Present: President Osgood, Special Assistant to the President J. Brand, Dean J. Swartz, Associate Deans H. Scott and P. Smith, E. Dobbs, B. Ferguson, T. Moore, M. Pillado-Miller, D. Smith, B. Voyles.

The meeting was called to order by the President at 4:15 p.m. in Nollen House.

The minutes and excerpts of the meeting of November 3 were corrected and approved.

Remarks by the President

President Osgood noted that on November 9, 1999 the College acquired 13 acres North of Facilities Management.This land will be used to develop additional athletic fields. A new Campus Master Plan Athletic Facilities Committee will be appointed soon to give advice in connection with completion of the master plan process.

Remarks by the Dean

The Dean met on November 10, 1999 with a newly constituted alumni group who will be providing advice on technology development on campus. President Osgood remarked that the alumni advisory group was formed in response to heightened interest of the Trustees regarding this issue.

The Dean noted that the Committee for Support of Faculty Scholarship has reviewed the several proposals submitted for Faculty Study Leaves and has recommended four of these to the President, which he today approved.

The Dean asked J. Brand to hand out a revised draft of the Faculty Grievance Procedure (dated 11/10/99) which Brand had been asked to write after lengthy discussion by Council (11/3/99) of grievance procedures at Grinnell College and at peer institutions.

Position Descriptions for Term Positions

B. Voyles moved, and E. Dobbs seconded, approval of a position description for a one-year leave replacement in Physics next year. The motion carried.

B. Ferguson moved, and B. Voyles seconded, approval of a position description for a one-year leave replacement in History next year. The motion carried.

B. Ferguson moved, and D. Smith seconded, approval of a position description for a one-year leave replacement in Economics next year. The motion carried.

Promotions to Rank of Professor

The Dean asked the Council Members who are Division Chairs to provide information to him on faculty in rank as associate professor who might be considered for promotion this year. A discussion followed.

The Dean noted that his request is a further attempt to keep these types of decisions in the province of the faculty, rather than the administration.

Music Department Position Retention

M. Pillado-Miller moved, and E. Dobbs seconded, approval of the Music Department's request that its tenure-track position in musicology be retained when one of the members of the Department moves into Senior Faculty Status in August, 2000. The motion carried.

M. Pillado-Miller moved, and E. Dobbs seconded, approval of the musicology position description. The motion carried.

D. Smith left the meeting.

Department Chair Duties and Support

The Dean noted that several years ago the Council recommended that Department Chairs be granted a one course release for each two years of service. He stated that it is time for Council to review this practice and asked Council what information they will need to review it.

Writing Lab

The Director of the Writing Lab retires in May, 2000. The Dean asked for Council's advice about filling this position.

There was a brief discussion. Council recommended against a national search and remanded the decision to the Dean.

Council Remarks

M. Pillado-Miller raised a problem in the current divisional distribution of the interdisciplinary courses. Council suggested that the issue be considered by CAS. M. Pillado-Miller urged that this be done immediately, and noted that there will be more of these types of problems in future as there is an increase in interdisciplinary courses and capstones.

The President adjourned the meeting at 6:00 p.m.

Secretary
Karen Wiese