Faculty Meeting Minutes

 

President Philip A. Glotzbach called the meeting to order at 3:37 p.m.

APPROVAL OF MINUTES

President Glotzbach asked if there were any corrections to, or comments regarding, the minutes of the Faculty Meeting held November 3, 2017.  Hearing none, he announced the minutes were approved.

PRESIDENT'S REPORT

President Glotzbach thanked everyone for a good semester.  Our community has faced some challenges, but we have had many good things happen as well.  Many people have worked hard to make it so.

President Glotzbach referenced the tax reform legislation that is currently making its way through the Senate and House of Representatives.  As has been commented before, the various pieces of legislation under consideration contain some very troubling provisions for higher education – as does the Higher Education Reauthorization Act, which also is under consideration these days.  President Glotzbach stated that his office continues to follow this legislation.  He has communicated with our own federal representatives, and is also in communication with our Trustees, to encourage them to make their voices heard with legislators from their states and districts.  

Thereupon, President Glotzbach introduced Flip Phillips, Chair of the Faculty Development Committee.  Professor Phillips reminded everyone that applications for the Faculty Student Summer Research Program are due on December 15, 2017.  He then announced that Professor Sarah Goodwin was the winner of this year’s Phyllis A. Roth Faculty Distinguished Service Award.  A round of applause was given to Professor Goodwin.

President Glotzbach thereupon announced that Skidmore College will become a smoke-free campus on January 1, 2019.  He reminded everyone that Skidmore has been having conversations about going smoke free since 2012.  During the 2012-2014 academic years, the IPPC subcommittee on Student Affairs recommended that the campus prepare to go smoke-free by the fall of 2017.  However, changes in administration slowed progress but the college is now ready to make this move.   This policy has been endorsed by the IPPC, and this change is in line with Goal Three in the Strategic Plan which states: “to strengthen the inclusiveness, health, and wellbeing of our community we will create new opportunities for developing skills that will make Skidmore a more healthful inclusive and creative community.  President Glotzbach stated that Dean Cerri Banks will lead the implementation of the policy.  He then introduced Dean Banks who shared a PowerPoint Presentation that detailed the policy.  

Dean Banks stated that the new smoking policy was developed following an extensive, year-long review of the current smoking policy by the IPPC subcommittee on student affairs, in collaboration with the Safety in the Workplace Committee.  The recommendation was based on views from the campus community garnered at community meetings and through two surveys with about 1600 participants.  Since the policy will take one year to implement, an implementation working group has been formed consisting of Dean Banks; Laura Goodwin, Assistant Director for Benefits Administration, Compliance and Wellness; Wendy LeBlanc, Managing Director of Operations and Conferences; Diane O’Connor, Director of Campus and Media Relations; Tayler Salvatore, President of the Student Government Association; and Wendy Walker, Prevention Coordinator.  In addition, Glens Falls Hospital has agreed to partner with Skidmore to implement the policy.  Dean Banks concluded by reading the new policy and its purpose and encouraged anyone with any questions or concerns to email her directly.

Thereafter, President Glotzbach introduced Eric Morser, Director of Civic Engagement.  Associate Professor Morser shared a Skidmore Cares video and reminded everyone that today was Skidmore Cares Friday.  Any donations can be dropped off a Scribner House during the Open House being held from 3:00-7:00 p.m.

Concluding his report, President Glotzbach hoped that the remainder of the semester goes well for everyone and acknowledged that this is the final faculty meeting for Beau Breslin in his role as Dean of the Faculty and Vice President for Academic Affairs.  There will be an opportunity to honor Dean Breslin and celebrate his service on December 11, 2017 in the Payne Room at the Tang.  While there will be more to say on that occasion about Dean Breslin’s specific accomplishments, President Glotzbach stated that in his time as Skidmore’s Chief Academic Officer, Beau Breslin has always placed the values of the College and the importance of our primary work of teaching and learning first and foremost.  As an academic leader he has worked patiently and creatively with the faculty, and with the heads of the various departments – such as the Library, the Tang, and others – that have reported to him.  He has led our efforts to diversify our faculty and to help Skidmore become the truly inclusive and welcoming institution we all want the College to be.  In the President’s Cabinet, his was always a voice for academic excellence and integrity.  In addition, Dean Breslin has represented the College effectively and with pride in any number of external settings, and with many external constituencies.  A standing ovation was given in Dean Breslin’s honor.  

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 the warm round of applause.  He then acknowledged his support for and hope that the College move forward to create a Center for Humanistic Inquiry.  He then reported that the CEPP subcommittee charged with developing the Black Studies program has met and will continue to meet to develop the curriculum for the minor. There are a lot of ideas floating around and he expects that progress will be made soon.    Dean Breslin then provided an update on this year’s searches, noting that about half the departments searching have selected their tenure line faculty.  While this work will continue into the spring semester, the faculty members who have been hired thus far are a diverse and exceptional group.

Thereafter, Dean Breslin acknowledged Sandy Welter’s retirement.  She has been an extraordinary member of the faculty and in her role in MALS.  A round of applause was given in honor of Sandy’s many contributions to Skidmore.

Thereupon, in continuing the tradition of re-introducing staff, Dean Breslin introduced Joel Aure, Title IX Coordinator, and Mariel Martin, Associate Dean of Student Affairs for Campus Life and Engagement and Title IX Deputy Coordinator.

Concluding his report, Dean Breslin gave a tearful and humble farewell in his role as Dean of the Faculty and Vice President for Academic Affairs.    He thanked the entire staff, the students, and the entire faculty as well as the department chairs and program directors, the members of President’s Cabinet, President Glotzbach, the VPAA senior staff and all those who report to the VPAA Senior Staff, the staff in Sustainability, the staff in his office, the associate deans he worked with, his friends and his wife.  A standing ovation was given to Dean Breslin.

CONFERRAL OF DEGREES AND HONORS

A. Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science Degrees. Dave DeConno, Registrar, read the following resolutions into the record (see attached):

RESOLVED, that the Faculty of Skidmore College recommend to the Trustees the granting of the Bachelor of Arts degree to 20 students of the Class of 2018 upon satisfactory completion of the degree requirements by January 31, 2018. 

RESOLVED, that the Faculty of Skidmore College recommend to the Trustees the granting of the Bachelor of Science degree to 7 students of the Class of 2018 upon satisfactory completion of the degree requirements by January 31, 2018.

There was no discussion, and the motions were voted on and passed with all in favor.

B. All-College and Departmental Honors.  Dave DeConno, Registrar, read the following resolutions into the record (see attached):

RESOLVED, that the Faculty of Skidmore College approve College Honors for the following 7 members of the Class of 2018, as presented at the December 1, 2017, Faculty Meeting: 2 students for cum laude distinction, 3 students for magna cum laude distinction, and 2 students for summa cum laude distinction.

RESOLVED, that the Faculty of Skidmore College approve Departmental and Program Honors for 9 students from the Class of 2018, as presented at the December 1, 2017 Faculty Meeting.

There was no discussion, and the motions were voted on and passed with all in favor.

OLD BUSINESS

Dean of the Faculty and Vice President for Academic Affairs, Committee on Appointments, Promotions, and tenure, and Faculty Executive Committee

Professor Pushi Prasad, as Chair of CAPT, led a discussion on the proposed Motion to reconfigure CAPT and the steps taken to date in an effort to make the CAPT workload more manageable.  Given all the feedback received since the CAPT motion (see attached) was introduced at the last Faculty Meeting, CAPT would like to conduct straw polls of various options to gauge faculty sentiment.  Based upon the results of the straw polls, CAPT will present a revised motion based upon the chosen components for the new CAPT model.  

Straw Poll #1:  

Question: Are you in favor of including an “en banc” procedure in a reconfigured CAPT?  

Discussion was held on the “en banc” model, with some members of CAPT indicating whether or not they supported the “en banc” process.  Further discussion was held concerning the increase in faculty needed to serve the two committees formed by the CAPT reconfiguration, as over the last several years there were many discussions about reducing the number of faculty serving on committees.

After the discussion concluded the first straw poll was voted on first by junior faculty only.  The junior faculty voted in favor of the “en banc” procedure.  Thereafter, the entire faculty voted on the first straw poll; the faculty voted in favor of the “en banc” procedure.

Straw Poll #2:

Question: Which would you prefer for “en banc” membership?

    A.  An 8-person “en banc” with a tie resulting in a positive tenure recommendation
    B.  An 8-person membership with a tie resulting in a negative tenure recommendation
    C.  A 7-person membership with the candidate being able to choose one member from outside their division to exclude.

Brief discussion was held concerning the candidate choosing a member from outside their discussion to exclude from the “en banc” membership and the rationale for choosing 8 members to serve on the “en banc”.    Following discussion, the faculty voted 48 percent in favor of Option A, 23 percent in favor of Option B and 13 percent in favor of Option C with 15 percent abstaining.

Given the lengthy discussion surrounding the two straw polls, a Motion to postpone the discussion was made and seconded.  The Motion will be adjourned to the next Faculty Meeting in February.

Amy Frappier, Associate Professor

Associate Professor Amy Frappier thanked all the faculty and staff who have been involved in the conversations concerning the hiring of faculty spouses and partners.  Since the Resolution was introduced at the last faculty meeting, she has heard overwhelming support for the spirt of this resolution but some concerns about the language.  In the interest of including as many people as possible in this conversation, she made a motion to postpone the discussion to the next faculty meeting.   Thereafter, a suggestion was made to share the Resolution with the IPPC for consideration.

NEW BUSINESS

There was no new business.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

• On behalf of the Committee on Educational Policies and Planning, Associate Professor Erica Bastress-Dukehart announced that the Department of Mathematics has changed its name and will now be known as the Department of Mathematics and Statistics.
• Associate Professor Michael Arnush and Professor Barbara Black announced that the theme of the Spring Humanities symposium will be Metamorphosis.  A call for papers will be sent out soon.
• On behalf of he and Marie, President Glotzbach invited everyone to the Skidmore Cares Open House at Scribner House immediately following the meeting.

The meeting was adjourned at 5:11 p.m.

 

Debra L. Peterson
Executive Administrative Assistant