Present: President Osgood, Dean Swartz, Associate Deans H. Scott and P. Smith, E. Dobbs, R. Grey, M. Pillado-Miller, L. Sinnett, D. Smith, and B. Voyles

The Dean called the meeting to order at 4:23 p.m. in Nollen House

Remarks by the Dean

The President, the Dean, and Jonathan Brand, Special Assistant to the President, visited Pat McPherson, Vice President of the Mellon Foundation, on December 10 to discuss the Mellon Foundation Program of Visiting Post-Doctoral Fellows in Humanities and Social Sciences. The President and the Dean made a case for a postdoctoral program to support the institution of capstone experiences. The visit resulted in an invitation to Grinnell College to apply for this program.

The Dean reported on the status of offers out to candidates for faculty positions for 1999/00.

Remarks by the President

The President appreciated opportunity to talk with faculty at the December 16 open forum to discuss his draft of his Fund For Excellence document. The final draft of this document is due to come out within the next week. He will add a faculty member to the Fund For Excellence Technology Committee; the Chair of the Faculty or his/her designee will be a member of his Fund For Excellence Diversity Committee.

Interviews of candidates for the Director of Public Relations have been taking place over the last week and a half. Faculty have been represented on the Selection Committee by Elizabeth Dobbs, Chair of the Faculty.

A position description is being written for the directorship of the Fine Arts Gallery.

The President and Jonathan Brand have been visiting a number of small liberal arts colleges. By the end of spring semester they will have visited St. Olaf, Carleton, Lawrence, Kenyon, Connecticut College, Amherst, Williams, Davidson, and Pomona. The purpose of these visits is threefold: to learn more about the academic programs of these colleges, to gather information for facilities planning here, and to increase the visibility of Grinnell College.

Promotions to Full Professor

The Dean provided Council with a list of Associate Professors and the number of years they have been in rank.

Approval of Faculty Position Descriptions

Pillado-Miller moved and Grey seconded motions to approve position descriptions for leave replacements in Philosophy and Music. The motions carried unanimously.

Discussion of American Studies

In the past two years, the departure of Donald Irving (1/2 English and 1/2 American Studies) and Michael Bell (1/2 Anthropology and 1/2 American Studies) has left the American Studies department short staffed. LeAnne Howe has filled this position in 1998/99. The department needs to undergo review. No progress has been made on this review either in selection of outside reviewers, plans for self study, or in initiation of discussion at the divisional level or with faculty members who have taught courses which contribute to the American Studies major. D. Smith moved and Sinnett seconded a motion to table any further discussion of this situation until the Dean, the Division Chair, and the two tenured members of the American Studies department can return to Council with a proposal concerning the review of this department and a vision for its future. The motion carried unanimously.

Review of End-of-Course Questionnaires and Procedures

Sinnett gave a brief overview of the evaluation she is conducting of end-of-course questionnaires and procedures. She will continue this discussion with Council at the beginning of the spring semester.

The meeting was adjourned at 6:20 p.m.

Helen Scott
Secretary