FACULTY MEETING

April 27, 2012
Gannett Auditorium

MINUTES 

President Philip A. Glotzbach called the meeting to order at 3:33 p.m.

APPROVAL OF MINUTES

President Glotzbach asked if there were any corrections to, or comments regarding, the minutes of the Faculty Meeting held April 6, 2012. Hearing none, he announced the minutes were approved.

PRESIDENT’S REPORT

President Glotzbach reminded everyone that the last Faculty Meeting of this academic year will be held on Wednesday, May 16. This meeting will be an extended meeting; it will start at 9:00 a.m. and will continue until all business has been completed.

President Glotzbach provided a brief update on admissions. The deadline for admissions acceptances is May 1. Currently, we are running about the same as last year with regard to deposits; about one-half of the deposits are arriving electronically, while the other half is arriving by mail.

Faculty Development Committee. On behalf of the Faculty Development Committee, Associate Professor Joel Smith announced that this year’s recipient of the Ralph A. Ciancio Award is Professor Dan Hurwitz. Professor Hurwitz received a sustained, congratulatory round of applause.

VICE PRESIDENT FOR ACADEMIC AFFAIRS’ REPORT

Dean of the Faculty Report. Interim Dean of the Faculty Beau Breslin provided an update on this year’s tenure-track searches. This year, we conducted ten searches and successfully completed all ten. He thanked all those who participated in the searches.

Dean Breslin announced that Associate Professor Karen Kellogg will be appointed as the Associate Dean of the Faculty for Infrastructure, Sustainability, and Civic Engagement effective June 1, 2012. Associate Professor Kellogg received a congratulatory round of applause.

Retirements

Dean Breslin offered some general remarks on the retirees, noting that the retirees have well over a century of dedicated service to the institution; each has taught with grace, dignity and effectiveness thousands of students. Collectively, they have served on every major committee and minor committee, and two have served as our chief academic officer.

Thereafter, Professor Greg Pfitzer, on behalf of the Committee on Appointment, Promotions & Tenure, read the following resolution into the record (see attached):

BE IT RESOLVED, that the faculty of Skidmore College expresses its profound appreciation and admiration for the following members of the Skidmore Faculty who have this year expressed their determination to retire:

• John Berman, Professor, Department of Psychology
• Virginia Murphy-Berman, Visiting Professor, Department of Psychology
• Steven A. Hoffmann, Professor, Department of Government
• Susan Kress, Vice President for Academic Affairs and Professor, Department of English
• Robert (Mac) Oswalt, Professor, Department of Psychology

The faculty further resolves that the biographical highlights of these members contained in the Retirement Citation booklet distributed at this meeting be included in the Faculty Meeting Minutes of April 27, 2012, in recognition and celebration of their distinguished service and achievement (see Attachment).

President Glotzbach asked the assembly to indicate their approval by acclamation.

Associate Professor Denise Evert delivered tributes to Professors John Berman, Virginia Murphy-Berman and Robert (Mac) Oswalt; Associate Professor Kate Graney delivered a tribute to Professor Steven Hoffmann; and Associate Professor Mason Stokes delivered a tribute to Vice President for Academic Affairs and Professor Susan Kress.

President Glotzbach congratulated the retirees. He noted that in his career of administration that began in 1992, he has never served with a finer chief academic officer and VP Kress will be missed, as well as everyone who is retiring this year. He encouraged the junior faculty to take note of their colleagues--there are many different ways to be a Skidmore professor but there is a theme of excellence of commitment that runs through these lives and it is worthy of emulation.

OLD BUSINESS

Committee on Appointments, Promotions, and Tenure

On behalf of the Committee on Appointments, Promotions, and Tenure, Professor Greg Pfitzer read the following Motion that was introduced at the last faculty meeting held April 6, 2012 (see attached):

MOTION: The Committee on Appointments, Promotions, and Tenure moves that the current Article IX, Section D, 4, be amended.

Thereafter, Professor Pfitzer provided a summary of the concerns raised at the last faculty meeting with regard to the motion: whether this amendment would have implications for departmental schedules for tenure review; whether the tenure-clock might be stopped automatically for childbirth; and whether candidates who had delayed the tenure clock would have sufficient teaching evaluations at the time of tenure consideration. Professor Pfitzer offered responses to all these questions. Thereupon, the motion was voted on and passed with all in favor.

Committee on Educational Policies and Planning

On behalf of the Committee on Educational Policies and Planning, Associate Professor Josh Ness made a motion to withdraw the following Motion that was introduced at the February 24, 2012 meeting (see attached):

MOTION: CEPP moves to expand the types of courses offered in the Culture-Centered Inquiry requirement by replacing the existing two categories of courses (“Non-Western” and “Cultural Diversity”) with one new category: “Interrogating Difference.” This new category (DF) will include all courses currently in the two existing categories (NW and CD) through the end of the 2013-2014 academic year, after which all “Interrogating Difference” courses will need to meet the new criteria. The Culture-Centered Inquiry Requirement will continue to include one course in Foreign Languages and Literatures.

There was no discussion, and the motion to withdraw was voted on and passed with all in favor.

Thereafter, Associate Professor Ness introduced the following Motion (see attached):

MOTION: CEPP moves to expand the types of courses offered in the Culture-Centered Inquiry requirement by replacing the existing two categories of courses (“Non-Western” and “Cultural Diversity”) with one new category: “Considering Difference.” This new category (DF) will apply beginning with the class of 2017. The Culture-Centered Inquiry Requirement will continue to include one course in Foreign Language. Class years prior to 2017 can fulfill the CCI requirement with one Foreign Language course and one course which meets NW, CD, or DF.

Associate Professor Ness described the changes in the new motion from the motion that was withdrawn. Thereafter, brief discussion was held concerning the phase-out of Non-Western or Cultural Diversity courses that are not reapproved for the DF category as well as the process for bringing the new CCI motion. Anyone wishing to offer a friendly amendment to the motion may contact CEPP.

There being no further discussion, the motion will lie over until the next meeting.

NEW BUSINESS

Department of Sociology, Anthropology, and Social Work

On behalf of the Department of Sociology, Anthropology, and Social Work, Associate Professor Rik Scarce introduced the following Motion (see attached):

MOTION:The Department of Sociology, Anthropology, and Social Work moves that Skidmore College create three separate departments: the Department of Anthropology, the Department of Social Work, and the Department of Sociology.

Associate Professor Scarce indicated that a forum to discuss the separation of the department will be held on May 7, 2012 at 4:30 p.m. in Emerson. Brief discussion was held concerning the appointment of chairs to the individual departments as well as course releases to be granted to the chairs. The motion will lie over until the next meeting.

Faculty Executive Committee

On behalf of the Faculty Executive Committee, Associate Professor Barbara Black introduced the following motion on behalf of the Committee on Academic Standing (see attached):

MOTION:On behalf of the Committee on Academic Standing, the Faculty Executive Committee moves that the following changes to the Faculty Handbook (Part Two, II.F.13. second paragraph) be adopted:

Revised Language (additions in bold; deletions are struck)

Membership: Three faculty members, at least one tenured and none of whom may be a member of the CAFR, appointed to serve three-year terms; the Associate Dean of the Faculty for Academic Advising (ADOFAA) and/or his or her designated representative, the Registrar and Director of Institutional Researchand/or his or her designated representative, and two students selected by SGA, one junior to be appointed each year to serve a two one-year term. Additional staff may join the meeting at the request of the Chair, the ADOFAA, or the Registrar. Such staff may include representatives from the Office of Academic Advising, the Registrar, or Off-Campus Study and Exchanges. This expanded participation in CAS meetings can occur only with the consent of the regular CAS membership. Those voting on CAS are the three faculty members, the ADOFAA or his/her designee, the Registrar or his/her designee, and the two students.

Original Language

Membership:Three faculty members, at least one tenured and none of whom may be a member of the CAFR, appointed to serve three-year terms; the Associate Dean of the Faculty for Academic Advising or his/her designated representative, the Registrar and Director of Institutional Research or his/ her designated representative, and two students selected by SGA, one junior to be appointed each year to serve a two-year term.

Associate Professor Katie Hauser provided the background that prompted the revision to the membership of the Committee on Academic Standing, noting that the amendment clarified who was a member of the committee, how guests might be invited, and who had the right to vote. There was no discussion, and the motion will lie over until the next meeting.

On behalf of the Faculty Executive Committee, Associate Professor Black introduced the following Motion (see attached):

MOTION:The Faculty Executive Committee moves that the following changes to the Faculty Handbook (Part Two, I. “Faculty Meeting By-Laws”) be adopted:

(additions in bold; deletions struck)

In Article I.A,

Faculty governance is carried out through decisions made at Faculty Meetings and through a system of committees of the Faculty. The primary purpose of Faculty Meetings is to provide a forum for discussion on important college matters and to facilitate shared governance of college affairs.

In Article III.A.1,

1. Faculty members should notify either the Dean of the Faculty/Vice President for Academic Affairs or the Chair of the Faculty Executive Committee of items they wish included on the agenda at least 24 hours prior to the meetingby Monday in the week of a faculty meeting. The Chair of FEC will convey agenda items to the Office of the DOF/VPAA by 9AM on Tuesday. The DOF/VPAA and the FEC will work together on constructing the agenda.

2. The agenda shall be distributed to the Faculty no later than the morning of the day of the Faculty Meeting. by Wednesday in the week of a Faculty Meeting.

In Article V,

9. During at least two to three Faculty Meetings each semester, there will be a Committee of the Whole discussion. The topic of discussion will be determined by FEC and the DOF/VPAA, and as directed by suggestions from either individual faculty or committees. Suggestions may be sent to either the DOF/VPAA or the Chair of FEC.

There was no discussion, and the motion will lie over until the next meeting.

On behalf of the Faculty Executive Committee, Associate Professor Black introduced the following Motion (see attached):

MOTION: The Faculty Executive Committee moves to approve the tracked changes made to the Faculty Handbook, 2011-2012 (see attached).

There was no discussion, and the motion will lie over until the next meeting.

REPORTS

Curriculum Committee

On behalf of the Curriculum Committee, Associate Professor Lisa Aronson announced that the motion for the new minor in Intergroup Relations has been posted on the forum. She encouraged everyone to review it and offer any feedback. Thereafter, she announced that Assistant Professor Sylvia McDevitt will be chair of the Curriculum Committee next year. Brief discussion was held concerning the anticipated language for the Faculty Handbook regarding the elimination/establishment of minors.

Committee on Educational Policies and Planning

On behalf of CEPP, Associate Professor Mimi Hellman announced that a subcommittee of CEPP consisting of her, Associate Professor Ness, Assistant Professor Chris Kopec, and Associate Professor Rubén Graciani, has been formed to explore the educational implications of a portion of the Strategic Plan dealing with Transition and Transformation. In that regard, they will be distributing a brief survey at the beginning of exam week for faculty that will deal with aspects of teaching relating to Transition and Transformation. She encouraged everyone to complete the survey as it will provide the subcommittee with very meaningful data.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

• Associate Professor Catherine Golden announced that the 14th Annual Academic Festival will be held on May 2, 2012. This year, there will be 64 sessions featuring 120 presentations with over 400 students participating. She encouraged everyone to attend as many sessions as possible, even sessions outside their own department. Thereafter, she thanked the members of Honors Forum Council and Lisa Bradshaw for all their work.
• Beau Breslin, Interim Dean of the Faculty, invited everyone to the Tang Atrium for a reception honoring this year’s retirees immediately following the meeting.

The meeting was adjourned at 4:58 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,

Debra L. Peterson
Executive Administrative Assistant