Emory Report

September 21, 1998

 Volume 51, No. 5

University Senate

New President Virgil Brown convened the year's first University Senate meeting Sept. 8 in Seney Hall at Oxford. This year's theme is "Remembering Our Founding Values," and Brown said he thought it appropriate the first meeting be held at the site of Emory's founding.

Oxford Dean William Murdy welcomed the Senate to campus and briefly explained a bit of the college's history. Brown, a 1958 graduate of Oxford, went into more detail, describing the college's beginnings as a manual labor school.

With Brown having to leave early, past President Bill Cody conducted the rest of the meeting. He introduced President Bill Chace, who addressed the Senate on a number of issues, including a search committee chaired by Provost Rebecca Chopp to look for a replacement for Murdy, who is retiring after this year. Chace also described his restructuring of Emory's administrative bodies (see story on pg. 1). He said, to his understanding, "one last hitch" remained in Emory's purchase of the former Georgia Mental Health Institute property.

Chopp then spoke to the Senate on her plans as provost, which she said could be summarized in three goals: that Emory continue to build on its "basics" while rethinking itself as an educational institution; that the University be creative in seizing opportunities; and that Emory establish itself as a diverse community. Chopp announced that in March 1999 Emory will host the first Sam Nunn Forum, a shared program between the University, Georgia Tech and the University of Georgia. The topic for this year's event will be "Ethics and the Renewal of Civil Society."

University Secretary Gary Hauk updated the Senate on the status of three resolutions passed last year. The October 1997 resolution supporting the University's equal opportunity policy has been passed on to the Board of Trustees; the November 1997 resolution concerning the possible removal of employees' Social Security numbers from health insurance cards has been forwarded to Alice Miller, director of Human Resources; and the principles contained in the November 1997 resolution concerning accessibility to campus buildings and facilities have been fully adopted by the Board in the Campus Master Plan. Hauk also reported on the status of the Senate's 1999 honorary degree candidate recommendations.

The following committees submitted for approval their rosters for the 1998-99 year: athletics policy; campus life; campus development; environmental policy; fringe benefits; and safety and security. The library policy, honorary degrees, and traffic and parking committees deferred until the October meeting to announce their rosters. Anyone interested on serving on traffic and parking committee should contact John Magnotta at 404-727-7710.

With the election of student representatives also deferred, Cody adjourned the meeting. The October meeting will be at 3:15 p.m., Oct. 27, in Cox Hall.

-Michael Terrazas


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