1. Approval of
Minutes of AC Meeting October 20, 2015
Dr. Michelle Hamm
moved approval of the minutes of October 20, 2015. Dr. Jon Dattelbaum seconded.
With no further discussion, the minutes were approved by voice vote.
2. New Course
Proposals
MUS 230 was
proposed as a new course. Dr. Mike Kerckhove motioned to approve. Dr. Walt
Stevenson seconded. The floor then opened for discussion.
Dr. Jeff Riehl
explained that an Intermediate Level Guitar course would offer opportunities
for students who aren’t yet ready for private lessons.
Dr. Libby
Gruner, Associate Dean, asked if the course would fulfill the FSVP requirement
and Dr. Jeff Riehl clarified that no, it would not.
With no further
discussion, MUS 230 was approved by voice vote.
CHEM 324 and
CHEM 325 were then proposed as new courses. Dr. Vincent Wang, Associate Dean,
motioned to approve. Dr. Robert Hodierne seconded. Dr. Jon Dattelbaum discussed
the two new course proposals.
With no further
discussion, the new course proposals were approved by voice vote.
3. Changes to
Majors, Minors, and Concentrations
A Proposal for
Changes to the BMB Major was brought to the floor. Dr. Robert Hodierne motioned
to approve. Dr. Michelle Hamm seconded.
Dr. Jon Dattelbaum
discussed the proposed changes to the BMB Major curriculum, explaining that the
goal is to increase interdisciplinary approaches.
Dr. Libby
Gruner, Associate Dean, asked about the difference between changes to the B.A.
and B.S. BMB degree. Dr. Jon Dattelbaum clarified that there would be no
changes to the B.S. BMB degree, just to the B.A.
With no further
discussion, the new course proposals were approved by voice vote.
4. A&S Next (February
20, 2016)
Last year A&S
worked with Career Services to pilot a career workshop for A&S students.
The pilot workshop was entitled A&S @ Work. This year it will be called
A&S Next.
Our goal this
year is to increase the number of students who can attend: In addition to other
advertising for the event, we will be sending materials to department chairs
and program coordinators to encourage students to come. The workshop will take
place from morning until mid-afternoon.
In addition,
Dean Skerrett is inviting faculty involvement to moderate panels of alums and
to participate in practice networking sessions. If you are interested in
becoming involved, please let her know.
5. Academic
Program Review -- Dr. Vincent Wang, Associate Dean
Dr. Wang
reported that the first cohort of programs undergoing Academic Program Review
has met. He showed the multi-year schedule for the next cohorts, requesting AC
suggestions for revision.
Dr. Jan French
requested that the Department of Sociology and Anthropology be moved to Cohort D.
Dr. Yvonne
Howell asked if two programs could collaborate on their academic program review,
and Dean Skerrett clarified, yes, that one purpose of the cohort assignment is
to enable such collaboration. The new Academic Program Review policy was
designed to reduce bureaucratic busy work and to focus attention on discussion
of questions that programs find meaningful. Collaboration is encouraged where
programs identify shared questions or potential discussion partners. In
addition, the dean’s office will provide resources at the request of programs
that are carrying out review.
6. Phishing
Scams
The dean
encouraged the department chairs and program coordinators to educate department
colleagues (faculty and staff) about phishing schemes. Dean Skerrett noted
Vice-President Information Services Kathy’s Monday’s letter to bring to attention
to the indicators of phishing schemes and to warn colleagues of the risks of
inadvertently giving information to criminals.
Mr. Kevin
Creamer offered that if departments would like someone from IS to come and
speak to colleagues, he would be willing to arrange that.
7. Strategic
Planning Priorities
Our new
president has extended the timeline for strategic planning. The provost has
asked the deans to lead conversations within the schools to identify priorities
for the next strategic plan. The president is interested in learning what has
been achieved and what needs to be advanced.
Dr. Mike Kerckove
asked how our concern for equity in high education would be carried into the
next priorities. Dr. MariLee Mifsud observed that access is one way we achieve
equity, but not the only way. It is necessary to achieve equity in academic
outcomes and campus climate.
Associate Dean
Gruner observed that equity means asking, how does the institution change so that
it better reflects society? Equity means advancing high impact practices in our
pedagogy throughout the School of Arts & Sciences as well as pathways to
inclusion of all students in our programs.
One priority of
the next strategic plan should be support for teaching that furthers the
inclusion and achievement of all students and that supports their thriving. This
needs to be a priority for faculty development.
Dr. Yvonne
Howell observed that for cohorts that are carrying out Academic Program Review,
equity should be one of the central questions departments and programs should
ask themselves, so that they don’t just keep talking about their own territorial
issues. Questions about equity for faculty and students should be part of the
orientation to Academic Program Review.
Dr. MariLee
Mifsud noted that she hoped that we would advance equity as a priority in the
context of reflection on social justice.
Dr. Todd
Lookingbill asked how will the first Academic Program Review cohort incorporate
the president’s vision into their goals, given that those strategic goals have
yet to be decided.
Dean Skerrett
said that she believed that President Crutcher plans to build on the Richmond
Promise and that the commitment to equity as part of Liberal Education and
America’s Promise (LEAP) is core to the president’s leadership in higher
education.
Dr. Linda Boland
brought up the issue of transfer students missing so many opportunities that
are offered to many first and second year students. We should be attentive to
this when students from under-represented groups take different entry points to
our curriculum.
Dean Skerrett
noted that we should be mindful of this as we implement articulation agreements
with two-year colleges. Associate Dean that the School of Professional and
Continuing Studies has articulation agreements with J. Sergeant Reynolds. She
also described the strong diversity of the student body in SPCS.
Dr. Tricia Stohr
Hunt said that we need a Faculty Development Center, where colleagues can learn
how to engage in pedagogy that promotes equity and inclusion. I
Dean Skerrett
mentioned the proposal among the Associated Colleges of the South for a
strategic plan that might include shared faculty development opportunities,
especially around diversity, inclusion, and faculty development.
Associate Dean
Gruner supported the priority of a Faculty Development Center. This has been
talked about for many years but not implemented. She mentioned that the
priority of equity and inclusion could be central to a reform of the General
Education Curriculum.
Dr. Paul Achter observed
that the members of Academic Council are largely white, and he noted that
leadership must reflect the talk. He asked how equity fits into the tenure and
promotion process, especially in review of SEIs, which reflect patterns of
discrimination that have been documented nationally.
Dean Skerrett
supported Dr. Achter’s comment. She recalled Dr. Dan Palazzolo’s remark that two
decades ago the leadership was overwhelmingly white and male. The advancement
of white women into the tenure-steam faculty and leadership positions
demonstrates that we have the capacity to change. Yet it also demonstrates that,
during that time, we have not changed in ways that equally support the thriving
and advancement of faculty of color. This needs to be a strategic priority that
is integrated with the priority for students; they are fundamentally related
priorities.
