Tuesday, January 16, 2007
Attendance: Jane Evans (Chair), Karen Turner (Vice-Chair), Paul LaFollette (CST), Robert Aiken (CST), Bonnie Averbach (FSBM), Zdenka Delalic (Eng), Judith Goode (CLA), Sally Harrison (Tyler), Pauline Hurley-Kurtz (Ambler), Diane Maleson (Law), Lois Millner (SSA), Joan Shapiro (Educ), Roy Stevens (Dental), Ann Barr (CHP), Maxine Chisholm (Coord)
1. Call to Order:
The meeting was called to order at 1:09 PM.
2. Approval of Minutes:
Minutes from the previous meeting were approved.
3. President’s Report:
Lewis Gordon would prefer to leave the GEEC in light of his new responsibilities as Editor of the Faculty Herald. David Watt has been proposed as a replacement. The FSSC approved recommending Watt to the Provost, who will make the final decision.
Terry Halbert has expressed her desire that it be made clear that the GEEC is in faculty hands. It has now been clarified that the GEEC reports to the FSSC.
Two motions passed by the GEEC were discussed:Motion 2 generated substantial discussion with respect to the sentence which reads "In addition, the Committee wishes to clarify that a Gen Ed course can be proposed by a single department and by a single faculty member." There was significant concern expressed that Gen Ed courses should not be tied to particular persons or personalities. Evans will discuss these concerns with Halbert.
Aiken suggested that motion 3 be "given teeth" by tying it to the assessment committee which is being formed for the Middle States Review. He also proposed that we ask the GEEC for regular written reports on their activities.
We need a formal charge and membership criteria for the GEEC that can be included in the Handbook. Turner and Kahlich agreed to work on producing these documents.
Policies on office hours and syllabi are being reviewed by the administration.
We agreed to invite Gaffney, chairperson of EPPC to a future FSSC meeting.
The date of the Investiture celebration has been changed to March 22-23, 2007. The previous date conflicted with the celebration of the 100th anniversary of the Wharton School.
President Hart has issued invitation to her second informal discussion session at her home.
4. Vice-President’s Report:
We have gotten seven committee reports. She will continue to remind committee chairs that they need to produce reports. She is also continuing to encourage committees to review/create their charges.
5. Old Business:
Aiken asked about the status of the Honors Program and the creation of a definition for honors faculty. Averbach reported that the committee has not yet met to re-discuss this issue. Maleson wondered if we should perhaps go back to previous model for Honors in which there and faculty and administrative presence in the administration of the program.
6. New Business:
Agenda for Jan. 25th Senate meeting:
President Hart has asked for 35-40 minutes to address the Senate about the place of the arts at Temple. J. Shapiro proposed that she also be asked to philosophize a bit about her first semester at Temple and how her vision for Temple might have changed in the past six months.
We agreed to ask for a report on the search for a Provost at the Senate meeting.
We also agreed to postpone the discussion of the composition of the Senate until the February meeting.
Other new business:
Turner brought up the issue of parking. Lots 4 and 6 are gone and the new replacement lot is smaller than their combined size. There is already inadequate parking and with the arrival of Tyler faculty and students it will be even worse.
She asks "Is there a parking committee? If not should there be one?"
After some discussion, these questions remained unanswered.
7. Adjournment:
The meeting adjourned at 2:15 PM.
Respectfully submitted,
Paul S. LaFollette, Jr.
Secretary
