Present: Dean Swartz, Associate Deans H. Scott and P. Smith, E. Dobbs, R. Grey, M. Pillado-Miller, L. Sinnett, D. Smith, B. Voyles, Vice-President for Business and Treasurer of the College David Clay

The Dean called the meeting to order at 4:20 p.m. in Nollen House

Discussion of Human Resources Search

David Clay reported on the status of the search for a Director of Human Resources. The search conducted last fall was not successful. The top candidate declined our offer stating that she did not believe that all of the duties outlined in the position description could be accomplished by one person. Clay is working with consultants to determine how best to meet all the needs of the College in the area of Human Resources.

Remarks by the President

The President was not present at this meeting but he sent the following information to Council via e-mail. Anne Geissinger and Doug Cutchins who graduated from Grinnell College several years ago won the Wall Award and used it to fund a Peace Corps experience in Surinam. When they came to campus last year to talk about their Wall Award experience, the President was impressed by their backgrounds and their experience in Surinam. He has developed the idea of starting a campus office dedicated to advancing a sense of social commitment on the part of our students after graduation all funded by FFE money. He has approached Geissinger and Cutchins about coming to Grinnell to help us develop this office in a shared position that will provide additional support for social commitment programs, special international programs (like Grinnell-in-London and Hewlett), and high visibility fellowships like Watson, Fulbright, Marshall Rhodes. Geissinger and Cutchins will be coming to campus next month to meet people and start to plan this new initiative.

Remarks by the Dean

We have filled our three tenure-track positions. Division chairs and Council members involved in the interviewing of the last tenure-track candidate provided Council with a description of the candidate and what she would add to the faculty.

We are still bringing candidates to campus to fill temporary positions for next year.

Approval of Faculty Position Descriptions

Pillado-Miller moved and Grey seconded approval of description for a one-year temporary position in Spanish to replace Bladimir Ruiz who has just resigned. The motion passed unanimously.

Pillado-Miller moved and Grey seconded approval of description for a one-year temporary part-time position (four courses) in Spanish to cover regularly offered sections of first- and second-year Spanish. The motion was unanimously approved.

Discussion of End-of-Course Pilot Study

Grey moved and Voyles seconded a motion for Executive Council to endorse the End-of-Course Evaluations Pilot Study proposed by Sinnett, Voyles, and Pillado-Miller. The Pilot Study results from a report from Sinnett assessing our current end-of-course evaluation instruments. This report is on the web: http://www.grinnell.edu/dean/council/EOCReport.html. The motion passed unanimously. The Executive Council will bring a recommendation to the full faculty at the Faculty Meeting on Monday March 15 to approve the Pilot Study which continues the reliability and validity study of end-of-course evaluation instruments.

Discussion of Personnel Matter

Council concluded its discussion of a personnel matter.

The meeting was adjourned at 6:26 p.m.

Helen Scott
Secretary