|
Academic Council
Meeting Notes
February 29, 2000
Announcements:
Two physiological psychology candidates visited campus
last week. The top candidate has asked to use the natural
research model and teach a two-two load with a lab.
The members of the search committee for Japanese Language
and Literature will attend the Association of Asian Studies
conference next weekend to interview a large number of
candidates.
Dean Johnson reported that there is a strong pool of
applicants in the tenure-track search in So/An; five
candidates remain as finalists. The position includes a
requirement for expertise in anthropology, gender studies
and East Asia area studies. However, there is some
discussion now regarding the necessity for another person
with expertise in China, instead of East Asia.
Included in the remaining pool are two very strong
candidates who have expressed a desire to job-share. Each
candidate is willing to teach half-time, submit an
independent tenure file, assume a full advising load and
function generally as a full-time faculty member. The search
committee will invite both candidates to interview and a
decision on the job-share request will be made after all
interviews are completed.
Dean Keedy reported on the challenges facing the MNS
division stemming from the hire of a faculty member whose
discipline will not appropriately reside in any of the
existing MNS departments. The geologist, hired as part of a
recent Mellon Foundation grant, will also be the first
tenure-track person assigned to a division (MNS). The
Council asked for assurances that the new-hire will receive
support from the division at-large, in the absence of a
departmental home. It was also recommended that an outside
geologist be asked to assist with developmental and tenure
reviews, and that the geologist report to the Environmental
Studies chair. Dean Keedy will discuss these issues with the
MNS chairs and report back to the Council.
Dean Johnson reported that Lawrence Baum, Professor of
Political Sciences at Ohio State University, returned to
campus this week to meet President Mooney regarding the
Ulysses G. Dubach Chair in Political Science.
Dean Dodds reported that there are conflicting opinions
within the Music search committee and they may well come to
an impasse on the candidate selection.
Agenda Items:
Dean Dodds reported that a replacement was hired for two
weeks when Gernot Blume’s father passed away. The dean
was not consulted and so couldn’t explain that
short-term absences are normally covered by tenure-line
faculty within the department, whenever possible, and not
replaced by a temporary adjunct without prior approval. On
the occasion that there is no one available to cover, an
adjunct can be hired at a pro-rated salary. The Council
agreed that there must be a written policy to guide chairs
in the future. ($3200/14 weeks = $230/week)
The Council discussed the different models for fall group
advising presented by Kristi Williams. They reported that
the department chairs and faculty do not like the large
group advising, because they don’t have the control
over content as with the smaller groups. They want to go
back to the system where advisers meet with their advisees
in a group. However, they like the idea of sending the
advising materials to incoming students in the summer
months, to allow them time to think about their options.
Dean Atkinson will get back to Dr. Williams about the
feedback.
|
