By Ella Prieto, Editor-in-Chief
President Bob Iuliano missed the meeting due to business in Boston. Provost Jamilia Bookwala presided over the meeting in his absence.
Provost’s Report
Bookwala shared that 75 faculty members attended the two Faculty Divisional Meetings, and 40 faculty members attended the January Faculty Institute, both over Winter Break. The Divisional Meetings focused on faculty-led study abroad programs and considering the feasibility of flexible teaching loads for professors to average 5 courses over a two to three-year period. The Faculty Institute focused on AI teaching and learning.
She also shared for the Faculty Council that Professor of Chemistry & Biochemistry Tim Funk will serve as the chair of the Council for the remainder of the academic year. Former Chair German Professor Kerry Wallach stepped down from the position for personal reasons. New members of the Council include English Professor Joanne Myers and History Professor William Bowman.
Bookwala concluded her report by welcoming back faculty members from sabbatical and other leaves: Professors Emelio Betances, Kate Buettner, Avner Dormer, Kirby Farah Bruce Larson, Ben Luley and Yoshi Sato. She also welcomed Visiting Economics Professor for three semesters Catherine Falvey.
Amendment to RTT Presentation
French and Italian Professor Alan Perry presented a friendly amendment to the Requesting a Change in Tenure Home Policy. At the last meeting, concerns were raised over disputes being referred to the Faculty Grievance Committee. Perry proposed that the faculty member requesting to change departments can petition the President to create an ad hoc committee. This committee, composed of three tenured faculty members, would handle situations where the departmental home and the requester cannot come to an agreement. They would have individual meetings with all involved parties and then make a decision that would break the gridlock.
Associate Professor of Management Alice Brawley Newlin shared that her same concerns persist with this change, as she worries about faculty members having to decide such a precarious issue along with possible legal ramifications. Perry answered that going through this process is completely outside of the legal process, so no ramifications could occur. Furthermore, Professor/Chair of Interdisciplinary Studies Vernon Cisney, an original collaborator on the policy, stated that there is language in the proposal that says it in no way overrides legal or Human Resources policies
Chairperson/Associate Professor of Sociology Cassie Hays noted that the Faculty Governance Committee has helped the President make committees before, so she suggested including it in creating the ad hoc committee for this policy. This led to several amendments, before Director of Bands and Professor in The Sunderman Conservatory of Music Russell McCutcheon motioned that the policy be sent to a committee of Iuliano, Perry and Chair of the Faculty Governance Committee Professor Lindsay Reid to adjust it and present next faculty meeting. McCutcheon’s motion was approved.
Center for Student Success Presentation
The meeting concluded with a presentation by Dean of Academic Advising & Student Success Josef Brandauer about his office and how faculty can collaborate with them.
