University. McNeely explained that students should not be punished grade-wise for various faculty shortcomings, and that students believe their futures are dependant on high GPAs.
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