Highlights of the College Park Senate meeting on April 21, 2008

1. Report of the Senate Programs, Curricula, and Courses (PCC) Committee (Carmen Balthrop, Chair)

   The Senate voted to:

   • Establish an M.S. in Couple and Family Therapy
   • Establish a Graduate Certificate in Assessment and Evaluation
   • Establish a B.A. in Arabic Studies
   • Establish a B.A. in Persian Studies

2. Discussion of Draft of the Strategic Plan by Provost (Nariman Farvardin)

   The Provost answered questions from members of the Senate:

   • Eliminated from plan the requirement that graduate students must be fully funded.

   • Affirmed Ph.D. programs will be expected to consist only of full-time students
     (but exceptions for individual students will be possible).

   • Senate members expressed concern that campus libraries are not getting enough support.

   • Senate member asked about portion of Strategic Plan
     (Part 3, Critical Enablers, Faculty and Staff, Goal 3 University Reward Systems, Part D):

     A policy and a fair and equitable mechanism for reducing
     compensation will be established for use when performance
     improvement goals that are set following an unsatisfactory
     post-tenure review are not subsequently met. The policy will
     be developed in cooperation with the Senate and will include
     stringent safeguards to ensure that this mechanism is not abused.

     Provost confirmed plan is as stated.
3. Strategic Plan Update
   • Web site of Strategic Planning Committee is here.
   • April 29th version of Strategic Plan (in PDF) is here.
   • Proposed amendments must be emailed to Senate Office by May 2nd.
   • Senate will meet & vote on plan Tuesday, May 6th.

Clyde Kruskal and Chau-Wen Tseng