MARIETTA COLLEGE FACULTY MEETING
April 22, 2002
MINUTES (Approved 9/9/02)
A special meeting of the Marietta College faculty convened at 5:00 p.m. April 22, 2002, in the Selby Science Center, room 101. Dr. Sidney Potash, Chair of the Faculty, presided.
- Announcements
Dr. DeWine reminded faculty of upcoming events: Secretaries Day, April 24; Spring Honors Convocation, April 25; Staff Appreciation Day, April 26. The Provost also reminded faculty that the rain day alternative for Commencement was the Marietta High School. In the event of the need to use the alternative, e-mail or voicemail messages would be sent.
- Minutes
The minutes of the regular meeting of Monday April 8, 2002 were approved as submitted.
- Faculty Council
Ballots for the election of three members of the Faculty Council for 2002-04 and three alternates for 2002-03 were distributed, completed, collected, and the vote computed. Drs. Golden and Michel were appointed as tellers. A copy of the ballot form is attached as Exhibit A (blue) to these minutes.
Later in the meeting the results were announced as:
2002-04: Dr. B. MacHaffie, Dr. Miller, Prof. Osborne
2002-03 alternates: 1st Dr. Tager, 2nd Dr. Spilatro, 3rd Dr. Hogan
Once the results had been announced the meeting moved into the election by written ballot of the Chair of Faculty. At this point Dr. B. MacHaffie stated that since she would be on sabbatical for the calendar year 2003, she would prefer not to be appointed chair. Drs. Golden and Michel were appointed tellers. Later in the meeting, the result was announced with Dr. Sidney Potash being elected Chair of the Faculty for 2002-03.
- Commencement Exercises
The following motion was proposed by Dr. Lester Anderson, and seconded:
That upon successful completion of the work now in progress, those students certified by the Dean of the Faculty and Registrar as fulfilling the requirements for graduation from Marietta College be recommended to the Board of Trustees for the award of the appropriate degree at commencement exercises.
Without discussion, the motion passed unanimously on a voice vote.
- Amendments to section VI.B.of the Constitution of the Faculty Manual
Supporting documentation was distributed prior to the meeting of April 8 and is attached as Exhibit B to the minutes of that meeting.
- Academic Standards Committee
The following motion was proposed by Dr. Barnas, and seconded:
That the Faculty of Marietta College amend the composition of the Academic Standards Committee, effective academic year 2002-03, in a manner consistent with the attached document headed "Academic Standards Committee."
The following issues were raised in discussion on the motion: the change would rule out participation by newer faculty on the committee; two faculty referred to the committee as being productive and requiring a broad representation among its membership.
On a vote being taken by rising, the motion failed by a wide margin.
- Athletic Committee
The following motion was proposed by Dr. Gama Perruci, and seconded:
That the Faculty of Marietta College dissolve the Athletic Committee, effective academic year 2002-03, contingent on the creation of a Co-curricular Committee (or similarly-named committee) by the Division of Student Life which would assume the functions required by the Ohio Athletic Conference.
The Chair was asked how many faculty would be members of the proposed Co-curricular Committee and he responded that this would need to be negotiated with the Student Senate, but it would probably be similar in composition to the existing Campus Life Committee.
On a vote being taken by rising, the motion was passed unanimously, with four abstentions.
- Honors Programs Committee
The following motion was proposed by Dr. Barnas, and seconded:
That the Faculty of Marietta College amend the purpose, functions, composition, and name of the Honors Programs Committee, effective academic year 2002-03, in a manner consistent with the attached sheet headed "Honors and Investigative Studies Committee."
Some discussion ensued about the merits of including in this committee the "human subjects" responsibility.
An amendment was proposed by Dr. Hares-Stryker, and seconded:
That the fourth point under both functions and composition of the proposed Honors and Investigative Studies Committee be deleted.
In the discussion, it was confirmed that the newly-established graduate program in Physician Assistant Studies could increase the work required in the human subjects area. A claim that the work in the P.A. program would be of a clinical nature and so outside the requirements to safeguard the rights of human subjects was disputed.
On a show of hands, the amendment passed by a significant majority.
On a show of hands, the amended main motion received a majority exceeding the required two-thirds.
- Academic Assessment Committee
The following motion was proposed by Dr. Perruci, and seconded:
That the Faculty of Marietta College create a standing committee, the Academic Assessment Committee, effective academic year 2002-03, with the purpose, functions, and composition consistent with the attached sheet headed "Academic Assessment Committee."
The following issues emerged during discussion: what was the connection between the work of the Curriculum Committee and the proposed committee; on being asked if this committee would be a repository for data which could be made available to departments, the current chair of the President’s Committee on Assessment indicated that he did not see that as part of the role of the current committee; two-year appointments were suggested; would the Director of Institutional Research be an ex-officio member of the committee; what authority does the committee have to enforce a College policy on assessment; why was Council proposing six faculty members; was this too many?
Prof. F. MacHaffie proposed an amendment, that was seconded:
That the composition of the proposed Academic Assessment Com-mittee be amended to include the Director of Institutional Research, ex officio.
After a brief discussion in which it was agreed that faculty was now making itself responsible for student outcomes assessment, the amendment passed unanimously by a show of hands.
On a show of hands, the amended main motion received in excess of the required two-thirds majority.
-
Graduate Council
The following motion was proposed by Dr. Michel, and was seconded:
That the Faculty of Marietta College create a standing committee, the Graduate Council, effective academic year 2002-03, with the purpose, functions, and composition consistent with the attached sheet headed "Graduate Council."
Among the issues raised in discussion were: was there a conflict between the power of the committee and having the directors of programs as voting members; does this committee adjudicate on the credentials of individuals teaching courses (No, DeWine.) It was confirmed that any undergraduate enhanced course must be approved by the proposed committee and by the Curriculum Committee, even though there could be a practical problem caused by delay. Can graduate one-time courses be offered as experimental courses? (No, Chair.)
Dr. Steinhagen proposed an amendment which was seconded:
That the composition of the proposed Graduate Council be amended to show the directors of graduate programs as ex-officio (non-voting) members.
On being put to a vote, the amendment failed to achieve a majority.
On being put to a vote, the main motion achieved the necessary two-thirds majority.
- Faculty Council Procedure
Having given notice, Prof. F. MacHaffie proposed the following motion which was seconded:
The faculty of Marietta College requests that Faculty Council continue its traditional role of making appointments and recommendations on appointments to non-standing committees
The rationale for the motion was contained in a memo distributed prior to the meeting, the relevant section of which is attached to these minutes as Exhibit B (green). The motion referred to the intention stated in the Constitution amendment material distributed at the previous meeting that Council intended to discontinue appointing faculty to several non-standing committees. Among the issues raised were the following: Council was not discontinuing the practice but was sending a message to the administration that it could not continue to create committees; the concern was that participation in non-standing committees would be uneven if Council was not involved; Council currently does not appoint faculty to all advisory committees; the committees identified by Council in the documentation affected all faculty; faculty governance would appear to be weakened by Council’s intended action; there were too many committees and that was why some committees were ineffective; some committees do not need to meet every week and that could be the basis of reforming committee work; Council became involved in appointments to some of the non-standing committees to avoid cronyism and the excesses of some "loopy" administrators in the past where strong intervention was necessary; the message is to stop creating committees that are ineffective.
On being put to a vote by a show of hands the motion passed: Yes 21, No 17, with 2 abstentions.
- Next Meeting
The Chair announced that the final item on the agenda, a report from the Curriculum Committee, would be taken up at the next meeting scheduled for Monday April 29.
- Adjournment
The meeting adjourned at 6:22 p.m.
Fraser G. MacHaffie
Secretary of the Faculty
EXHIBIT A (blue): Nominations for Faculty Council 2002-04
EXHIBIT B (green): Part of memorandum, April 15, 2002,…
cc. Dr. Jean A. Scott, President
Dr. Sue DeWine, Provost and Dean of the Faculty
Dr. Sidney Potash, Chair of the Faculty
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