Faculty Meeting Minutes
September 7, 2018
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 May 16, 2018. Hearing none, he announced the minutes were approved.
PRESIDENT'S REPORT
President Glotzbach welcomed everyone to the new academic year. He expressed his appreciation to everyone for all their work throughout the summer to prepare for the new academic year. He then invited Mary Lou Bates, Vice President and Dean of Admissions and Financial Aid, to provide an update on the Class of 2022. VP Bates reported that the Class of 2022 is here: totaling 680 students, with 34 in London and 646 on campus. The students come from 35 states and 26 different countries, selected from a record applicant pool of nearly 11,000. Other statistics of the class include the following:
- 56 percent attended public or charter schools; 44% attend private or parochial schools;
- 36 percent are men; 64 percent are women;
- 48 percent applied and were accepted early-decision;
- 25 percent self-identified as domestic students of color, which includes 9 percent African American students;
- 10 percent are international students from 29 different countries;
- 6 percent are dual citizens;
- 14 percent are first-generation college students;
- 17 percent are Pell-eligible;
- 23 percent speak a language at home other than English or in addition to English, which includes 39 different languages.
VP Bates reminded everyone that many of our peer and competitor institutions award students not receiving need-based aid “merit aid” or non-need-based aid. Skidmore has resisted this practice, other than for the Filene and Porter Wachenheim scholars, which awards constitute only about 1 percent of total aid. For a number of years, our enrollment model has been predicated on 42 percent of the class receiving grants and then meeting the rest of our class target with students not receiving aid. Up until this past year, we were able to do that. This year, after going to the waiting list and enrolling additional students with grants, 47 percent to the class is on grant assistance. As we look ahead, we need to be ready for this being the new normal in terms of the demand for financial aid.
VP Bates concluded her report by stating that this is a great class – they have done an amazing number of things – and wished everyone the best of luck this coming year.
Following VP Bates’ report, President Glotzbach welcomed Michael Orr, as the new Dean of the Faculty and Vice President for Academic Affairs, who has been in office since mid-July. He then acknowledged Kyle Bernard and Kelley Patton-Ostrander, who have accepted the temporary leadership roles as Interim co-Vice-Presidents of Finance & Administration. They will serve in that capacity until our new chief financial officer takes office on October 1. He thereafter announced that Sarah Delaney Vero will serve as Interim Director of Human Resources until the search for a new Director of Human Resources is completed.
President Glotzbach then invited Professor James Kennelly, as Vice-Chair of the search committee for the chief financial officer, to introduce Donna Ng, as the new chief financial officer. Professor Kennelly acknowledged the other members of the search committee—President Glotzbach, Trustee Charlie Buchanan, Sara Lagalwar, Crystal Moore, Kelley Patton-Ostrander, Doug Chang, and Henry Jaffee ’18—and the search consultants, Storbeck/Pimentel, and described the search process undertaken that led to the position being offered to and accepted by Donna Ng. Professor Kennelly highlighted Donna Ng’s educational and employment background and then shared a video introduction from Donna Ng. President Glotzbach thanked Professor Kennelly for serving as Vice-Chair of the search committee as well as all those who were involved in the process.
Thereafter, President Glotzbach introduced Associate Professor Karen Kellogg, who provided an update on the Campus Campaign. Associate Professor Kellogg reminded everyone that the current Skidmore campaign, Creating Our Future, launched its public phase in New York City last fall. To that end, she announced that the official kick-off of the Campus Campaign will be held on Thursday, October 18 at 4:00 p.m. in the Tang and will be a major celebration to which all Skidmore employees will be invited. Associate Professor Kellogg indicated that she is always amazed by the coordinated effort to launch the beginning of a new academic year – it takes every office across the College. However, the opportunities to celebrate together are rare, and the Campus Campaign is one of these moments that celebrates the whole of Skidmore College. In the campus campaign portion of our last campaign, 78 percent of faculty and staff made some sort of gift; that participation level is phenomenal. Our goal for participation from faculty, staff and retirees this time is 80 percent. Associate Professor Kellogg explained that participation is so important because it will have a great impact on the College's future that will benefit the entire community. It also makes a tremendous statement to foundations, alumni, parents, and friends that those who work here believe in the College’s mission. It is also helps Advancement as they solicit additional gifts and donations for the campaign. Associate Professor Kellogg concluded by expressing her hope that everyone is able to attend the Campus Campaign kick-off event on October 18.
President Glotzbach thanked Associate Professor Kellogg and everyone involved in the campus campaign leadership committee. He stated that the campus campaign is really about participation, and foundations pay attention to this. He then announced that we recently received notification that our latest grant application to the Mellon Foundation was successful, and we have been awarded a $912,000 grant to help with the implementation of the new general education curriculum. President Glotzbach thanked those in Academic Affairs and Barry Pritzker for their help in putting this grant together.
Thereupon, Joshua Woodfork, Executive Director and Vice President for Strategic Planning and Institutional Diversity, along with Crystal Moore, Associate Dean of the Faculty, read the Diversity and Inclusion Statement (https://www.skidmore.edu/diversity/about.php) and asked for the faculty’s affirmation of this statement. The faculty signaled their acclimation by applause.
President Glotzbach then announced that, in partnership with Student Affairs and Academic Affairs, the President’s Office will be sponsoring a number of events relating to the timely issue of speech on campus. The first speaker in this year’s Community Dialog Series will be Professor Sigal R. Ben-Porath, Professor of Education and Philosophy at the University of Pennsylvania. Her talk is entitled “Inclusive Freedom of Speech on Campus” and is scheduled for September 13 at 7:00 PM, to be followed by a book-signing. The week of November 5 will be devoted to this topic as well, with more information forthcoming at a later date. President Glotzbach encouraged everyone to participate and asked them to encourage their students to participate as well.
President Glotzbach provided an update on the construction of the Center for Integrated Sciences (CIS). Work on the CIS has been progressing well over the summer and is, in fact, slightly ahead of schedule and under budget. The major infrastructure work has been completed, as has most of the noisiest rock removal. Construction managers have tried to complete that work prior to the start of classes, but some of it will have to continue for a few more weeks. President Glotzbach expressed his appreciation for everyone’s patience with the noise and disruption of parking that this project entails.
Thereafter, President Glotzbach discussed the pressures on Skidmore’s budget. He stated that Skidmore remains very well positioned. Our mission is sound and more relevant today than ever before, and we remain solidly committed to achieving that mission with our students. Our reputation continues on its upward trajectory. We are strong financially. Our Campaign is going well. We have begun construction on CIS. And we have a terrific entering class.
However, to maintain and improve our position going forward, we will need to work together in realizing that we cannot approach this year expecting business as usual. This year, we all need to become smarter and better informed, understanding better the connections between issues facing the College and issues facing higher education in general. We need to be informed about our institutional realities, so we can see a connection between what we do on a daily basis and the issues facing the College. We are increasingly seeing even more prestigious and better resourced schools such as Earlham College and even Vassar struggle with significant deficits – even though both have larger endowments than we do. Most recently, Beloit College is dealing with a reported $7 million deficit and plans to reduce that amount by $5 million this year from their annual budget of just under $60 million. A proportionate budget reduction for Skidmore would be around $14 million – a target that could not possibly be achieved without significant reductions and a lot of pain! Schools across the country are finding that increases in tuition and fees are not keeping pace with increases in costs, particularly financial aid costs.
Our financial aid overage for this past spring was projected to be between $1.4 and $1.6 million. As Mary Lou Bates commented, as a result of summer melt and other factors that usually change the admissions picture over the summer, our actual budget overage for financial aid will be $1.2 million. This results in 47 percent of the incoming class receiving aid. The fact that a higher percentage of entering students will be aided is itself a positive: it moves us further toward the college that we will be in the future and that is envisioned in the Goal II of the Strategic Plan. But it is also a challenge because we have to find the funds to pay for this additional aid.
President Glotzbach stated that there is, however, some good news. First, the actual budget overage is $1.2 million, not $1.4 million or $1.6 million. Secondly, as we have moved from last spring’s projections of the amount of aid required by our returning students to the actual numbers we are looking at this fall, we see a reduction from those initial projections by an amount roughly equal to the $1.2 million overage. Additionally, financially FY ’18 was a very strong year; we have a substantial surplus, even accounting for $3.1 million that we transferred to support the CIS. Most of the surplus comes from excess revenue associated with over-enrollment (84 students), and some of those dollars will be needed to account for a possible increase in health insurance costs this year. The outcome is that we have projected a balanced budget for FY ’19 without having to undertake heroic efforts to reduce costs immediately.
Nevertheless, President Glotzbach stated that there are three more things we need to keep in mind going forward. The additional $1.2 million in financial aid for the class of 2022 is not just a one-year issue; it is a four-year issue. Secondly, we do not expect this year’s admissions experience to be any different; we believe we will need to aid a comparable percent of the next entering class. Finally, we need to find an additional $500,000 in our budget this year toward funding the debt service for CIS. The real bottom line is that we need to make significant changes in the way we budget to find additional funds to account for these needs. We will need to work together to address the challenges we face.
Next, President Glotzbach addressed the recent annual report that was submitted by the Committee on Appointments, Promotions, and Tenure (CAPT) which raised several procedural issues arising from a particular case under consideration last year. President Glotzbach stressed that, above all, those of us involved in personnel matters have the highest level of obligation to preserve the confidentiality of such proceedings. This requirement makes it exceedingly difficult to discuss such matters in public. On the other hand, it is certainly appropriate to consider questions of policy and process. Given that the opening meeting of the semester is a celebratory occasion, and not an appropriate time for these kind of conversations, with the agreement of the DOF/VPAA and the Chair of the Faculty Executive Committee, any such discussion on this subject will be deferred for a subsequent meeting.
In concluding his report, President Glotzbach stated that in times when we are not able to influence the large forces that affect our world, we can still do good in the sphere of action that we can control. So, in the midst of these turbulent times, he encouraged everyone to stay focused on the long-game we are playing: teaching students to be informed responsible citizens who, themselves, can help to bring about a more just and peaceful world. As we focus on this project, let us resolve to model the behavior we want to see reflected more broadly across the social world:
- When we see incivility in the broader world, let us resolve to conduct our affairs with respect for one another.
- When we see efforts to divide our nation and pit one group against another, let us ensure that our classrooms are spaces where every student feels included and fully able to participate in the hard work of interrogating sometimes “dangerous” ideas.
- When we see political partisanship preventing shared work and the search for compromise in our government, let us take extra care not to assume that everyone in the room – especially our students – shares our own political beliefs, no matter how strongly held.
- Where we see a disregard for facts and truth in our public discourse, let us recommit to the project of seeking data and employing sound and valid arguments with integrity in all our own interactions across the College.
- And where we see personal attacks and suspicion of motives, let us begin our encounters with one another with assumptions of competence and good will.
President Glotzbach then opened the floor for questions following his report. One faculty member, after acknowledging that President Glotzbach had indicated that this meeting was not the appropriate time to discuss the CAPT annual report, asked when the matter would be discussed and raised the possibility of holding a faculty-only meeting to discuss the report. Several faculty members conveyed their agreement about the need to discuss the matter. She also inquired as to whether AAUP has been or will be consulted regarding the details of the case, to which President Glotzbach responded that AAUP had not been consulted. In responding, President Glotzbach expressed his hope that a faculty-only meeting would not be deemed necessary and reiterated his willingness to discuss matters of process and policy raised in the CAPT report at the next faculty meeting.
DEAN OF THE FACULTY AND VICE PRESIDENT FOR ACADEMIC AFFAIRS' REPORT
Michael Orr, Dean of Faculty and Vice President for Academic Affairs, welcomed everyone
back to the start of the new academic year. He indicated that he was delighted to
be at Skidmore and looks forward to working with everyone. He thanked Associate Dean
of the Faculty Crystal Moore and the entire staff in DOF/VPAA office for helping to
help make the transition as smooth as possible. DOF/VPAA Orr stated that one of his
first goals has been to spend time over the summer getting to know the faculty and
staff and getting to know Skidmore and its culture. In that regard, he has so far
met with over 40 faculty members in their offices, held his first chair and program
directors meeting, and attended New Faculty Orientation. He realizes that has only
just begun to scratch the surface and certainly doesn't consider this task anywhere
near finished.
DOF/VPAA Orr stated that, during those initial meetings, he has already been struck
by the commitment to sustaining a culture of excellence in teaching across the faculty—there
seems to be a strong alignment of values between, on one hand, the centrality of teaching
and the work of the faculty, and at the same time, the value of research and creative
activity. Many have expressed appreciation for improvements in the quality and diversity
of the student body over the past few years along with tremendous pride in the College's
accomplishments and its reputation in the broader higher-education community. At
the same time, that is tempered by an awareness that Skidmore is certainly less well-resourced
than many of the institutions we like to compare ourselves with.
Getting to know the institution has certainly posed a few additional challenges.
Moving from one liberal arts college to another puts one in mind of the quotation
that is variously attributable to G.B. Shaw, Oscar Wilde or Churchill regarding Great
Britain and the United States – “two nations divided by a common language.” There
are numerous differences in basic terminology—it’s the First Year Experience not First
Year Studies; Facilities Services not Facilities Management; President's Cabinet not
President's Senior Staff; and Campus Safety not Public Safety. We have a Department
of Religious Studies, not Religion; a Department of World Languages and Literatures,
not Modern Languages and Literatures; a Department of International Affairs, not International
Relations; and a Department of Education Studies, not just Education. We have separate
departments of Art and Art History, Mathematics and Computer Science, Government and
Political Science, Anthropology and Sociology, Economics and Management and Business.
Of course, just to complicate things, two departments have changed their name already
since he was on campus last fall - Mathematics is now Mathematics and Statistics,
and Health and Exercise Science is now Health and Human Physiological Sciences.
Learning to “surf the alphabet soup” of Skidmore-specific acronyms is more challenging.
DOF/VPAA Orr now knows the difference between FEC and CEPP; the CC, the AC, the FDC,
and the HFC; he also knows about FAB, TAC, the TRB, and the GP. He knows about CAFR
and CAPT and that CAPT has been replaced by the ATC and the PC. He knows the importance
of distinguishing between the IPPC and the IRB, the IBC, the AC, UC, the FDC, and
the ISRMT. Of course, under the umbrella of the IPPC, there are the various official
and unofficial subcommittees including CIGU, CSS, the BRG, the SIE, the SRC, and the
SPWG. He stated that it has been wonderful to learn about the opportunities provided
to our students by ACE courses, S3M, SEE-Beyond, and the OP/HEOP. Certainly learning
about the summer programs, he is aware of the crucial role played by the ODSP but
that office is quite distinct from the OSDP as well as the OCSE with its partnership
with IES, DIS, IFSA, SIT, and CIEE. In the context of learning about the CIS, he
has been learning all about SAIL, SMIC, and the new suite of spaces intended for EEB/ESS.
But, he confesses that one of the toughest parts has been making sense of the faculty
personnel policies. He now understands that ATEs should be submitted to the ADEWD
with the concurrence of the ADOF and that, as everyone knows for faculty searches,
PQs are not required. When it comes time for faculty reviews, he appreciates the
role of the C/PD/PPCC is clearly explained in the Chairs and Program Directors Handbook,
always remembering that the PD for an ID is not required to be the chair of the PPC.
On the enrollment front, Mary Lou Bates and the EMG have helped him appreciate the
crucial importance of FAYs FANs, AQRs and academic DQs for achieving the colleges
goals for NTR. But finally and perhaps most importantly, he knows that the faculty
wants him to do everything in his power to expand the availability of PDFs, increase
the budget of the FDC, and above all, ensure the continuation of the GSA.
Following a round of applause, DOF/VPAA Orr summarized briefly his underlying principles
and how he plans to go forward. While some have asked what his vision is for what
he wants to accomplish, he stated that his philosophy of academic leadership is that
it is based on the idea of finding a collective vision. His goal, therefore, is to
find the faculty's collective vision, and he plans to continue to listen, observe,
and get to know the faculty and Skidmore. He stated that he is deeply committed to
consultation and collaborative decision-making based on transparency and the sharing
of information. He has several key operating principles—he is committed to being honest
and keeping his word. Insofar as possible, he plans to honor prior commitments. Going
forward, however, he stated that he cannot promise that everyone will always agree
with his decisions but that he will always be willing to explain those decisions,
and, recognizing limits on his availability, will always be willing to meet with individuals.
He stated that at the end of the day, he will always make decisions based upon his
understanding of what is in the best interest of the college as a whole. He stated
that he still has a lot to learn about the faculty and the college; but, rather than
being daunted by that challenge, he is invigorated by it because he wants to partner
with the faculty in order to help fulfil the institutional mission. He shares a passion
for teaching, a love of working with students, and a belief in the transformative
power of education. He stated that a few years ago there was an article in the Chronicle
of Higher Education about becoming a dean that contained a comment that sums up his
feelings—“if you don't value faculty members and treasure time spent with them, don't
become a dean, because that is the first prerequisite of the office”—valuing faculty
members and treasuring time spent with them and that pretty much sums up why he wants
to be dean. He is excited to be here and feels that he have been given an extraordinary
privilege to serve as dean.
As we look to the year ahead, DOF/VPAA Orr stated that there are a number of key issues
already on the agenda: fulfilment of the Strategic Plan and developing a Strategic Action agenda for the next two years; implementation of
the general education curriculum, along with great news from the Mellon Foundation
to help us with that work starting this year; completing the first phase of the CIS
and then moving forward with the subsequent phases of the project; and continuing
work regarding diversity, inclusion and campus climate. To that end, he indicated
he is pleased with the progress already made with the search for the Director of the
Black Studies program. He is co-chairing that search committee along with Professor
Kristie Ford and they are hoping to complete the search by the end of this semester,
if possible. With respect to Special Programs, many know that Paul Calhoun retired
a few weeks ago. DOF/VPAA Orr will continue to evaluate Special Programs before deciding
on a plan for leadership in that area. In the meantime, Auden Thomas has been appointed
as Interim Executive Director of Special Programs.
Thereafter, DOF/VPAA Orr announced the promotions that were approved by the Board
of Trustees at their meeting in May, 2018:
- Julie Douglas, promoted to Professor, Department of Mathematics and Statistics
- Tillman Nechtman, promoted to Professor, Department of History
- Jan Vinci, promoted to Distinguished Artist-in-Residence, Department of Music
- Bradley Onishi, promoted to Associate Professor, Department of Religious Studies
- Diana Barnes, promoted to Senior Teaching Professor, Department of World Languages and Literatures
- William Kennerly, promoted to Senior Teaching Professor, Department of Chemistry
- Beatriz Loyola, promoted to Senior Teaching Professor, Department of World Languages and Literatures
- Rachel Mann-Rosan, promoted to Senior Teaching Professor, Department of Psychology
- Masami Tamagawa, promoted to Senior Teaching Professor, Department of World Languages and Literatures
- Charlene Grant, promoted to Senior Lecturer, Department of World Languages and Literatures
A congratulatory round of applause was given to each faculty member.
In concluding his report, DOF/VPAA Orr announced that Mary Hoehn has been appointed
Director of Sponsored Research, succeeding Bill Tomlinson who retires at the end of
September.
Special Programs Report
Auden Thomas, Interim Executive Director of Special Programs, reported on this year’s
summer programs. Summer 2018 saw 1,800 students enrolled in credit and non-credit
programs, 4,500 campus guests, 400 summer employees, 10,000 audience members at 60
public events, and more than 1,700 admissions visitors who toured campus during the
summer months.
While Special Programs is synonymous with “summer” at Skidmore, Interim Executive
Director Thomas indicated that Special Programs is actually quite active all year
long and integrate with faculty in many ways. A few examples include the following:
- On July 1, Skidmore College’s Project on Restorative Justice, directed by Professor David Karp from Sociology and housed administratively in Special Programs, was launched. This entrepreneurial venture is an organic outgrowth of Professor Karp’s scholarship and conducts fee-for-service training and consultation for clients in educational settings, communities, and the criminal justice system. Jasmyn Story ’15 is the new Assistant Director, and former staffer Alyssa Meyers returns as project coordinator.
- In response to faculty request, the Girls in Science Program was launched informally in 2015. This summer, in collaboration with science faculty from 8 disciplines, the Pre-College Girls in Science track expanded to offer formalized enrichment programming for female high school students enrolled in science courses – including lunchtime discussions with science faculty, and tours of the science lab facilities. A highlight was a lecture by artist, ocean advocate, and Skidmore alumna Courtney Mattison ‘08, co-sponsored by the Summer Studio Art Program. In ongoing conversations with faculty during the coming year, we will continue to develop the Girls in Science initiative.
- This fall, we debut the newly-revamped Greenberg Middle East Scholar-in-Residence Program. With input from faculty in Political Science, History, Anthropology, and Religious Studies, the Greenberg residency enters its 15th year this fall with some new features, including enhanced curricular integration; a Skidmore faculty liaison charged with fostering deeper connections between the guest Israeli scholar and the campus community; and an exciting seminar-style “supper-club” course offered over a catered dinner in the evenings to facilitate guest attendance by other Skidmore faculty. All of this is made possible with support from donor Jane Greenberg ’81.
In concluding her report, Interim Executive Director Thomas reminded everyone that Special Programs offers one-stop, year-round conference services. Among the departments hosting upcoming conferences at Skidmore are Classics, Chemistry, Environmental Studies, and Sociology – as well as the Sustainability Office and the Counseling Center. Along with the whole Special Programs team, she indicated that she looks forward to working with everyone in the coming year.
OLD BUSINESS
There was no old business.
NEW BUSINESS
OTHER
DOF/VPAA Orr introduced the new faculty members for this academic year (see attached for complete list). A welcoming round of applause was given for the new faculty.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
- Kristie Ford, Professor of Sociology and Director of the Center for Leadership, Teaching, and Learning, reminded everyone that, in collaboration with Siena College, the CRLT Players from the University of Michigan will once again be offering an Interactive Theater Performance: Responding to Microaggressions, on October 12 at Siena College. She encouraged anyone interested to RSVP as soon as possible.
- Associate Professor Sarah Sweeney and Professor Kim Frederick announced that Skidmore has received a 3-year grant from the Arthur Vining Davis Foundation to support the Hub/Idea Lab in fostering creative pedagogy and developing making on campus. The Steering Committee is looking for three new faculty members to join the committee; this service is not part of the governance service and but will be supported with modest honorariums each semester. A follow-up email with details will be sent shortly.
- Ian Berry, Dayton Director of the Tang Teaching Museum and Art Gallery, together with Marta Brunner, College Librarian, introduced Neal Matherne, the Mellon Museum-Library Collection Ethnographer. Mr. Berry then introduced Sunny Ra, Museum Educator for K-12 and Community Programs.
- Ian Berry, Dayton Director of the Tang Teaching Museum and Art Gallery, together with Rachel Seligman, Assistant Director for Curatorial Affairs and Malloy Curator, announced that Associate Professor Rachel Roe-Dale will be serving as the Faculty Coordinator for this year’s Mellon Seminar. The destination for this year’s Mellon Seminar will be Santa Fe, New Mexico, from January 3 through January 7. An email will be sent shortly with further details.
- Associate Professor Beck Krefting introduced Mohammad Bassou, studying with her this year as Research Associate under a Fulbright research grant, while he completes his dissertation.
- Professor Pushi Prasad announced the fall’s Skidmore Research Colloquium scheduled for September 27, 2018. This fall’s speaker will be Associate Professor Ben Bogin, who will present “Journeys to the Copper-Colored Mountain: Reflections on a Tibetan Buddhist Paradise.” Professor Prasad will send an email shortly with detailed information.
- On behalf of Marie Glotzbach and himself, President Glotzbach invited everyone to
the President’s Reception being held at Scribner House immediately following the faculty
meeting.
Academic Affairs Coordinator