COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES
COLLEGE ADVISORY COUNCIL
MINUTES
4 February 2016, 15:30 – 17:00
219 Pray-Harrold
PRESENT
Department/Program Representatives: Ferreira (AAAS), Nelson (ART), Angell (BIO), Emal (CHEM), Kindred (CMTA), Haynes
(COSC), Halpern (ENGL), Ryker (GEOG&GEOL), Dieterle (HIST&PHIL, CAC Chair), Kovaks (IESS, ex-officio), Dumitrascu
(MATH), Cass (M&D), Jacobs (PHYS&ASTR), Sing (PLSC), McIntyre (PSY), Ensor (SAC), Higgins (WGST), Garrido (WL)
Guest: Beth Currans (CCRSL Chair, UCRSL Alternate)
Department Head: Ramsey (ENGL), Sambrook (GEOG&GEOL)
Ex-Officio: Dean Venner, Assoc. Dean Mehuron, and Assoc. Dean Pernecky (CAS Dean’s Office)
I. CALL TO ORDER: 15:30
II. MOTION TO ADD SUMMER AWARDS TO THE AGENDA: Approved unanimously
III. APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF 12 NOVEMBER 2015: Approved: 14 for, 0 against, 1 abstention
IV. REPORTS
Arts Report: Accepted 14 for, 0 against, 2 abstentions
Sciences Report: Motion to separate CHEM381: 15 for, 0 against, 1 abstention
Motion to accept the resulting report: Accepted Unanimously
Motion to approve CHEM381 given new input: Approved 15 for, 0 against, 1 abstention
V. INPUT ON FACULTY POSITION REQUEST RANKINGS
WGST and the Dean agreed with the SAC input that all of the requests should be ranked. The Dean stated this would be done
before forwarding to the Provost’s Office. HIST asked that the comment regarding its request - that it would be needed within 3
years – be removed. The Dean said he’d remove the comment.
VI. BACHELOR OF GENERAL STUDIES DEGREE
At the SAC representative’s request, there was discussion over whether or not the college advisory councils should provide input
on degree/program changes originating from the administration – prompted by the change of the Individualized Studies BA/BS
program to the General Studies Degree (non BA/BS) that was only reviewed for input and approved through the Faculty Senate.
After discussing issues with this proposal and possible more attractive alternatives, there was a Motion to request that the Dean
request input from the CAC on degree and program changes prior to their review by the Faculty Senate: Approved Unanimously.
VII. SUMMER AWARDS
Given concerns in CAS regarding the significant differences between the CCRSL and the UCRSL rankings of Summer Award
proposals, the chair asked Beth Currans (CCRSL Chair) and Natalie Dove (UCRSL Chair) to discuss the process in ranking
proposals. Natalie Dove could not attend but will provide a written statement on the process for ranking proposals. According to
Currans, the CCRSL is structured like the CAC: with Arts evaluation, Sciences evaluation, then with a meeting by the whole
committee for discussion leading to rankings. In the UCRSL, there were three groups receiving a random distribution of proposals
from across the university. The groups only scored each proposal but did not rank them. There was no meeting to discuss issues
(e.g., on questions regarding other college’s or discipline’s proposals). There was no meeting to discuss the rankings. Nor did the
members get to see the eventual rankings. A number of possible solutions for the UCRSL were discussed (e.g., maintaining the
CCRSL rankings, have a meeting to discuss and formalize bylaws, provide written rationales if differing from the CCRSL
rankings, include the CCRSL rankings as a scored element, and implementing the CAS CAC recommendation from its 7 January
meeting on UCRSL division of labor).
There was a Motion to Strongly Recommend:
• That the UCRSL have a meeting to discuss the proposals prior to their ranking
• That the UCRSL have a meeting to establish procedures/bylaws to ensure transparency in process
• That the UCRSL incorporate the CCRSL rankings into its system of ranking
Approved Unanimously
VIII. DEAN’S REMARKS: none
IX. CHAIR’S REMARKS
The chair indicated that the Graduate Council needs 4 alternative members to be elected by the CAC. Representatives should
collect nominees for 1) Sciences, 2) Social Sciences, 3) Arts, and 4) Humanities to be elected at the CAC Meeting on 10
March 2016.
X. ADJOURNMENT: 16:43
Respectfully Submitted,
Bradley Ensor, recording secretary