MEETING OF THE
President Osgood called the meeting to order at 4:15 p.m. in ARH 302.
Minutes - Russell K. Osgood, President
Minutes from the meeting on October 9, 2006, were approved as distributed.
Remarks – Russell K. Osgood
President Osgood thanked everyone who attended the second-year retreat. Bob Grey reported the retreat was a success and gave some details of the weekend. He was disappointed that less than 60 students participated.
Osgood announced the Deans are attending an ACM meeting.
Strategic Plan, Strategy 6 – Russell K. Osgood
President Osgood recounted the origin of Strategy 6 and introduced a draft document called Strategy 6 Position Paper: Strengthening the Public Profile of Grinnell College. [This document may be viewed via the following URL: http://www.grinnell.edu/tv/includes/Strategy6PaperOct2006.pdf] Osgood stressed that the draft is intended for discussion and further development.
Strategy 6 Position Paper articulates four core strengths of the College and is in response to subsection A under Strategy 6 of the Strategic Plan “Articulate more clearly and prominently our distinctive academic qualities and devotion to the common good to establish a stronger national profile for the College.” One of its purposes is as a source for public relations documents. In the case of a likely capital campaign, funded areas will be identified from the Strategic Plan and subsequently, though to a lesser degree, from this document.
Osgood explained the document is not meant to identify individual departments but very significant general strengths. Osgood will meet with faculty and others throughout this semester and invites responses to the following questions.
• Do you agree that these are major strengths of the College?
• What is missing?
• What are reactions to the document?
There was discussion about the career office and its lack of staff in reference to section A of the draft “The Career Initiative on Effective and Ethical Leadership.” Osgood responded that this document could have significant implications for staffing in the career office and also in creative arts. He also noted that the Board of Trustees has unanimously approved making additional funds available from the capital reserve to help the College implement Strategy 6.
Osgood stated there are aspirations incorporated in section B of the draft “Creative Studies and Interdisciplinary Arts” and that this indicates that the interdisciplinary character of the arts at
Grinnell should increase. There was additional discussion about section A and use of the term “leadership.”
An email from the Dean’s office will be sent providing the URL to this document. Comments about the position paper should be conveyed to Associate Dean Jon Chenette.
Faculty Voting – Sam Rebelsky, Representative for the Ad Hoc Committee on Faculty Voting
Rebelsky reported on behalf of taskforce members: Karla Erickson, Tom Moore, Pablo Silva and Rebelsky. He described the issues the taskforce intends to clarify. These include disparities between departments, how departments vote and what they vote on, and the voting rights of Lecturers.
There will be a survey sent to a random sampling of faculty. The committee will also examine voting procedures at other institutions and look at AAUP guidelines.
Some related issues that have arisen include the need for more careful definitions throughout the handbook, for example, where the terms “regular faculty,” “full-time faculty,” and “teaching faculty” are used. The suggestion that Lecturers with a long-term commitment to the College be distinguished from those who provide lesser, term service will be considered; as will voting in the Interim Review process. Executive Council has been discussing simplification of this process.
Sarah Purcell, FOC, and Rebelsky will discuss and identify which committee should address the issue of defining more specifically “voting rights in committees.”
There was discussion about the need for a representative from the Humanities Division on the taskforce. The matter will be discussed by Executive Council at its next meeting.
(President Osgood excused himself from the meeting to catch a flight. He appointed Chair of the Faculty Eliza Willis to preside.)
Remarks – Eliza Willis, Chair of the Faculty
Willis presented an update on the activities of Executive Council. They recently met with Trustee Clint Korver to discuss metrics—measures used for assessing progress on the Strategic Plan. Topics of high priority for Council include instructions for proposals for the next round of EKI positions and interdisciplinary appointments—how these appointments should be made and how individual reviews of appointees should be conducted.
Willis encouraged faculty to discuss Strategy 6 with herself and other Executive Council members and suggested that she and/or Council members be included in communications with Associate Dean Chenette.
There was a brief discussion about advising which will be the topic of a November faculty meeting. Elaine Marzluff invited input.
Announcements/New Business
Bob Grey reminded faculty about the Majors Fair, Friday, October 27, at 4:15 p.m.
Alan Schrift, on behalf of the Convocation Committee, reminded faculty that proposals for Scholars’ Convocation are due on November 6. Proposals may be submitted via a link on Faculty News Digest.
Judy Hunter, Writing Lab, announced a series of noontime discussions on teaching writing at Grinnell beginning November 1. Lunch will be provided. Contact Jan Graham if you wish to attend.
The meeting was adjourned by Willis at 5:16 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Angela Winburn
Secretary to the Faculty