School of Contemporary Arts
Unit Council Meeting
September 16, 2015
Attendance: Marta Bautis, Bonnie Blake, Mack Brandon, Michael Bullock, Rachel Budin, Peter
Campbell, Danielle Catona, Regina Clark, Gilad Cohen, Meredith Davis, Yolanda del Amo, Kelly Dolak,
Renata Gangemi, Marc Gidal, Andrew Hadel, Pat Keeton, Rebecca Leung, Jonathan Lipkin, Lisa Lutter,
Edna Negron, David Oh, Neel Scott, Ruma Sen, Beba Shamash, Jackie Skrzynski, Sarah Stackhouse,
Maria Vail, Terra Vandergaw, Warner Wada, Joel Weissman.
Dean Perry called the meeting to order at 1:10 pm
Dean’s Announcements:
-Dean Perry requested nominations for COPLAC Student Research Conference to be submitted
by Friday, Sept. 18th.
-Dean Perry requested members for the Task Force to plan the CA Pathways program; members were
selected at the last convening group meetings: Ben Neill (Music), Mary Ellen Allison (Theater),
Regina Clark (Comm Arts), Visual Arts is TBD.
-Dean Perry asked for volunteers to host the CA student families’ breakfast on “Family Day”Sat., Oct. 3rd; Lisa Lutter volunteered to teach the sample class.
-Faculty are encouraged to review additional travel opportunities proposed by the Provost; travel requests
for both Latin America destinations and pedagogy conference requests must be submitted to the Dean to
be reviewed at Deans Council meeting, and passed forward to the Provost.
-Conveners are encouraged to begin working with their groups on the 2016-2017 class schedules.
Personnel Items:
-Proposed Committee Assignments for 2015-2016 were approved and endorsed by faculty.
-Sabbatical application deadline is Sept. 22nd
-Faculty Development application deadline is Sept. 25th
Committee Reports:
-David Oh announced the various workshops offered by the Faculty Resource Center in E-216; dates and
times are listed on the FRC website.
-AAC: Lisa Lutter announced that CAAFYE is now called Center for Student Success.
Advisement meeting will take place in early October. Holds are now placed on all transfer students.
Faculty are encouraged to use CONNECT.
-IEC: Neel Scott announced this year’s focus on Latin America and asked for information to be included
on the calendar.
-FAEC: Jonathan Lipkin resigned as the Faculty Assembly Executive Council representative for the
current semester; Renata Gangemi volunteered to replace him.
-TLTR: Rebecca Leung announced date for first meeting is Sept. 16th.
-AFT: Rachel Budin announced that Faculty Development Funding and Sabbatical are not affected due to
no contract.
Pat Keeton announced that faculty and students are interested in organizing activities centered on the
Syrian refugee crisis in Europe.
-Study Abroad Committee: Ruma Sen has agreed to serve as an All College representative on this
committee.
-ARC: Ruma Sen requested that hard copy applications and electronic syllabus be sent to her and to
Rebecca Leung by October 14th.
Old/New Business:
-Marta Bautis announced a conference to discuss planet and climate change to take place in the Pavilion
on Sept. 16th.
-Renata Gangemi announced a documentary and discussion on Argentinian political women, with guest
speaker Argentinian Ambassador to the UN, to take place at St. Peter’s Church in NYC on Sept. 18th.
- Gilad Cohen made several recommendations; student evaluations and syllabi should be available only
online to save paper; reappointment process and packages for first year faculty should be minimized;
Moodle should have photos of the students.
Meeting adjourned at 1:55 pm
Minutes Submitted by: Irene Grskovic, Unit Secretary