Before the formal taking up of the agenda, Dean Bitar of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences announced the recent deaths of Dr. Ilham Zurayk, former AUB student and faculty member in the Physics Department, and Professor Ahmad Shamsuddin of the Mathematics Department. The biographical notes read will be entered into the minutes and letters of condolences sent to the families of the bereaved.

1. Approval of the minutes of the previous meeting. The minutes of the meeting of March 30, 2001 were approved as corrected.

2. Updating recommendations of the University Committee on Student Affairs regarding uniform policies (original draft distributed during the last Senate meeting). Professor N. Hawalla, chairperson of the committee, presented a draft copy of a proposed "Student Code of Conduct" for consideration by the Senate. Discussion revolved around the unfortunate negative tone of the document, the description of extra-curricular activities, and the need for a legal review. Members of the Senate recommended clarification of the role of faculty members and the appeal process, the addition of an ombudsman, inclusion of Internet-related misconduct, separation of the treatment of academic misconduct and more general misconduct, and the sharing of the approved version of the proposed code with the students.

3. Recommendations of the Senate Committee on Faculty Affairs regarding housing. Professor M. A. Abdul Malak, chair of the SCFA presented committee recommendations on the University Housing Purchase Plan. After considerable discussion about such matters as methods of payment, just who would benefit, and distance from campus, the Senate voted to return the recommendations to the SCFA for further consideration of the concerns discussed.

4. Report on Financial Aid Policy changes by Provost Heath. Provost Heath distributed copies of a flowchart highlighting the proposed restructure of the Office of Financial Aid. The proposal introduces a new inter-faculty Financial Aid Committee which will work with the director of financial aid and report to the provost. This committee will be composed of two faculty members from the Faculty of Arts and Sciences and one from each other faculty and the School of Business. Discussion highlighted the problems of faculty members dealing with students outside their own faculties and the high fees charged by the Lebanese government for certificates of real estate ownership required in the application for financial aid.

5. Report on activities of the PhD task force. Professor Mahklouf Haddadin, chairperson of the University PhD Task Force, reported on the work of the committee on the possibility of introducing new PhD programs and reopening currently frozen ones. Discussion revolved around the difficulties of the Task Force form, the definition of internationally recognized publications, the value of regional and local research, and the need for AUB to attract and retain quality research and researchers.

6. Other Business. Provost Heath distributed copies of edited Senate bylaws containing editorial changes and updates previously approved. The Senate voted to adopt the new version and keep an item specifying that the first meeting of every Senate committee and board should be called by the president.

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