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Academic Council
Meeting Minutes
December 14, 2004
Present: Curtis
Johnson, Dean of the College; Stephanie Arnold, Dean of Arts
and Humanities; Gary Reiness, Dean of Mathematical and
Natural Sciences; Harry Schleef, Dean of Social Sciences;
Mervyn Brockett, Assistant to the President; and Terri
Banasek, Administrative Assistant and recorder. Guest:
Jane Atkinson, Vice President and Provost.
Agenda Items
- Jane Atkinson reported on the NITLE conference she
recently attended. Representatives were in attendance
from Reed, UPS, Whitman, Pomona, Claremont-McKenna, and
the Claremont University Center. The group of colleges
has applied for a $50,000 planning grant to put together
a proposal from 14 Western schools. We need to be
certain, as we move along with this, that it is worth our
time and money. Three reasons have been identified for
participating:
- Open source software. If we can use Mellon money
to hire programmers, sharing the cost to development
software that meets institutional needs, that is an
ongoing benefit.
- Digital assets management. This would greatly
expand our capacity for archiving and accessing
digital information, including images and text.
- Actual faculty exchanges.
Dean Johnson asked what this group is drawing on to
put together the proposal. What is the connection to
faculty? Dr. Atkinson responded that she is soliciting
input. If they don't get ideas from faculty, they can go
ahead with what they are looking at, which is primarily
based on recommendations from librarians and information
technology departments. She added that the Mellon
Foundation is looking at granting $4 million for this
group of colleges (shared funds, not parceled out among
the individual colleges). This would result in added
resources initially and eventually in added networks
nationally and regionally but would also probably require
commitment of College resources to maintain the
consortium after the grant expires. Dr. Atkinson will
provide opportunities in the next few months for faculty
to give input.
- Minutes of the November 23 meeting were approved as
written.
- While there has been an increase in some departments
of tenure-track faculty willing to teach Inventing
America, we are still short several sections for next
year. Dean Johnson reported that the General Education
Task Force will be coming forward with two models for the
first-year course and well as a recommendation regarding
the international studies requirement.
- Discussion of strategic planning was tabled until
next semester. Dean Schleef will begin working with
Robert Nayer on areas previously identified and
incorporate that into the base model being used for
five-year forecasts. Dean Johnson intends to take this
to the executive council.
- Consortium for a Stronger Minority Presence
applications were distributed to the divisional deans for
screening. Suggestions will be brought back to Academic
Council.
- Academic Council discussed possible meeting times for
spring semester; possibilities are Monday at 2:00-4:00
p.m., Tuesday afternoon, or Friday at 1:00-3:00 p.m.
- The policy for hiring at the senior level was
clarified. The process is the same as for hiring junior
faculty up to the time of acceptance of the search
committee recommendation by the dean. If the person
accepts the offer, then the offer of tenure must be
approved by the Committee on Promotion and Tenure. The
candidate's file then goes to the CPT, including reviews
of scholarly materials by external reviewers.
Next meeting: Tuesday, January 18, 1:30 p.m.
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