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ACADEMIC COUNCIL

Minutes

September 21, 1999

Announcements:

Dean Keedy reported that the MNS Division discussed the Academic Calendar at their chair’s meeting this week. The chairs generally felt that 1) it would be best to start classes on a Monday if classes start before Labor Day, 2) Commencement should be between the 1st – 10th of May, and 3) Reducing fall break to 1 day is an option.

 

Dean Keedy reported that the following MNS faculty are in the process of applying for either individual or institutional grants:

  1. Kenneth Clifton – Murdock Charitable Trust (Biology)
  2. Curtis Keedy – W.M. Keck Foundation (Computer Science)
  3. Deborah Lycan – National Institute of Health (NIH)
  4. Janis Lochner – National Institute of Health (NIH)
  5. David Martinsen – Howard Hughes Medical Institute (Developmental Biologist)
  6. Bethe Scalettar – National Institute of Health (NIH)
  7. Evan Williams – Mellon Foundation –Approved (Environmental Studies)

Dean Atkinson reported that plans are underway to hold a memorial service for student Katherine Mills who died this week while on an overseas trip to Chili. Mark Duntley is working with students and administration in the hope that a service can be held on campus next week.

There is a memorial service Copeland Main Lounge today for Alcira Sevilla. Alcira worked on campus as a housekeeper and was known by many students. The Dean of the Chapel, Mark Duntley reports that students, faculty and staff have generously contributed enough funds to send her remains back to Honduras. In addition, contributions were collected for her three children.

Dean Dodds reported that the A&H chairs also discussed the Academic Calendar principles, currently being reviewed in the Committee on the Curriculum. She reported that the most controversy surrounds the issue of the fall start date occurring before or after Labor Day. The chairs will take the issue back to their department faculty for more discussion and report back to the dean next week.

Dean Johnson said the Social Science chairs discussed the Academic Calendar, expressing the greatest concern about the possible reduction of research time in the summer months.

Dean Johnson also reported that the SS chair’s discussed the position description for a new tenure-track position in the So/An department. Both Gender Studies and East Asian Studies have expressed an interest in developing a joint position with So/An: program chairs Jane Hunter and Marty Hart-Landsberg, were present at the meeting. The Council suggested that there may be a way to configure the position to include both the cross-cultural courses desired by E.A.S. as well as a number of courses in Gender Studies. Dean Atkinson commented that the configuration is fairly typical. Dean Johnson said that some SS Division chairs could want to make the position a term appointment, rather than tenure-track.

 

Agenda Items:

 

  1. The deans revisited the Faculty Leave Policy to develop provisions for birth mothers. Dean Jones will bring back another version next week.

     

  2. Course Evaluations. Dean Atkinson raised a concern expressed to her by a faculty member recently. He learned that after he had left the room, the students evaluating him discussed their evaluations amongst themselves. He and others are concerned about students talking during this time. In another recent instance, one student, or a small number of students unduly influenced the evaluations of others, skewing the results dramatically. It was agreed that Dean Atkinson should include some language in the written instructions to indicate that student proctors are to announce that individual views should remain private and there should be no talking during the evaluation process.

     

  3. The deans reviewed a draft set of questions to be used by the departments in assessing their curriculum. They will be distributed for faculty comment at the divisional chair’s meetings next week.

     

  4. The Council discussed the draft position description for the tenure-track search in the Theatre Department. They felt the description’s requirements overlapped with talents of the current faculty and expressed a desire to have a stronger focus on dramatic literature in the new position, to complement the others’ strengths. In addition, the Council asked that the requirement for the position be elevated from the M.F.A. to a Ph.D. Dean Dodds will return to the chair with the Council’s recommendations.

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