The Arts and Sciences Council, September 17, 2015, 3:30-5:00, UMC 247

Meeting Minutes

Representatives present: Sabahat Adil, ALC; Michela Ardizzoni, FRIT; Julio Baena, SPAN; Andrew Cain, CLAS; Cathy Comstock, RAPS; Vanja Dukic, APPM; Erica Ellingson, APS; Robert Ferry, HIST; Rebecca Flowers, GEOL; Holly Gayley, RLST; Gerardo Gutierrez, ANTH; Weiqing Han, ATOC; Najeeb Jan, GEOG; Leslie Irvine, SOCY; Ruth Heisler, IPHY; Mans Hulden, LING; Daniel Kaffine, ECON; Moonhawk Kim, PSCI; E. Christian Kopff, HNRS; Lonni Pearce, PWR; Rob Rupert, PHIL; Neeraja Sadagopan, SLHS; Ted Stark, THDN; David Stock, EBIO; Rob Tubbs, MATH; Paul Youngquist, ENGL; Ding Xue, MCDB

Representatives not present: Daniel Barth, PSYC; Paul Beale, PHYS; Giulia Bernardini, HUMN; Kim Dickey, AAH; Patrick Greaney, GSLL; David Jonas, CHEM; Kelly Sears, FILM; Bianca Williams, ETHN;

Also in attendance: Steve Leigh; Janice Jeffryes

Robert Rupert called the meeting to order at 3:35 PM.

Dean’s Report, Steven Leigh

Dean Leigh has been meeting with Professor Rupert this and is looking forward to a productive year with the ASC under his leadership.

Jane Goodall will be speaking at the Coors Center on October 1. A second round of tickets will be released the week of September 21.

Enrollments have been strong and retention is up; Dean Leigh credits the ASC’s Planning Committee’s work in this area.

Administrative costs in the college have dropped by 7 percent; the college is now in a better position to support research with those savings. There is a new Associate Dean structure; aside from the Divisional Associate Deans there will be an Associate Dean for Undergraduate Education and an Associate Dean for Research. Those two positions will replace the position of Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs that was previously held by Darna Dufour.

The Colorado Shakespeare Festival has been in the profitable for two years; in the decade prior the college lost approximately 3 million dollars with the CSF.

The priority for the Dean’s Office this year is the core revision.

Chair’s Report, Robert Rupert

Professor Rupert welcomed the new ASC representatives: Kim Dickey, AAH; Sabahat Adil, ALC; Gerardo Gutierrez, ANTH; David Stock, EBIO; Kelly Sears, FILM; Najeeb Jan, GEOG; Rebecca Flowers, GEOL; Patrick Greaney, GSLL; Robert Ferry, HIST; Mans Hulden, LING; Robert Tubbs, MATH; Ding Xue, MCDB; Holly Gayley, RLST; Leslie Irvine, SOCY; Ted Stark, THDN.

The six standing committees and two ad hoc committees are populated and the Grievance, Budget and Curriculum Committees have met. It is a good opportunity for the Diversity Committee this year as they will be working with the BFA’s Diversity Committee which has stepped up its efforts. In addition, outside consultants have been hired to help with diversity campus-wide.

The two ad-hoc committees are the Core Revision Committee and the Online Education Committee. The Core Revision Committee, chaired by Cora Randall and Ann Schmiesing is getting close to completing a proposal and expects to have a Town Hall meeting in October.

Professor Rupert welcomes any suggestions on Planning; all the committee members are new and they will have a fresh slate and need a new project this year.

Changes to the ASC’s Bylaws

There are a number of changes proposed to the ASC bylaws, a notice of motion was made in March with the intention of a vote in April. Additional changes were requested and the vote was delayed. The ASC needs to vote to bring the bylaw changes to the Faculty of Arts and Sciences for a vote. A 2/3rds majority of the faculty is needed for the bylaws to be changed.

Professor Rupert reviewed the proposed changes. Key is the definition of voting rights. The language adopted allows for department autonomy. An amendment made to have a standardized definition of faculty was submitted.

The proposed change document is attached and includes:

  • Approval of minutes by email balloting.
  • The chairs of the Budget and Personnel Committee are appointed by the Dean in consultation with the ASC Chair.
  • Changing the ad hoc Online Education Committee to a standing committee called the Online Education and Information Technology Committee.
  • Additional duty for the Personnel Committee, the review of appeals files with the dean in cases of instructor non-reappointment.
  • A requirement that the core curriculum be reviewed every 10 years.

Voting Procedures for the Faculty of Arts and Sciences

 The motion is to change:

Voting members refers to those faculty members who have voting rights in their own department or unit according to its bylaws. It is up to each department or unit to define the term “voting rights.”

Each year (in late spring or during the summer) the ASC will ask each department or unit to provide a list of faculty members with voting rights. Each department or unit will be asked to confirm its list of faculty members with voting rights before any FAS vote.

to

Therefore be it moved that the Arts and Sciences Governance Council approves the creation of consistent voting eligibility in regard to issues before the entire Faculty of Arts and Sciences. This standard of voting eligibility would apply to the following categories of faculty rostered in the College of Arts and Sciences, with appointments of at least 50%: Professors of any rank except adjunct or ‘of practice,’ Instructors of any rank, and Clinical Professors of any rank.

The results of the vote by secret ballot was 19 yes to replace the language with a standardized definition of voting faculty, 8 no. The motion passed.

 The assembled representatives voted to postpone the vote on the bylaw changes: 20 yes, 3 no, 2 abstentions.

Professor Rupert discussed the meaning of the two-thirds majority of the FAC needed to pass bylaw amendments. Historic documents were reviewed to establish two-thirds majority is of votes cast rather than the entire faculty eligible to vote.

Quorums and the difficulty of getting faculty to vote was discussed.

The representatives voted to adopt two-thirds majority of votes cast as the required majority: 18 yes, 2 no, 0 abstentions.

 The representatives, as part of their job, need to present issues, in a neutral manner, to the departments.

Role of ASC in the Selection of Administrators

The Preamble of the ASC bylaws lists its rights and responsibilities including “the selection of administrators.” The ASC can participate in that process by:

  • One ASC representative be on the hiring committee of any administrator.
  • Finalists for administrative positions in the college make a presentation to the ASC.
  • The ASC would cast an advisory vote.

Professor Rupert asked the representatives to consider this topic. Last year, Dean Leigh and Catherine Labio, previous chair of the ASC, established a procedure for the hiring of the Arts and Humanities Associate Dean last academic year. When there are fewer than 3 candidates, a committee would not be used to vet candidates. Open meeting with chairs and directors and web surveys were used to obtain faculty feedback.

Marketing an Education in the Liberal Arts and Sciences

Professor Rupert noted that the focus of much of CU’s marketing efforts is its positive economic effect on the state. A significant proportion of faculty carry some commitment to our mission in Arts and Sciences and would like to see pursuing knowledge for its own sake and creating informed citizens, included as part of the marketing campaign. There are still prospective students who want to study poetry or sub-atomic particles without thinking, “What is my ROI?” It can also be added that students who do well in those area usually do well on LSAT’s, GRE’s and MCAT’s. Professor Rupert encouraged anyone who feels this is a topic worth discussing to bring ideas to the next meeting.

Dean Leigh asked the representatives to contact Clint Talbot who is in charge of the A&S Magazine, with ideas for communicating our mission.

The meeting was adjourned at 4:59.

Minutes submitted by Janice Jeffryes