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The following statement is published in accordance with the Senate Rules. Among other purposes, the publication of SEC actions is intended to stimulate discussion among the constituencies and their representatives. Please communicate your comments to Senate Chair Mitchell Marcus, or Kristine Kelly, Box 12 College Hall/6303, (215) 898-6943 or kellyke@pobox.upenn.edu.

Actions Taken by the Senate Executive Committee

Wednesday, April 2, 2003

1. Chair's Report. Senate Chair Mitch Marcus noted that this and subsequent SEC meetings will begin at 2:30 p.m., instead of 3 p.m. He informed the Committee that the poll of SEC members about meeting start times resulted in an overwhelming majority preferring a 2:30 p.m. start time. Constituency Elections are now underway, with the first three Constituencies going out in the mail. Finally, Professor Marcus announced that President Rodin would not be attending today's meeting.

2. Past Chair's Report on Academic Planning and Budget and Capital Council. Professor David Hackney reported that due to his travel schedule, he missed Academic Planning & Budget, but assured SEC that there was nothing on the agenda that related directly to issues that would concern members of SEC. There has not been a Capital Council meeting since the last SEC meeting.

3. Elections. SEC voted on the chairs for both the University Council Faculty Caucus Committee and the Faculty Senate Committee on Committees. Professor Phoebe Leboy (Dental School) was elected chair of the University Council Committee on Committees, and Dr. Martin Pring (School of Medicine) was elected chair for the Faculty Senate Committee on Committees.

4. SCAFR Report on Misconduct in Research Document. Professor Madeleine Joullie, Chair of the Senate Committee on Academic Freedom and Responsibility, presented the Senate Committee on Academic Freedom and Responsibility's review of the proposed Procedures Regarding Misconduct in Research document for SEC's approval. SCAFR approved the document with one recommendation that there be a creation of a policy (or an official amendment to this policy) to include trainees and staff as they are, in most cases, the ones performing the research. SEC was later told by Vice Provost Neal Nathanson that Michele Goldfarb, Director of the Office of Student Conduct, was already chairing a committee with the charge of creating such a policy for students.

5. Ad Hoc Committee for Faculty Development. Following the decision last month to create such a committee, a vote was taken to create a rank-ordered list of appropriate faculty members to be asked to serve on the ad hoc committee.

6. Patriot Act Discussion. Chair-elect Lance Donaldson-Evans presented a draft Resolution on Universities and Anti-terrorism Legislation to the Committee. After a lengthy discussion about the complicated issues that this resolution addresses, the following revised version of the Resolution was passed unanimously:

Resolution on Universities and Anti-terrorism legislation

The Faculty Senate of the University of Pennsylvania supports the Administration of the University in its efforts to join the administrations of other colleges and universities throughout the United States in order to urge the executive and legislative leaders of the government of the United States to work together to monitor present and future governmental actions in order to ensure that freedom of speech is fully protected and that the research and educational missions of colleges and universities are not jeopardized. Areas of concern include restrictions on who may do research using certain biological materials, restrictions on the implementation of the Freedom of Information Act with respect to academic research, limitations on visas for foreign students and scholars, increased monitoring of public and private communications, and the proposal to broaden current security classifications to include areas of sensitive information.

7. Senate Committee on Administration Report on Conflict of Interest Document. Professor Peter McCleary, Chair of the Senate Committee on Administration, along with Committee member Mark Tykocinski, and Vice Provost for Research Neal Nathanson, presented the Committee's review of the proposed policy on Financial Disclosure And Presumptively Prohibited Conflicts For Faculty Participating In Clinical Trials. Professor McCleary provided the history of the Committee's review, including its request that the document be further revised with more precise language and vetted through the General Counsel's office. Vice Provost Neal Nathanson informed SEC that the policy has been used by the University for two years as an interim policy without problem. After a brief discussion, SEC unanimously approved the policy.

8. Other New Business. Senate Chair Mitch Marcus took the opportunity to express, on behalf of SEC, his gratitude to Neal Nathanson, Vice Provost of Research, upon his retirement this spring, for the important improvements he has made at Penn.