A proposal to form an ad hoc committee of shared governance between the administration, Academic Senate and Student Government Association won approval Tuesday in A-Senate.

The proposal states that the charge of the committee is to review and recommend changes “in the existing matrix on shared government.” It will “recommend an ongoing process of evaluation for the continuous improvement of shared government at CMU, review communications at CMU and suggest improvements in getting news on important issues to the campus community.”

A university community survey, funded by the university at a cost of $4,400, will be conducted to gather information on shared governance, Provost Gary Shapiro said.

The committee will be made up of 13 members: four faculty appointed by the A-Senate chairperson, two students appointed by the SGA, four members of the CMU administration appointed by the president and the provost, two staff appointed by the president and the A-Senate chair and one appointed board of trustees member.

The proposal’s aim is to “open direct lines of communication to increase more academic and financial transparency for everyone at CMU.”

Applause broke out when Jim McDonald, A-Senate chairman, announced the motion had passed by a 73 percent to 27 percent vote.

“This will be the fifth time we’ve had a committee on shared governance,” McDonald said. “The need to do this is apparent.”

Concerns were raised over a possible lack of balance in choosing the members of the committee. James Hill, professor of political science, submitted a substitute motion which reduced the committee to nine members. Although the motion did not pass, an amendment to the original motion was made, making the board committee member an ex officio, non-voting member.

Joseph Finck, professor of physics, said a committee would not improve communication. Since the president and the provost have not even addressed their vote of no confidence to the A-Senate, communication is not likely to happen with another committee, he said.

“What it’s likely to do is just create another administrator ... it just delays things,” Finck said. “It’s going to allow the administration to say to the Board of Trustees, ‘Oh, we’re working on this.’”

Changes to academic calendar

A recommendation to support the proposals changing CMU's academic calendar also passed Tuesday by a 67 percent to 33 percent vote.

The report proposed shortening the fall semester by a week, starting classes after Labor Day weekend. It must now be finalized with the administration and the faculty.

Andrew Spencer, professor of music, Phil Squattrito, professor of chemistry, and David Smith, professor of religion and philosophy, each voiced concerns about shortening the fall semester, saying it forces instructors to recalibrate their course with one less week. They said their departments were split on the issue.

Finck said other universities, including Western Michigan University and Michigan State University, both of which begin classes after Labor Day weekend, manage to adjust their academic workload to fit the length of the semester.

Stephen Thompson, professor of physical education and sport, also expressed doubt about the proposal, saying it might hurt student orientation.

“I really think we would create problems if we compress our schedule,” he said. “I want that week before Labor Day so we can do orientation and Leadership Safari.”

Finck said the programs would likely have to adjust to a change in schedule, but they would not cancel orientation or Leadership Safari.

Other matters

Dr. Linda Perkowski, associate dean of the College of Medicine, presented the educational program plan for CMED. Perkowski said the first two years will focus on foundational sciences, normal function, human systems and disease. The second two years will focus on longitudinal integrated clerkship, discipline specific rotations and elective opportunities.

“We are going to be both learner focused and patient focused,” she said. “Unless the learning helps the people we serve, our patients, we won’t be doing what we want to be doing.”

McDonald said tours of the building will be given to A-Senate members and the public on March 13 at 3:30 and 4:15 p.m.