Academic Affairs Committee

January 25, 2005 - 10:30 - Noon

Garrett Hall Conference Room

Meeting Minutes Present: Kenneth Schwartz, Daniel Bluestone, Ann Hamric, Harold Burbach,

Guests: Megan Sullivan and Lauren Ross, Honor Committee Representatives

Kenneth Schwartz, Chair of the Academic Affairs Committee, called the meeting to order and offered welcoming remarks.

Darden E-MBA Program

Mr. Schwartz introduced the first agenda item, a discussion regarding a new program being proposed by the Darden School, an Executive MBA Program. Mr. Schwartz described the review process the proposal will follow (based on guidance from Marcia Childress). He mentioned that Clo Phillips from the Provost's Office has indicated that the proposal will not require action by SCHEV. Mr. Schwartz introduced Lynn Isabella, a Darden School faculty member, to the Committee.

Lynn Isabella

Ms. Isabella gave the group an overview of the E-MBA Program. Ms. Isabella said a committee had been convened and had put forth the Darden MBA for Executives proposal. The Darden Board of Trustees unanimously approved the proposal. Marion Moore, a Darden School faculty member and a member of the Academic Affairs Committee, will head the program (having run a comparable program at Duke before coming to UVA). Studies have shown a strong market and competitive programs in this field. Ms. Isabella took questions from the members of the Committee.

Daniel Bluestone expressed concern regarding faculty overload issues and resource allocation. How might this affect current students? Also, Mr. Bluestone said he feels strongly that at least some of the courses in the program should be available for students in the MBA program. Ann Hamric and Hal Burbach contributed to the discussion and asked a) would the program be called an "E-MBA" or "MBA"? and b) how much of the coursework would be face-to-face and how much would be distant learning? The group agreed that these questions should be addressed and put in writing in the E-MBA proposal.

Ken Schwartz asked Ms. Isabella to take the feedback expressed by the Academic Affairs Committee members back to her Darden colleagues. At the next Committee meeting, the group would review a revised E-MBA proposal that addresses the thoughts and concerns expressed. Mr. Schwartz said the Academic Affairs Committee will meet again in about one month.

Honor Committee Update

Mr. Schwartz said members of the Honor Committee would periodically be invited to attend Academic Affairs Committee meetings to discuss challenges and issues the Committee is dealing with. Mr. Schwartz updated the Committee on how the Faculty Perspectives on Honor Survey is progressing. Upon meeting with Marcia Childress, Chair of the Faculty Senate, the Executive Council, and Gene Block, Vice President and Provost, the Executive Council decided that such a survey would be more appropriate if it comes from students, since the Honor System is a completely student-run system. Ann Hamric stressed that she feels strongly that it would be a lost opportunity if the Honor Committee did not go forward with the Honor Survey now. A good deal of positive momentum has developed, and a break until next fall runs the risk of losing faculty and student interest.

Honor Discussion led by Meghan Sullivan and Lauren Ross Ken

Schwartz invited Meghan Sullivan, current Chair of the Honor Committee, to share her perspectives on honor. During the Subcommittee meetings in the fall, it became clear that the Academic Affairs Committee would benefit from better understanding. Because the turnout at our meeting turned out to be very low, we decided to have a very brief introduction, which will be followed by a full presentation and discussion at our next Academic Affairs Committee meeting.

Megan Sullivan said that Honor elections will be held on February 14, 2005, and that the Honor Committee will be involved in the elections transition of new Committee members and support officers from February 25 through March 2. Ms. Sullivan asked if representatives from the Academic Affairs Committee would be available to attend a meeting with the Honor Committee in mid to late February to talk about the idea of an Honor survey. Ken Schwartz and Ann Hamric said they would attend the meeting to describe the Survey as it has been discussed thus far. Mr. Schwartz will also invite Tom Guterbock, Director of the Center for Survey Research, to attend the meeting. Mr. Guterbock has already done preliminary work on the Honor Survey. Mr. Schwartz will send the survey "scope" to Ms. Sullivan.

Lauren Ross said the Honor Committee is presently addressing ways to improve the process for Honor offense initiators and the investigation process. She said the goal is to make the entire process of addressing Honor initiations and investigations more efficient, including an improved timeline, better accountability, and a written list of evidence needed. Ann Hamric expressed the need for changes in the "summer hiatus" for Honor trials. The way the process is presently structured puts an undue burden on faculty members who are involved in Honor trials, as progress on Honor cases is left in limbo over the summer months.

Dissertation-Year Fellowships

Mr. Schwartz reported to the Committee on the status of the Faculty Senate Dissertation-Year Fellowships. There will be five awards of approximately $20,000 each given this year. The funding for the awards comes from the Office of the Provost (three awards), the College of Arts and Sciences (one award), and the Curry School of Education (one award). The Fellowships program has been announced University-wide and appeared in the Cavalier Daily on Thursday, January 20. Steve Macko, an Academic Affairs Committee member and a faculty member in the Department of Environmental Sciences, will chair the Dissertation-Year Fellowships Committee again this year.

The meeting adjourned at 11:45 a.m.