Faculty Senate adjourned its last meeting of the year tonight after it passed four resolutions and discussed another.
Senate passed a resolution that allows for a clinical faculty designation in the Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine.
“OUCOM proposes that a new designation of Clinical Medicine Track faculty be approved for physicians who primarily engage in the teaching/mentoring student physicians and residents…” according to the resolution.
Despite its passing, Bernhard Debatin, Scripps College of Communication senator, opposed the resolution and wanted to table it indefinitely until a contract length had been specified. He noted similar specifications at other universities as his reasoning.
"I think we have to be very careful of creating a pool of one-year contingent faculty... I have no problem otherwise with clinical faculty," Debatin said.
Senators also suggested the resolution be tabled until the October meeting to reach the specification, but senate also voted that proposal down and proceeded with a vote.
“The clinical faculty are very anxious to get this done; the faculty all see this as something that is very positive,” said Jack Brose, dean of the Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine. “It's been tabled for five years; I've been here before."
Senate also discussed a possible change in the junior-composition requirement but will not vote on the issue until its October meeting.
“This is going to take some time, it’s very clear,” said Allyn Reilly, College of Fine Arts senator.
If the resolution is passed, it will allow colleges to offer substitutes to a junior composition course. Some senators said they fear there will not be enough space in junior composition courses under semesters and want to offer an alternative.
Under the new change, students will be allowed to substitute the required course for two junior composition equivalency courses, one in their program of study and another that is outside of their field but approved by their school, according to the resolution. The courses must be a minimum of two credit hours each.
"Philosophically I think this is absolutely the way to go,” said Helaine Burstein, Group II senator.
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