Office of the Dean
College of Liberal and Applied Arts
Department Chair Minutes
June 3, 2013
The meeting began at 2:30pm in room 273D of the Ferguson Building. People in attendance included the following:
Dr. Kwame Antwi-Boasiako (Government)
Dr. Freddie Avant (Social Work)
Dr. Mark Barringer (History)
Dr. Ray Darville (College Council)
Ms. Dixie Groll (Dean’s Office)
Dr. John Hendricks (Media Communication)
Dr. Mike Martin (Multidisciplinary Programs)
Dr. Brian Murphy (Dean)
Dr. Mark Sanders (English)
Dean Brian Murphy inquired whether any issues existed involving the new core curriculum. Several chairs requested
clarification on whether a common assignment could be used to assess multiple core objectives. Dean Murphy promised to
obtain an answer from the Director of Assessment.
The previous meeting considered feedback from the College Council on several issues relative to tenure and promotion. After
further discussion, the following policies were unanimously adopted:
• Candidates for promotion have the option of selecting between either the current departmental standard or the
standard in place five years earlier.
• Each department should revise its promotion policy accordingly: Candidates for promotion must demonstrate a
regular and sustained record of scholarship to qualify for a positive promotion decision.
• Publications produced prior to employment at SFA will not count toward fulfilling a departmental scholarship
requirement for tenure unless recommended by the unit chair and dean in the initial hiring contract and approved by
the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs.
Dean Murphy reminded the chairs that new unit goal plans would be in effect for the upcoming academic year. However,
existing unit goal plans remain operative for the current cycle.
A committee (Jerry Williams, John Hendricks, Mark Barringer, and Jeana Paul-Urena) was tasked to develop a
recommendation on how the modern language requirement should be handled for BS degrees under the new core
curriculum. The committee proposed using the college requirement section as a way of dealing with a language requirement.
The chairs endorsed this suggestion. The question arose whether Latin could be a language option since it is not “modern.”
The chairs had no opposition in including Latin in any revision of the college requirements.
Dean Murphy provided an update on preparations for hosting a high school student pre-law camp during summer, 2014.
Dean Murphy next inquired about the best date on which to conduct the annual chair retreat. Consensus settled on August
19, 2013.
The meeting concluded with a few announcements:
• The Coordinating Board approved an MA degree in Mass Communications.
• The College is developing a Policy & Procedure Manual to consolidate a wide range of documents.
• Discussions are under way to explore establishing an SFA presence at The Woodlands Center. Several chairs
expressed an interest in considering the opportunity.
• Academic Program Reviews are currently being reviewed at the Provost’s level.
The meeting adjourned at 3:20 pm.
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