Faculty Policies Committee Minutes, September
29, 2003
Present: Michelle
Benedict, Tom Crute, Cliff Gardiner, Marc Miller,
Jeff Heck (secretary), Bill Reese (chair), Katherine Sweeney, Wendy Turner,
Donna Wear, Janice Whiting, Sabina Widner
Minutes from
OLD BUSINESS
1. Faculty Governance - Open records of all committees – The FPC discussed extensively the proper scope of provision of minutes and annual reports to the Web. Which committees should be required to do so? The committee voted unanimously to invite the academic deans to whichever of the next two meetings best fit their schedule, to discuss the best approach to this issue. Marc Miller and Wendy Turner will revise the proposed amendment to the Faculty Policy Manual to provide the committee with a starting point.
Cliff Gardiner reported that the Pamplin Student Travel and Research Committee was conceived as an advisory and non-permanent body, which is why it is not listed on the committee list. One concern is that this committee requires extensive time and effort, and that faculty who serve on the committee may not be receiving appropriate credit toward promotion and tenure, since it’s not on the list. The FPC encouraged Donna Wear to contact the current Pamplin Student Travel and Research Committee members, to encourage them in turn to discuss this with the current deans, with the possible goal of redefining the committee’s standing.
2. Departmental Meetings – Katherine Sweeney met with the Military Science department, which had no concerns to bring before the FPC. Tom Crute met with Chemistry and Physics, which reflected existing concerns about evening parking and activities outside the contractual year.
3. New Faculty – Sabina Widner will continue working on materials for new faculty for next year’s hires.
4. Organizational Chart – Bill Reese turned over floppy disks to Jeff Heck containing copies of the campus organizational chart for review.
5. Book Vendors – Bill Reese arranged a meeting for later this week with Dr. Fred Barnabei, Vice President for Business and Student Services, and will present the results of the meeting at the next FPC meeting.
6. Employee Benefits – The FPC will take a week to review a draft of a memo to the Employment Benefits Committee, distributed to the FPC today, concerning the recording of sick and vacation leave.
7. Faculty Lunchroom
– Discussion was deferred until after the PAC meeting on
8. Faculty Meetings – Michelle Benedict reported on the number of faculty meetings held in the past few years. Counts ran four to five meetings, generally, out of a regularly scheduled six meetings. The count included Fall Convocation, at which faculty business is not conducted. One meeting is required at the beginning of the year and the end of the year. While it is appropriate for meetings to be cancelled for lack of business, the committee speculated that this is a missed opportunity for communication.
NEW BUSINESS
1. All other agenda items were deferred.
Next Meeting:
Allgood Hall, Dean’s Office Conference room, within the N210 suite