MEETING OF THE
President Russell K. Osgood called the meeting to order at 9:30 a.m. in ARH 302.
Approval of minutes – Russell Osgood, President
Minutes from the meeting on May 15, 2006, were approved with one change. Sarah Purcell announced that Keith Brouhle will replace Kathleen Skerrett on the Scholarship Selection Committee.
Announcement - George Drake, Professor Emeritus of History
Professor Drake announced the campaign for a new public library in Grinnell. There will be a vote this fall for a 1% local option sales tax increase with funds going to a Public Safety building, the new library, and a swimming pool improvement.
Introduction of new faculty members - Jim Swartz, Vice-President for Academic Affairs and Dean of the College
Dean Swartz introduced the new faculty members. This includes two placements that converted from temporary to tenure-track positions; five tenure-track and regular, continuing positions; sixteen term positions; and two Postdoctoral and/or CSMP Fellow positions.
Introduction of international scholars – Todd Armstrong, Director, Center for International Studies
Hong Gao, Nanjing Visiting Instructor in Chinese & Japanese (full year), is from the School of Foreign Studies of Nanjing University.
Wu Yingzi, Nanjing, Visiting Scholar in Chinese & Japanese (fall semester), is an Associate Professor of Law at the Law School of Nanjing University.
David Willis, Visiting Distinguished Professor in Humanities, is Professor of Cultural of Studies in the Department of Humanities, Soai University, Osaka, Japan.
Ming Chan, John R. Heath Visiting Professor of History, is Research Fellow and Executive Coordinator of the Hong Kong Documentary Archives, Hoover Institution, Stanford University.
Pawel Jedrzejko, International Fellow in English, is at the University of Silesia, Katowice, Poland.
Abdou Ngom, International Fellow in English, is at the University of Cheikh Anta DIOP in Dakar, Senegal.
Onur Akmehmet, International Fellow in Economics, is at Istanbul University, Turkey and The Minda D. Gunzburg Center for European Studies, Harvard University.
The traditional reception for international faculty will be held on Friday, September 15.
Announcements – Alan Schrift, Director, Center for the Humanities
This year’s Center for the Humanities activities focus on the topic “Pleasure.” Four visiting scholars will be on campus this semester for three weeks each. They are:
Carolyn Dean, Professor of History, Brown University
Shuen-fu Lin, Professor of Chinese Literature, University of Michigan
Janice Radway, Professor and Chair of Literature, Duke University
Claire Colebrook, Professor of English Literature, University of Edinburgh
The first talk by Carolyn Dean is scheduled on Thursday, August 31, and is entitled "Against Grandiloquence: Jewish Memory and Victim Culture.”
Announcements – President Osgood
• Faculty and staff will be encouraged to use the new dining facility. A dining program at a reduced-cost basis will be announced after Labor Day. The grill is scheduled to open on Saturday, August 26. The multi-purpose room in JRC is scheduled to be open in time for Osgood’s Convocation on September 7. The Science project and the Cowles renovation are ahead of schedule. On October 6 and 7, there will be a formal dedication of the Joe Rosenfield ’25 Center. The Board of Trustees and Alumni Council will be on campus that weekend and it will be Volunteer Weekend.
• The EKI Committee made substantial progress last year, making recommendations to the Executive Council that were approved. The project will move forward this year as part of the Strategic Plan.
• The budget year ended very successfully last year. The College continues to do well in its capacity to budget. Osgood thanked everyone for doing their part in this process.
There were no questions.
Announcements – Dean Swartz
• All were encouraged to read the reports of last year from standing committees, from the Chair of the Faculty, and from the Dean’s Office.
• A new Faculty Handbook will be distributed in the next few days.
• The first two EKI searches will be launched this year. The searches will be in earth systems science and geography.
• Swartz thanked Brad Bateman and Jennifer Krohn for their work reorganizing New Student Orientation. He also expressed appreciation for the acceptance/toleration of those individuals and groups which are no longer part of the NSO schedule but will have opportunities at other times during the first semester.
• There are seven new classrooms in the JRC. The Noyce Science project is on schedule for the new spaces to be completed in summer 2007. There will be a renovation of the east wing in 2007-08. That project will also create substantial new classroom space.
• The Dean introduced Richard Fyffe, the new Librarian of the College.
Remarks – Richard Fyffe, Librarian of the College
Fyffe praised Christopher McKee and the other library faculty and library staff for their achievement in providing a superb foundation for future work, for building a strong tradition of service to the community, and for building strong collections. He invited discussion from all levels of the college. In particular, Fyffe noted the need for discussion of the library’s direction in regard to electronic collections and how electronic collections and traditional print collections should best fit together. He stated that discussion is also needed regarding the use of collection spaces, study spaces, and service spaces in the current facility.
Recognition of faculty – Dean Swartz
Henry Rietz, Assistant Editor, The Dead Sea Scrolls, Volume 3, James H. Charlesworth, Editor, Mohr Siebeck and Westminster John Knox Press.
Kent McClelland (and Thomas J. Fararo), Editors, Purpose, Meaning, and Action: Control Systems Theories in Sociology, Palgrave Macmillan.
Announcement – Jon Chenette, Associate Dean of the College
Dean Chenette announced that the College has received a small grant from the American Council on Education to carry out a study assessing the ways in which a sizeable international student contingent influences the international educations of our students. The aims of the study are to articulate more clearly
• how international students enrich the living and learning environment,
• what level of international student presence best serves the College’s educational objectives,
• what we could do differently to enhance international education through interactions among international and domestic students, and
• why the costs of bringing international students to Grinnell are worth bearing.
On Friday, September 1, a team led by John Schuh, Professor and Chair of Higher Education Educational Leadership & Policy Studies at Iowa State University will be on campus to conduct focus groups to inform this study. They will meet with 15 groups of students, faculty members, staff members, and administrators. Those who are interested should contact Chenette.
Remarks - Eliza Willis, Chair of the Faculty
Professor Willis thanked Wayne Moyer for his work as former Chair of the Faculty, and recognized former and present Executive Council members. Willis identified some issues she wishes to bring forward—faculty governance, criteria for promotion to full professor, strategies to diversify faculty, and the EKI process. She also announced Family Weekend on September 15 and 16, and encouraged faculty participation. Willis concluded by stressing her availability to discuss issues.
Announcements and new business
Sam Rebelsky announced The Friends of Stewart Library annual book sale on August 25 and 26.
The meeting was adjourned at 10:24 a.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Angela Winburn
Secretary to the Faculty