Minutes of the 4/22/08 Meeting of the College of Arts & Sciences

 

No votes including proxies were taken.

 

Call to order: Prof. DeWitt called the meeting to order at 4:11 pm.

 

Approval of prior minutes: Prof. Bowen, seconded by Prof. Mulvey, moved to approve the minutes of 10/17/07. The motion passed without objection. Prof. McSweeney, seconded by Bowen, moved to approve the minutes of 3/26/08. The motion passed without objection.

 

Announcements

DeWitt called on A.V.P. Grossman who announced the creation of a new endowment to fund a Science Institute, paralleling the Humanities Institute. The Science Institute will address the first and second goals of the strategic plan by supporting work on curricular development and facilitating faculty/student research collaboration. The endowment will begin with $250,000, and Advancement will work to increase that base. Grossman credited Dean Poincelot with conceptualizing the project, finding the initial funds, and selling it to the rest of the administration. The announcement was followed by a round of applause for Poincelot and the new Institute.

 

Report on the 2007-2008 activities of the CAS Board of Advisors

Poincelot began with a brief overview of this year's activity. The Board met in September and January and was scheduled to meet again in June. The September meeting focused on the endowment— it can be used to free up money from the operating budget, by, for example, funding financial aid or endowed chairs. It can also be used to create new programs like the Science Institute. V.P. Frost made a presentation to the Board about the needs for endowment funds across the university, while Poincelot spoke about the Science Institute and Prof. Umansky talked about what it's like to hold an endowed chair. There was also a discussion of the themes for the year, namely the environment (with a presentation by Prof. Franceschi) and diversity (with a presentation by Prof. R. White).

 

The January meeting concerned global diversity. (Further discussion of the environment was put on hold because a search for a director of the Program on the Environment was underway.) A panel of faculty and students addressed global citizenship, study abroad, and bringing some of the relevant issues back to Bridgeport. They will be repeating this presentation for the Trustees Advisory Council. In June, White will speak further on the issue of global citizenry.

 

Poincelot then moved to an update of the four projects the Board is already funding. The Biology department has a "Transitions Project" to broaden students' perspectives beyond medical school and to set up a resource center for students. This Science Scholarship Center will be led by Profs. Sauer and Phelan, and staffed by faculty and peers. The Religious Studies department is looking at their core courses in order to increase consistency and possibly attract more majors, This project is being led by Profs. Benney and Davidson. The Visual and Performing Arts department is developing a visiting artist and/or scholar in residence program to serve as an excellent resource for students and faculty. Prof. LoMonaco is leading a team for 2009 -2010. Finally, the Bellarmine Museum will house the Kress collection, plaster casts from the Met, and a donation of digital photographs from the Acropolis. It will be a great resource, not just for artists, but also for example, for scientists studying the impact of pollution. It will also create good will in the community.

 

Poincelot described the upcoming year as a critical transition year for the Board; both the Dean and the Chair of the Board are changing. Prof. Schwab was also scheduled to cycle off, but has agreed to stay for another year in order to provide some continuity during the transition and to mentor the new faculty member, R. White. Poincelot suggested that in the future, the Board will focus on generic endowment within the College. He concluded by thanking No‘l Appel for coordinating all things related to the Board, and then invited Prof. Crabtree to comment on her vision for the future.

 

Crabtree said that she has been working to get up to speed on Board issues and to get to know the members of the Board. She intends to continue with helping the Board members understand the College. She noted that though she wasn't involved in selecting this year's themes, she was thrilled with them and the way they connect to Fairfield's institutional mission and to the grander mission of higher education today. In light of the timeliness of a focus on global diversity and the grass roots (students, faculty and staff) nature of environmental concerns at Fairfield, we are well positioned for these conversations. She thanked Schwab and White for sharing in the transition and pointed out that the faculty person is a full member of the Board, not a liaison. She said she hopes to see regular reports on Board activities at College meetings, and thanked Appel for her inspired and strategic vision.

 

Schwab then presented a faculty perspective on the Board, focusing on three points. First, the members of the Board are excited to meet students and faculty, learn about the institution, and then act as ambassadors for the University, and especially, for the College. Secondly, she emphasized collaboration. She has learned a great deal about fund-raising, and even joined with Appel, the Board Chair, and former Dean Snyder in presenting about the Board at a conference. Other schools in attendance were impressed with how far along our Board was, and with the presence of a faculty member on the Board. Finally, she commented on the theme of global citizenship. We currently have a series of excellent area studies programs that should be better publicized and will be pivotal to the success of preparing students for global citizenship. She concluded by announcing her delight at working with White on the transition.

 

The presentation moved on to Appel, who offered greetings from Frost who could not attend, but was very supportive of the work of the Board. Appel explained that the outgoing Chair, Jorge Figueredo, Class of 1982, was a champion of the College long before the Board began and was very helpful in setting up the Board. He leaves an amazing legacy, and will be replaced by Susan Alexander, Class of 1978, who has experience with other philanthropic boards, and has three siblings who also went to Fairfield. About a third of the Board members will cycle off this year. The major gifts team needs to get a better understanding of the College, and then they will make recommendations for new Board members. There are now Boards in all of the school except GSEAP (though only the College and Nursing include a faculty member), and a similar Board is being launched for the Center for Faith in Public Life. Appel also noted that the Bellarmine museum project was initially vetted through the Board, and they objected that the budget was way too low. The endowment goal is now 5 million, and talks with major donors are underway, as is an NEH proposal. The opening is planned for April of 2009. Appel closed by reiterating the importance of endowment fund-raising. That will be a big part of the next capital campaign, so it's good to start with the Board.

 

Thanks to interim Dean Poincelot

At this point, DeWitt digressed from the agenda, and asked the faculty to grab a glass for our second annual toast to the outgoing Dean. He noted that things have been fairly quiet this year, leaving little material for a toast. But there must have been brushfires and catastrophes, so the appearance of smooth sailing is to Poincelot's credit. He concluded by thanking Poincelot on behalf of the College and wishing him well on his upcoming sabbatical. The toast was met with a warm round of applause.

Recognition of faculty accomplishments

Poincelot said that he felt bittersweet; he had 2 months and 8 days left in his term (but who's counting), yet he would truly miss working with the faculty. He had a wonderful year, highlighted by 12 fantastic hires who would increase faculty diversity, the new Science Institute, and the tremendous scholarship of the faculty, a subset of which could be seen on a table in the back of the room. None of this could have been done without the help of the faculty, with whom it has been a privilege and honor to work. He wished everyone the best for the upcoming academic year. He then acknowledged the following books published by faculty in 2007-2008:

Kim Bridgford, In the Extreme: Sonnets about World Records

Edward Deak, The Economics of E-Commerce and the Internet

Elizabeth Dreyer, Holy Power Holy Presence: Rediscovering Medieval Metaphors for the Holy Spirit

Jesœs Escobar, La Plaza Mayor Y Los Or’genes Del Madrid Barroco

David Gudelunas, Confidential to America: Newspaper Advice Columns & Sexual Education

Terry-Ann Jones, Jamaican Immigrants in the United States and Canada

R. James Long (Editor), Richard Fishacre in Secundum Librum Sententiarum

R. James Long (Editor), Liber III et liber IV, ed., in Bartholomaeus Anglicus, De proprietatibus rerum

Eric Mielants, The Origns of Captialism and the Rise of the West

Emily Orlando, Edith Wharton and the Visual Arts

James Shanahan (Co-Editor), The Public, The Media & Agricultural Biotechnology

Michael Sweeney, In Memory of The Fast Break

 

Presentation of CAS Distinguished Teaching Award

Poincelot remarked that anytime the Dean can give out money is a good moment. He indicated that the competition for the award was tough this year, with a large number of outstanding candidates. He then read the following citation:

Distinguished teaching goes beyond the classroom into the lives of our students and invites them to step up to a higher level of knowledge and care. Professor Al Benney embodies the spirit and essence of Jesuit education. Long before pedagogical technology was fashionable, Al introduced technology into his teaching. He combined an awareness of the past with an appreciation of the future. This theme explored two seemingly disconnected, but complementary ideas: recording the living history of Religious Studies and using technology to bring it into life in the classroom. Al is one of the most well read scholars of pedagogy and the use of technology in the classroom on campus. He is very thoughtful and deliberate in how he uses technology to enhance student learning. Al also pays close attention to how these methods affect his students and refines them as need be. The College of Arts and Sciences is proud to honor Professor Al Benney with its Distinguished Teaching Award for 2008.

Prof. Benney collected his plaque and check to a standing ovation.

 

Adjournment to gala, budget-busting, farewell reception provided by Dean Poincelot

The meeting was adjourned at 5:03 with a motion from Poincelot.

                                                                       

Respectfully submitted,

                                                                        Susan Rakowitz