Present: C. Hunter, E. Marzluff, J. Meehan, R. Osgood, S. Rebelsky, T. Roberts, E. Willis.

 

The meeting came to order at 4:15 p.m. in room 226 of the Joe Rosenfield Center. The minutes and excerpts of 3-7-07 were set aside for the next meeting.

 

Henry Reitz joined Council to provide a briefing of the planning for our NCA Self Study and the College reaccreditation process. He noted that since the College is seen to be very strong at this time, the NCA agreed to negotiate a special emphasis as the focus of our Self Study. This focus is centered on the question “Are we producing the kind of person we say we are” (creating leaders of social justice/servants of the common good/agents of social change). A memorandum of understanding has been signed. E. Willis asked if efforts will be made to differentiate meaning among the terms leadership, social justice, and common good. Reitz stated that he anticipates that whatever results from the Self Study the entire range of meanings will be reflected. His presentation outline follows.

 

Briefing on Accreditation to Executive Council

March 14, 2007

 

Review Accreditation Steering Committee Process

 

Parameters for Self-Study

Special Emphasis

Leaders in social service

Higher Learning Commission Criteria

Past Accreditation

   Current Concerns

 

Review Schedule

 

Plan to report to full faculty after break

 

Focus (cf. graphic)

Academics

Individually Mentored Curriculum (IMC)

Distributions

Interdisciplinarity vs. disciplinarity

Integrity

Special Emphasis: Creating

leaders for social justice/

servants of the common good/

   agents for social change

Well-being

   Balance vs. workload

Challenges: technology, reinventing the wheel

Community morale

Effort vs. outcome

Context of Leadership

Modeling healthy leadership

Integrity btw what we do and what we say

Healthy and constructive communication

Governance vs. administration

Self-governance

Diversity

Supported by the financial, physical, and human resources

 

Links

http://www.grinnell.edu/offices/president/links/NCAindex/

http://www.ncahlc.org/index.php?option=com_frontpage&Itemid=113

 

Tentative Schedule for Accreditation Process

 

   December—2006—Assign Brad Bateman; appoint Henry Rietz, Chair

 

   Winter, 2007—Negotiate Special Emphasis with Higher Learning Commission

 

January, 2007—Appointment of Accreditation Steering Committee (Bateman,

Scott Baumler, Vicki Benley-Condit, Tom Crady, Rietz, Laura Sinnett,

Karen Voss)

 

   February 9-10, 2007: President reports to Trustees

 

Late Spring 2007—Consult constituencies  

              

March 10—Report to Alumni Council

 

March 14—Report to Executive Council

 

April—Report at Faculty Meeting

 

   Report at Staff Meeting (Karen to arrange)

 

   Report at SGA (Tom to arrange)

 

   Report to Trustees

 

May—Report at Reunion

 

Summer—Planning engagement

 

Fall, 2007—Engaging Constituencies

 

Spring 2008—Evaluate results; begin writing the Report

 

Summer 2008—Finalize report

 

September 15-17, 2008—Site Visit

 

Henry left the meeting at 4:45 p.m.

 

President’s Remarks

 

The President spoke briefly of his recent reaccreditation assignment to the University of Michigan. He talked with administrators about their experience with faculty in interdisciplinary appointments, financial affairs, and facilities management. He was also able to speak with Mary Sue Coleman.

 

Dean’s Remarks

 

The Dean was traveling but was able to call into the meeting by cell phone.

 

Council Remarks

 

E. Willis noted that the Curriculum Committee has decided that they will present three options regarding future College policy on distribution requirements for off-campus study, early graduation, and declaration of double or independent majors for a faculty vote. There was discussion.

 

She stated that she will be placing the proposal from the early career faculty to make review letters available to them on Council agenda after break.

 

She also noted that in looking ahead to curricular issues associated with interdisciplinary teaching there is need for Council to consider how courses that are cross-listed will be credited--to the concentration, department, or division?

 

Willis also informed Council that the Gender and Women’s Studies Concentration is putting together a replacement position request and she asked whether this would be considered as a special search. The President stated that they should speak with the Dean.

 

Department Personnel Actions

 

The Council discussed and took action on departmental requests from the Art, Spanish, French, and Music Departments.

 

Faculty Voting

 

S. Rebelsky updated Council on the progress of the ad hoc committee on faculty voting. The discussion centered on existing language of the faculty handbook regarding faculty appointments and the possible need to amend the handbook to accommodate decisions on faculty voting. It was decided that the general principles guiding the recommendations of the ad hoc committee would be presented to the faculty prior to working on difficult language changes in the handbook.

 

The meeting was adjourned at 5:40 p.m.

 

Secretary

Karen Wiese