Minutes of the Meeting of the Executive Council
April 23, 2003
Excerpts
The meeting came to order at 4:20 in the Nollen House Conference Room.
The minutes and excerpts of 4/16/03 were approved.
The President was not present.
Dean's Remarks
The Dean noted that S. Barber is a member of the Athletics Facilities Committee. Barber briefly reviewed the status of the planning process to date noting that the architects will be in Grinnell to make a presentation and recommendation to the Board in May. He noted that Phase I will entail the construction of the performance gym, auxiliary gym, fitness center, and some locker rooms. D. Kaiser asked for information on the estimated cost of this Phase I project.
The Dean noted that he has spoken to Information Technology Services (ITS) in response to D. Kaiser's question on the policy regarding electronic data storage backup. He acknowledged that this is a current system weakness which will be addressed. In the meantime ITS is making the recommendation that most be placed in network storage. M. Schneider noted that there are several problems with this solution including the physical limitation it places on the person who works primarily on a notebook computer and network down times. D. Kaiser asked if there is anyone staying abreast of archival issues with electronic institutional information. The Dean responded that we are not doing this systematically and probably should be. He distributed a pamphlet from ITS outlining the effective use of technology at Grinnell College.
Council carried out several personnel issues.
Council Member Remarks
M. Schneider noted that he has been asked whether the Faculty Budget Committee would be sending the faculty salary list to the department chairs this year. It was agreed that this would be done.
M. Schneider thanked M. Montgomery for his admirable commitment to the strategic planning process. However, he observes that the process is under severe time pressure and he worries that rather than being the deliberative process that it was intended it might actually result in executive decision-making. He stated his desire that this not happen.
J. Chenette noted that he has been contacted by a member of the Division about whether, in the process of adjusting upward the junior faculty salaries, the same priority will be given to tenurable and non-tenurable junior faculty. The Dean responded that the Faculty Budget Committee makes these decisions, but generally they are treated the same.
J. Chenette raised the issue of whether there is any enforcement of the faculty handbook. He noted that this issue has been brought to him by a junior faculty member about his department which is apparently not following the rules with regard to election of Department Chair. S. Barber suggested that theoretically it would fall to the Dean of the Faculty. D. Kaiser suggested that it is not really an issue of enforcement, but one of the need for collegiality and the impracticality of creating it where it does not exist.
The Dean noted that Executive Council has responsibility for policy and the Personnel Committee for procedure with regard to faculty reviews. We normally have a joint meeting at lunchtime on the Monday of finals week to review and approve any changes to the guildelines for faculty reviews. He will schedule this meeting.
He also scheduled a Council meeting for May 13th at 3:00 p.m. to continue discussion of departmental staffing proposals.
Departmental Staffing Proposals
M. Schneider stated that he could not find any proposals that include an increase in FTE over what has been practice over a long period of time with the exception of Japanese and Chemistry. J. Mutti asked if this were a fair characterization. M. Montgomery noted that over the long term approval of these requests for regularization will commit the Dean and not allow him to cut back on the number of courses being taught.
The Dean suggested that Council use the straw vote process to structure the discussions of these proposals.
There was discussion
of departmental staffing proposals.
The meeting adjourned at 6:25 p.m.
Secretary
Karen Wiese