Present: R. Osgood, J. Brand, J. Swartz, B. Grey, D. Kaiser, K. Kamp, J. Mohan, J. Mutti, B.Voyles.

The meeting came to order at 4:15 p.m. in the Nollen House Conference Room.

The minutes and excerpts of 12/5/01 were corrected and approved.

President's Remarks

The Budget Steering Committee will meet December 18th to review the results of budget resubmissions by all units of the college and consider those items which were taken out of the original budgets but remain important activities.

Dean's Remarks

The Dean announced that Kendra Young '02 has been awarded a Rhodes Scholarship.

He noted that he had distributed a Chemistry Department position description for a temporary replacement. B. Voyles moved, K. Kamp seconded, approval of the position description for a replacement position in the Department of Chemistry. The motion was approved.

The Dean stated that he, T. Armstrong, A. Geissenger, and H. Scott had recently traveled to Macalester College to discuss international programs at both institutions and the potential for collaboration. T. Armstrong will circulate a memorandum about the visit.

This year the College has operated an experimental program in Washington, D. C. There are only five students in the program this year so it has been quite expensive. We have had information sessions on campus this year for students and only ten showed up with several of them not qualifying. This apparent lack of student demand raises questions about the continuing viability of the program. There is Fund for Excellence funding earmarked for next year, but the Dean is not sure how to proceed and asked Council for some guidance. He stated that he has been approached by Lawrence and Macalester regarding our interest in accepting some of their students. K. Kamp stated that she is not surprised about the lack of student interest since there are so many opportunities to do internships in Washington during the summer coupled with the fact that participation in the program removes the student's opportunity to study abroad. The President stated that if the program is not continued next year the earmarked funds will be used to help pay for the diversity hires. B. Voyles noted that faculty responses to the recent academic planning survey focused on paying more attention to the core curriculum. J. Mutti asked if the cost to the curriculum is to lose a faculty member for a semester in order for that person to teach Lawrence and Macalester students then there is no real benefit to the College. B. Grey and B. Voyles both asked about recreating this program as an Associated Colleges of the Midwest program. The Dean stated that it is his sense of the Council that he should pursue conversations with Lawrence and Macalester in his process of decision-making.

There was a brief discussion of the need to meet various space requirements on campus. K. Kamp stated that the Social Studies Division did not find it desirable to support temporary solutions for either teaching space or for the bookstore, as the temporary tends to become long-term. She also noted that several faculty were unhappy that the proposed student center was not being discussed as a possible locale for the bookstore and asked the President whether this possibility could be reconsidered as part of a broader discussion. He responded that he considers nothing is off the table with respect to the functions to be included in this building. Council generally agreed that providing appropriate teaching and office spaces for the Humanities and Social Studies Divisions is important and that these should have a higher priority than some of the building projects that appear to have been planned earlier. B. Grey asked what time frame applies to any decisions regarding the future use of Mears Cottage and whether future occupants had been identified. J. Mutti introduced a resolution from the Social Studies Division, charging the Executive Council to determine whether the availability of Mears Cottage can effectively address the needs of the two divisions for teaching and learning space. Those needs are detailed in the June 2001 report from the Teaching and Learning Committee in the Humanities and Social Studies, chaired by Marci Sortor.

J. Brand mentioned that he will circulate a revised draft of the academic planning bibliography soon.

It was decided that the December 12 meeting will be convened at 11:30 a.m. in Windsor House.

J. Brand left the meeting at 5:00 p.m.

The Dean announced that M. Sortor has agreed to serve a three-year term as Associate Dean upon P. Smith's departure in May.

The Dean circulated a spring convocation schedule. He noted that Thursdays are not good times for Division and faculty meetings. The President noted that he has spoken to D. Smith and B. Grey about the need to discuss the Bookstore and the Mission Statement at the first few faculty meetings of the new semester.

Discussion of Mellon Postdoctoral Fellow Proposals

The Dean noted Council has a proposal from the Biology Department, the Sociology Department, and the Humanities Center for a Mellon postdoctoral fellow. There are only two positions available. There are some issues with the latter two proposals regarding Mentored Advanced Projects which need to be strengthened. K. Kamp asked to delay consideration of all the proposals until they can be considered together. It was decided to defer this discussion.

Council Remarks

K. Kamp urged Council to make the faculty academic planning survey results available to the full faculty. It was agreed that the survey results would be made available as soon as possible to give faculty enough time to consider the information prior to receiving the second survey.

The meeting adjourned at 5:45 p.m.

Secretary
Karen Wiese