By Ella Prieto, Editor-in-Chief
The Feb. 5 Faculty Meeting began with a moment of silence for the passing of Gabor Boritt, the founder of the Civil War Institute at Gettysburg College.
President’s Report
President Bob Iuliano acknowledged that the Board of Trustees is visiting this weekend and thus will be participating in a session on the First Year Seminar Program and meetings with faculty and administrator co-leaders of Gettysburg 2.0 working groups. They will also be included in the broader College discussion of whether AI should become more prevalent in the curriculum.
Iuliano shouted out Professor of History Timothy Shannon for his Fellowship at Yale University, which he will be working on during his sabbatical, and Professor of Civil War Studies Jim Downs for his Op-ed about the popular show “Heated Rivalry”, published in the New York Times.
Provost’s Report
Provost Bookwala updated faculty on the appointment of the new Benjamin Franklin Professor of Liberal Arts and Sciences. They have received fourteen nominations, which will be reviewed by the Faculty Development Committee. She also shared that Iuliano approved two tenure-track faculty positions for the 2027-28 academic year. The searches for those positions will begin next academic year.
Bookwala addressed an anonymous concern from the Faculty Council with the Provost’s Office withholding a salary increase to faculty members who do not submit their annual or periodic reviews. She explained that this practice predates her appointment as Provost, and that more information about the policy can be found in the Jan. 13 Faculty Council minutes.
She also asked that six faculty members volunteer to present 20-minute lectures during Get Acquainted Day (GAD), which was a great success last year, as prospective students and families enjoyed getting a taste of a Gettysburg College classroom. Finally, she asked faculty members who disliked the flexible policy of travel funds for conferences to email her. Otherwise, the flexible policy will remain in place.
Pilot Program for Increased Student Research Opportunities
Chair and Professor of Mathematics Kimberly Spayd and Professor in the Sunderman Conservatory of Music Jocelyn Swigger presented on the development of a three-year pilot program for student research opportunities. The goal would be to increase research in a way that would complement the already established X-SIG and Kolbe Fellowship programs. An email with more details is forthcoming to faculty.
Change in Tenure Home Policy
Iuliano announced that the Change in Tenure Home Policy is being reworked, and a new motion will be presented in an upcoming meeting.
FPC & FDC Motion on Pre-Tenure Leave
The Faculty Personnel Committee (FPC) and the Faculty Development Committee (FDC), represented by their Chairs, Economics Professor Brendan Cushing-Daniels and German Studies Professor Tres Lambert, presented a policy motion on pre-tenure leave. The new policy would have candidates seeking both tenure and a research leave to attach a one pager to their tenure application dossier explaining why they would like a pre-tenure leave. This would reduce the work required of both committees and streamline the process for candidates.
Faculty were divided on whether this policy was needed, with some arguing that pre-tenure leave was “pro forma” and should be kept as such. Others saw it as necessary to be standardized as the College begins to rely more on specific policies.
The vote for this policy will occur at the next Faculty Meeting on Feb. 19.
Announcements
The Management Department is hosting Dr. Amy Speinwell, of the Department of Legal Studies and Business Ethics at the University of Pennsylvania, for their John H. Hauser Business Ethics Lecture Series. It will take place on Feb. 10 at 6:30 p.m. in Mara Auditorium.
The Orpheus Chamber Orchestra with Mark Andre Hamlin is performing at the Majestic Theatre tomorrow. It is free for Gettysburg College students, staff and faculty.
The Celebration of Academic First-Year Engagement (CAFE) takes place on Feb. 11 at 4 p.m. in Plank Gym.
Also on Feb. 11, a representative from the Council on International Educational Exchange (CIEE) will be on campus to answer questions about the College’s new programs with them. A happy hour will also take place at Sign of the Buck from 4 – 6 p.m.
On Feb. 12, Assistant Professor at Sunderman Conservatory of Music William O’Hara and Professor of Religious Studies and Philosophy Steve Gimbel will be hosting a lecture on unorthodox applications of science at Waldos & Co. at 7 p.m. It is a part of the “Science Everywhere” series.
