Faculty Meeting Minutes
April 1, 2022
Michael Orr, Dean of the Faculty and Vice President for Academic Affairs, called the meeting to order at 3:31 p.m. He welcomed everyone to the third faculty meeting of the semester and then shared the sad news that Pat Choukier, Coordinator of Credit Bearing Internships and Project Funds, had passed away the previous night. A moment of silence was observed in her memory.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES
DOF/VPAA Orr asked if there were any corrections to, or comments regarding, the minutes of the Faculty Meeting held March 4, 2022. Hearing none, he announced the minutes were approved.
OLD BUSINESS
There was no old business.
NEW BUSINESS
On behalf of the Promotions Committee (PC), Professor Mark Huibregtse introduced the following Motion (see attached):
MOTION: The Promotions Committee moves that the list of required components of a promotion file in the Faculty Handbook (Part One, Article VIII, F, 2, a, vii, (2)) be amended as follows (deleted text is struckout; new text is in boldface):
Promotion files shall include the following:
- an updated CV…
- all scholarly, creative, or professional materials produced since the last promotionsubmission of the file supporting the last successful promotion candidacy; the candidates may add some earlier materials for purposes of context or to show continued growth. The candidates may wish to seek letters from Skidmore colleagues outside their department/program qualified to speak to their professional accomplishment. The candidate shall also include a Research/Artistic Statement, which articulates the significance, scope, and future directions of scholarly/creative work.
- the ten most recent semesters of teaching evaluations…
Professor Huibregtse explained the rationale for bringing the Motion. The floor was then opened for informational questions. While there were no informational questions raised, support for the motion was voiced. The motion will lie over until the next faculty meeting.
PRESIDENT’S REPORT
President Marc Conner welcomed everyone and reflected on how far we have come in the past month, particularly with regard to COVID. Since the last Faculty Meeting in March, our COVID practices have shifted to being mask-optional. While COVID cases are declining, with Skidmore experiencing a 0.2 percent positivity rate in the most recent round of PCR surveillance testing, the CDC has changed its emphasis from focusing on the number of cases to the severity of the illness. While Skidmore is still monitoring the statistics and proceeding cautiously as we move into the next stage of the COVID pandemic, President Conner indicated that he has heard from many faculty members and students about how wonderful the classroom experience has been in the last few weeks. At the same time, he indicated that he hears different levels of concern and reminded everyone that we need to continue to be understanding and patient as we work through the constantly-evolving situation. President Conner stated that the College will continue to monitor the situation and that he feels confident that we are prepared to respond and pivot as necessary. He thanked everyone for their continued flexibility as we move through the pandemic and indicated that he looks forward, with hope, to the last few weeks of the Spring semester.
Thereupon, President Conner reflected on the fast approaching end of the Spring semester and shared a passage from John Steinbeck’s novel, The Grapes of Wrath: “there ain’t no woman’s work, there ain’t no man’s work, there’s just work, and too much of it, and not enough hands to do it.” President Conner stated that oftentimes the end of the Spring semester feels this way for many, with a surge of activity. He noted that the College has reduced its workforce by about 5 percent in these last two years and, despite making some great hires, we still have many positions that we are trying to fill. Thus, there are many areas that are feeling shorthanded, and this impacts everything we are doing. President Conner likened the spring semester to a roller coaster, going up and coming down nonstop, with Commencement being the culminating event at the bottom. He encouraged everyone to hang in as we move through the Spring semester. He commented that summer will be a wonderful time for restoration, and we will come back in the fall in full strength, adapting to whatever will pass for normal at that time. President Conner then described some of the events he has attended recently, including the Humanistic Inquiry Symposium, and mentioned how much he has enjoyed getting to know and work with the faculty at such events.
President Conner then turned to Joshua Woodfork, Vice President for Strategic Planning and Institutional Diversity. VP Woodfork reminded everyone that Skidmore recently joined the Liberal Arts College Racial Equity Leadership Alliance as a founding member. As part of this membership, Skidmore will be conducting three surveys on campus climate—one for students (which was conducted last year), one for staff (which is being conducted this year), and one for faculty (to be conducted next year). The staff survey runs from March 22 through April 21, and we are hoping for a 75 percent participation rate. This survey measures different areas related to the staff experience, such as workplace mattering, racial learning and literacy, encounters with racial stress, workplace equity, appraisals of institutional commitment, and impact of external environments. For those that would like to learn more about the staff survey, VP Woodfork shared the following link: https://www.skidmore.edu/naccc/staff-survey.php
VP Woodfork then stated that the Racial Justice Initiative website is in the process of being updated. We will be looking at themes, what we are trying to accomplish, and our long-term goals. The updated website will be revealed in the next several weeks and then we will think about what we want to accomplish next year, keeping in mind that this work is always ongoing. Thereafter, VP Woodfork announced that the film, Picture a Scientist, which features Professor Corinne Moss-Racusin in the Department of Psychology, will be screened on campus as part of this year’s In It 6. He shared a trailer of the film (https://www.pictureascientist.com/media), and noted that there will be an asynchronous screening as well as an in-person screening followed by a Q&A session and discussion. VP Woodfork then highlighted additional events that have been added to the In It 6 schedule since the initial email was shared, including a film screening of James Baldwin’s I am Not your Negro; a virtual presentation by Nala Simone Toussaint on trans-liberation; a session for department chairs and program directors on navigating equity issues and conflicts; a Tuvan Throat-Singing Workshop with Alash Ensemble; and an athletics event highlighting diversity, equity and inclusion. Full details of the In It 6 schedule can be found at https://www.skidmore.edu/diversity/init6/index.php. VP Woodfork then thanked all those who assisted in the planning for In It 6 and stated that the dates for In It 7 in October will be announced shortly.
Thereupon, President Conner invited Pat Fehling, Associate Dean of the Faculty and co-chair of the Campus Master Planning Task Force, to provide an update on the Campus Master Plan. Dean Fehling announced that two open forums will be held on April 11 and April 13 to provide updates on the survey that many members of our community completed. More information about the open forums will be sent out shortly and posted in the Skidmore Weekly Bulletin; for those that are unable to attend either of the forums, the events will be recorded and posted to the Campus Master Planning website. Dean Fehling reminded everyone that the final plan will be shared with the community in May and thanked all those who have participated in this process to date. President Conner thanked Dean Fehling and commented that the campus master plan shows a consistent focus on the student experience as well as environmental and fiscal sustainability. He then thanked everyone who has worked to put this plan together, including Professor Erika Wojcik and Professor Mark Youndt, faculty representatives on the task force.
President Conner then announced plans for this year’s Commencement, which we are anticipating will be fully in person with parents, families, and friends in attendance. He reminded everyone that the honorary degree recipients and speakers include director, playwright, and activist-in-art, Moisés Kaufman, and novelist, literary scholar, and philosopher, Charles Johnson. In addition Professor Lisa Grady-Willis will be this year’s Faculty Commencement Speaker. More details regarding Commencement will be shared shortly.
President Conner then announced that another session on the State of the College Finances will be held in May. This session will include information on the compensation study, an update on the current fiscal year, information regarding next year’s budget, and this year’s GSA recommendation. More information will be forthcoming.
Thereupon, President Conner shared a concept he has been thinking about entitled “Values and Visions.” He explained that he is thinking about devoting part of next year to conversations about what it is that makes Skidmore special: What is signature for Skidmore College? What is essential to Skidmore College? What are the things Skidmore is particularly known for with some sense of pride and accomplishment? What are the things that if we change them Skidmore College would no longer be Skidmore College? President Conner suggested that engaging in these conversations should be a very positive and affirming thought process for all, but will also be part of his education as a new president. The timing of this initiative is intentional, as we emerge from an extremely trying two years and begin thinking about our next strategic planning efforts. While our current strategic plan is serving us well, the next stage is approaching. Accomplishing campus master planning this year will help inform the next strategic plan. Conversations next year about our visions and values will form an essential step in preparing for the next strategic planning process. President Conner stated that he does not see the “Values and Visions” discussions as comparable in scope to the campus master planning process, requiring the engagement of an outside firm and so forth; rather, he sees the initiative as an opportunity to talk to each other about these issues, and to engage with alumni, the Board of Trustees, and the Saratoga Springs community. He foresees lots of different events with a variety of ways for people to enter into the discussion. President Conner stated that he is still working on the right structure and is eager to receive advice and input from the campus community. He concluded by noting that the initiative will overlap with Skidmore’s Centennial next year, when we will celebrate becoming a 4-year accredited liberal arts college.
Next, Carey Anne Zucca, Collyer Vice President for Advancement, shared some initial planning for Skidmore’s Centennial. She indicated that a small working group has been formed consisting of communications, marketing, and advancement professionals, along with Interim Vice President for Communications Pete Mackey. It is anticipated that the Centennial will kick off around Commencement and run through FY 23. The working group plans to invite community members, including students, faculty, staff, and alumni, to help support the celebrations. The Centennial planning will likely include a tiered rollout in conjunction with the academic calendar. VP Zucca indicated that a feedback form is in the process of being created and encouraged anyone with any ideas or suggestions to reach out to her.
President Conner concluded his remarks by noting that the Admissions Office is now waiting to hear from students on their offers and will be hosting three in-person accepted candidates days in mid-April. President Conner stated that he is looking forward to speaking with prospective students and expressed his gratitude for the outreach that the faculty have done to assist in the recruitment efforts. He then expressed his condolences on the passing of Pat Choukier; and mentioned that, although he had not met her in person, he had received a welcome note from her in which she conveyed her dedication to our students.
Thereupon, the floor was opened for questions. One faculty member shared that, at a faculty meeting some years ago, she had spoken about job ads at Skidmore and had asked President Glotzbach to call for an end to faculty ads that in any way discouraged professors on the autism spectrum from applying to Skidmore by calling for candidates with strong interpersonal and communication skills. The faculty member suggested that for anyone on the spectrum lacking interpersonal skills, the department and college would stand out in not a good way. The faculty member reported that no one subsequently reached out to her to tell her that she was wrong and that candidates on the spectrum would not be discouraged from applying to Skidmore. The faculty member then suggested that no one had contacted the relevant department because job ads requesting strong interpersonal and communication skills had returned. The faculty member then cited fifteen institutions, including Colgate, Oberlin, and Carleton, and pointed out that, in contrast to Skidmore and one other outlier, South Dakota State, someone on the spectrum looking for a job in music theory would not be discouraged from applying to these institutions. She reminded everyone that collegiality is not a criterion for tenure at Skidmore and suggested that it shouldn’t be one for hiring. She also noted that people on the spectrum have a strong sense of justice and are not good at “going with the flow” in the face of problems and inequities. After referencing the upcoming In It 6 program and acknowledging autism awareness and appreciation month, along with Skidmore’s stated commitment to diversity, the faculty member called on President Conner to ensure that Skidmore’s job ads are brought into line with our peer and aspirant institutions. After thanking the faculty member for the carefully prepared statement, President Conner stated that the statement clearly involves complex issues and histories, and that the proper place to address these issues is through Human Resources, the Dean of the Faculty’s office, and with departments that are doing hiring. He concluded by affirming the sentiment expressed by the faculty member and suggested that the underlying principle seemed consonant with Skidmore’s commitment to diversity.
DEAN OF THE FACULTY AND VICE PRESIDENT FOR ACADEMIC AFFAIRS’ REPORT
DOF/VPAA Orr began his report by reflecting on the last two years and the fact that, at almost every faculty meeting over the last two years, he had begun his remarks by providing updates on COVID policies. Although COVID has not disappeared and certainly continues to be an important health issue, he expressed relief that we are in a position today in which COVID updates do not need to form the main focus of his remarks. Nevertheless, DOF/VPAA Orr stated that it is important that the community continue to be mark-supportive and mask-friendly and he thanked everyone for supporting this policy in their classes. He encouraged anyone with any issues arising in their classroom with respect to the mask policy or any other aspect of COVID, to reach out to the Dean of Faculty’s office for assistance or advice.
DOF/VPAA Orr then provided an update on discussions he and Associate Dean of the Faculty Janet Casey have been having with CAFR this year concerning the review and reappointment process for teaching professors and lecturers. After discussion at a Chairs and Program Directors Meeting and following input received from a number of non-tenure-track faculty, he, Dean Casey, and CAFR reviewed the original legislation passed by the faculty in 2015 that resulted in the creation of the teaching professor position, along with the relevant sections of the current Faculty Handbook. In addition, CAFR reached out to previous Dean of the Faculty personnel to ascertain the original intent of the 2015 legislation and how it had been subsequently implemented by the Dean of the Faculty’s office. Following those conversations, it was established that the original intent of the 2015 legislation was to create the rank of teaching professor for faculty who have been serving as a visiting assistant professor for at least three years, to provide a path to promotion for teaching professors and lecturers who may be on successive, fixed-term contracts, and to regularize the process and timeline guiding their potential reappointment. However, no distinction in how the legislation applied to faculty on terminal contracts versus renewable contracts was ever intended. After the legislation was approved and the new language was added to the Faculty Handbook, the language concerning renewal of contracts was interpreted by the Dean of the Faculty’s office as only applying to teaching professors and lecturers appointed to renewable contracts, which was not the intent of the original legislation. In addition, the originally-intended review process for teaching professors and lecturers, which was supposed to have occurred in the penultimate year of the contract (regardless of the type of contract), was never really implemented, although it appears that some departments and programs may have modified their internal review procedures in response to that legislation. In consultation with CAFR, he and Dean Casey are working to develop a review process and timeline that honors the original intent of that legislation. In doing so, however, they have identified some inconsistencies in the Faculty Handbook concerning non-tenure-track appointments, particularly those concerning teaching professors, and believe that the Faculty Handbook will require some revision. His office is working on proposed revisions to the Faculty Handbook to clarify and ensure that the intent of that legislation can be implemented, and assured everyone that his office will certainly consult widely before bringing any handbook revisions to vote on the Faculty floor.
DOF/VPAA Orr then reported that the College is administering the National Survey on Student Engagement (NSSE) to first year and senior students this semester. The NSSE survey, which opened in March and closes at the end of April, will assist us in understanding and improving the educational experience of our students. Students can access the survey directly from theSpring or by responding to one of the emails that the office of Institutional Research sent out. After noting that the College last participated in this survey in 2016, DOF/VPAA expressed the hope that we would achieve a robust response rate this year and asked faculty to find time to encourage first year or senior students to complete the survey.
Thereafter, DOF/VPAA Orr reminded everyone that we are still planning to hold the April 29 Faculty Meeting in a hybrid format, with an in-person option. He reminded everyone that the second faculty meeting in April is traditionally the meeting at which we recognize our retiring faculty members and celebrate them at a reception afterwards. He then expressed his hope that many faculty members will feel comfortable attending the next Faculty Meeting in person and will attend the reception honoring our retirees in the Tang.
Concluding his report, he reported that Professor Beck Krefting from the Department of American Studies has been appointed as the new director for the Center for Leadership, Teaching, and Learning and invited attendees to join him in congratulating Professor Krefting on her appointment.
Thereupon, the floor was opened for questions. Brief discussion was held concerning a potential delay in the opening of the second phase of the CIS resulting from supply chain issues with the delivery of doors and window louvers and how this delay might impact plans for moving into the CIS for faculty and staff. VP for Finance and Administration Donna Ng reported that shipping verification was expected next week and that more information would be available shortly. Associate Dean of the Faculty Pat Fehling explained that she has been in touch with each department chair to develop a moving plan that takes into account the needs of each department and its faculty.
There being no further business, DOF/VPAA Orr adjourned the meeting at 4:39 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,