Budget, Admission Standards, U.S. Open Focus of Academic Senate Meeting

Paul K. Mueller | May 27, 2008

In his final Academic Senate session as chair, James Posakony offered warm thanks to a good cross-section of campus leaders and their staffs before shepherding the assembly through remaining academic business — including reports on proposed changes to admissions standards (the BOARS proposal) and ongoing budget maneuvering.

Posakony praised Chancellor Marye Anne Fox and her leadership team for their commitment to shared governance, and commended all those serving on Representative Assembly committees for their service, sacrifice and extra duties. Receiving a special expression of gratitude were Diane Hamann, staff director of the Senate, and her team, without all of whom, said Posakony, “the Academic Senate simply couldn’t function.”

Vice Chancellor Steve Relyea and Judy Lane, director of Special Events & Protocol, briefed the senate on campus preparations for the upcoming U.S. Open, and answered faculty questions about both benefits and drawbacks of the week-long event. (Check here for details about the event and campus plans.)

Chancellor Fox, who attended the session after an outreach event for Hispanic high-schoolers in Imperial Valley, updated the senators on budget negotiations, progress on the stem-cell research building planned for campus, the faculty salary plan, and the appointment of Debra Neuman as Vice Chancellor for External Relations. Fox, who’s been asked by new UC President Mark Yudof to help clarify which administrative functions are best done by individual campuses (rather than the Office of the President), invited the faculty to send her their ideas and suggestions.

Hans Paar gave his third presentation on the status of the admissions proposal offered by the Board of Admissions and Relations with Schools (BOARS), which suggests changes in UC admissions standards for the purpose of increasing diversity. Chair Posakony, said Paar, has sent UC San Diego’s “mixed response” to the UC Senate. While some in the Academic Senate were enthusiastic about the proposed changes, others could not support them, and many questioned the financial consequences. UCSD faculty think more research is needed, especially a study of similar kinds of changes at the University of Texas.

In other business, the senate approved nominations for a position on the Committee of Committees, approved revisions and amendments to regulations and bylaws submitted by the Committee on Education Policy and the Faculty Welfare Subcommittee on Health Care, and OK’d nominations for lecturer put forward by the Committee on Faculty Research.

After a detailed report on the state and UC budgets by Andrew Dickson, professor of marine chemistry, the senate concluded its session by approving course-requirement changes offered by Warren College faculty and presented by Provost Steven Adler. There remaining no petitions or unfinished business, Posakony adjourned the senate until next academic year, when his current vice chair, Daniel J. Donoghue, will take the helm.