Faculty Meeting Minutes
April 29, 2016
Gannett Auditorium
MINUTES
President Philip A. Glotzbach called the meeting to order at 3:02 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 7, 2017. Hearing none, he announced the minutes were approved.
PRESIDENT’S REPORT
President Glotzbach thanked everyone for supporting the early start of today’s meeting. He then introduced Associate Professor Rachel Roe-Dale, Chair of the Faculty Development Committee. Associate Professor Roe-Dale announced that the prestigious Ralph A. Ciancio Award for Excellence in Teaching for 2017-18 has been awarded to Professor Susannah Mintz. After a long congratulatory applause, Associate Professor Roe-Dale thanked those faculty members who were nominated and agreed to stand for consideration as well as those faculty members who took the time to nominate their colleagues. President Glotzbach offered his congratulations to Professor Mintz on her award and thanked the members of the Faculty Development Committee for all their work.Thereafter, Professor Glotzbach introduced Professor Mark Huibregtse. On behalf of the Administrative Review Committee, Professor Huibregtse announced that the review process for the Vice President for Finance and Administration and Treasurer has been completed. On behalf of the Administrative Review Committee, Professor Huibregtse thanked everyone who participated in the review. Professor Glotzbach thanked Professor Huibregtse and the members of the committee for their service.
Professor Glotzbach then thanked Joshua Woodfork, Vice President for Strategic Planning and Institutional Diversity, and everyone involved in the planning of the “In It” series as well as all those who attended one or more of the events. It was a varied program that celebrated some of the many dimensions of diversity in our community.
Thereafter, President Glotzbach provided a brief update on Admissions. We are currently more or less on track, relative to past years, to receive a sufficient number of deposits to make our class; we will know more on Monday. President Glotzbach thanked the members of the Admissions team for their great work this year, especially in the closing steps of this process and during Accepted Candidates’ Days. He thanked Professor Janet Casey, Director of the First Year Experience; Professor Sheldon Solomon for his guest lecture; Dean Cerri Banks for chairing the student panels; Dean Mendes and his team for the Discovery Program; and the members of the faculty who took part in the session in the gym. For those wondering whether the Accepted Candidates’ Days are worth the time and energy invested in this process, President Glotzbach quoted an email that Dean Mary Lou Bates received from a father whose daughter chose Skidmore as a result of her visit during the Accepted Candidates Days:
Her second reason for committing was having all that staff available at the fair. She is still unsure what she wants to pursue at the school but having everyone there to answer questions was huge. It is true I had to prod her along a bit and perhaps ask some leading questions first but once she got a taste of a few professors, she was hooked. She loved the Biology professor there in particular. We had fun at the Sociology and Philosophy areas as well. All in all she learned a ton and has a better "vision" on how she might approach school in the fall. I also was struck by a Sociology major and am trying to find her an internship... I may have succeeded.
President Glotzbach thanked everyone for participating in the Accepted Candidates
Days as it does help to bring the students whom we want to attract.
In concluding, President Glotzbach stated that this year’s Commencement will be challenged by an especially large number of people wanting to attend and participate. So that we have sufficient seating for everyone who wishes to participate in this process, President Glotzbach urged anyone wishing to process to please respond to Janis Petroski’s email so that we can have an accurate head (and seat) count. Finally, President Glotzbach reminded everyone that this is a stressful time of the year, for many of us and many of our students. He asked that everyone keep an eye on their students and to let someone know (i.e., Dean Ron Seyb or Dean Cerri Banks) if a student appears to be experiencing problems out of the ordinary.
OLD BUSINESS
In concluding, President Glotzbach stated that this year’s Commencement will be challenged by an especially large number of people wanting to attend and participate. So that we have sufficient seating for everyone who wishes to participate in this process, President Glotzbach urged anyone wishing to process to please respond to Janis Petroski’s email so that we can have an accurate head (and seat) count. Finally, President Glotzbach reminded everyone that this is a stressful time of the year, for many of us and many of our students. He asked that everyone keep an eye on their students and to let someone know (i.e., Dean Ron Seyb or Dean Cerri Banks) if a student appears to be experiencing problems out of the ordinary.
OLD BUSINESS
President Glotzbach reminded everyone that the Motion by the Committee on Educational
Policies and Planning (“CEPP”) for adoption of the general education curriculum was
tabled at the last meeting. A Motion was made and seconded to remove the motion from
the table. The Motion to remove the motion from the table was passed by majority
vote.
Thereafter, on behalf of CEPP, Associate Professor Erica Bastress-Dukehart read the following Motion that was presented at the April 7, 2017 Faculty Meeting and announced a friendly amendment relative to English language learners (see attached):
Thereafter, on behalf of CEPP, Associate Professor Erica Bastress-Dukehart read the following Motion that was presented at the April 7, 2017 Faculty Meeting and announced a friendly amendment relative to English language learners (see attached):
MOTION: The Committee on Educational Policies and Planning moves that the faculty adopt the new General Education Curriculum for Skidmore College as detailed in the February 28, 2017 Proposal.
Associate Professor Bastress-Dukehart thanked everyone for their comments at the last meeting and since the last meeting. CEPP appreciates all the concerns, comments, and suggestions. Thereafter, the floor was opened for discussion. Once faculty member spoke in support of the Motion. There being no further discussion, the Motion was voted on and passed by majority vote.
President Glotzbach thanked the members of CEPP for all their work in bringing a new general education curriculum and to all those who participated in the process.
DEAN OF THE FACULTY AND VICE PRESIDENT FOR ACADEMIC AFFAIRS’ REPORT
Beau Breslin, Dean of the Faculty and Vice President for Academic Affairs, thanked everyone for their support of the new general education curriculum. The curriculum is terrific and represents a lot of voices. He thanked Associate Professor Bastress-Dukehart for leading the effort this year.
Retirements
On behalf of the Committee on Appointments, Promotions, and Tenure (CAPT), Professor Pushi Prasad 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 Cunningham, Department of Art
• Steven Millhauser, Department of English
• Mehmet Odekon, Department of Economics
• Peter Stake, Department of Art
The faculty further resolves that the biographical highlights of these members contained
in the Retirement Citation booklet distributed (see attached) at this meeting be included in the Faculty Meeting Minutes of April 28, 2017 in
recognition and celebration of their distinguished service and achievement.
The assembly signaled their acclimation by applause.
Thereafter, Professor David Peterson delivered a tribute to Professor John Cunningham; Professor Barbara Black delivered a tribute to Professor Steven Millhauser; Professor Peter von Allmen delivered a tribute to Professor Mehmet Odekon; and Associate Professor Janet Sorensen delivered a tribute to Associate Professor Peter Stake. President Glotzbach presented each of the retirees with a gift, and a congratulatory round of applause and standing ovation was given to each retiree.
DOF/VPAA Breslin congratulated the retirees and expressed his gratitude for all that they have given to the College. DOF/VPAA Breslin then congratulated Professor Mintz on her award.
DOF/VPAA then thanked all the members of the faculty and staff for their tremendous work in educating our students. He thanked everyone for embracing the conversations and programming around diversity and inclusion this year. We have made important strides this year, most recently the “In It” programming, which was a tremendous success. He thanked VP Woodfork and all those who helped him with the programming. We need to build on the lessons of that event. Departments and programs this year were able to recruit 50 percent faculty of color, both tenure-track and non-tenure-track; there were no fewer than ten of the Tang’s exhibits dealing with issues of racial and cultural diversity thanks to Ian Berry and his staff; we are deep into a $1.25 million Mellon grant to support African American artists and artwork; and we have wonderful affinity groups that do extraordinarily important work. To that end, DOF/VPAA Breslin announced a new initiative through the Dean’s Office: the Dean of the Faculty’s office has set aside resources in its budget to support affinity groups to focus on issues of diversity and inclusion. Despite all the challenges we face, DOF/VPAA Breslin is optimistic we will become a stronger community and thanked each and every one for their effort to make Skidmore a stronger community.
The assembly signaled their acclimation by applause.
Thereafter, Professor David Peterson delivered a tribute to Professor John Cunningham; Professor Barbara Black delivered a tribute to Professor Steven Millhauser; Professor Peter von Allmen delivered a tribute to Professor Mehmet Odekon; and Associate Professor Janet Sorensen delivered a tribute to Associate Professor Peter Stake. President Glotzbach presented each of the retirees with a gift, and a congratulatory round of applause and standing ovation was given to each retiree.
DOF/VPAA Breslin congratulated the retirees and expressed his gratitude for all that they have given to the College. DOF/VPAA Breslin then congratulated Professor Mintz on her award.
DOF/VPAA then thanked all the members of the faculty and staff for their tremendous work in educating our students. He thanked everyone for embracing the conversations and programming around diversity and inclusion this year. We have made important strides this year, most recently the “In It” programming, which was a tremendous success. He thanked VP Woodfork and all those who helped him with the programming. We need to build on the lessons of that event. Departments and programs this year were able to recruit 50 percent faculty of color, both tenure-track and non-tenure-track; there were no fewer than ten of the Tang’s exhibits dealing with issues of racial and cultural diversity thanks to Ian Berry and his staff; we are deep into a $1.25 million Mellon grant to support African American artists and artwork; and we have wonderful affinity groups that do extraordinarily important work. To that end, DOF/VPAA Breslin announced a new initiative through the Dean’s Office: the Dean of the Faculty’s office has set aside resources in its budget to support affinity groups to focus on issues of diversity and inclusion. Despite all the challenges we face, DOF/VPAA Breslin is optimistic we will become a stronger community and thanked each and every one for their effort to make Skidmore a stronger community.
NEW BUSINESS
Associate Professor Pat Oles introduced the following Resolution (see attached):
BE IT RESOLVED, that the faculty of Skidmore College takes seriously the need to link the college's institutional values and its investment philosophy and strategy. We appreciate the issue is complex and controversial, but we want to work with the President and the Board of Trustees to develop an investment policy that reflects the moral, fiscal, and political challenges of informed, responsible institutional citizenship. We urge the President to form a working group charged with developing a revised investment policy no later than December 31, 2017 for the consideration by the Board of Trustees, the faculty, and the Skidmore community.
The Resolution was seconded. There were no informational questions; the Resolution will lie over until the next Faculty Meeting.
ANNOUNCEMENTS- On behalf of the AVD/IdeaLab Steering Committee, Associate Professor Sarah Sweeney announced that a second call for course proposals for new and innovative course models to begin in Spring 2018 will be forthcoming. An email with further details will be forthcoming.
- On behalf of the First Year Experience, Professor Janet Casey announced that this year’s summer reading for the Class of 2021 will be “The Book That Changed America: How Darwin's Theory of Evolution Ignited a Nation” by Randall Fuller. Professor Casey also announced a new program, Recycled Reading, where students can donate their books at the end of the semester for distribution to various community organizations.
- Paul Calhoun, Dean of Special Programs, announced this summer’s Stewart’s Signature Events and noted that the entire summer calendar will be ready for distribution at the next faculty meeting.
- Assistant Professor Christopher Mann thanked Mary Hoehn, Assistant Director of Sponsored Research, for all her work with the Institutional Review Board.
- DOF/VPAA Breslin announced volunteers are needed for this year’s Give and Go, a sustainability initiative which donates items left by students to local and regional non-profits, to be held on May 13, 2017 and May 21, 2017.
- DOF/VPAA Breslin invited everyone to the special retirement reception in the Tang immediately following the meeting.
Respectfully submitted,
Debra L. Peterson
Executive Administrative Assistant