Council meets after rocky start

Marred by a low turnout, a late president and a motion to adjourn two minutes after the meeting's scheduled starting time, University Council was still able to convene for about two hours of debate yesterday. At 4:02 p.m., an angry Faculty Senate Chaiperson-Elect Gerald Porter motioned to adjourn the meeting before it began due to the sparse attendance. He added that it was unacceptable to hold up the start of a meeting just because not a lot of people were present. "I believe that the way you get people here and get going on time is to start the meeting promptly at the time it was called," he said. "And I really take serious objection to the fact the this meeting started 12 minutes late." The subject of academic integrity was addressed by both Faculty Senate Chairperson David Hildebrand and former Undergraduate Assembly Chairperson Jeff Lichtman. Lichtman stressed the importance of academic integrity for all students, and announced the "encouraging" results of the non-binding poll taken of students who voted in the recent UA election. The poll found that 53 percent of students would support a completely student-run judicial system, while 47 percent would be against it. Hildebrand praised the "initiative" of the UA in creating a task force for developing ideas on the topic, and said that he would leave the issue in the UA's hands for now. In other business, Provost Michael Aiken and Director of International Programs Joyce Randolph presented a comprehensive eight-tiered report to Council about how the University will attempt to "internationalize" itself. The steps include the "promotion of language instruction across the University," internationalizing the curriculum, increasing the opportunities for undergraduates to partipate in study abroad programs and providing foreign exchange opportunities for undergraduate students, graduate students and faculty members. Aiken added that the University has too strong of a "Eurocentric bias," because 90 percent of students who learn foreign languages are studying European languages, and 96 percent of study abroad students choose to study in Europe. A presentation was also made to Council by Council Admissions Committee Chairperson Warren Seider and Budget Director Stephen Golding on need-blind admissions and the need to reallocate funds for financial aid. Council members spent the remainder of the meeting debating different methods for increasing unrestricted donations to the University, and whether restricted funds could be used in part to support financial aid even if the funds were intended for other purposes.

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