The Executive Council of the Faculty Senate
April 24, 2007 – 10:30-12:00
Newcomb Hall, Board Room

Meeting Minutes

Present: Kenneth Schwartz, Ricardo Padron, Houston Wood, Harold Burbach, Alison Booth, Marcia Childress, Edmund Kitch, Teresa Culver, Janet Herman, Gweneth West, Reginald Garrett, Amy Bouton

Guest:  Gertrude Fraser, Vice Provost for Faculty Advancement

Kenneth Schwartz, Chair of the Faculty Senate, called the meeting to order.  Mr. Schwartz offered welcoming remarks.

The Councilors talked about elections procedures in the various schools and departments.  There are some concerns about the process in some of the schools.  Ricardo Padron, Chair-Elect of the Faculty Senate, will address the issue further.

Marcia Day Childress, Chair, Faculty Senate Planning and Development Committee
Commission on the Future of the University

Marcia Childress reported that the subcommittees of the Commission on the Future of the University will submit reports to the full Commission, via the Provost, by May 15.  The faculty will stand down for the summer, with staff work continuing through the summer.  A formal document will be coming from the President in the fall.  The planned date to submit the document to the Board of Visitors is February 2008.

The Planning and Development Committee has discussed issues such as:

• What the ambitions for the University are.
• The Commission needs to develop a plan for the sciences at the University.
• The Commission should work with the Planning and Development Committee on the issues.  The Committee can provide valuable input.
• What are the initiatives, goals, and programs envisioned for the University?

School of Leadership, Kenneth Schwartz and Ricardo Padron

Kenneth Schwartz reported that Provost Gene Block is forming a steering committee to address the issues involved with creating a new school. The steering committee will work closely with the Academic Affairs Committee.  Ricardo Padron announced that Ann Hamric, a professor in the School of Nursing, will chair the Academic Affairs Committee, 2007/08.

It was suggested that the University should develop a “Planning Office” to oversee tasks such as the development of a new school, since there are presently no guidelines in place.
Faculty Representative on the BOV

Kenneth Schwartz and Ricardo Padron will meet with the Rector of the Board of Visitors and President Casteen on May 18.  They will continue to discuss the merits of having a faculty member on the Board of Visitors.

Committee Reports

Houston Wood, Chair of the Nominating Committee

The Nominating Committee is not quite finished their work.  A report is being prepared, Mr. Wood said, and it will be ready for the May 2 Faculty Senate meeting.

Reginald Garrett, Chair of the Academic Affairs Committee

• The Committee approved a degree proposal in the School of Commerce earlier this year.
• A subcommittee of the Academic Affairs Committee was appointed to work with the Policy Committee on titling issues.
• Faculty Titling Issues – the Committee has offered comments and thoughts, and had conversations with the Provost and others on the issue.  The Committee will continue discussions of issues of faculty titles in the fall with additional comments welcomed from all interested parties.
• The Dissertation-Year Fellowships – There were 46 applications and six Fellowships awarded this year, funded by the Office of the Provost, Arts and Sciences, Engineering, Education, and the Alumni Association.  The Committee was co-chaired by Deborah Roach, Department of Biology, and Deandra Little, Teaching Resource Center. A banquet was held on April 9 to honor the recipients.
• Faculty Handbook review – The Committee worked with Gene Block, Vice President and Provost, reviewing the current Faculty Handbook.  The Committee feels that a hardcopy of the document is needed.  The hardcopy could be in the form of a PDF file, and updated periodically, Mr. Garrett suggested.
• Textbook sales – The Committee has talked with the director of the University Bookstore regarding financial issues and ways to lower the cost of textbooks for students.  Faculty ordering textbooks early for required coursework was one of the suggestions made for lowering the cost of textbooks.
• School of Leadership and Public Policy – The Committee has met with faculty members leading this effort, David Breneman, Dean of the Curry School of Education, and Eric Patashnak, a faculty member in the Department of Politics.  The Senate released a report regarding the proposal to create of a School of Leadership and Public Policy.  The report is on the web at the following URL: http://www.virginia.edu/uvatoday/battenschool/faculty_senate.html

Faculty Recruitment, Retention and Welfare Committee, Jennifer Harvey, Chair

Kenneth Schwartz reported on this Committee’s work, in Dr. Harvey’s absence.  There will be a preliminary report at the May 2, 2007, Faculty Senate meeting.  The Committee released a survey to faculty, and there has been over a 50% response rate to date.  It was noted that survey respondents confidentially is closely guarded.

Other issues

1. Kenneth Schwartz gave the Councilors an brief and minimally informative update on the major searches now taking place at the University – Vice President and Provost, Dean of Arts and Sciences, and Dean of the Curry School of Education.  All of these appointments are expected to be announced in the fairly near future (presumably within the next month).

2. The Councilors reviewed, discussed, and approved the preliminary agenda for the May 2, 2007 Faculty Senate meeting.

The meeting adjourned at 12:00

Submitted by Harold J. Burbach, Secretary of the Faculty Senate