MINUTES OF THE FACULTY COUNCIL MEETING
MARCH 23, 2007
Present: Gregory Bassham (Faculty Chair-Elect), Charles Brooks (Division B Rep.), Joan Coffin (Division A Rep.), M. Sheileen Corbett (at large), Howard Fedrick (Faculty Council Chair), Claire Gilmore (Division D Rep.), Jayne Klenner-Moore (A&P Chair), Fr. Thomas Looney (AVPAA), Jennifer McClinton-Temple (C&T Chair), Brian Pavlac (C&T Chair-Elect), Regan Lance Reitsma (Division C Rep.), Kristi Concannon, Margaret Corgan, Hamid Hosseini, Jeremy Simington, Robin Fields
The meeting was called to order at 2:35 p.m. in the Molewski Room.
Report of the Chair
Howard Fedrick was pleased to announce Annual Elections at the Leadership Team Level have been completed and tabulated. However, Kristi Concannon’s election to Chair-Elect of C & T has created a vacancy of her current position (Asst. Prof. at large) for academic year 2007-08. Nominations at the Assistant Prof. level have resulted in only one nomination to date. Deadline for receipt of further nominations is Monday, March 26, 2007.
Division meetings are currently being held by Division Representatives for the purpose of nominations for all open committee positions. Representatives were urged to fill all positions by the date of the Faculty Meeting on March 30, 2007.
Howard further reported he was recently requested to meet with representatives from four (4) Dining Service bidders: Parkhurst, Chockwells, Sodexo and Aaramark. The discussions focused on faculty concerns regarding not only food, but space utilization.
Lastly, Howard encouraged participation in the upcoming IPARC Strategic Planning Focus Group sessions scheduled for April 10, 11 & 12.
Report of the C&T Committee
Jennifer McClinton-Temple presented Council with a motion which following discussion, was revised and approved as follows:
I move that Faculty Council present this Proposed Core to the faculty at the Faculty Meeting of March 30, 2007, that a non-binding vote by secret ballot, to be distributed by mail after the meeting, be held, and that that ballot ask faculty members to vote yes or no and give reasons for their votes.
Further discussion focused on whether or not the ballot should contain the voter’s Division and/or Department, and whether said information should be optional. Council were reminded that the faculty vote, according to our governance system, was not binding and that Faculty Council has the ultimate decision on the proposed Core. The vote is a method to obtain feedback for Council. Following discussion, motion was approved that the only addition to the ballot would be a due date of April 11, 2007. As faculty would not be voting at the Faculty Meeting, a faculty concern regarding voting in abstentia was moot.
It was reiterated by Council Chair that the Faculty Council meeting would be far more faculty driven than C & T driven, and therefore, would not be a rehashing of the discussion from the Fall meeting. Faculty will be presented the information and then given the opportunity to review and discuss prior to voting.
Upon questioning, C&T reported that the Honors Program was not part of the Core Curriculum revision. It was felt that the Program would take care of itself and any revisions necessary would come under the leadership of the newly appointed director.
Jennifer concluded by indicating that the recently held C & T/Student Meeting was attended by 40 – 50 students and was well received.
Report of the A&P Committee
Jayne Klenner-Moore announced the committee was in the final stages of gathering information concerning the Academic Integrity Report, as well as the Tenure and Promotion Criteria Triad Survey of Department Chairs.
The Professional Specialist Tenure Track Procedure has been finalized and will be presented at the next Faculty Council meeting.
Special Announcements
To celebrate National Athletic Training Month, the next Roving Social will be hosted by ATEP on Thursday, March 29, 2007, in the Scandlon Sports Medicine Clinic from 8:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. Jeremy Simington advised that he would be forwarding directions to faculty via e-mail.
Sheileen Corbett stated that this Social would provide not only a different venue for faculty, but also a different time frame and hoped that faculty unable to attend prior socials would be present. It was also reported that the Roving Social has been successful in promoting faculty unity and allowing faculty to visit other departments and buildings as intended. Sheileen added that arrangements for the upcoming Faculty Celebration are well underway with Barbara Sauls and Jocelyn Hook coordinating same.
Old Business
Minutes of 2/23/07 were approved.
New Business
Howard Fedrick and Council, collectively, wished the very best to Father Thomas Looney in his quest for the position of Vice President for Mission at Stonehill College.
The meeting adjourned at 3:55 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
M. Sheileen Corbett
Representative at large