The UA Faculty Senate received yesterday the university's five-year strategic plan, despite concerns about its conception.

Dr. Jody Glittenberg, chair of the Faculty Budget and Strategic Planning Committee, asked the senators to receive the plan, though some expressed uneasiness.

"The (Arizona) Board of Regents requested we have the plan ready sooner than normal," Glittenberg said. "We have to submit this to the regents tomorrow."

The plan details universitywide goals and objectives in five-year projections.

Faculty Sen. Andrew Silverman said he was concerned about the lack of involvement by all members of the Senate.

"There is not much we can do now except accept it," said Silverman, a professor in the University of Arizona College of Law. "But we need to be more involved in the process in the future."

Regents Professor Shlomo Neuman said the strategic plan should identify problems facing the university, which he said the plan fails to do.

"We have to address the tensions between the accessibility to high school graduates, and high quality and low costs," said Neuman, a professor of Hydrology and Water Resources. "I was not able to find that in the plan. Am I missing something?"

"It is too late to amend it now," Glittenberg said. "Identify these issues in writing and submit them for the next report."

Other senators were concerned that their vote to receive the report might be perceived as a vote approving the contents of the report. Glittenberg said she had no control over how the report would be viewed.

"This is the best we can do at this time," she said.

UA President Manuel Pacheco said the regents would recognize that the document can be modified every year.

In other action, the Senate heard an update on core curriculum.

Michael Gottfredson, vice provost of undergraduate education, told the senators that a decision needs to be made prior to the beginning of the next fall semester.

"Early this fall, the undergraduate council will offer its version of the proposal," Gottfredson said. "It is essential that everyone study the proposal."

He said the second language requirement has been added to the proposal.

Under the proposal, four semesters of a foreign language would be required for all bachelor of arts degrees. For those seeking non-BA degrees, the requirement would be two semesters of a language.

"You need to consider that beginning in the fall of 1998, two years of high school foreign language will be required for incoming students," Gottfredson said.

Gottfredson said allowances would be made for students to place out of some of the requirements if they have skills beyond the minimum requirements.

Donald Davis, professor of Hydrology & Water Resources, said he was concerned that the plan would not allow flexibility from within the departments.

Gottfredson said once the plan goes into effect, it will be overseen by the General Education Committee, not individual departments.

---

Daily Wildcat News Opinions Sports PoliceBeat Comics