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

The meeting came to order at 4:20 p.m. in Room 226 of the new Rosenfield Student Center. The minutes of September 6, 2006 were approved.

President’s Remarks

The President noted that Grinnell College will host the annual meeting of the Iowa College Foundation and the Iowa Association of Colleges and Universities on September 18-19. He also noted that he will be traveling next week and will not attend the next Council meeting.

Dean’s Remarks

The Dean updated Council on some issues that were raised by members in the last meeting. He talked with Mike Burt at Facilities Management and he will try to avoid mowing around academic buildings during class times. If there are difficulties, please call FM at x3300 directly to let them know.

Security has put it on their list to turn on ARH lights on holidays during the time that classes are in session. Again, if there are difficulties, please call FM at x3300 directly.

New course and other forms are on the Registrar’s www page in Word and well as pdf format.

Catering is short staffed and having a hard time doing all of the events requested. They are trying to hire additional help to restore their level of service.

Students requested higher quality and locally roasted coffee. We now purchase coffee from an Ankeny roaster (the same as Saints Rest) and price our coffee to be competitive, but not undercut that sold in town.

The Dean discussed a proposal from the Theatre Department.

Council Remarks

T. Roberts asked for clarification of the process for requesting a term appointment. The Dean noted that the due date for department proposals is September 22nd each year. The proposals are reviewed soon thereafter by the Academic Subcommittee of the Budget Committee and are prioritized. Decisions to approve term position requests are then made as the overall budget evolves to be approved by Executive Council. Then for those that are approved departments move to prepare position descriptions.

Roberts noted that the Humanities Division meeting held this week also included Richard Fyffe, the new Librarian of the College. He remarked (with some tongue in cheek) that Fyffe’s decision to move Freud to the new Science Library caused consternation among the faculty in attendance. S. Rebelsky reminded Roberts that all faculty are welcome to visit the Science Library.

There was discussion of a proposal by the Political Science Department.

T. Roberts noted that he has received several complaints from faculty who have been told by Dining Services that they may not book Grinnell House for multiple events on a given day for faculty functions. He noted that the apparent interruption of catering services by a recent vacancy has restricted faculty access to Grinnell House and would like to see this situation resolved very soon. E. Marzluff stated that, given the level of rumor on campus over this situation, she believes it is serious enough to have the matter explained by the administration at the next faculty meeting. President Osgood agreed to discuss dining at Grinnell House at an upcoming faculty meeting.

C. Hunter noted that faculty in this week’s Social Studies Division meeting approved the proposal to cancel the January Registration meeting, on a trial basis, but were concerned especially that preregistration procedures would permit sufficient faculty control over additions to closed classes. Those concerns – about the timing of drops and adds, about preference lists, and about how “closed” courses are treated on the Registrar’s on-line schedule of courses -- have been passed to the Curriculum Committee.

Promotion to Professor

Led by T. Roberts for several months, Council has been considering language changes to the Faculty Handbook regarding promotion to professor. The President took this opportunity to review his reaction to several of the key issues being addressed by the revision. The President then left the meeting at 5:30 p.m.

There was continued review of the proposed changes to that section of the handbook. On Robert’s suggestion it was decided, that given the discrepancies that would exist between the section on promotion to tenure and promotion to professor with this proposed revision, Council would restrict its duties and faculty discussion to this section at this time.

The meeting adjourned at 6:00 p.m.

Secretary
Karen Wiese