Minutes of the Faculty Council Meeting
Thursday, November 16, 2006
Lipo Room. 2 pm
Present: Greg Bassham (Faculty Chair-Elect), Howard Fedrick (Faculty Chair), Brian Williams (Chair of Faculty Benefits), Charles Brooks (Division B Rep.), Fr.Tom Looney (AVPAA& Dean of Faculty), Jennifer McClinton-Temple (C&T Chair), Joan Coffin (Division A Rep.), Dan Ghezzi (A&P Chair-Elect), Brian Pavlac (C&T Chair-Elect), Claire Gilmore (Division D Rep.), Regan Reitsma (Division C Rep.), Sheileen Corbett (at large)
Brian Williams, Chair of Faculty Benefits provided a brief report on activities of FB.
He noted that there had been no real response from the faculty to the email posting of the Committee’s report and request for input. He then responded to questions from members of Council. FB is examining the possibility of requesting an increase in the college’s contribution to TIAA/CREF, and is also tracking whether faculty salary increases have been properly coordinated with the Consumer Price Index. They are looking into having further improvements made to the PNC parking lot. They had clarified that faculty on leave are covered by insurance. They will be looking into updating the Handbook. They are working to think of, and would appreciate hearing, creative solutions to the ongoing discrepancy of faculty/staff offspring from other colleges attending King’s to offset the deficit in the Tuition Exchange Program.
Report of the Chair
Howard, Greg Bassham, Denise Reboli, and Derrick Boucher will participate in focus groups scheduled by Institutional Maintenance to discuss the renovation of Holy Cross Hall with the architectural and engineering firm in charge of the project.
Of particular interest will be the availability of “learning community” space in the
renovated building.
Report of A&P
They are in the process of completing action on several major issues.
They will have a report on their review and revision of the faculty governance constitution set and presented to council by the next meeting allowing time to submit to the Board in February.
They are to prioritize setting language for extended contracts of Professional Specialists.
They will soon have suggestions for priorities in allocating limited travel funds.
The questionnaires concerning criteria for tenure and promotion have been given to the department chairs.
Report of C&T
The committee would be discussing a foreign language proposal at the next meeting. Material from the recent Faculty Meeting and survey instruments will be posted on the website.
Special Announcements
1. “The Roving Social”, sponsored by the Women’s Studies Committee, will be held on November 20 in the Women’s Studies Resource Room, located in Hafey-Marian Hall.
2. The new time for Patron’s Day will be mid-day November 19, responding to input from a variety of individuals and the President’s need to travel for an important fundraising meeting. Attendance will be monitored in regard to setting times for future Patron’s Day celebrations.
Old Business
Minutes of the October 27th Faculty Meeting have been posted online.
New Business
1. Motion made and seconded: Faculty Council recommends that department chairs appoint a representative to each Summer Commencement to attend the ceremony and participate in an academic procession. Passed unanimously.
2. Questions were raised about the presentation and use of statistical results of the Student Evaluations of Teaching (which all faculty are to administer to each of their classes this semester). The pattern of responses seems to be too narrow in their averages so that aggregate numbers used by some college evaluators do not accurately reflect real differences in performance. Perhaps cumulative frequency distributions should be used instead. Claire Gilmore and Dan Ghezzi were delegated to study the issue and will bring back to Council examples of more meaningful presentations of data.
3. Spring 2007 meeting schedule for Faculty Council was issued.
Meeting adjourned at 3:20 pm.
Respectfully submitted,
Brian Pavlac