UNL ACADEMIC SENATE MEETING MINUTES
116 L. W. Chase Hall, East Campus
March 5, 1996
President H. Douglas Jose Presiding
1.0 Call to Order
* President Jose called the meeting to order at 2:35 pm.2.0 Chancellor James Moeser
2.1 Chancellor Moeser announced that the Coordinating Commission for Post Secondary Education has approved undergraduate majors in medieval renaissance and environmental engineering.2.2 Chancellor Moeser stated the university strategic planning sessions are drawing to a close and have been very informative.
2.3 Moeser announced there are four finalists currently interviewing for the Dean of Continuing Studies position. The search committees for the Fine and Performing Arts College Dean and the NETV Director should be submitting their lists of finalists soon. Discussion: Sartori, Physics and Astronomy, asked about the progress for a search for the Dean of the College of Business Administration. Senior Vice Chancellor Leitzel responded that a second planning meeting is scheduled today.
3.0 Announcements
3.1 President Jose announced that the Executive Committee is attempting to arrange a meeting with Governor Nelson to discuss upcoming legislative action on the university budget.3.2 President Jose reminded Senators that the election for Academic Senate Officers would be held at the April 30 meeting. He encouraged Senators to contact Past President Choobineh, chair of the nominating committee, if interested in submitting nominees.
4.0 Approval of 2/6/96 Minutes
* Courtney moved for approval of the minutes. Seconded by McCallister. All in favor and 2/6/96 minutes approved.5.0 Committee Reports
5.1 UNL Campus Police Committee. Deb Pearson, Libraries, reported. The committee continues to make the fall/spring campus safety walks a priority.5.2 Parking Advisory Committee. Joan Latta Konecky, Libraries, reported. The Parking Advisory Committee's major accomplishment has been the approval of the parking structure by the Board of Regents. Konecky also noted an error in the report submitted to Senators: there are 47 additional parking stalls rather than 66 cited in the report. Discussion: Pederson, Conservation & Survey Division and Geology, asked if parking fees would be raised to subsidize the structure. Pederson also inquired about the handling of university parking lots during special events. Parsons, AgLEC, asked about the relationship between the Parking Advisory and Parking Appeals committees. President Jose asked about the StarTran project. Konecky stated it has been successful; the Holdrege route makes up close to half of their total route participation. It has been mutually beneficial to the UNL and to StarTran.
5.3 Employee Benefits. Agnes Adams, Libraries, reported a major objective of the committee has been to consider the concept of domestic partner insurance benefits. The committee endorses the concept of extending insurance benefits to domestic partners and recommends that the University-Wide Employee Fringe Benefits Committee further develop the concept. Sartori moved that the Academic Senate support the concept. Motion was seconded by Roysircar Sodowsky.
Discussion: Leonard, Southeast Research and Extension Center, asked about the procedure for determining when a relationship is established and terminated for domestic partners. Mayo, Entomology, and member of the Employee Benefits Committee, explained that insurance companies nationwide have established guidelines which could answer many questions relating to details. Adams reiterated that their committee endorsement for extending benefits to domestic partners is not limited to same sex couples, but also heterosexual non-married couples as well. President Jose ended discussion. Further debate will precede the vote at the April 2 Senate meeting. Baltensperger, Panhandle Research and Extension Center, asked about obtaining providers closer to his location in Scottsbluff. Baltensperger also asked about the status of tuition remission for dependents. Parsons questioned Adams about her committee's experiences with Human Resources and other administrative units.
