Senate Meetings of May 30 and June 6, 2008

May 30 Meeting

During the regular meeting of the senate on May 30, the chair of the Senate Steering Committee reported on an hour-long meeting held on May 2 with some 14 AUB trustees. During the meeting, chaired by President Waterbury, the role of the senate in university governance, AUB as a center for graduate training and research, salary adjustment for inflation, and the need for an independent faculty association were discussed constructively with the visiting board members.

The senate agreed to vote on the early granting of degrees to two medical students needing their degrees in hand in order to begin graduate programs in the United States. The senate also approved a change in the title of two degrees voted on May 5 to read as the MA in Urban Planning and Policy.

In addition, the senate approved a new senate standing committee on General Education to supervise consistent implementation of general education courses and requirements in all the faculties and schools. Also approved were the changing of the name of the FAFS Department of Animal Science to the Department of Animal and Veterinary Science and the simultaneous awarding of second degrees.

The senate action log was discussed: Vice President Radulski noted that further action had developed in relation to HIP- a new carrier might be announced in October 2008.

Questioning the order and form of his circulated statement, the senate asked the representative for the June BOT meeting to revise his statement. The need for sending a representative to New York (a practice implemented during the restriction on travel by Americans to Lebanon) was questioned, now that trustees can freely visit Lebanon.

Discussion of a recommendation by the Board of Graduate Studies that the Olayan School of Business Executive MBA and the Corporate Executive MBA be removed from the jurisdiction of the board resulted in a request for a written recommendation.

The meeting ended with reminders of submission deadlines for annual reports and of the agreement to hold senate elections before the beginning of the academic year.

June 6 Meeting

In a brief special meeting held June 6, the senate voted on degrees in the Faculty of Medicine and approved a revised statement of the senate representative attending the June meeting of the Board of Trustees in New York.

The final senate meeting of June 26 will be covered only after the minutes have been approved at the first fall meeting.

For more information on University Senate check: http://staff.aub.edu.lb/~websenate/