Academic Senate Youngstown State University Youngstown, Ohio  44555

Resolution Concerning the Course Proposal Process Policy in the University Curriculum Committee and Course Certification Procedures in the General Education Committee of the Academic Senate

Submitted by the Academic Affairs Committee: Rep. Matthew Vansuch, A&S, Chair; 
Rep. Henry Gomez, A&S; Rep. Matt Knight, At-Large; Rep. Susan Devaney, Graduate Studies; and Rep. Tom Pasquarella, Business

The Student Government of Youngstown State University,

Recognizing that the success of Youngstown State University is heavily dependent on continued support and cooperation between its faculty and student body,

Realizing that a current dispute among members of the Youngstown State University Academic Senate greatly diminishes the ability of the faculty and student body to achieve this success,

Understanding that this dispute deals with the approval and certification of courses through the General Education and University Curriculum Committees, which are essential to the education of Youngstown State University’s students,

Recognizing the Academic Senate and its constituent bodies as public bodies, for they are decision-making bodies of a state institution, Youngstown State University,

Supporting an interpretation of the laws of the State of Ohio that require all business of public bodies, including state universities such as Youngstown State University, be open to the public,

Defining a sub-committee as a public body within a public body, thus making the General Education and University Curriculum Committees public bodies that are subject to—and not above—the law,

Agreeing that the continued arguments among members of the Academic Senate greatly delay the body in serving its duty to develop policies concerning the academic functions and activities of the University, and the body must take immediate action in one direction or another,

Calls upon the Academic Senate and its subcommittees to quickly come to a decision regarding the issue of open deliberations,

Requests that the Academic Senate fully respect the laws of the State of Ohio and not loose interpretations of it,

Reminds the Academic Senate that the proceedings of all its meetings and deliberations directly affect the student body of Youngstown State University, and continued quarrelling produces no benefits to tuition-paying students and state taxpayers,

Encourages the Academic Senate to realize that there is no precedent in current Ohio case law regarding this matter, and the actions taken by this body will set an enormous precedent to other state institutions,

Strongly urges the Academic Senate to keep all portions of all its meetings open to the public, as is consistent with the law of the State of Ohio as it pertains to public institutions, such as Youngstown State University and its decision-making public bodies, and

Further urges the members of the Academic Senate to defeat the General Education Committee’s motion to accept their recommendation concerning the course certification procedures and the University Curriculum Committee’s motion to accept their recommendation concerning the course proposal process policy, as well as any further proposal that closes the door on deliberations within those and its other constituent bodies.

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