2019-2020
Resolutions
Date Passed Number Description Vote Action by Provost Action by Board of Trustees Outcome Summary Committee
10/02/2019 1

BE IT RESOLVED That the proposed module entitled “Compensation” replace the current module entitled “Compensation”.

17-5-4 Approved
10/28/2019
Approved
12/06/2019
11/06/2019 2

BE IT RESOLVED That the proposed module entitled “Rights and Responsibilities” replace the current module entitled “Tenured and Tenure-Track Faculty Rights and Responsibilities”.

20-2-5 Approved
11/07/2019
Approved
12/06/2019
11/06/2019 3

BE IT RESOLVED That the proposed module entitled “Performance Expectations” replace the current module entitled “Tenured and Tenure-Track Faculty Performance Expectations”.

24-0-3 Approved
11/07/2019
Approved
12/06/2019
11/20/2019 4

"BE IT RESOLVED That the University establish the Bachelor of Arts in Communication and Media Studies in the College of Arts, Media and Design as approved by the University Undergraduate Curriculum Committee on 23 October 2019 (13-0-0)."

28-0-0 Approved
11/21/2019
Approved
12/06/2019
11/20/2019 5

BE IT RESOLVED that the proposed module entitled “Promotion” replace the current module entitled “Promotion”.

28-0-0 Approved
11/21/2019
Approved
12/06/2019
11/20/2019 6

WHEREAS the Faculty Senate voted on 27 April 2016 that Northeastern University move toward “one faculty” by minimizing the differences (with the obvious exception of tenure) in the rights and responsibilities between the various classifications of full-time faculty in the Faculty Handbook, and the Faculty Handbook has now been revised accordingly;

BE IT RESOLVED that the following modules be deleted from the Faculty Handbook: Clinical or Academic Specialists; Non-Tenure-Track Full-Time Lecturers; Professor of the Practice; and Non-Tenure-Track Research Faculty.

28-0-0 Approved
11/21/2019
Approved
12/06/2019
01/15/2020 7

BE IT RESOLVED That the University establish the Bachelor of Science in Healthcare Administration in the College of Professional Studies as approved by the University Undergraduate Curriculum Committee on 23 October 2019 (12-0-0).

33-0-0 Approved
01/28/2020
Approved
03/20/2020
01/15/2020 8

BE IT RESOLVED That the recommended full-time faculty raise pool for merit and equity for FY 2021 is 4.0% of continuing salaries starting on July 1, 2020.

I agree that this motion passed, not that the rate will be adopted. – Provost Jim Bean.

31-0-2 Approved
01/28/2020
Not Required
02/05/2020 9

BE IT RESOLVED That the University establish the Bachelor of Science in Mechatronics in the College of Professional Studies as approved by the University Undergraduate Curriculum Committee on 8 January 2020 (11-0-1).

26-2-1 Approved
02/10/2020
Approved
03/20/2020
02/19/2020 10

BE IT RESOLVED That the University establish the Bachelor of Science in Environmental and Sustainability Science in the College of Science as approved by the University Undergraduate Curriculum Committee on 22 January 2020 (15-0-0).

32-0-0 Approved
Approved
03/20/2020
02/19/2020 11

BE IT RESOLVED That the University establish the Master of Science in Applied Psychology in the Bouvé College of Health Sciences as approved by the Graduate Council on 22 January 2020 (12-0-0).

33-0-0 Approved
Approved
03/20/2020
02/19/2020 12

BE IT RESOLVED That the proposed module entitled “Tenure” replace the current module entitled “Tenure”.

29-2-0 Approved
Approved
03/20/2020
03/18/2020 13

BE IT RESOLVED that, effective by the Fall 2020 Semester, the current TRACE survey be revised to include two diversity/inclusion queries: (1) modification of the current Likert scale query “The instructor treated students with respect” to “The instructor facilitated a respectful and inclusive learning environment” and (2) addition of the open-ended query “Please expand on the instructor’s strengths and/or areas for improvement in facilitating inclusive learning.”

20-0-0 Approved
04/06/2020
Not Required
03/18/2020 14

BE IT RESOLVED that the proposed module entitled “Procedural Guidelines in the Appointment and Evaluation of University Administrators” replace the current module entitled “Procedural Guidelines in the Appointment of University Administrators”.

21-0-0 Approved
04/18/2020
Approved
06/05/2020
03/18/2020 15

Whereas NU-In programs represent a valuable, dynamic, global learning experience for freshmen students, and whereas NU-In programs are currently experiencing rapid revision, expansion, and oversight,

BE IT RESOLVED that the Senate Agenda Committee charge the 2022-2023 EAPC to monitor the experience of NU-In students, in collaboration with the Office of the Provost and the Chancellor, with a particular reference to NU-In student exit surveys and TRACE evaluations in comparison with similar metrics for Fall Freshmen.

27-0-0 Approved
04/06/2020
Not Required
03/18/2020 16

Whereas PlusOne programs represent a growing option for students to access intrinsically valuable and accelerated Master’s degrees; and whereas PlusOne programs encourage Northeastern undergraduate students to stay at the University to complete their Master’s degree,

BE IT RESOLVED that the Senate recommends that the Provost’s Office establish a uniform, standardized process for PlusOne admissions, explore greater visibility of marketing for PlusOne programs in the course catalog, employ a single user-friendly system for PlusOne applications (such as the Apply Yourself system that is currently widely used for Northeastern graduate applications), and retain the current policy of exempting applicants from submitting standardized testing scores, application fee, and transcripts.

23-0-0 Approved
04/06/2020
Not Required
03/18/2020 17

BE IT RESOLVED that the Senate recommends that the Provost’s Office work with the deans to standardize undergraduate academic advising for all PlusOne Programs and to provide ready access to graduate academic advising for undergraduates interested in the PlusOne Programs.

27-0-0 Approved
06/22/2020
Not Required
03/18/2020 18

BE IT RESOLVED that the Senate recommends that the Provost’s Office work with the deans to standardize undergraduate academic advising for all PlusOne Programs and to provide ready access to graduate academic advising for undergraduates interested in the PlusOne Programs.

24-0-0 Approved
04/06/2020
Not Required
03/18/2020 19

BE IT RESOLVED that the Senate Agenda Committee establish a working group, with membership drawn from faculty, students, staff (Assessment Director and/or CATLR staff), associate deans and the Office of the Provost, to draft for future Senate consideration customized versions of the TRACE queries for common categories of classes, including online/hybrid, lab, and Dialogue of Civilizations.

24-0-0 Approved
04/06/2020
Not Required
03/18/2020 20

BE IT RESOLVED that, effective by the Fall 2020 Semester, the current TRACE survey be revised as shown in the document TRACE revision 2020, with elimination of redundant sections of the survey resulting in 10 fewer queries.

25-0-0 Approved
04/06/2020
Not Required
04/01/2020 21

BE IT RESOLVED That the University approve the Bachelor of Arts in History, Culture and Law in the College of Social Sciences and Humanities as approved by the UUCC on 11 March 2020 (9-0-0).

31-0-0 Approved
04/10/2020
Approved
06/05/2020
04/01/2020 22

BE IT RESOLVED That the University approve the proposed reorganization of Bouvé College of Health Sciences School of Health Professions into two new schools.

28-0-0 Approved
04/10/2020
Not Required
04/01/2020 23

WHEREAS the sharing of research laboratory resources is becoming more common at Northeastern University,

BE IT RESOLVED that the Senate recommend that the Provost establish and communicate a framework and related process for agreements that would be required for shared research resources (space, facilities, equipment).

27-0-0 Approved
04/10/2020
Not Required
04/01/2020 24

BE IT RESOLVED that usage of Student Evaluation of Teaching (SET) surveys such as TRACE in merit, tenure, and/or promotion considerations must involve (a) analysis of multiple SET queries and (b) utilization of multiple measures of the distribution of the responses (such as median or mode) rather than only the average of responses.

25-0-0 Approved
04/10/2020
Not Required
04/01/2020 25

BE IT RESOLVED that the Senate recommend that the provost and deans consider the irregularity of the spring/summer 2020 terms and recognize the faculty effort required for the unexpected transition from on-ground to remote instruction in the evaluation of teaching performance that is utilized for merit, tenure, and/or promotion considerations.

28-0-0 Approved
04/10/2020
Not Required
04/22/2020 26

BE IT RESOLVED that the University establish the Interdisciplinary PhD in Design and Media in the College of Arts Media and Design as approved by the Graduate Council on 8 April 2020 (17-0-0).

38-0-0 Approved
04/23/2020
Approved
06/05/2020
04/22/2020 27

BE IT RESOLVED that the proposed module entitled “Retirement” replace the current module entitled “Retirement.”

33-0-0 Approved
04/23/2020
Approved
06/05/2020
04/22/2020 28

BE IT RESOLVED that, starting with Summer 1, 2020 and continuing through all subsequent terms in which the coronavirus crisis results in a transition to online instruction, five questions to evaluate the online student experience be added to the TRACE assessment. The questions to be presented at the beginning of the survey with a border that sets them apart and with the header “Questions to assess students’ online experience” are as follows:

Questions to assess your online experience
Please answer these questions about your online experience using the following 1-5 scale
(1=strongly disagree and 5=strongly agree):
1.Online course materials were organized to help me navigate through the course week by week.
2.Online interactions with my instructor created a sense of connection in the virtual classroom.
3.Online course interactions created a sense of community and connection to my classmates.
4.I had the necessary computer skills and technology to successfully complete the course.
5.Please comment on your experience of the online course environment in the open-ended text box.

BE IT ALSO RESOLVED that a notice will be shared with all faculty whose courses are evaluated through TRACE that these questions are for information-gathering purposes only and will not be included in the faculty member's promotion package or annual review.

33-0-0 Approved
04/23/2020
Not Required
04/22/2020 29

BE IT RESOLVED that most University food service and parking attendant staff were laid off effective in March due to the Covid-19 crisis. Some are ineligible for unemployment benefits and/or may experience difficulty accessing benefits due to the tremendous demands placed on the system. The Senate respectfully urges that the University, working on implementation with its contractors and the union, guarantee at least until the end of May 2020, that the laid off service employees will receive their normal earnings to the extent that government benefits fall short.

27-1-1 Approved
04/23/2020
Not Required