Approved 4-15-04

Thursday
April 1, 2004
2:00 p.m.
MA 211K

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

PRESENT
Tony Allred, Dawn Gatherum, Sue Harley, Michelle Heward, Becky Johns, Wade Kotter, Kathleen Lukken, Laura MacLeod, Ann Millner, Molly Smith, Kay Brown - Secretary

EXCUSED 
Diane Kawamura

GUESTS 
Gary Dohrer, Kathy Herndon, Johnathan Aubrey, Kyle Poll, Rich Hill

MINUTES 
Dawn Gatherum: Moved to approve the minutes from the March 11, 2004 meeting.
Second: Sue Harley
Outcome: The minutes were approved.

STUDENT SUCCESS TASK FORCE 
Gary Dohrer presented a report from the University Planning Council, Student Success Task Force. Charge - "Improve student preparation, development, and retention by focusing on a comprehensive experience during the first year." Belief statement - "We believe that a comprehensive, coordinated program for students in their first year will improve their preparation, development and retention."

The committee has primarily looked at first year experiences of students. The committee divided up their suggestions into two categories: Institutional Initiatives and Student Initiatives. Feedback and suggestion from the Executive Committee should be sent to http://weber.edu/sstf.xml or your comments can be sent to one of the committee members (Toni Weight, Bruce Bowen , Becky Johns, Lauren Fowler, Jill Grob, Winn Stanger, Kristin Radulovich, Michelle Heward, Dale Ostlie, Carl Porter, Gary Dohrer, Jeff Hurst). The Task Force would like general feedback on this document during the next month, and suggestions of how to best disseminate this document campus-wide.

Open hearing dates: Thursday, April 15 from 2:00-3:00 p.m. in WB 206 (Smith Auditorium), and Tuesday, April 20 from 1:30-2:30 p.m. in WB 206 (Smith Auditorium).

LAST LECTURE 
The Last Lecture will be presented on April 14 in the Kimball Arts Building, reception at 6:00, lecture at 7:00 on "The Teacher’s Gift an Eclectic Celebration," by Paul Pitts.

FACULTY EVALUATIONS 
Kathy Herndon, Johnathan Aubrey, and Kyle Poll discussed with the Executive Committee how to move forward with the faculty evaluation questions approved by the Faculty Senate and recommended for department use.

Kathy Herndon will work with Steve Kerr and prepare a mockup of the evaluation questions and a sample of how a department might incorporate the questions with their department evaluation. Information will be presented at Dean’s Council on April 21.

WEAPONS ON CAMPUS 
Rich Hill met with the Executive Committee to discuss the University of Utah initiative to ban guns on campus. The University of Utah through the Utah Council of Faculty Senate Leaders is asking the state institutions to consider a resolution supporting a ban of guns on campus.

The issue at hand is whether universities have the right either by statute or under the state constitution to enforce policies banning weapons on campus.

WSU PPM 5-35 Prohibition of Weapons on Campus

A. No individual, except on-duty law enforcement officers, may have weapons in his/her possession at any time on University property.

B. Weapons are defined as firearms, grenades, knives, explosives, inflammable materials or any other instrument that may be used to do bodily injury or damage to property.
C. Violations of this policy may result in the suspension or expulsion of the individual from the institution.

The State Legislature has passed several statues trying to tighten up the regulation of firearms on campus. The policy passed prior to this latest session of the legislature was contested in court by the University of Utah, first in Federal Court on both statutory and constitutional grounds. In that case the University of Utah was arguing that the statute did not prohibit the University from promulgating policies regulating important or internal rules. The University also raised a constitutional argument which is a bit of a stretch but one which Judge Kimball was interested in hearing, and that argument was that there is a first amendment right on the part of universities to prohibit weapons on campus, which is connected with academic freedom and the universities’ apparent right to regulate the academic environment. Judge Kimball decided not to rule until the state had an opportunity to consider the state law issues. The case then moved over to the State Court and the trial judge ruled in favor of the University of Utah. This case was appealed by the Attorney General’s Office which opposed the University of Utah’s case. The case is still on appeal.

Last February the Legislature passed another statute, Senate Bill 48 which states, "Unless specifically authorized by the legislature by statute a local authority or state entity may not enact, establish, or enforce any ordinance, regulation, rule or policy pertaining to firearms that in any way inhibits or restrict the possession or use of firearms on either public or private property." Public entity includes public school districts, public schools, and state institutions of higher education.

Because of the firearms statute passed by the Legislature in February the statutory argument by the University of Utah is now moot. The University of Utah will need to make arrangements probably by stipulation to reorient the case and see if the Supreme Court would hear the state constitutional claims without going back to the trial court.

When the original case was filed with the court, President Paul Thompson, based on his discussions with faculty, filed an affidavit in Federal Court supporting the University of Utah’s point of view.

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE LUNCHEON 
The 2003-04 Executive Committee will meet for lunch on Monday, May 3 at 12:00 noon for a final get together.

CONTINUING ITEMS 
Items to continue for next year: E-Letter to Faculty, Summer Schedule.

ADJOURN 
The meeting adjourned at 3:10 p.m.