The Executive Council of the Faculty Senate

Meeting Minutes

Present: Kenneth Schwartz, Gene Block, Harold Burbach, Alison Booth, Erika James, Marcia Childress, Edmund Kitch, Teresa Culver, Lawrence Phillips, Janet Herman, Reginald Garrett, Amy Bouton, Jennifer Harvey

Kenneth Schwartz, Chair of the Faculty Senate, called the meeting to order. Introductions were made.

Mr. Schwartz distributed a draft of the agenda for the full Faculty Senate meeting, to be held on Thursday, September 21, 2006. He asked if there was a motion to approve the agenda. A motion was made, it was seconded, and it passed unanimously.

Jennifer A. Harvey - Chair of the Faculty Recruitment, Retention, and Welfare Committee (RRW)

Jennifer Harvey discussed her plans for a presentation at the Faculty Senate meeting to discuss the RRW Committee's agenda for the year. The Committee had its first meeting on Wednesday, September 13, with Kenneth Schwartz in attendance. Dr. Harvey said the RRW Committee will work to make sure every faculty member feels that his/her voice is heard. Dr. Harvey compiled a list of issues that the Senators had discussed at the May 2006 Senate meeting. Dr. Harvey met with Gertrude Fraser, Vice Provost for Faculty Advancement, to discuss ways that the Committee might work toward improving diversity at the University. One suggestion made was to develop a survey and distribute it to all faculty members. Janet Herman, a member of the Executive Council, said she feels a survey would be extremely important. Dr. Harvey will meet with George Stovall, Director of Institutional Assessment and Studies, to discuss the logistics (including how the survey should be formatted) of developing such a survey. The survey should focus on specific issues of concern.

Jennifer Harvey also will meet with Yoke San Reynolds, Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, to discuss issues pertaining to faculty benefits.

Gene D. Block - Vice President and Provost

Gene Block spoke about data from AAU regarding how the University compares with other institutions - African-American rankings moved up, women moved up, Hispanics stayed the same, and Asians went down. This refers to a comparative ranking among 61 AAU peer schools. The Provost's Office is continuing to work on improving diversity.

Mr. Block said the revised version of the University of Virginia's 10-year plan should be ready to be distributed the Faculty Senate, the deans, and the vice presidents in early October, after President Casteen has reviewed and signed-off on the document.

Edmund W. Kitch - Executive Council Member and Professor of Law Kenneth Schwartz asked Ed Kitch to discuss his perception of the role of the Faculty Senate Executive Council. The primary role of the Executive Council should be to facilitate the functions of the Faculty Senate as a whole, Mr. Kitch said. Mr. Kitch said the Executive Council should give the full Senate real issues in real time to talk about and receive feedback and reactions.

Reginald H. Garrett, Chair of the Academic Affairs Committee

Reg Garrett reported that the Academic Affairs Committee will address issues and concerns raised regarding faculty titles (tenure track/non-tenure track) this year, at the request of Gene Block. In addition, the Committee will review any faculty-related issues that emerge from the Faculty Handbook. The Committee will also oversee a subcommittee for the Faculty Senate Dissertation-Year Fellowships.

Marcia Day Childress - Chair of the Faculty Senate Planning and Development Committee

Marcia Childress reported that the Committee's statement, "A Faculty Senate Vision for UVa." has been revised, and will be brought to the Senate for vote at the September 21, 2006, full Senate meeting. Globalization at UVa is the identified "year theme" coming out of the Planning and Development Committee (in various ways, the entire University would address the topic, problems, and questions). The Campaign is also working on a revitalized version of the Shannon Center. Ms. Childress called for a motion to endorse the Vision statement, and to present it at the September 21st Faculty Senate meeting. A motion was made, it was seconded, and it passed unanimously.

In closing, Ms. Childress reported on the dinners (there will be six this year), hosted at Gene Block's Pavilion residence. The dinners are hosted by the Provost, the Vice President for Development, and by the Faculty Senate Planning and Development Committee. Members of the University community, both faculty and administrators, are invited to addend the dinners, Ms. Childress said.

Kenneth A. Schwartz -- Faculty Senate Chair - 2006/2007

Kenneth Schwartz discussed the following issues:

• William Kehoe, a member of the Executive Council and Professor of Commerce, has asked Mr. Schwartz about the feasibility of inviting all Faculty Senate standing committee chairs to attend Executive Council meetings.
• Mr. Schwartz will meet with William Harvey, Vice President and Chief Officer for Diversity and Equity, Gertrude Fraser, Vice Provost for Faculty Advancement, and Darlene Scott-Scurry, Director of Equal Opportunity Programs, to discuss related issues in preparation for their segment of the late November Senate meeting.

At William Harvey's invitation and request, the Faculty Senate will be one of the co-sponsors of the Symposium on Race & Society, to be held November 2-4, 2006.

Erika James, a member of the Executive Council and Professor of Graduate Business, commented that the Council's consideration to use Senate funds should be consistent with the mission of the Faculty Senate, and the extent to which there is a fit between what the Senate espouses to do as a University body and the goal/theme of the event to be sponsored. Councilors should not consider funding events that do not fit with the Senate's mission.

Mr. Schwartz called for a motion to commit $500 of the Senate's budget to support the Symposium. A motion was made, it was seconded, and it passed unanimously.

• Ken Schwartz suggested that a Faculty Senate meeting not be scheduled for the month of October, since there is no immediate business that needs addressing by the full Senate at this time. The members of the Executive Council were in agreement with the suggestion.
• Mr. Schwartz has met with two Board of Visitors committees, the Education Policy Committee, chaired by Glynn Key, and the Planning Committee, chaired by John Wynne.
• Mr. Schwartz said that if other topics are found to be useful for the Executive Council to address, Councilors should let him know. One suggestion made was the topic of interdisciplinary activities within schools and between schools. " Councilors should let Marcia Childress know if they are interested in attending any of the development dinners.
• The Councilors briefly discussed scheduling issues with regard to future Executive Council meetings.

The meeting adjourned at 1:30 p.m.

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