MINUTES OF THE FACULTY COUNCIL MEETING
September 28, 2006


Present: Gregory Bassham (Faculty Chair-Elect), Bill Bolan (Volunteer Services and Shoval Center), Charles Brooks (Voting Group B Rep.), Joan Coffin (Voting Group A Rep.), Sheileen Corbett (at large), Howard Fedrick (Faculty Council Chair), Dan Ghezzi (A&P Chair-Elect), Claire Gilmore (Voting Group D Rep.), Jayne Klenner-Moore (A&P Chair), Jennifer McClinton-Temple (C&T Chair), Brian Pavlac (C&T Chair-Elect), Regan Lance Reitsma (Voting Group C Rep.), Vanessa Bates (Student Govt. Rep.).

The meeting was called to order at 2:07 PM in the Lipo Room.

• Presentation—Bill Bolan, Volunteer Services and Shoval Center

Bill Bolan indicated that the Shoval Center, located in the Sherrer House, has two primary aims: (1) community development/service and (2) service learning at King’s. Bill regards himself as, among other things, a liaison between members of the King’s community and representatives of community groups that King’s might serve. He intends to compile and make readily available a list of relevant community projects. In this academic year, Bill intends to consult, face to face, as many faculty as possible to gauge interest in service learning and to discover what interested faculty need to create and sustain such programs. A faculty survey, which will be dispersed to faculty in approximately four to six weeks, will be another source of information about faculty interest and needs. With respect to long-term goals, Bill would like the Shoval Center to hire student aides, and to place experienced students in service learning courses to aid faculty.

• Report of the Chair

Faculty Council Chair, Howard Fedrick, introduced and welcomed Vanessa Bates, Student Government representative to Faculty Council.

Howard also asked that Faculty Council’s meeting minutes of September 14 indicate that at that meeting, Fr. Looney discussed the Senior Faculty Development Policy.
In the minutes, the new policy is unnamed. It currently reads, “ Fr. Looney also noted the Academic Administration is examining the policy passed by FC last year to assess the best way to implement the new policy.”

• Standing Committee Reports

• A & P

Dr. Jayne Klenner-Moore, chair of A&P, announced that the relevant sub- committee has discussed academic integrity and will soon make a report to A&P. An ad hoc Faculty Governance committee of Jayne, Dan, Howard, and Greg is scheduled to meet September 29. Jayne reported that Fr. Tony Grasso is currently working on a report concerning the form for faculty travel. Members of Faculty Council questioned this work and Howard indicated that Lisa McCauley (Business Office) is working on developing a procedure and form. Howard will request an update from Lisa.

• C & T

Dr. Jennifer McClinton-Temple indicated that the minutes of C&T’s meeting of September 22 have been dispersed. C&T has recently discussed a four-category set up for history and social science core courses, and they have attempted to anticipate the various practical, pedagogical, and philosophical issues that are likely to present obstacles to the creation of a new core. One significant issue is that some major programs at King’s require core courses as a part of their major requirements. It was noted that in the early years of the current CORE Don Farmer, among others, emphatically disagreed with this practice and there remains among faculty serious antagonism to it. Jennifer intends to call a meeting with Fr. Looney and Nick Holodick to discuss the relevant obstacles. Brian Pavlac, Chair-Elect of C&T, will also be present at this meeting.

• Special Committee Reports

• Social Affairs Committee

Sheileen Corbett indicated that the newly formed Social Affairs Committee will have representatives speak at the various division meetings, which will meet between Wednesday, October 4 and Friday, October 6. The first “ROVING SOCIAL” hosted by the Committee will be held in the Theatre Lobby, from 3:30 to 4:30 PM, October 17. Various academic departments are urged to follow the Committee by hosting subsequent roving socials. The hope is to strengthen the sense of community at King’s. Jennifer McClinton-Temple raised a concern: some faculty with children are not able to attend late afternoon gatherings. Assurances were made that the committee has plans to host “socials” at various times of the day and on different days of the week to accommodate all faculty.

Howard dispersed a letter in which Dr. Frederick Sauls attempts to explain how and why the King’s “family” has changed in the past thirty years. Sauls indicates that there is a perception that King’s faculty lacks the level of personal commitment to King’s and social unity it once had. (The perception that the faculty lacks social community is shared by several members of Faculty Council and is the impetus behind the creation of the Social Affairs Committee.) Sauls discourages “pining” for a return to the “good old days” and asks that any discussion of creating a new faculty culture be sensitive to the large number of pressures and demands already placed on faculty these days.

• Old Business



• Elections

Faculty Council Chair-Elect, Dr. Greg Bassham, announced that Dr. Margarita Rose (Economics Department) has agreed to serve as the Chair-Elect of Faculty Benefits. Greg expressed much appreciation to Margarita, and Howard expressed much appreciation to Greg for the (otherwise) thankless job of filling committee vacancies. All committees, it was reported, are filled.

• Division Meetings

It was reported that each division has called a divisional meeting during the weeks from October 2 to October 19. Core curriculum is the primary agenda item for these meetings.

• New Business

• Academic Team Meetings

Howard reported that regular bi-weekly meetings are being scheduled with Dr. Nick Holodick and Fr. Tom Looney and the Faculty Chair.

He also reported that faculty representation in Academic Affairs discussions is being implemented by Nick Holodick as necessary and desirable. Dr. Holodick has firmly committed himself and the Academic Team (Holodick, Looney, Peck, and Ryan) to engagement and involvement of faculty in academic planning discussions.

• Book Buyers

Based on his conversation with Lisa McCauley after a recent incident, Brian Pavlac reported that an old policy indicates that book buyers are not permitted to operate on campus without express permission from King’s. Suspicious behavior by book buyers has been reported. Brian raised the question whether the old policy ought to be revisited, and whether it is best to have, to enforce, and to distribute such a policy. It was suggested that (a) clarification be sought, and (b) if the relevant policy exists, we begin a conversation.

Joan Coffin requested that King’s create a mechanism for faculty book donation.

Howard noted that he would follow this up with Lisa and with Dale Rinker, Head of Security.

• Final Remarks

Howard dispersed an article from MONEY Magazine that claims that college
professor is the second best job in America. MONEY Magazine and Salary.com
researched hundreds of jobs, considering their growth, pay, stress-levels and other
factors.


It should also be noted that there is not a Faculty Council Meeting in two weeks, as is common. The next meeting is October 19th.

The meeting was adjourned at 3:08 PM.

Submitted by,

Regan Lance Reitsma