May 19, 2021 Minutes

A printable PDF of this information can be found here.

Faculty Senate Meeting Minutes

(Webex)

05/19/21

3:10pm – 4:30pm

I.            Approval of FS Minutes from April 28 and May 12, 2021

a.       Tomas Gedeon moves to approve. Andrew Hill seconds. None opposed. No abstentions. Approved. 

II.            Information Updates / Discussion: 

a.       Update on Sunset of Healthy MUS – Tracy Ellig and Provost Mokwa

i.      Timeline

A.      Task force was called to meet two weeks ago, May 5, to discuss this

B.      Discussion with the Commissioner’s office regarding masks and pandemic guidelines. 

C.      Surprised by the announcement last Friday regarding lifting the mask mandate and the changes in guidelines

1.       MSU plans to move ahead following those guidelines

2.       There was a memo that went out regarding travel

3.       Moving towards the process we had pre-pandemic

ii.      Questions

A.      Tomas Gedeon: In the Fall, if guidelines stay the same, will MSU have info the vaccination status of the students? If so, will that be shared with the faculty?

1.       The directives we received from OCHE are different than the CDC’s guidelines. 

2.       We don’t have a mechanism for identifying students who have been vaccinated, and we won’t have it by Fall.

3.       We support the wearing of masks for those that desire to do so, but we are not asking individuals to show they’ve been vaccinated. 

b.       Discussion of Firearms

i.      If you haven’t seen the email that the President sent out today, the BOR voted unanimously to conduct a judicial review of House Bill 102 

ii.       Questions from senators and their colleagues and they have been forwarded to the group below. 

A.      Tracy Ellig

1.       MT contextual history

a)  2022 we will celebrate the 50th anniversary of the new Montana Constitution

b)  This morning, the BOR said they want clarity on what role the BOR has under the  constitutional rules of 1972

c)  There has only been one review prior, in 1975. Went to MT Supreme Court. 

2.       Suit is primarily about HB 102

a)  There have been concerted efforts to open up MT’s gun laws for a while

b)  2019 media took a look at laws that had been proposed regarding liberating the  gun laws from 1999-2019

Ø  As far back as the first decade of the 2000’s, allowed students to have weapons, but only if they checked them into a secured facility. This has been a point of contention and comes up every time we propose the XI Mill Levy.

Ø  2015, during Senate Bill 143 came forward. Bill to dramatically liberalize the carrying of guns on campuses. That passed MT Supreme Court. Ended up on the senate floor. Commissioner’s office calls the ball on how they respond. Executives of the campuses answer to the Commissioner. Commissioner said his office would work on Senate Bill 143. He worked very hard and did what MUS has always done regarding these types of bills, oppose them. This was the last time we have seen a gun bill specifically about the MUS. 

c)  For 16 years there was a democratic governor. They were both “backstops”, committed to stopping these bills. 

d)  Members of the Republican party kept tabs on pieced of legislation they wanted to pass and tracked them. In the Fall of 2020, a reporter was able to get ahold of the Republican playbook of the 2020 session. Listed all they wanted to get done and a history of what they haven’t been able to get done. Included more liberal gun laws. 

3.       What is the process? What is our role? What is the BOR’s role?

4.       Details of implementing the policy. Concerns about training and safety. 

B.      Chief Gillilan

1.       There is a lot we don’t know as we head to the judicial review and the education we get have to provide.

2.       In preparation, campus leaders are getting together to talk about these issues and get a plan together. 

3.       Three major components to this:

a)  Documentation of resident students that are going to have firearms if this comes to pass. How will this be documented by res life? They are developing plans as we speak

b)  Certification verification process. How do we know the individuals are in compliance with the law?

Ø  We can only require training for students who are resident students. Will not pertain to those living off of campus. 

Ø  Develop a training course containing current info on MT law, policy of MSU, safe storage (housing facility, personal residents, or a vehicle), how to unload and load a firearm. 

Ø  Will work closely with Betsy Asserson on suicide prevention efforts. 

Ø  Appropriate to include a section on referral process for those individuals of concern. 

Ø  Interactive training. 

Ø  Would like to do this collaboratively with Housing and Dean of Students, so it is not owned within one unit. Collaborative approach is a better use of our time and effort. 

Ø  Hope to get a proposal approved. 

Ø  Wallet sized card that shows your completion of the course. 

Ø  Equipping students with a gun lock

C.      Provost Mokwa

1.       Thank you for all of your efforts around these important conversations. Your questions are good questions. 

2.       We can’t give you an answer, but it’s not that we have it and are holding it back. It is truly that the decision and the background behind it is not ours to make. With regard to the direction the BOR may go after this is up to them. The only time they meet to have discussions is during public meetings  like the one this morning. What we heard today, is what we know. 

D.      Kellie Peterson

1.       We don’t comment on legal strategies or outcomes in a public meeting, so I cannot answer your questions. 

E.       Janelle Booth-MSU’s Lobbyist 

1.       This was the first time in 16 years that executive and legislature were a part of the same party. 

2.       Moved very quickly

3.       Everything we do within the MUS is designed by OCHE

a) Central coordinating force

4.       Kevin McRae served as our primary spokesperson during the hearings on January 6th and January 20th. 

5.       Incredible amount of work behind the scenes 

6.       Priority for many of the legislators 

F.       Dean Caires

1.       Suicide Prevention and what we will do about Judicated Student Conduct

a)  Learning about the living and learning communities on other campuses that already allow guns on campus

b)  University of Idaho and Utah

Ø  Utah was the first to do this in 2004

c)   Not much info out there since 2004

d)  Those stats with waiting periods and background checks have lower suicide rates. 

e)  States with higher rates of gun ownership have higher suicide rates. 

f)   Betsy Asserson is the lead official in the MUS on suicide prevention efforts. 

g)  Last 7 years, MSU has had a strong suicide prevention strategy. 

Ø  State of the art weapons facility at the Police Station. Prior to that they were in the residence halls. 

Ø  Better model to centralize our gun storage efforts. 

Ø  Our police department has been proactive and they 

Ø  250 weapons stored in this facility

Ø  Once the bill is implemented, they will not have to store them at the PD anymore, but we will encourage them to. 

a)  We will advance our efforts to ramp up our collection of information on those who may need intervention. 

b)  Jeff Bondy has been working tirelessly to urge students to store their weapons at the police station. 

c)    Students that have violations that are violent or have drug related violations will have sanctions put on them.

iii.      Questions

A.      Laws in Idaho and Utah

1.       Dean Caires: 

a)  Utah has had three murders in the last five years on their campus

b)  Educating the campus community of policy

c)   What to do if there is a violation. Having a clear answer on what to do.

d)   Asked each school about suicides and accidental shootings. Both said they haven’t seen a rise in those rates. 

Ø   Once difference between the states, Utah and Idaho do not allow 18–21-year-olds to have guns in residence halls. 

B.      If guns are concealed, who is allowed to ask for the certification?

1.       If a weapon is concealed, we won’t know. If it is noticed, please reach out to UPD, and do not do it yourself. 

2.       We can help you to strengthen the security of your areas. We can do it in a way that is not “obvious”. Run it through your department head and we can come and make some recommendations. 

C.      Kevin McPhee: For the Chief

1.       Will you have safety meetings for faculty and staff as well as students?

a)  We will.

b)  The House Bill does not allow us to require the training for off campus students

D.      Zach Miller: For the Chief

1.       Plans to improve the safety of your area, where does the funding come from?

a)  It is up to the funding of the departments that need the changes made. 

b)  Locking doors, mirrors, surveillance cameras for stair wells, etc. 

c)  Looking to revise our systems policy so we don’t’ end up with a hodge podge of equipment. 

E.       Michael Reidy

1.       Bozeman PD runs a community safety program.

2.       Why is the BOR questioning only the specific law and not the overall overreaching of the MUS?

a)  Tracy Ellig: We can’t speak for the BOR, so we can’t answer that. We don’t know what they are thinking.

F.       Rob Maher

1.       Are there ways for admissions, housing, staff, and faculty to discuss firearms in such a way as to help students and their families know that it is normal NOT to need to carry a gun on campus all the time?  

a)  Dean Caires: In our summer orientation process we talk to students and try to get them to understand their rights and responsibilities that come with being part of a campus community. Alcohol, drugs, sexual violence, etc. We can shift those systems to include firearms. We’ve been doing this for years, SafeCats app, data on crime, etc. Now it will be more complicated if this bill is enacted we will have to incorporate new systems to include firearms. 

G.      Zach Miller

1.       Question for Matthew and the provost, how do we expect this law to affect student recruitment and enrollment?  What have been the impacts for out of state students in Utah and Idaho?

a) They did disagree with the law and were worried about the fall out. The concerns over firearms have decreased with time and is now part of the framework of running a university. They still don’t like it, but it’s not as much of a concern as it was the first two years after it was implemented. 

H.      Matthew Herman

1.       Regarding F.4. in the Draft Policy, what is the legal meaning of "areas where classes are taught"?  Would this include a faculty office, for example?

a)  The intent would be any building in where classes are taught, but if your office in a separate building then no. 

I.         Scott Young

1.       Would guns be allowed in the SUB or the Library?

a)  Only if your class is being held there. 

III.            Public Comment

a.       None

IV.            Adjourn

a.       Tomas Gedeon moves to adjourn. We currently do not have any other meeting scheduled over the summer. 10 senators, or The Chair and Chair Elect can call an emergency meeting. Ed Dratz seconds. Meeting was adjourned at 4:13pm.