ITHACA COLLEGE
FACULTY COUNCIL MINUTES
October 2, 2001
Present: Jim Aguiar, Diane Birr, Joseph Cheng, Carole Dennis, Harold Emery, Marie
Garland, Ron Jude, Ari Kissiloff, Don Lifton, Marian MacCurdy, Sabatino Maglione,
Tim Nord, Steve Peterson, Mary Ann Rishel, Stan Seltzer, Jennifer Strickland, John
Wolohan
Excused: Charis Dimaras, Cathe Gordon, Winnie Mauser, John Rosenthal, Bruce
Smith, Robert Sullivan,
Absent: Lee Bailey, Rick Rainville
Guests: Jen Bianco '05, Garry Brodhead, Brenna Corbett '03, Nicole Gerring '05,
Chris Knauer, Steve Mauk, Jenna Perkins '03, Bill Scoones
1. Welcome and Announcements
Stan Seltzer, Chair, opened the meeting at 7:00 p.m. He announced that seven
additional faculty members have agreed to serve as Faculty Justices: Elizabeth
Begley, Laurie Bitting, Elizabeth Callaghan, Kenny Christianson, Douglas Cross,
Catherine Penner, and Nicholas Quarrier. Diane Birr moved that Council approve
these additional Justices; Marie Garland seconded.
MOTION: Approve appointment of seven additional candidates for Faculty
Justices.
The motion was approved.
Upon receiving a request from President Williams for a pool from which to select four
faculty members to serve on the Planning and Priorities Committee, the chair put out a
call, resulting in a fair number of volunteers. He stated that, with no objection from
Council, the Executive Committee would make the recommendations to President
Williams.
He noted the recent passing of President Whalen and asked for a minute of silence in
respect for the 22 years he spent improving the size and stature of the College. He
reminded colleagues that the memorial service would be held at the Immaculate
Conception Church at 3:00 p.m. on Friday, October 12. An on-campus reception will
follow at 4:30 in the Whalen Center.
2. Registrar's Report
Chris Knauer reported that total enrollment is 6,483 (an increase of 313 over last
year), which he believes is the highest enrollment ever experienced. He reported 1,756
freshmen (up 79 from last year) and 128 transfers (down 26 from last year). There are
30 readmitted students and 4,176 continuing students (276 more than last year, a
significant increase in terms of retaining our students). In addition, 274 graduate and
special students are registered, plus ll6 extramural students. A full report will be
published on the Registrar's Web page within a week.
As Chair of the Calendar Committee, he noted that the President's Council has asked
the committee to look at the possibility of picking an alternative time for the standard
meeting time, currently 12:10 to 1:00 p.m. on Tuesday and Thursday. Brenna Corbett
stated that SGA discussions have raised some concern about this change.
In addition, there is discussion about moving the first day of classes to Monday, with
Convocation possibly held on Sunday afternoon or evening. This might allow one or
two study days to be built into the fall semester; this would also conform to the
number of Monday class hours required to meet state guidelines. (Having the first
Monday of the first week of classes off and having Labor Day off the following week,
classes held once a week for three hours on Monday are not meeting those
guidelines.)
Decisions will be made by the end of this semester.
He noted that there would be some follow-up evaluation of the revised add/drop
period.
3. Budget Committee Recommendation
The Chair brought a motion from the Executive Committee to the floor for
consideration.
MOTION: Faculty Council recommends to the Budget Committee that in the
future (at least) 20% of any surplus be placed into the endowment for the Center
for Faculty Research and Development.
One member of Council noted that during the late 1980s the College made a practice
of building the endowment with operating surpluses generated by overenrollments.
Bill Scoones reported that President Williams is not inclined to accept this proposal.
First, we want flexibility in handling year-end funds. We might have needs in a given
year that we could only meet by using year-end funds. Second, we should budget
differently, anticipating any surpluses by adjusting our budget throughout the fiscal
year. Third, the Board of Trustees might mandate that we use year-end funds in a
specific manner, which might let everyone off the hook in terms of fundraising. And
finally, unless the endowment was substantial, it would not throw off enough funds
each year to really fund the CFRD. In conclusion, he stated that the amount would be
very small, at any rate, in terms of what is already being spent each year on faculty
reassigned time.
Members of Council pointed out that despite the institutional plan to cap enrollment,
the College has a sizable overenrollment once again this fall. The additional students
stress all components of the College, and if the College does not show discipine in
admitting students, faculty would like some of the additional revenue to be devoted to
addressing workload.
The motion was approved by a voice vote.
4. Faculty Handbook
The Chair introduced four motions regarding proposed revisions of the Faculty
Handbook (Attachment 01-10-B). Following some discussion of issues raised by
motions 3 and 4. D. Lifton withdrew an initial motion to approve all four
recommended motions as presented. He then moved to approve Motions No. 1 and
No. 2. H. Emery seconded the motions.
MOTION 1: Faculty Council recommends approval of Section 4.9.10 Financial
Exigency (on p. 21) as proposed by the Faculty Handbook Amendment
Committee.
The motion was approved.
MOTION 2: Faculty Council recommends approval of Section 4.10.1 General
Guidelines (on p. 22) as proposed by the Faculty Handbook Amendment
Committee.
The motion was approved.
Questions were raised regarding Motion No. 3 recommending approval of Section
4.11 Faculty Personnel Records (on pp. 23-24). Members were concerned about
appropriate access to official personnel files and wanted assurance that these files will
not be used instead of evaluation folders when making tenure decisions. It was felt
that access should be limited to the Director of Human Resources or a designee as
need dictates, rather than permitting access to these folders to the Human Resources
Office. There is sentiment that it be clearly stated that faculty members should be
notified when, and by whom, their files are being consulted. Concern was expressed
whether the College, without the knowledge of the faculty member, can use
information in the file for personnel reasons, without telling the faculty. J. Aguiar
moved to bring Motion No. 3 to the floor. There was no second. Stan will convey
Council's concerns to the Handbook Committee. J. Aguiar felt that there should be
precise clarification about exactly what constitutes an official transcript; i.e., does it
include just graduate work? Does the candidate provide it, or must it be received in a
sealed envelope from the granting institution?
There was discussion of Motion No. 4 regarding the wording of 4.12.7.5 Student
Evaluations (p.33). The second sentence, Evaluations are conducted at regular
intervals each year is not true across all units. D. Birr pointed out that the School of
Music collects evaluations in year 2 and year 4 for a 5-year cycle, and tenured faculty
are evaluated in one class during years 1-3 and all classes during year 4-7 on a 7-year
cycle.
D. Birr made a motion to add additional language, which was seconded by Tim Nord.
MOTION: Add a phrase to the second sentence of 4.12.7.5 Student Evaluation,
so that it reads Evaluations are conducted at regular intervals each year, or as
stipulated in approved school documents.
The motion was approved.
5. Provost's Report
Bill Scoones announced that following the request of a delegation of students, the
College will be offering a one-credit course on "September 11 and Its Aftermath,"
which will involve several faculty members from different disciplines, who will offer
their perspective on the September 11 attack. He believes this offering will meet a real
need on the part of students for more information.
Regarding tenure for the Provost position, the study is not yet complete it should be
done by mid-October. A number of schools stipulate that this will be part of the
negotiation; it is not advertised as an attraction. It would probably be limited to
someone who has already achieved tenure somewhere along the line, not awarded as a
first-time thing. A number of other schools do allow provosts to have tenure. Some of
these schools have three- to five-year contracts that are renewable. Safeguards, such
as conversion of administrative salary are important, and salary would not be charged
against departmental budgets but would come from the Provosts Office. Also there
would have to be guarantees that the former Provost would not affect requests for new
faculty positions.
D. Birr inquired whether a statement should be included in the Faculty Handbook, a
statement to the effect that the faculty has agreed to grant tenure in appropriate
situations. She stated that there was strong discussion in the School of Music,
resulting in a somewhat equally-divided opinion on the subject of granting tenure to a
provost. There is some concern about trickle-down among other administrators. She
was assured that it would have to be confirmed and included in the Faculty Handbook
before tenure could be granted to the Provost. D. Lifton, a member of the Provost
Search Committee, expressed concern about the timeline needed to keep pace with
selection of the three candidates being selected for presidential review.
6. Approval of the Minutes of September 4, 2001
Marie Garland moved to approve the minutes. Joseph Cheng seconded the motion.
The minutes were approved as presented.
7. Election of Representative to Budget Committee
M. A Rishel nominated Don Lifton to serve as Faculty Council Representative on the
Budget Committee. H. Emery seconded the nomination. With no other nominations
forthcoming, H. Emery moved to close the nominations, which was granted by a voice
vote. With no other nominations, Don Lifton was appointed to the position.
8. New Business
A. Kissiloff relayed a colleagues request that Faculty Council consider a
recommendation to the Traffic Policy Committee to allow vehicles with blue permits
to park in red lots (because there are often red spaces available when there are no blue
spaces). J. Wolohan seconded his motion.
MOTION: Faculty Council recommends to the Traffic Policy Committee that
vehicles with blue permits be permitted to park in red-permit lots when there are
no spaces left in the blue-permit lots.
The motion was approved.
J. Aguiar inquired about the status of a memo regarding allocation and use of travel
funds. The Chair indicated that he had held preliminary discussion with the Provost,
but does not have a motion to bring at this time. There are three issues to be addressed
by the memo. J. Aguiar inquired whether there are any college-wide policies. B.
Scoones indicated that there are such college-wide policies and that Vice President
Sgrecci will be issuing an updated version in the near future.
H. Emery moved to adjourn the meeting and was seconded by S. Maglione. The
meeting was adjourned at 8:58 p.m.