FACULTY MEETING

March 30, 2007
Gannett Auditorium

MINUTES

President Philip A. Glotzbach called the meeting to order at 3:40 pm. President Glotzbach asked if there were any amendments to the February 2, 2007 Faculty Meeting minutes. Hearing none, he announced that the minutes were approved.

PRESIDENT’S REPORT

The President’s report included the following:

• The Board of Trustees met last month. They gave preliminary budget approval to our major budget parameters: salary increases for next year of 4% GSA in addition to other monies available for continuing work with the compensation plan, tuition and fees, funding for scholarships, and the capital budget. The budget must be approved finally and officially by the Trustees in May. We only have preliminary data on the AAUP salary comparison figures for this year; a full report will be completed once this data is received.
• We are anticipating a very good admissions year, and information about this will be sent electronically soon. We are now in the admitted candidates season, and this is when we need to work together to bring that class in for next year. The admitted students for this year look quite spectacular and we have been very aggressive in projecting a higher yield – a higher percentage of those students accepting our offer. The goal is 610 students, and that means that we have to work very hard collectively to help encourage students whom we have invited to come here to accept our offer.
• We just announced a partnership among Skidmore, Carnegie Hall, and Julliard, and information is available on our website. We are the only liberal arts college involved in this new program. Professor Thomas Denny in the Music Department and Jeffrey Segrave, the Interim Dean of Special Programs, are taking the lead at Skidmore to move this partnership forward.

VICE PRESIDENT FOR ACADEMIC AFFAIRS REPORT

Vice President Susan Kress gave the following report:

• She asked Professor Kate Leavitt, on behalf of FDC, to announce next year’s Moseley lecturer: John Anzalone, Director of Master of Arts in Liberal Studies and Professor of Foreign Languages will give the 2008 Moseley lecture.
• She announced that the tenure and promotion candidates were approved by the Board of Trustees. (See attachment) She congratulated the candidates: Professor Pushkala Prasad, Department of Management and Business; Professor Daniel Curley, Department of Classics; Professor Karen Kellogg, Department of Biology; and Professor Robert Turner, Department of Government. She thanked the chairs and program directors who presented the tenure and promotion cases: Professor Mark Youndt for Pushi Prasad; Professor Leslie Mechem for Dan Curley; Professor Corey Freeman-Gallant and Professor Judy Halstead for Karen Kellogg; and Professor Beau Breslin for Bob Turner. She also thanked the CAPT led by Professor John Berman for their hard work.
• The list of those approved for sabbatical leaves has been distributed at the faculty meeting and will be attached to the minutes. (See Attachment)

Diversity:

• President Glotzbach stated that there had been a two hour meeting preceding the faculty meeting initiated by students. This meeting, precipitated by the departure of Hilal Isler, Director of Student Diversity Programs, bought together many members of the community to discuss issues of diversity. The President noted that this was an opportunity for us to come together as a community. Students are frustrated that we have not moved quickly enough on issues of diversity. He introduced two Student Government Representatives – Fred Braunstein, SGA Coordinator of Diversity Affairs, and Dan Moran, SGA President, to give a report on the meeting just held by the students. He recommended that everyone refer to the “Diversity Letter” distributed at the open forum and at this meeting. (See Attachment)
• Fred Braunstein hoped that conversation would not stop with the open forum. He indicated that Dean Pat Oles would be sending a response to the concerns addressed in the students’ letter to the community by Friday. Fred also noted that the faculty should consider including language to protect gender identity and expression in Part Six of the Faculty Handbook. He recommended that the whole community take part in training workshops on diversity. Finally, he asserted that we are still lacking adequate response procedures for bias incidents.
• Dan Moran encouraged everyone to read the letter from Fred Braunstein distributed today. There are six demands outlined in that letter that could improve the quality of life for multi-cultural students and other students of diversity on campus. On Tuesday, the SGA Senate passed two resolutions to demonstrate support for improving diversity on campus. SGA resolved to support the letter that was written by Fred and also voted to replace the position of Coordinator of Diversity Affairs with a new position to be added to the Executive Committee: VP for Diversity Affairs. Both these resolutions passed on Tuesday and the hope is that SGA can model for the College how diversity needs to be a heightened priority among all the initiatives that we take on.
• President Glotzbach opened the floor to conversation about the diversity issue. The following points were made:
  • Professor Joshua Woodfork, American Studies, said senior academic leadership was not doing enough to make diversity a priority. He applauded the students’ efforts and recommended that we establish a Cabinet-level position with responsibility for Diversity Affairs.
  • Professor Paty Rubio, Foreign Languages and Literatures, noted that the students were petitioning for more space for the Intercultural Center. She recommended that the ICC be housed in the Faculty/Staff Club.
  • Professor Curley said that space in Case Center should be considered for the ICC as this is centrally located on the campus.
  • A student pointed out that the current ICC has large windows, and the students feel as if they are “on display.” This needs to be taken into account in any future site for the ICC.
  • Professor Mary Stange, Religion and Women’s Studies, said she has not seen so much energy around diversity in the 17 years that she has been at the College. She said we must move this conversation forward and we have to commit to being honest and forthright and not “nice.”
  • Professor Michael Arnush, Classics, agreed that we can do more in the area of diversity issues.

President Glotzbach concluded this discussion at 4:05 pm by saying that diversity is indeed the business of the faculty, administration, and the students, and that conversations on this topic will continue with the expectation of additional action. He thanked everyone for their participation.

OLD BUSINESS

CEPP Motions:

1. Writing Proposal: Professor Matt Hockenos introduced the motion on the writing proposal. (See Attachment) He announced that CEPP had held a drop-in session. He also reported that CEPP had heard primarily from two groups. CEPP met with Pierre von Kaenel, Chair of Mathematics & Computer Science, who represented the concerns of computer scientists in his department; CEPP hoped these concerns were resolved. CEPP also met with Chair of Art/Art History, Kate Leavitt, as well as members of her department. CEPP recognized that it would be difficult for Studio Art to implement the second component of this proposal, but they believe the proposal is flexible enough to accommodate a variety of solutions. There were no other concerns or questions received from any other departments or majors. CEPP received several positive responses to the proposal.

Professor Hockenos explained the rationale for the editorial amendments to the proposal. A question was raised about why we need a Writing Director, and he indicated that this will be a resource person for maybe two to four years, not a permanent position. The Writing Director will probably be chosen from within the faculty, will have two course releases, and be charged with helping to get the writing requirement off the ground. The Writing Director will meet with every department, help promote a culture of writing on the campus, organize workshops, and assist faculty in their efforts to improve student writing. Individual faculty members from Art History, Studio Art, Physics, English, and various other departments spoke for and against the motion. Dean Muriel Poston reminded everyone that departments will determine the enhanced writing requirement for their majors. Jon Brestoff of SGA, student member of CEPP, commented that students want this writing proposal to pass.

A paper ballot was requested and administered by FEC. The votes were as follows: 60 yes, 59 no, and 2 abstentions. Therefore the motion passed.

2. Proposal to terminate affiliation with Cardozo Law School: Matt Hockenos introduced the motion to terminate our affiliation with Cardozo Law School. (See Attachment) The motion was passed unanimously.

FEC Motion:

Faculty Handbook, Part Six: Professor Curley moved to withdraw the Motion to adopt Part Six of the Faculty Handbook. CAFR and the IGTUF committee had reviewed Part Six and made comments. Further comments came from the students. VP Kress and Dean Poston have been working with members of HR to revise Part Six, but there are several sections still under discussion. Therefore FEC would like to withdraw the motion regarding Part Six of the Faculty Handbook. FEC thanked the Intercultural & Global Understanding Taskforce and CAFR for reviewing the document. FEC also thanked the administration and Human Resources for considering these remarks as well as those of FEC and for their commitment to getting consensus about the policies in Part Six.

VP Kress said there has been discussion with Professor Curley and FEC about including faculty members in the deliberations about Part Six. She believes that collaboration among faculty and administration is necessary for Handbook revisions. She indicated that the group would continue work this year but would not be likely to bring Part Six for a vote until the fall.

NEW BUSINESS

CEPP Motion:

Proportional Tenure Track Lines: Beau Breslin introduced the proposal. (See Attachment) He indicated that the motion will be held over to the next Faculty Meeting for a vote.

CAPT Motions:

• Proportional Tenure Track Lines: Professor Mary Lynn introduced the motion. (See Attachment) CAPT has worked with CEPP to propose tenure-track lines shared between two departments and between departments and programs. The underscored text in the motion will go into the Faculty Handbook. Professor Lynn asked for any questions to be forwarded to CAPT. This motion will be discussed at the next faculty meeting.
• Fractional Lines: Professor Lynn introduced the motion, which will be discussed at the next faculty meeting. (See Attachment)

Writing Proposal:

Michael Ennis-McMillan, Dean of Studies, made a motion about implementation of the recently passed writing proposal. After discussion, this motion was withdrawn.

FEC: CAFR’s proposal on Dismissal of Tenured Faculty – Faculty Handbook – Part One, Article X.

FEC convened a Faculty Caucus meeting last Friday so that CAFR could discuss and receive feedback on this proposal. The consensus at the end of this meeting was that the proposal should be discussed in a “Committee of the Whole” at this faculty meeting. Neither CAFR or FEC is making a formal motion for the faculty to vote on this proposal, but FEC sees this as an opportunity to have a broad discussion on the document. Professor Curley asked for 15 minutes of discussion; the President asked Professor Mark Huibregtse to chair the Committee of the Whole.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

• Michael West, VP of Finance and Administration, invited everyone to the community reception after the faculty meeting in Murray-Aikins Dining Hall, 2nd Floor Atrium.

The meeting was adjourned at 5:35pm. 

Respectfully submitted, 

 

Mary Ellen Kokoletsos
Executive Administrative Assistant
Office of the Vice President for Academic Affairs