October 8, 1998

Edward Ayers, Chair of the Faculty Senate, called the meeting to order at 3:00 p.m. in Minor Hall Auditorium. Mr. Ayers welcomed everyone to the meeting.

Mr. Ayers reported on the work of the Faculty Senate. He said the Faculty Senate is working closely with the Faculty Senate of Virginia, which represents faculty from institutions of higher education in Virginia. He has attended several meetings of the Faculty Senate of Virginia, including a meeting with the new Director of SCHEV, William Allen, and a meeting with Edward Flippen, Chair of the Blue Ribbon Commission on Higher Education in Virginia. The Faculty Senate will add editorials on higher education to its web site, Mr. Ayers said.

Other issues that Mr. Ayers reported on were: a) the Provost's lunches that occurred last year on a regular basis, and included Peter Low, Provost, elected officers of the Senate, and several incoming faculty at each gathering, will be continued this year; b) the Faculty Senate will have representation on each of President Casteen's four commissions, which are fine and performing arts; international activities; public service and outreach; and science and engineering; c) the Faculty Senate is on an ad hoc committee to oversee the initiative regarding the desktop replacement policy proposed by the ITC Office; d) and the Chair of the Faculty Senate will have the opportunity to address the Education Policy Committee at the Board of Visitors meetings.

Ed Ayers introduced John Casteen, President of the University of Virginia, who addressed the Senate on the ongoing work of the University. Mr. Casteen reported on his recently appointed planning commissions, which are an extension of the work done by the University's Self-Study, a plan for the Year 2000. He envisions the work of the commissions to span a period of two-to-three years, and he stated that multiple plans will exist. The Chairs of three of the commissions have been appointed. They are: the Commission on Fine and Performing Arts, Robert Chapel, Chair of the Drama Department; the Commission on Public Service and Outreach, Rebecca Kneedler, Chair of the Department of Curriculum, Instruction and Special Education, in the Curry School of Education; and the Commission on Science and Engineering, Anita Jones, Professor of Engineering-Computer Science. Appointments to each of these commissions will be made within the next month. External representation on the commissions will also be needed, Mr. Casteen said. There is also a fifth commission being formed, but it has not been named at this date. Mr. Casteen said to establish a self-sufficient base, the University requires constant accountability for what it does. A web page will be used to post updates on the work of the commissions. The address is http://minerva.acc.virginia.edu/pres/plan/index.html.

Mr. Casteen also reported on the progress of the Qatar proposal. He said there is no contract in place at this time, and the Board of Visitors will make a decision after getting information from the planning teams. The proposal is for a four-year American-model undergraduate program, two years general education, majors in engineering, business, management information systems, and pre-medical. An earned degree will be a University of Virginia degree. The University would hire faculty, key administrators, and design curriculum, student support services and facilities.

The Capital Campaign met its original goal of $750 million last week, Mr. Casteen reported. Mr. Casteen mentioned projects that are currently underway, or are needed. He mentioned the Special Collections Library, Scott Stadium, University Hall, the Shannon Center Endowment, and the construction of sidewalks. Louise Dudley, Director of University Relations, has composed a booklet on the close-out report on the 1993 restructuring enterprise, Mr. Casteen said. Mr. Casteen took questions from the audience.

Richard DeMong, Chair of the Faculty Senate Academic Affairs Committee, reported on the work of his Committee, and he stated that the Committee will continue working on several initiatives that began last year. The Teaching Initiative, which was created last year, will continue this year. There will be a Forum on November 4th, in Newcomb Hall, Mr. DeMong announced. The Forum will include presentations on some of the funded projects, and how the projects have contributed to the improvement of teaching. There will be a new call for proposals in December, with a deadline of February 1, 1999, for submitting proposals. The Academic Affairs Committee is also continuing the initiative that began with the faculty/student retreat, an initiative to promote faculty/student interactions. Based on conversations at the retreat, the Committee will look at the advising process and the new student orientation process. Another issue the Academic Affairs Committee will look at is what role the faculty might play in working with students to enhance the practices and procedures of the Honor Committee. Mr. DeMong asked the group to e-mail him with any ideas they might have in regard to how the faculty might be helpful.

The Junior Faculty Development and Retention initiative that began last year will be continued this year. Recommendations were sent to deans and department heads last year, and the Committee will follow-up on the status of implementing some of those recommendations. Finally, Mr. DeMong reported to the Senate that a proposed new adult degree program, to be offered through the Division of Continuing Education, will go before the Academic Affairs Committee, and then to the full Senate for approval later this year.

Louis Bloomfield, Chair of the Faculty Senate Committee on Research and Scholarship, reported on the work of his Committee. He distributed a document which outlines initiatives either already underway, or to be addressed by the Committee this year. Initiative I, Intellectual Community, includes 1) an ongoing initiative to establish community spaces, including the Garden Room and the Alderman Café, which are doing well; 2) an ongoing initiative to foster interaction between faculty and students; and 3) a proposed initiative for the Spring of 1999, which is a Faculty Speakers Bureau. This is envisioned to be a pro bono outreach to the people of the Commonwealth of Virginia, initially involving members of the Faculty Senate, but eventually broadening to the entire faculty.

Mr. Bloomfield said the Committee will identify what already exists at the University to foster faculty/student interaction, and the Committee will also create new activities. The Committee will work with Gene Block, Vice Provost for Research, on developing a faculty speaker's bureau, and the Committee would like to create a web site, listing speakers and schedules.

The second initiative, Life of the University, would include lectures by a series of local speakers, probably new or recent chair-recipients, describing their lives at the University and examining why they chose to do what the do. This is intended to foster understanding and a sense of community across the University. The donors of the chair will be invited to the talk and a reception will be held afterward. Also included in the "Life of the University" is an annual theme. This year's theme is Information Technology, and will include a University-wide conversation to learn how faculty, staff, and students use information technology, what they expect from it, and where they think it should head in the future. There will also be information technology lectures in the spring of 1999.

Ed Ayers distributed a survey document, "Information Technology and the Life of the University: A Conversation," and said he will send the document electronically to the members of the Senate and ask that they distribute the survey to their constituents and then compile the data in a one-to two page report for the Senate. The reports will be due on November 13, 1998. There is also data compiled by the ITC Office on the Faculty Senate home page (http://www.virginia.edu/~facsen), which can be viewed by going to the page and clicking on "ITC Reports on Computer Usage." Mr. Ayers took questions.

The meeting adjourned at 4:20 p.m.

Submitted by Marva A. Barnett, Secretary of the Faculty Senate