Dean's Council Meeting

College of Arts and Sciences

October 12, 2005

Present: C. Bucki, M. Coleman, R. Crabtree, R. DeWitt, J. Escobar, J. Garvey,

M. Gogol, J. Goldfield, D. Greenberg, Fr. Hannafey, S.J., P. Lane, J. McCarthy,

E. O'Connell, S. Peterson, R. Poincelot, G. Sauer, K. Schlichting, D. Winn

The meeting convened at 3:30 p.m.

The Dean started the meeting by taking a consensus, from the department chairs, as to whether Dr. Susan Rakowitz, Secretary of the College Faculty, should participate in the Dean's Council meetings. Rakowitz is a member of the Steering/Planning Committee, and shares in the responsibility of planning the agenda for both the Council and College faculty meetings. Although the participation of the College secretary in the Dean's Council meetings was never addressed, in the interest of communication, the Steering Committee thought it would be a good idea for Rakowitz to attend the meetings. She would not vote on issues discussed, but her presence could be beneficial. Dr. Cecelia Bucki moved to accept the motion to have Rakowitz participate in the Dean's Council meetings; Dr. Richard DeWitt seconded the motion. All others were in favor.

Introductory Remarks

• USA Today seeks support in selecting the nation's best and brightest students. Nominations must be postmarked by Wednesday, November 30 by calling Carol Skalski at (703) 854-5890 or e-mail allstars@usatoday.com.
• Glamour Magazine is looking for the top ten college women. The Dean circulated information relative to this request for anyone interested.
• Valparaiso University, located in Indiana, is seeking a Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences. This University has a flourishing partnership with the Lilly Foundation and is competitive in various programs, such as Fulbright.
• Upcoming and Related Events for the Visual and Performing Arts were shared with the department chairs. The Dean asked that these events be shared with their colleagues.
• Recruiting with Diversity is an important issue in the hiring process. Roughly 1/3 of the minority Ph.D.'s in the United States are granted at historical black colleges and universities. This is one percent of the nation's institutions. There is a myth that minority candidates are not available; but surveys and research indicate that many institutions going through the recruitment process base their selections on applicants from institutions of purported prestige, leaving an enormous amount of untapped talent from the HBCU's. Institutions who understand this place themselves in a position to make best hires.

The Dean recommended that the department chairs send a formal letter to the chair and/or Dean of these various schools, along with the advertised position, when seeking new hires, to capture talented candidates. Dr. Joel Goldfield asked the Dean if there was any difference in funding for minority faculty recruited. The Dean mentioned that the idea of needing extra resources to hire minority is another great myth, which is discussed in Daryl Smith's book, Achieving Faculty Diversity. Other diversity-related documents were shared with the chairs; a copy of these documents are available for anyone interested. The publication of Caroline Sotello Viernes Turner, entitled Diversifying the Faculty, A Guidebook for Search Committees, will be ordered for each department chair.

• <>Scheduling of Events—Ms. Benedetta Maguire addressed the department chairs to determine a date for the upcoming annual Chairs' Retreat. Traditionally the retreat is held on the Monday and Tuesday following Commencement, which is Sunday, May 21. The chairs agreed to continue the traditional Monday and Tuesday schedule. The Retreat will be held for a half day on Monday, May 22, for all new chairs, and a full day on Tuesday, May 23, with all department chairs. A venue will be determined. In preparation for the Retreat, the Dean asked department chairs to share any thoughts they may have on topics for discussion during the Retreat.
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• Dean's Council meeting—The last Dean's Council meeting of the semester is scheduled for Wednesday, December 7, which is followed by an appreciation dinner for all chairs and program directors. Dr. Ellen Umansky requested that the date of this meeting be changed, because of a conflict with the schedule of an important Judaic Studies event, the Adolph and Ruth Schnurmacher Lecture. Various dates were proposed; however, a number of conflicts still existed—exam week, reading day, Jesuit Christmas party, etc. The Dean decided that the December meeting will remain as scheduled. 

• Career Planning—Dr. Phil Lane reminded the department chairs that many firms visit the Department of Career Planning during November in search for student recruitment. Lane recommended that students submit their resumes prior to the November visits. The students missing the November recruitment process are at a disadvantage, because many of the top firms do not revisit the University during spring semester. Lane recommended that the chairs encourage their students to participate in this recruitment process.

• Merit Plans—The Dean reiterated the importance of the chairs submission of their Merit Plans. Many chairs are a week late with their submissions. The idea is to submit a draft plan, so that the Dean could review and comment, giving the chairs an opportunity for revision. The chairs were reminded that by Wednesday, October 15, at 5:00 p.m., all final plans must be submitted. Any department opting out of submission of a plan will follow the Dean's format for the Merit process from this year, forward. Dr. Robbin Crabtree also asked the chairs to share their plans. It is helpful to view other departments' ideas, so that there could be a greater range to consider. Sharing plans lends departments the opportunity to submit a more refined plan.

Approval of Minutes—Dr. Jesús Escobar moved to approve the minutes, and

Dr. Johanna Garvey seconded the motion. All of the department chairs were in favor

of the approval of the minutes.

Classroom Arrangement—Lane shared his concern about the setup of all classrooms. Many faculty are experiencing a problem with the rearrangement of rooms; therefore, there is a need for classrooms to have a standard setup. He requested that the body of the Council support going forward to the Dean, Academic Vice President, and perhaps the fire marshal, to request that a design of the floor plan, for each room, be displayed on the wall of the classrooms. In some cases faculty and/or students are rearranging classrooms conducive to their needs; however, the rooms are not being reconfigured to the standard setup plan, causing a loss of instructional time. Escobar experienced the same problem; and in an attempt to rectify the problem, posted a note for his colleagues asking them to reset the classroom to the appropriate standard setup. A more serious issue is the possible fire hazard in Canisius Rm. 9—movement between the aisles is a problem due to the large quantity of desks. Dr. Poincelot suggested that any indication of a fire hazard should be addressed to the University's Fire Marshal, Joe Bouchard, at extension 2546.

The Dean suggested that some of the classrooms be standardized in different configuration, so they are conducive to the different styles of teaching. Crabtree informed the Dean that a variety of room configurations available existed, and most faculty will request a room setup standard to their style of teaching.

The Dean felt that a resolution to this problem should expand deeper than a requirement through the Academic Vice President's Office; it will require community ethic. He suggested that a notice be sent to all College faculty stating that each room has a standard setup arrangement; and out of courtesy for colleagues, these arrangements should be maintained. Lane moved that he would like to have the Academic Vice President configure each classroom with a standard protocol per room. The majority were in favor of the motion, one not in favor, and one abstention. Lane agreed to draft a memo to the Academic Vice President stating the motion and making an appropriate request.

Implementing Incomplete Policy Forms—Ms. Susan Peterson shared a draft of the incomplete form designed by Dr. Betsy Bowen, which included an Application Form for an Incomplete, along with points for discussion to determine if practice is in accordance with the University documents—Journal of Record, Course Catalog, and Instructional Handbook. The Instructional Handbook states that "All course work must be completed within 30 days after the beginning of the next regular semester. Any "Incompletes" still outstanding after the 30-day extension will become "Failures."

The present incomplete policy is not an issue. The problem arises when an agreement is made beyond the 30-day grace period; and the communication that took place between the faculty and the student does not filter to the Dean's Office or the Registrar's Office, which causes future problems—automatic change of grade to an "F" and/or dismissal and probation for the student. The new form will request an agreement; along with a date for completion of course work. This is an important component on the form, because it addresses the question as to the date the course work is due, initiates conversation between the faculty and the student, and informs the appropriate offices of agreements made. This will be a multi-page form with copies distributed to the Dean's Office, the Chair, Registrar's Office, student, and faculty—communicating the appropriate information to all parties.

Ms. Peterson asked the chairs to view the application form. Crabtree suggested that the requirement for the department chair's signature be added to this form. The Dean suggested that the wording of the form be changed from "Any Incompletes still outstanding after the 30-day extension will become Failures," to read "will result in an "F" grade for such courses." Bucki recommended that a phase be added preserving the flexibility of the professor to make a greater extension when appropriate. Escobar recommended that the heading of the form include The College of Arts and Sciences since this form addresses the needs of the College, not the entire University.

Greenberg stated that the majority of his experiences with incompletes was due to psychological and/or family situations—reasons that cannot be anticipated; therefore, stating a specific completion date may be difficult. He thought the current policy gave the faculty the flexibility to make decisions on an individual basis. The importance should be placed on securing the student's comfort and their education rather then placing the emphasis on resolution to an administrative problem. Fr. Frank Hannafey thought the new form would protect a student through the process. It would formalize a policy that already exists.

Crabtree suggested that this form be reviewed by the UCC for discussion of uniformity throughout the University. DeWitt mentioned that the UCC would not be the correct body for review; it should be streamlined through the Academic Council. The Dean found no need to approach either of these bodies. The form was drafted to accommodate the manner in which the College communicates arrangement under existing policies—it does not have to be approved at a University level. The College could implement the form, and then make a recommendation to the other schools if it wished.

Dr. Susan Rakowitz suggested that the Council consider utilizing this form only if there is an extension beyond the current 30-day policy. The department chairs were in agreement with her proposal. Crabtree made a motion to adapt the revised form, on a three-semester trial basis, for all incompletes extended beyond 30 days. The College will initiate this procedure beginning with the fall 2005 semester. Lane seconded the motion—all were in favor with the exception of one not in favor, and one abstention.

The Dean asked Ms. Peterson to communicate this new policy to all of the College of Arts and Sciences faculty, including adjuncts, so they are aware of the new procedure.

Strategic Plan—The Dean mentioned that the Strategic Plan was shared with many bodies—major donors, Trustees, school boards, Trustees Advisory Council, faculty, staff, students, and alumni. The Strategic Planning Drafting Committee would like to finalize the plan in time for the December Board of Trustees meeting. The Drafting Committee positioned the Statement so that it could admit the strategical and tactical proposals from the Strategic Plan Task Forces, leaving room for other creativity, especially on the part of the faculty. The College, either within departments and programs, or as a whole body, should be weighing in on the Strategic Plan. The College Planning Committee—Crabtree, DeWitt, Lane, O'Connell, Rakowitz, and Umansky— reviewed the Universities Strategic Plan, and they put together College issues consistent to the strategic plan. Lane recommended that the chairs look at the University Plan through a strategic view. What will help the College in the budget cycle, and what will expose our weaknesses? What opportunities do we have in the fundraising initiatives? What concerns should the College have in terms of losing a share of the available funding?

Lane's presentation included topics relative to initial conditions/constraints, challenges, integration of the core, integration of living and learning, integration of Jesuit values in graduate and professional education, and ways to support the plan.

Initial Conditions/Constraints

• Our undergraduate enrollment is constant; and our graduate and professional schools were given the authority to expand. An emphasis on building revenues through the development of graduate programs could mean more graduate programs for the College supported by additional faculty. Dr. Schlichting views the constant undergraduate enrollment as a positive experience. The incoming undergraduate class was budgeted at an estimate of 750 students. The freshmen class has increased by approximately 100 students. The University cannot service this increase without relying on adjunct faculty. Schlichting suggested that the increase in revenue from the enhanced graduate enrollment replace the revenue from the undergraduate students, allowing the University to bring the enrollment back down to a reasonable recruitment of 750 undergraduate students. This lower enrollment will also allow the University to maintain its competitiveness.
• Fiscal Responsibility—this could mean that we might run a surplus and develop endowment.
• Competitive Compensation—the faculty share of the budget funding is declining.
• A well balanced Division I athletic program necessitates an increase in funding to varsity athletics.

Challenges

• Diversity—The University has an ethnic underrepresented population, but we also have a economic diversity problem. The strategic plan signifies that there will be a large amount of funding going towards financial aid, which will reflect a decrease in available funding for other needs.
• Enrollment—Financial Aid is a crucial factor to inhancing the University's enrollment. Lane mentioned that it would make most sense that these additional funds come from endowments, not student tuition.
• Changes in Culture of Higher Education—Lane felt that this was a fallacy of composition; the University is doing well. Any movement towards new and better ideas/initiatives will require additional funding.
• Catholic and Jesuit University—This is already represented within the College.
• Culture of Accountability—If the increases to tuition cost are minimized, the University will have a change in culture.

Integration of Core

• Integration of Core and assessment falls heavily on the College of Arts and Sciences faculty. The area of integrating the core will result in increasing faculty lines, resources for faculty development, and administrative support for the core. There should be a great emphasis on full-time faculty teaching the core. Accomplishing this goal will require an increase in faculty lines. Lane felt that additional faculty lines would best come from endowed chairs.

Lane, DeWitt, and Dr. Paul Lakeland worked on the College's core initiatives approximately seven or eight years ago. These initiatives addressed the mission and goals of the University; therefore, Lane recommended that this be the basis of working towards the strategic plan on integration of the core. The Dean agreed that this work should be utilized; it should not be lost. Crabtree questioned the role of the Center for Academic Excellence—what is their role in the integration of the core? She felt that the CAE should not spearhead core initiatives; but once the faculty and the curriculum committee determined what should be done with the core, the CAE's role should be relative to learning new pedagogy. The Dean raised these concerns with Dr. Orin Grossman, the Academic Vice President, and the other vice presidents. The Dean mentioned that the College had traditionally been the center of the core, even though the UCC voted on the courses, which represented all of the schools. Dr. Grossman thought it was important to include the opinions of all of the schools, especially because we are looking for integration of the core horizontally and looking at how it vertically prepares all of our students. Dr. Grossman viewed the CAE not as the generator of ideas, but as the center where all of the schools can come together.

Crabtree's sense is that the President is not looking for the structure or content of the core to be changed, but rather, bring change to how faculty teach the core, talk about the core, sell the core, and in some cases how faculty think about the core—making the connection and making it more explicit is the intent of the strategic plan.

Integration of Living and Learning

• Placing an emphasis on greater faculty-student interaction and service and life-learning initiatives would benefit from having faculty living closer to the University. This will require greater resources. This may produce University commitment to low/no-interest loans and greater investment in subsidized housing for new faculty.

The Dean encouraged the idea of faculty living closer to the University and noted that the Faculty Salary Committee will be discussing it. He has provided ideas to the Salary Committee, including some that are not readily considered. For example, the University might offer suites in the dorms that new faculty might occupy, for, say, two or three years at no cost. Faculty might be responsible for facilitating a once a month program for students, enabling greater faculty-student interaction, while offering an opportunity for new faculty to build up a down payment for housing. These kinds of opportunities would be beneficial in the recruitment of stronger faculty, and they would enhance living and learning.

The Dean's Council meeting adjourned at 5:00 p.m.