Unanimous efficiency was a key theme for the University of Oregon Senate on Wednesday. Members and officers of the senate passed all three proposed motions, in addition to opening up discussion for a fourth potential policy change. Here are the details of the two hour meeting.
A new degree program
The senate unanimously passed the first order of business: the introduction of a new graduate program. The Master of Science in Sports Product Design was proposed by the Product and Design Program for the School of Architecture and Allied Arts.
“We think that the program represents another important applied masters degree program because of its particular subject matter,” Graduate School Dean Scott Pratt said to the senate. “Its location in Portland will add to the range of degree programs we currently offer there.”
Members of the senate agreed, approving the recommendation of the General Council and Graduate School unanimously.
The program will combine courses from Human Physiology, Journalism, Business and Management and Product Design. The two year program comprises of 58 credits. It will offer graduate students the opportunity to “learn product design theories and research methodologies, innovative product development processes, sustainability, user-centered design principles and consumer-focused marketing strategies in order to innovate new product in the field of sports,” according to the program’s overview.
The complete proposal of the program is available here.
A policy revision
After a brief, unanimously-approved proposal to add a non-voting member from the Committee on Courses to the Graduate Council, the senate moved on to the issue of posthumous degrees.
The Senate Executive Committee proposed a notion that would award posthumous degrees in “a timely fashion”. Although degrees are sometimes are awarded to deceased students, this proposal would simplify the process.
“There was a lot of procedural detail in there that made it difficult for any policy users,” Senate President Randy Sullivan said, jokingly adding, “particularly deceased ones.”
The new policy would allow deceased students to posthumorously recieve their degree if they were within two terms of graduating. The senate unanimously approved the policy, which can be read here.
Open Discussion
In the latter half of the meeting, the UO senate opened a fourth proposal for discussion that was not voted on. It would make an emergency policy, which describes various regulations regarding student health confidentiality, permanent. Kevin Reed emphasized that this revised policy “tweaked” concerns raised by members of the University Health Center.
With a few exceptions, such as when the UO needs to access records to defend itself in a lawsuit, “University officials will forgo access without a stipulated protective order that the client/patient has signed, a written authorization from the client/patient to use the records, or a court order,” according to the policy proposal.
Full details regarding student confidentiality can be read here.
The meeting was adjourned early after it was determined that Faculty Athletic Representative Tim Gleason did not have enough time to give a report. The next UO Senate meeting is scheduled for March 9th.