Posted By Laken Franchetti on Mar 7, 2024 | 1 comment

By Laken Franchetti, Editor-in-Chief

Today’s faculty meeting began with President Bob Iuliano providing an update on the College’s process of reaccreditation.

Following their visit to campus, Iuliano shared that the Middle States Evaluation team made no requirements and no recommendations regarding the College’s accreditation standard. Iuliano thanked all members across the campus who played a role in preparing the self study, including Steering Committee Co-Chairs Associate Professor of Anthropology Amy Evrard and Professor of Management Chris Zappe.

Iuliano then addressed the recent passing of two campus community members: Board of Trustee member Troy Datcher ’90 and support staff member Charlene Felton. He highlighted the work both Datcher and Felton completed which contributed to the campus community.

Provost Jamila Bookwala once again thanked those who participated in preparing the self study for the Middle States Evaluation team. She then shared that the chairs compensation review group attended a meeting to share their findings, and Bookwala said this provided the Provost’s Office an opportunity to establish a set of criteria and guiding principles for instituting levels of compensation for department chairs.

The Provost’s Office has also started their search for a director of the Center for Global Education to assist with strengthening the College’s study abroad programs. Bookwala additionally revealed that the Provost’s Office is looking to build flexibility in faculty’s use of funds for professional development

Discussion Surrounding the Proposed “Finance and Economics” Major

At the last faculty meeting on February 15, Associate Professor of Economics Brendan Cushing-Daniels brought forth a proposal to create a new major in “finance and economics.” In today’s meeting, Chairperson of the Management Department Joseph Radzevick proposed an amendment which would change the major’s name to “financial economics.”

Radzevick stated that the Management Department felt there were essential distinctions that needed to be made with the new major due to respect for their discipline and out of concern for prospective and current students seeking this area of study. Radzevick shared how he felt the proposed major involved two changes: a new history of finance course to replace history of economic thought and a more topically focused capstone course. He also highlighted three additions the proposed major had: the Management Department’s accounting course, a new financial econometrics course and an additional elective requirement.

Radzevick shared that the Management Department felt that due to the language utilized in its development and formal presentation to the faculty, the proposed major was designed with a financial economics model in mind. Therefore, Radzevick believed the proposed major should be renamed.

Chairperson of the Economics Department Linus Nyiwul expressed that the department opposes the amendment and disagrees with the claim that calling the proposed major “finance and economics” is misleading. Nyiwul explained that the name of “finance and economics” accurately reflects the structure and content of the proposed major, and while crafting the major, the Economics Department had looked at other colleges and universities with similar majors.

Nyiwul shared that the name of the proposed major was also made to increase the attractiveness of the Economics Department’s programs. He stated that, as understood from members of the Admission’s Office, the title of “finance and economics” would be appealing to prospective students.

Radzevick raised an issue with the lack of offering a finance course within the Management Department. He claimed the Management Department has tried to partner with the Economics Department for the course ECON 267: Finance. However, Radzevick felt the course could be offered to cover more corporate finance rather than primarily investments, which he claimed to have heard from students.

Lecturer of Economics Drew Murphy stated that he resented Radzevick’s claims on how the Economics Department taught their finance course and claimed that students were being trained in various areas.

The amendment was then voted on and did not pass. Therefore, the proposed major’s name will remain “finance and economics.” The motion to approve this proposed major will occur at the next faculty meeting.

Curriculum Implementation Update

Professor of Mathematics and Co-Chair of the Curriculum Implementation Committee (CIC) Benjamin Kennedy provided an update on the committee’s work.

Kennedy asked that faculty be willing to get in touch with CIC at CIC@gettysburg.edu. He then reminded faculty to be attentive to communication they receive from CIC over the following months.

Kennedy shared that CIC’s hope is that before the end of this academic year, faculty can propose, discuss, and gather support for courses they plan to offer in the new curriculum. CIC will not approve courses as that duty will fall to the Academic Policy and Program Committee (APPC) and other faculty committees. Courses will begin running under the new curriculum for the 2025-2026 academic year.

Considerations of the Academic Calendar

Chairperson of the Africana Studies Department and Chair of the Faculty Governance Committee (FGC) Scott Hancock reminded faculty that FGC is responsible for setting the academic calendar.

FGC is considering extending Thanksgiving break for the entire week due to low attendance in classes on Monday and Tuesday of that week. Possible adjustments include eliminating fall break or starting the semester a few days earlier in August, such as on a Wednesday the week before the semester typically begins. Hancock shared that the latter is the more favorable option to the College Life Division so that the fall break remains to help with students’ mental health.

Associate Professor of Interdisciplinary Studies Stephen Stern supported the decision as the Wednesday of Thanksgiving week is a dangerous travel day, so adjusting the break could avoid accidents.

Director of Bands and Professor for the Sunderman Conservatory of Music Russell McCutcheon expressed interest in Stern’s point. He also shared that at a previous institution, Thanksgiving break was only Thursday and Friday, so McCutcheon shared his belief that offering Wednesday as a day within the break may be contributing to students leaving earlier.

Lecturer of English Melissa Forbes offered the idea of using Zoom or Microsoft Teams for classes that week so that students could go home and still participate in classes.