University Senates records

Overview

Administrative/Biographical Note

1966 The UMBC Faculty, under the direction of Dr. Albin Owings Kuhn, created an Ad Hoc Committee on Faculty Organization in order to develop a permanent faculty organization at UMBC. 1967 The first Plan of Organization laid out a governing structure. There were to be two governing bodies in addition to a Student Government Association (SGA): the UMBC Assembly, which was to be the general electorate, and the UMBC Senate, which represented the Assembly. The Assembly was composed of faculty, full-time employees, and full-time visiting faculty. Its main functions were to initiate discussions on any matter of concern to UMBC; to act as a referendum body on questions raised by the Senate; and to receive general information from the vice president of UMBC, the Senate, and other members of the academic community. UMBC Senate’s functions included making recommendations to university administrators; reviewing the actions of the Faculty Senate and the SGA; establishing bylaws; formulating and recommending educational policies, as well as policies pertaining to student life and activities; and advising the University President, Vice President, and the Board of Regents. On October 3, the UMBC Assembly held their first meeting. The Assembly elected a Chairman and Vice Chairman of the Assembly and six members at large. 1968 The Organizational Committee recommended that students participate in UMBC governance. Four student members began serving on the UMBC Assembly and the UMBC Senate. 1971 The Teaching Evaluation Committee was created to develop measures for the effectiveness of teaching. 1976 The UMBC Senate created an Ad Hoc Committee on Governance to evaluate the structure of governance at UMBC and to make recommendations to the faculty and the Board of Regents for reforming that structure. The Committee’s final report came in the Fall of 1976. May 1980 The Professional Associate Staff Senate (PASS) was created. PASS represented the interests and concerns of the associate staff at UMBC and formulated policies with regard to associate staff personnel. The Faculty Senate replaced the UMBC Senate, which ceased to exist. The Faculty Senate had the authority to formulate policies with regards to faculty promotion, tenure, retention, rules and regulations. The Faculty Senate oversaw a number of committees including the Academic Planning and Budget Committee, the Faculty Affairs Committee, and the Research Council. September 1, 1980 A new Plan of Organization went into effect. There were now three representative bodies: Faculty Senate, SGA, and PASS. A Steering Committee consisted of representatives from all three of the representative bodies. The SGA consisted of elected members who represent all undergraduate students enrolled at UMBC. It could formulate policies regarding budgets for funds and governance of clubs and student associations. The Plan of Organization also laid out roles for University Committees. 1981 The UMBC Faculty Senate recommended to President John Dorsey and Board of Regents that UMBC’s library be named in honor of Dr. Albin O. Kuhn, upon his retirement. 1987 The Classified Staff Senate was formed with the mission of reviewing academic policies and practices as they affect the classified staff; promoting an improved work environment; and enhancing morale among classified staff. 1994 The Faculty Senate approved a motion supporting the principle of full representation of UMS faculty on the Board of Regents. 1997 The Board of Regents established the Regents’ Faculty Awards to recognize distinguished performances of faculty members. 2002 A proposal was originated to organize a Paraprofessional Staff Senate. The purpose was to represent the interests and concerns of all of the excluded Non-Exempt staff who did not have any other means of representation at UMBC before the initiation of the proposal.

Scope & Content

The University Senates records include the papers of the UMBC Assembly, the UMBC Senate, the Faculty Senate, the Student Government Association (SGA), the Undergraduate Council, the Professional Associate Staff Senate (PASS), and the Classified Staff Senate (CSS). The collection, which is 63.5 linear feet, includes records from 1966 to 2014. Records include, but are not limited to, meeting minutes, transcripts, agendas, correspondence, bylaws, recommendations to the UMBC administration, committee reports, budgets, and election materials. The UMBC Assembly (Series I) and the UMBC Senate (Series II) were the first two governing bodies at UMBC. Some notable topics addressed in these two series are governance, academic policies and programs, promotion and tenures, and faculty regulations. In 1980, UMBC governance underwent a shift. The Faculty Senate replaced the UMBC Senate. The records of the Faculty Senate (Series III) include information on such topics as athletics, the Library, minority affairs, tenure, pay, academic planning, and budgets. This collection also includes the records of the SGA (Series IV) and the Undergraduate Council (Series V). Topics covered in the SGA series include student clubs, budgets, academic programs, parking, Greek life, student conduct, and governance. Topics addressed in the Undergraduate Council series include the academic departments, changes in undergraduate degrees, degree requirements and majors, curricula, and the Ner Israel agreement. With the reorganization of the governance system in 1980 also came the emergence of the PASS. PASS records (Series VI) address the topics concerning professional staff, including pay, holidays, tuition remission, staff awards, collective bargaining, exempt pay plan, and staff development and morale. The Classified Staff Senate began in 1986. Topics covered in this series (Series VII) include staff awards, the Honors Task Force, development, and collective bargaining. Included throughout this collection are records pertaining to University Committees. Committees accept assignments from and report back to the senates and the Steering Committee. Records of the University Committees are included with the senate that specifically oversees that committee. A selection of the Committees include: Facilities Planning Committee, Scheduling and Facilities Use Committee, Athletics Committee, Library Policy Committee, Academic Policy and Budget Committee, Faculty Affairs Committee, Research Council, Faculty Review Committee, Special Sessions Policy Committee, Academic Conduct Committee, Student Life Committee, and the Professional Association Staff Review Committee. The collection includes several audiovisual recordings on audiotape and cassette, as well as records on zip disks and CD. Audio-visual recordings of the UMBC Senate are available from approximately May 1977 through September 1974, the Faculty Senate from approximately September 1980 through December 2009, and the Research Council are available from approximately March 2002 through September 2009. Records on zip disk and CD contain minutes and files relating to the Faculty Senate, the Academic Policy and Budgeting Committee, the Faculty Affairs Committee, and the Research Council.

The University Senate records have been divided into seven series: Series I. UMBC Assembly Series II. UMBC Senate Minutes and General Records Ad Hoc Committee on Governance Series III. Faculty Senate Minutes, Transcripts, and Committee Papers Index of Motions Academic Policy and Budget Committee Faculty Affairs Committee Research Council Series IV. Student Government Association Minutes and General Records Committees Financials Clubs Series V. Undergraduate Council Minutes and General Records Department Files Series VI. Professional Associate Staff Senate Series VII. Classified Staff Senate

Provenance Information

All the materials were donated by the UMBC Assembly, UMBC Senate, Faculty Senate, the Student Government Association (SGA), Senate Council, Graduate Council, Non-Exempt Excluded Staff, Faculty Development Center, Professional Associate Staff Senate (PASS), and the Office of Student Life of the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. Records were stored and maintained by the University Archives and access was granted to researchers prior to processing. Accessions include: UARC 1995-03, UARC 1995-05, UARC 1997-06, UARC 1997-13, UARC 1997-27, UARC 1997-30, UARC 1998-01, UARC 1999-04, UARC 2001-03, UARC 2003-14, UARC 2004-01, UARC 2006-09, UARC 2006-13, UARC 2007-25, UARC 2008-23, UARC 2008-37, UARC 2009-008, UARC 2009-025, UARC 2009-026, UARC 2010-016, UARC 2012-006, UARC 2014-002, UARC 2014-016, and UARC 2014-017.

The University Senates records were processed by graduate assistants Homira Pashai and Johanna Schein under the supervision of the Special Collections Archivist Lindsey Loeper as part of a campus-wide initiative to prepare for the 50th anniversary of UMBC. Designated funding was allocated by the Provost’s office. Assistance was provided by Special Collections’ student assistants Steve Ammidown and Dan German. Additional processing done by graduate assistant Nichole Zang. This collection was processed to the folder level. Folders were examined for sensitive and confidential items, which were removed. All items removed are noted in the original folders with a document removal form. Audio and visual records as well as oversized or physically compromised materials were transferred to appropriate storage.

Access & Use

No restrictions.

Reproductions allowed for research purposes. UMBC is the copyright owner; permission to reproduce is required.

Subject Headings

• University of Maryland, Baltimore County Assembly
• University of Maryland, Baltimore County Senate
• University of Maryland, Baltimore County Faculty Senate
• University of Maryland, Baltimore County Undergraduate Council
• University of Maryland, Baltimore County Student Government Association
• University of Maryland, Baltimore County Professional Associate Staff Senate
• University of Maryland, Baltimore County Department of Student Judicial Programs
• Baltimore County (Md.)
• University of Maryland, Baltimore County Archives

Series Description & Container List

Expand all | Collapse all

Series I. UMBC Assembly

Series II. UMBC Senate

Subseries II.A. Minutes and General Records

Subseries II.B. Ad Hoc Committee on Governance

Series III. Faculty Senate

Subseries III.A. Meeting Minutes and Committees

Subseries III.B: Index of Motions

Subseries III.C. Academic Planning and Budget Committee (APB)

Subseries III.D. Faculty Affairs Committee (FAC)

Subseries III.E: Research Council (RC)

Series IV. Student Government Association (SGA)

Subseries IV.A. Minutes and General Records

Subseries IV.B. Committees

Subseries IV.C. Financials

Subseries IV.D. Clubs