|
Academic Council
Meeting Minutes
December 9, 2003
Present: Curtis
Johnson, Dean of the College; Stephanie Arnold, Dean of Arts
and Humanities; Harry Schleef, Dean of Social Sciences;
Robert Nayer, Director of Operating and Capital Budgets;
Terri Banasek, administrative assistant and recorder; and
Jim Walker, Vice President for Business and Finance and
Treasurer of the College.
Absent: Gary Reiness, Dean of Mathematical and
Natural Sciences
Announcements
- Faculty/Student Summer Research Grant applications
are due February 13.
Agenda Items:
- Minutes of November 18 and 25 were approved.
- Dean Johnson said that he is seeing quite a few
courses this spring with enrollments of fewer than 10
(some with fewer than six). There are eight courses in
English and eight in history with fewer than 10; a number
of them have two-five students. He is concerned - these
are not all 400-level courses; some are 200- and
300-level courses. He reminded the Academic Council that
department should be instructed to offer courses with
predictably small enrollments only every other year or
every third year. Dean Johnson asked the divisional
deans to remind chairs of that policy for future
reference. We need to avoid having this happen again.
Dean Johnson said that the number of these courses raises
the question of why this occurs. He has heard that is a
direct result of the increasing reliance on adjuncts in
the last couple of years. The adjuncts, in general,
don't perform as well as tenure-track for our students.
Students do not connect well to the adjunct faculties in
these departments. If that is the case, we need to
redouble our efforts to reduce reduction on reliance on
adjuncts (especially in 100-level courses.
- Dean Johnson asked the divisional deans to make sure
that tenure-track faculty are carrying their share of
lower-division courses. In looking at fall of 2003,
there are some departments where it is really troubling.
One department in particular has all of the 100-level
courses taught by adjuncts. Dean Johnson asked the deans
to pass along to faculty that the best way to improve
retention is to have tenure-track faculty in
introductory-level courses.
Dean Arnold thinks that trying to get a clearer picture
of the factors here is rather significant. She is about
to embark on a conversation with arts and humanities
chairs about general education requirements in the
humanities. Part of the problem is very irregular
department planning. It has to do with people feeling
over-burdened, whether that is true or not. Some chairs
are more effective than others. Planning doesn't take
place in a coherent way. Absences are not planned far
enough in advance. A number of factors are involved. It
is critical in her division that planning be done in a
more effective way.
When asked by Dean Johnson how the Academic Council can
help with that planning, Dean Arnold responded that she
doesn't have enough information yet to give a full
opinion. The question of course release vs. stipend for
chairs may be a factor. Are some chairs over-burdened?
Department chairing is the last thing that they do - it
has become a marginalized activity.
Dean Johnson is not interested in re-instituting a course
release for chairing. That is the problem we are trying
to address. We need to connect good chairing with their
self-interest. Good chairs are not just helping the
College, they are helping themselves.
In thinking about the review process, Dean Arnold asked
how we reward service as well as scholarship. Perhaps
including chairing in that would be helpful. Dean
Schleef pointed out that we don't review chairs.
Dean Johnson said he would be happy to put chairing and
other service more in the front and center of the focus
when reviews are done. Conversely, should penalties be
instituted for poor chairing?
Dean Schleef raised the question of course assignments
for next year. He is concerned about Inventing America
and how it will be staffed. He has a preliminary
estimate, and his division is down from what it has
offered in the past. While there are number of reasons
for it, his division will be coming up short. Dean
Schleef added that what is lacking this year is the
targets from Ben Westervelt; Dean Johnson will request
the information from Dr. Westervelt. Dean Arnold noted
that she received information from Angie McGinnis
concerning what had been done in the past by arts and
humanities and what the actual targets for next year are;
Dean Johnson will request that same information for Dean
Schleef.
- Dean Arnold reported that Ted Vogel thinks the
College possibly can get $3,000 for the clay mixer to
offset some of the cost of the replacement. She also
asked the music department for an inventory of musical
instruments. They have just begun discussions, so she
has no further information.
Dean Johnson reviewed the capital project requests from
Steve Wallo:
- Increase size of women's locker rooms
- Development of 4th Avenue property
He also reviewed the priority capital equipment
requests:
Mr. Nayer reviewed the capital projects to be presented
at the budget committee on Dec. 9, for a total of about
$4 million.
|
