NU Core addition
Whereas the NU undergraduate core curriculum document, approved by the Senate on 8 April 2015, did not include participation in a capstone experience as the eleventh item in the final list of NU undergraduate core requirements;
Be it resolved that the NU undergraduate core curriculum document be revised by addition to accommodate an eleventh element as follows: “11) Demonstrating Thought and Action in a Capstone: Each student must take at least one course designated as a capstone experience. Capstone courses may be designed for a specific degree program, for a department, or for a college. The learning goals for a capstone will be developed by the unit that is designing the capstone. Students must complete a capstone in their major. In cases where a student has multiple majors (such as in a combined or double major), the units may specify in which major to take the capstone or may leave the choice to the student.

Early Course Evaluations
WHEREAS the Student Government Association has suggested mid-course evaluations, and

WHEREAS early course evaluations can help to improve the student learning experience while the course is ongoing,

BE IT RESOLVED That faculty be encouraged to offer voluntary, early course evaluations that feature open-ended or other appropriate questions pertaining to what aspects of the course are working well and what aspects need to be changed, with student suggestions for improving the learning experience.

BE IT ALSO RESOLVED That the Center of Advancing Teaching and learning Through Research provide models, including a Blackboard option, to assist faculty members who desire assistance in such early course evaluations. Each faculty member should decide on the questions and form so that these surveys are tailored specifically to the course.

BE IT RESOLVED that the B.S. in Environmental Studies be renamed the B.S. in Environmental Science in the College of Professional Studies as approved by the UUCC on 8 October 2015 (12-0-0).

FAC resolution on separate promotion pool
BE IT RESOLVED That the funds for these salary increases for promotions (currently 10%) be drawn separately from the merit and equity pool in each college/school.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED That the salary increase percentage for promotions be announced at the same time that the merit and equity pools are announced.

FAC resolution on disclosure of equity pool information
BE IT RESOLVED That the funds for the equity pool be distributed according to the procedures specified in the Faculty Handbook (Appointment and Compensation module, pp.4-6) with transparency. The department chair (or the relevant academic unit chair where departments do not exist) will inform the faculty in the department/unit as to the number of faculty given an equity adjustment, the median and average adjustments, and the percentage of the raise pool in that department/unit devoted to equity provided that individual faculty raises are not disclosed.

FAC resolution to add to Faculty Handbook re transparency
BE IT RESOLVED That the wording “The department chair (or the relevant academic unit where departments do not exist) will inform the faculty in that department/unit as to the percentage of the raise pool in that department/unit devoted to equity.” be added as the second paragraph of C.c.5 (Rights in Information) of the Faculty Handbook module on Appointments and Compensation.

FAC resolution to establish procedures for equity adjustment
BE IT RESOLVED That each department (or the relevant academic unit where departments do not exist) establish detailed procedures for determining equity adjustments that are consistent with the Faculty Handbook. Departments/units will send their written procedures to the dean of their respective colleges for approval

FAC resolution 2017 merit increase
BE IT RESOLVED That the recommended raise pool for merit and equity (with promotion excluded) for fiscal year 2017 be 4.0% of continuing salaries starting on 1 July 2016.

FAC resolution on health insurance group for retirees
BE IT RESOLVED That the University explore the establishment of a health insurance group for the benefit of retired employees. University funding is not requested; only the University’s commitment to explore the establishment of such a health insurance group.

Academic Proposal: CPS BS in Professional Communication
BE IT RESOLVED That the University establish the BS in Professional Communication in the College of Professional Studies as approved by the UUCC on 8 October 2015.

Financial Affairs Resolution re merit-equity percentage
BE IT RESOLVED That, although the percentage of the raise pool devoted to merit may vary among the academic departments (or the relevant academic unit where departments do not exist), it should be clearly defined and communicated to the faculty. It is proposed that merit not be less than 85% of the raise pool in any department/unit with the difference (no greater than 15%) going to equity.

Academic Proposal: Program name change
BE IT RESOLVED That the Senate approve the name change of the Masters of Science in Information Assurance to the Masters of Science in Information Assurance and Cyber Security in the College of Computer and Information Science, as approved by the Graduate Council on 3 February 2016 (7:0:0)

MS in Environmental Engineering
BE IT RESOLVED That Northeastern University establish the Master of Science in Environmental Engineering in the College of Engineering as approved by the Graduate Council on 17 February 2016 (8:0:0)

MS in Engineering and Public Affairs
BE IT RESOLVED That Northeastern University establish the Master of Science in Engineering and Public Policy in the College of Engineering as approved by the Graduate Council on 17 February 2016 (8:0:0)

BS in Data Science
BE IT RESOLVED That Northeastern University establish the BS in Data Science in the College of Computer and Information Science as approved by the UUCC on 11 February 2016 (10:0:0)

MS in Data Science
BE IT RESOLVED That Northeastern University establish the Master of Science in Data Science in the College of Computer and Information Science and the College of Engineering as approved by the Graduate Council on 17 February 2016 (7:0:1)

MS in Health Data Analytics
BE IT RESOLVED That Northeastern University establish the Master of Science in Health Data Analytics in the College of Computer and Information Science and the Bouvé College of Health Sciences as approved by the Graduate Council on 17 February 2016 (7:0:1)

MS in Data Analytics Engineering
BE IT RESOLVED That Northeastern University establish the Master of Science in Data Analytics Engineering in the College of Engineering as approved by the Graduate Council on 17 February 2016 (7:0:1)

Library Policy Oversight Committee #1
University-wide research data management working group
BE IT RESOLVED that the Senate Agenda Committee work with the Provost’s office to establish a University–wide research data management working group, with membership drawn from the faculty and staff, the Library, ITS, and the office of Research Compliance, to be charged with identifying and/or recommending a full suite of integrated services supporting the research data lifecycle. Among other possible charges, this working group will identify a protocol for data management and related data curation activities as well as the resources needed to support this protocol, including a budget.

Library Policy Oversight Committee #2
BE IT RESOLVED that the Dean of the Library submits to College/School Deans a list of library personnel with their expertise at the start of the academic year so that library personnel can be invited to participate in relevant department/unit, College and University committees.

Library Policy Oversight Committee #3
BE IT RESOLVED that the Faculty Senate recommends that Central Administration provide a significant increase to the Library collections budget in order to establish an appropriate new working baseline that takes into account levels at peer institutions; and,

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the annual allocation for collections funding should, at the least, match the projected inflation index for information resources.

HERI Committee #1
BE IT RESOLVED that the summary of Northeastern University’s 2013-2014 HERI Faculty Survey results be shared with Northeastern full time faculty.

HERI Committee #2
BE IT RESOLVED that the Senate Agenda Committee be recommended to convene an ad hoc Senate Committee to explore the underlying reasons revealed by responses to the 2013-2014 HERI Faculty Survey.

Tenure on entry – Handbook resolution
WHEREAS any issues involving the hire of a faculty member with tenure on entry should be resolved in advance, and

WHEREAS it is desirable that all hires of faculty with tenure proceed smoothly and without delays:

BE IT RESOLVED That the following addition be made to Faculty Handbook section on Tenure on Entry as a new paragraph, inserted before the current first paragraph under 2b, page 4: “Before an offer is made to a faculty candidate to be hired with tenure on entry, regardless of the time of year, the tenure committee of the primary unit shall provide a preliminary written opinion on the tenurability of hiring of the candidate.”

FAC resolution on benefits
BE IT RESOLVED That Human Resources Management (HRM) periodically review Northeastern University’s employee benefits in comparison to other Boston area universities and report its findings to the Faculty Senate. As part of this process HRM is requested to explore the creation of a two-person health insurance plan to supplement its individual and family plans, investigate the possibility of giving cash incentives to employees who opt-out of the group plan in order to join other plans (e.g. Medicare, spousal plans, etc.), and explore the possibility of including medical care benefits at in-network rates to full-time faculty travelling away from NU and to dependent children while away at college. It is recommended that HRM report to the Senate in January 2017 and every four years thereafter.

FAC resolution on benefits
BE IT RESOLVED That Human Resources Management, along with the Russell J. Call Children’s Center, explore the feasibility of including infant care. The costs and extra space required as well as the need and other implications should be determined. Alternatives such as cooperative arrangements with other day-care centers should also be explored.

FAC resolution on benefits
BE IT RESOLVED That Human Resources Management explore the impact of subsidizing T-passes in order to encourage the use of public transportation and thereby reduce Northeastern’s carbon footprint.

FAC resolution re budget transparency
BE IT RESOLVED That the University provide transparency in the operation of its Hybrid/RCM budget model with respect to its Cost Centers. In particular, the Allocated Costs of each of the Cost Centers and the total of all Allocated Costs for each of the last three fiscal years should be reported annually to the Faculty Senate and made available to the University’s constituents.

FAC resolution re budget transparency
BE IT RESOLVED That the University provide transparency in the operation of its Hybrid/RCM budget model with respect to its Responsibility Centers. For each Responsibility Center, the data requested for the last fiscal year should include the total revenue (with a break-down among undergraduate and graduate tuition, externally funded research, giving, and other revenues), the total direct expenses, and the total amount of allocated costs paid to the University. This information should be reported annually to the Faculty Senate and made available to the University’s constituents.

Academic proposal – new department CSSH
BE IT RESOLVED That the Department of Cultures, Societies, and Global Studies be established in the College of Social Sciences and Humanities, combining the Department of African American Studies and the Department of Languages, Literatures and Cultures, as approved by the CSSH College Council on 15 April 2016 (6-0-0)

Academic proposal - CPS
BE IT RESOLVED That Northeastern University establish the Master of Professional Studies in Analytics in the College of Professional Studies as approved by the Graduate Council on 13 April 2016.

ITPC resolution #1
BE IT RESOLVED That the Senate Agenda Committee be urged to work with the Provost’s Office to establish a University-wide grant management working group, with membership drawn from principal investigators from each College, along with representatives from Information Technology Services (ITS) and the Office of Research Administration and Finance (ORAF), to be charged with evaluating and selecting a Principal Investigator(PI)-facing, real-time, post-award grant management system and other software tools to facilitate grant post-award management and compliance for faculty investigators; and

BE IT ALSO RESOLVED That resources be provided to purchase and integrate these tools with Northeastern’s current grant management systems and to distribute these tools to and train all grant PIs and unit grant administrative personnel.

ITPC resolution #2
BE IT RESOLVED That Northeastern ITS visit each college at least once per year to ascertain faculty concerns; to apprise faculty of the range of ITS software, services and activities related to faculty research; to solicit suggestions for both software and services; and to identify unmet faculty IT needs; and

BE IT ALSO RESOLVED That a web directory of all available software tools be developed by Northeastern ITS, communicated to all faculty and staff, and maintained on at least a semi-annual basis.

ITPC resolution #3
BE IT RESOLVED That the Office of the Provost establish a committee consisting of the cyber security research faculty at Northeastern University; and

BE IT ALSO RESOLVED That the director and staff of the NU Office of Information Security regularly meet with that committee in order to better secure Northeastern’s information infrastructure and to better support cyber security research; and

BE IT ALSO RESOLVED That security policy decisions be made in consultation with this committee.

ITPC resolution #4
BE IT RESOLVED That Northeastern ITS provide a list of all software being considered for procurement related to infrastructure, teaching or research, to ITPC on at least a semi-annual basis, and that ITPC be charged with reviewing these lists and providing recommendations to ITS.

FT NTTFC resolution #1
BE IT RESOLVED That it is the sense of the Senate 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.

FT NTTFC resolution #2
BE IT RESOLVED That the proposed modified Grievance Module of the Faculty Handbook be accepted in order that all full-time faculty are included in and covered by the Grievance process currently reserved for Tenured and Tenure Track faculty.

FT NTTFC resolution #3
BE IT RESOLVED That the proposed language on Retaliation be added to the Faculty Handbook as a new module.

FT NTTFC resolution #4
BE IT RESOLVED That all FT non-T/TT Faculty identified in the Grievance Policy are eligible for the same lengths of contract, based on rank. Those ranks and corresponding contract lengths are:
•At first level/rank, such as assistant teaching professor: 1-year renewable terms
•At second level/rank, such as associate clinical professor: 3-year renewable terms
•At third level/rank, such as principal lecturer: 5-year renewable terms.

BE IT ALSO RESOLVED That, under extraordinary circumstances, contract length could be shortened from the aforementioned terms on a case by case basis.

FT NTTFC resolution #5
BE IT RESOLVED That the proposed language on Appointments, Terms and Reappointments be added to the Faculty Handbook as a new module.

FT NTTFC resolution #6
BE IT RESOLVED That Faculty members in the ranks of Assistant or Associate Teaching Professor, Assistant or Associate Clinical Professor, Assistant or Associate Academic Specialist, Coop Coordinator and Lecturer or Senior Lecturer may request consideration for promotion to the next faculty rank after completing a minimum of three full years of service at the faculty member's current rank. Units employing faculty members in these ranks shall have procedures for promotion consideration consistent with the Faculty Handbook, and approved by the Provost.

EAPC resolution #1
BE IT RESOLVED That the Senate discuss at the earliest date in the fall of 2016 the University’s’ strategies and processes for shaping the undergraduate student cohort in light of the university we want to be and, seek out the information it requires to have these discussions.

EAPC resolution #2
BE IT RESOLVED That Enrollment Management and Student Affairs (EMSA) provide more transparency into the process of determining admitted undergraduates, including information to the Senate as to how particular elements of an application are weighted.

EAPC resolution #3
BE IT RESOLVED THAT Enrollment Management and Student Affairs (EMSA) collaborate with each of the colleges, which have experienced substantial declines in fall freshman enrollments during the last several years, for the purpose of devising a satisfactory plan for increasing the fall freshman enrollments in these colleges; and

BE IT ALSO RESOLVED That EMSA report annually to the Faculty Senate on the design, implementation and outcomes of these enrollment improvement plans.