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Academic Council
Meeting Notes
March 28, 2000
Announcements:
Dean Atkinson said that she is concerned about the
“disconnect” between our Admissions department
staff and the academic departments. Carrie Wynkoop is trying
to recruit faculty for the spring academic fair held by
admissions. Some faculty have complained that the event is
too much like high school and the set-up makes them feel as
though they have to hock their goods. They would like to see
the event changed to be more dignified and perhaps hold it
in Miller. The dean will try to improve communication
between the two constituencies to improve the event for next
year.
Agenda Items:
Associate Dean Jones reviewed a newly drafted Contract
Request Form with the Council. The new form accompanies a
chart, designed to simplify the assignment of faculty rank
and status when requesting the Dean’s Office staff to
prepare a contract. After a few suggested changes are made,
the new forms will be distributed for use this spring.
Dean Johnson reported that the Writing Committee has met
and is preparing some concrete ideas to share with the
faculty. The group reports that some students still have
difficulties with their writing in the upper level courses.
For an early diagnosis, they are considering administering a
writing test to all incoming students to be read and
assessed by faculty. The committee is also considering a
proposal for a remedial writing course. Dean Johnson asked
that the topic be the focus of a significant discussion at
the Faculty Retreat in August. Dean Keedy suggested that the
remedial courses could be part of the Writing Center charge.
The committee has invited Susan Hubbach to join them next
week, followed by Jack Hart and John Callahan the next week.
They hope to get an historical perspective on what happened
to composition courses formerly taught in most colleges.
Dean Atkinson said that there could be a significant
discussion at the retreat, the length of which will depend
upon where departments are with the completion of their
assessment reports.
Searches
There is an offer out to a candidate for the tenure-line
position in geology. There was also a letter of
understanding needed because the hiring of a geologist
without a geology department puts the new-hire in an unusual
position. The appointment will be made to the MNS division
rather than a department, with the chair of Environmental
Studies serving as chair for administrative purpose. There
are still space issues to be resolved. Dean Keedy, June
Jones and Rich Bettega will meet to discuss the space
requirements.
Dean Keedy also reported that a grant proposal is in the
works for submission to the Sherman Fairchild Foundation.
The $500K grant will be in support of equipment for the
sciences.
Dean Dodds reported that there was a candidate on campus
yesterday to interview for the Japanese Language and
Literature position. This may be the only candidate that
interviews on campus. The committee members attended the
AAAS meeting this month and conducted interviews there as
well.
Dean Dodds said that the Theatre department search
committee will interview a 2nd candidate tomorrow. The
committee is not very hopeful of hiring for the position
professor in acting, voice and directing.
On an up note, candidate Forest Pierce has verbally
accepted the composition position in music.
Sociology/Anthropology is interviewing this week and next
for their position, which focuses on gender.
Dean Johnson said that there are space allocation issues
being investigated for the new-hire in physiological
psychology/neuroscience. The committee will bring the
candidate back to confer on the space needs. Dean Johnson,
June Jones, Rich Bettega and Tom Olsen are working on the
issue.
An offer is out to fill the Ulysses G. Dubach Chair in
Political Science. The candidate will visit campus next week
with his wife.
There was an inquiry from Jane Hunter recently about the
two-year appointment of Robert Goldman to the Committee on
Promotion and Tenure. She feels that in the case of a failed
election, a Dean of the College should appoint a one-year
term only to the standing committee. There will be more
discussion of this issue.
The Council discussed the appropriate procedure for
reviewing junior faculty who have been granted a deferral of
their tenure review. The consensus was that the faculty
member receiving the deferral should undergo a salary review
in the spring of the year, in the place of the tenure
review. Dean Dodds asked how the two reviews would be
different. Deans Johnson and Keedy agreed that a salary
review should be more streamlined than the tenure or
developmental reviews and include information only from the
previous two years, to be used to make a judgment about the
salary increase for the following year. The tenure review,
however, is a comprehensive review to include all evidence
of scholarship, teaching and community service for the
previous years since hire (usually six).
Dean Dodds spoke to the Council about the rigors of the
chairs position in the Department of Music. Currently the
Music chair is allotted an annual course release or a
stipend of $3000. The chair explained that he cannot teach a
full load of courses and keep up the many responsibilities
expected of him, such as: budget oversight, seek out new
funding for projects, annual scholarship auditions,
troubleshoot and physical plant problems (leeking roofs,
heating problems, equipment security and maintenance,
assignment of teaching studios, continually dealing with
inadequate space, coordinating building use for outside
groups), speaking to prospective students and parents,
represent the department at weekend admission events, attend
every graduate recital, weekly chairs meetings,
accreditation report, and write recommendations for
admission to graduate school.
The Council discussed a few options to try to unburden
the chair of some of the many departmental duties. The
Chemistry and Biology departments have staff support for lab
coordination. This could be necessary in Music. It was also
suggested that David Becker might be given a course release
for assisting Professor Seeley. Dinah will go back to
Professor Seeley with these ideas.
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