MEMO TO: Dave Frohnmayer, Frank Stahl, Paul von Donkelaar
MEMO BCC: Members of the 2008/9 and 2009/10 University Senates
MEMO FROM: Peter Gilkey (President UO Senate 2009/10)
MEMO RE: Conduct of the 2009/10 UO Senate 27 May 2009
MEMO DATE: 28 May 2009

Gentlemen. This memo is divided into three parts.

Dear Professor Stahl.

There has been a decline in civility in our modern era, which has been noted by many observers. However the UO Senate has always been and must always remain a place where civility is paramount and where reasonable men and women may disagree whilst respecting the opinions and actions of all involved. Yesterday you launched an unfounded and personal attack on former Senate President Paul van Donkelaar impuning both his character and conduct whilst UO Senate President during the preceeding year in regard to matters of faculty governance. Such ad hominem attacks have no place in the debates which take place in the University Senate and in all my years (and they are many) serving on the University Senate I have never heard their equal. I therefore request and direct that should you seek the floor of the Senate in the future that you do not engage in such conduct and that you confine yourself solely to the matter at hand without impugning the character or the conduct of other individuals.

Peter B Gilkey UO Senate President 2009/10

It is the duty of the Senate President to attempt to enforce a modicum of civility in the conduct of Senate Business in addition to attempting to follow proper parliamentary procedure. I apologize for my failure in this regard. Your conduct with regard to Òfaculty governanceÓ was beyond reproach this year and needs no defense from churlish attacks. Instead, I shall simply repeat my remarks to the Senate yesterday whilst giving you a modest present from the Senate: "This Duck is a gift from the 2008/9 University Senate for your outstanding work as Senate President this academic year. You were always thoughtful, kind, and efficient -- the meetings always adjourned on time with all the business concluded! You did a superb job facilitating the work of the Senate and of the University. Job well done". President Frohnmayer also gave you a wooden box on behalf of the entire University community and uttered similar words of thanks whilst so doing.

Peter B Gilkey UO Senate President 2009/10

It is the duty of the Senate President to attempt to enforce a modicum of civility in the conduct of Senate Business in addition to attempting to follow proper parliamentary procedure. I apologize for my failure in this regard. It should not have been necessary for you to seek the floor of the Senate to defend yourself against the slurs and improper innuendos in regard to the forthcoming appointment of the committee on faculty governance Ð an appointment that is truly yours to make not only under IMD 1.123 but also under the relevant ORS. I was stunned and shocked that during the debate the integrity and appropriateness of the appointments to the Faculty Governance Committee to be chaired by former Senate President Paul von Donkelaar were called into question before you had even made the appointments. This indicates a lack of trust and a failure of civility that are inappropriate in a Senate debate. And I offer you both my apology and my pledge to ensure that this does not reoccur. To do my best to ensure that the UO Senate remains a place where civility is paramount and where reasonable men and women may disagree whilst respecting the opinions and actions of all involved.

I received my Ph. D. from Harvard University. Let me perhaps digress and close by recommending to you the motto of the Harvard Marching Band (copied below)

Respectfully submitted

Peter B Gilkey UO Senate President 2009/10