Present: President Osgood, Dean Swartz, Special Assistant to the President J. Brand, E. Dobbs, R. Grey, M. Pillado-Miller, L. Sinnett, D. Smith, B. Voyles.

The Dean called the meeting to order at 4:20 p.m. Brand was called away from the meeting shortly thereafter.

END OF COURSE EVALUATIONS

Carol Trosset, Director of Institutional Research, appeared before the Council to propose a slightly modified form of words for the end-of-course evaluations approved by the Faculty on March 15. L. Sinnett endorsed these changes: they involve no change of substance, but rather simplify and clarify the statements to be offered to students for response. The discussion widened. The President suggested the value of having a "middle-ground" or "neutral" response to the statements, and the superior merit of making "my learning" the subject rather than the object of each statement. Grey opined that a statement such as "I learned a lot from this course" would improve the questionnaire. But several members of the Council held that while they believed that the Council was within its competence to amend the statements as proposed by Trosset, to amend them in the directions suggested by the President and Grey would require resubmission of them to the Faculty.

Smith moved and Grey seconded that the Council approve the new form of words and "answer options" as recommended by Trosset:

1. Activities during our meeting time significantly contributed to my learning.
2. Interactions with the instructor (whether inside or outside the meeting time) significantly contributed to my learning.
3. Interactions with the other students (either inside or outside the meeting time) significantly contributed to my learning.
4. (No change)
5. Course materials (for example, readings, films, and studio, laboratory, or activity manuals and equipment) significantly contributed to my learning.
6. Overall, this course significantly contributed to my learning.

Answer Options: Strongly disagree, Moderately disagree, Slightly disagree, Slightly agree, Moderately agree, Strongly agree.

The motion was approved, 5-1. Trosset left the meeting at 4:50 p.m.

CONSORTIUM FOR A STRONGER MINORITY PRESENCE

Progress on a possible CSMP fellowship was discussed.

DEPARTMENT OF AMERICAN STUDIES

The Council discussed plans for staffing in the Department of American Studies in 1999-2000 in conjunction with the Department's plans for a review of its academic program and allocation of staff.

The President left the meeting at approximately 5:25 p.m.

The meeting was adjourned at 5:50 p.m.

D.A. Smith
Secretary