The seventh and final meeting of the University Faculty Senate for this academic year will take place on Tuesday, April 22, 2003 at 1:30 p.m. in 112 Kern Building. The Senate welcomes visitors to this plenary session. Members of the university community who are not senators and who wish to address the Senate on an item of business on the day's agenda must seek permission from the Senate before Friday noon, April 18, 2003. Please contact the Senate Chair through the Executive Secretary, Susan Youtz (scy1@psu.edu). Presentations may not exceed five minutes.

The agenda will consist of two items:

A. The Senate will honor John Gamble, Professor of Political Science, Penn State Erie, The Behrend College, recipient of the 2003 W. LaMarr Kopp International Achievement Award.

President Spanier will address the Senate and answer questions.

B. The Senate will then address the following eleven items:

1. For the past year, a Special Senate Committee has been considering how the Senate can improve the ways in which it conducts its business and fulfills its obligations. In a forensic session, the Senate will discuss the committee's recommendations in order to help the committee draft legislation for the September meeting.

2. The Senate will vote on a proposal to delete audit credits (AU) from the determination of a student's full-time status.

3. The Senate will vote on a proposal that will prevent students in non-degree status to compete or practice as part of an intercollegiate athletic team. This proposal formalizes longstanding university practice.

4. While video surveillance safeguards university property, it may also abridge privacy and inhibit academic freedom. The Senate will vote on a proposal to revise Policy AD 53: Privacy Statement so that surveillance techniques will protect both property and the academic freedom of university employees and students.

5. At its March meeting, the Senate discussed its concern with grade inflation. At this meeting, it will vote on a set of recommendations designed to reestablish grading standards.

6. The Senate will receive a report on the progress that has been made to date with the certification/recertification of (1) all General Education courses in the knowledge domain category (GA, GH, GHA, GN, and GS) and (2) all Intercultural/International Competence (GI) courses.

7. The Senate will discuss a report on the length of time between promotion to Associate Professor and promotion to Professor.

8. Every other year, the Vice-President for Research and Dean of the Graduate School presents to the Senate a report on graduate education at Penn State. The Senate will discuss this year's report.

9. Each Spring Semester, the Senate Officers visit half of the University Park colleges and meet with representative students, faculty, and administrators. The Senate will receive a report summarizing the topics most frequently discussed during this Spring's visits.

10. The Senate will discuss the construction projects at non-University Park locations.

11. The Senate will receive a report describing the changes that will soon occur in both the parking rate structure and the location of parking facilities on the University Park campus.

12. The Senate will conclude its year with hearing the results of the recent elections to various Senate offices and committees. The Senate Officers for 2003-2004 will then be installed. Finally, both the outgoing and the incoming Senate Chairs will speak briefly.

13. A reception for all senators will be held in 102 Kern immediately following the Senate meeting.

The University Faculty Senate functions as the voice of the faculty in the formulation of policies concerning the academic mission of the university. In addition, it exists to serve the needs of all faculty. Please let us hear from you about concerns that need attention and problems that require a solution. Please send your suggestions to me at jwm2@psu.edu.

The Senate Agenda will be posted on the Senate's Web site one week prior to each Senate meeting. The April 22, 2003 Agenda is available on the Web at the URL http://www.psu.edu/ufs/agendax.html. Senate meeting minutes (The Senate Record) are also available on the Senate Web site at the URL http://www.psu.edu/ufs/recordx.html approximately three weeks following the Senate meeting.

For information on how to submit major, minor, option or course proposals, the Guide to Curricular Procedures is available on the Web from the URL http://www.psu.edu/ufs/docs.html. The April 8, 2003 Senate Curriculum Report is available from the URL http://www.psu.edu/ufs/bluex.html.

John Moore, Chair
University Faculty Senate