For each meeting, an agenda digest has been provided to save time since minutes are lengthy. The digest provides highlights and actions taken at each meeting. For the full minutes, please contact Frances Peyton (924-7643, ftp7e@virginia.edu).

Agenda Digest

April 20, 1998

David Gies, Chair of the Committee on Research and Scholarship, called the meeting to order at 3:30 p.m. in 110 Peabody Hall. In attendance were Paul Cantor, Julian Connolly, Daniel Larson, Paul Mahoney, Susan McKinnon, Kenneth Schwartz, Martha Snell, Jahan Ramazani

Mr. Gies welcomed everyone to the meeting. He said some of the initiatives that the Committee is working on are in a holding pattern, i.e., a location for faculty lunches -- Mr. Gies is waiting on word from the administration regarding this initiative. He hopes to have something substantive regarding the issue to announce at the Faculty Senate meeting on April 29.

Julian Connolly reported on the progress of web-based technology, such as a web site that will announce calendar events at the University. A web calendar committee exists, and a UVa web calendar will be a separate project up and working for the Fall semester. Nancy Tramontin, Director of University Publications, is the contact person for this initiative. Mr. Connolly agreed to continue a dialogue with Ms. Tramontin and the calendar committee.

Susan McKinnon will continue to have conversations and stay updated on the Alderman Cafe initiative. She will report to Mr. Gies before the Faculty Senate meeting. Mr. Gies will renew the mandate with the Faculty Senate for the initiative to have additional inside and outside gathering locations for faculty and students, with good foods and coffee.

Dan Larson reported on his findings regarding sesquicentennials at the University. Mr. Larson concluded that the present state of the sesqui system is not acceptable, guidelines are not clear or uniform across schools. It was noted that flexibility is needed among departments. The Research and Scholarship Committee will address the administration about the vulnerability of the policy, which is not being practiced equitably across schools. The Committee will submit a brief recommendation to the Executive Council regarding sesquicentennials at the University. Mr. Larson agreed to compose a one-page summary with the Committee's findings.

Mr. Gies and the Committee discussed the creation of a Faculty Senate-sponsored seminar, to replace the Theory Seminar, which had been headed by Richard Rorty. Mr. Gies and others have met with Melvyn Leffler, Dean of Arts and Sciences, and those currently running the seminar. Someone has agreed to take over as director of the seminar series, and the Committee agreed that those running the program will report to the Research and Scholarship Committee, who will oversee the initiative. The Research and Scholarship Committee feels that the committee that currently oversees the seminar series should include representatives from all schools that contribute funding to the initiative. This initiative will be presented to Peter Low, with total funding raised to date, at the Executive Council meeting on April 27.

The meeting adjourned at 5:00 p.m.