Friday, May 8, 2009
1. Call to Order:
The meeting was called to order at 1:54 PM by President, Karen Turner
(The Senate meeting is being video conferenced to Health Sciences and Ambler Campus via Apreso).
2. Provost Lisa:
The Provost gave an update on the ‘wonderful’ things that happened in the past year.
Strategic Compass: The Academic Strategies Compass. The website can be found on the Provost’s website. Click on the points of the compass to see what has been accomplished.
She thanked the faculty for their input and encouraged faculty to give feedback and suggestions to the suggestion box on the website.
- Gen Ed: The Provost was delighted with the feedback on the Gen Ed classes. She thanked Terry Halbert and her team for their accomplishments. As of the end of fall 2008, there were 4,138 freshmen seats for Gen Ed classes.
- Provost Lisa thanked Jim Korsh, Chair of the Study Leaves and Grants-in-Aid Committee, for his hard work on this committee. Seventy-nine study leaves were granted and all grants-in-aid ($65,000) will be funded. Eleven seed grants for interdisciplinary research were funded. (For the projects and faculty awardees, go to www.temple.edu and search on seed grants.)
- Provost Lisa spoke of the many faculty members who won prestigious awards. Among them were:
William Hitchcock (CLA) was a Pulitzer finalist for his book: The Bitter Road to Freedom, A New History of the Liberation of Europe.
Michael Klein (CST), Laura H. Carnell Professor of Science and founding Director of the Institute for Computational Molecular Science, was elected to the National Academy of Sciences.
Benjamin Rifkin (CLA) won the Outstanding Contribution to the Profession Award from the American Association of Teachers of Slavic and European Languages.
Molefi Asante (CLA) was elected President of the Text and Academic Authors Foundation
For the many Temple awards for faculty, go to www.temple.edu and search faculty awards.
- The Provost spoke about the Honor Students’ Awards. Many thanks to Ruth Ost, Director of the University Honors Program, for her work with the Honors Program, (For more information go to www.temple.edu/honors
Brendan Mulvhill ’08/ ’09 – Fulbright Fellowship
Christiana Thatcher ’09 – Marshall Scholarship
Jeff Althouse ’09 – Fulbright Fellowship
Kylie Patterson ’10 – H. Truman Scholarship
Bruce Baver ’11 – St. Andrew’s Scholarship
D. Brad Lanute ’09 – Fulbright Fellowship
Avi Fox ’10 – Morris K. Udall Scholarship
- Provost Lisa spoke about the student athletes: Eleven teams had a 100% progression towards graduation. She mentioned that student athletes that come to Temple look to Temple for future success. Several of our athletes have been drafted in the NFL and one, in the NBA.
- Larry Lemanski, Vice President of Research, is leaving Temple to become the Provost at Texas A & M Commerce.
- Hai-Lung Dai, dean of the College of Science and Technology, is now heading a task force on research structure and the Graduate School. More discussion will take place during the semester.
The Provost then wished everyone a pleasant summer.
3. President’s Report: Karen M. Turner
Since our last meeting, the Steering Committee has met with:
Dick Englert and Jodi Levine Laufgraben. Among their topics were the graduate school and program review.
Terry Halbert and group came to talk about Gen Ed and its successes.
At our luncheon, we honored Dave Baron from the Med School and Bonnie Averbach , senate secretary and representative from the Fox School of Business. Both are rotating off the Steering Committee after many years of service. Also thanks to Scott Gratson, for his service as our parliamentarian. We know that he will continue. And thanks to Cheryl Mack for her work with the Committee.
If faculty have suggestions for topics at future meetings please contact the Steering Committee.
At our April 29th University Senate meeting (special meeting about the pending motion of the status of the union negotiations and the involvement of the Presidency), a call for quorum was made. The meeting was over. However some faculty remained to have some interesting discussions.
Vice President’s Report: Paul S. LaFollette
LaFollette thanked all the faulty who have been attending these meetings.
With respect to Committees: One of the difficulties is to obtain faculty to work on committees.
It is important to tell faculty how interesting and how important it is to be on a committee.
4. Approval of the Minutes:
The Minutes of April 16, 2009: It was moved and seconded that the minutes be approved, with one amendment. All members approved.
The Minutes of April 29, 2009: It was moved and seconded that the minutes be approved. All members approved.
5. Guest: Terry Halbert, General Education
Terry gave an update on Gen Ed: She thanked Co-Director David Harrington Watts and Senior Coordinator, Julie Phillips and Rich Jocelyn for their work on Gen Ed.
There has been a smooth implementation with 760 classes for the fall and 730 for the past spring semester.
In articles in the Inquirer and the Chronicles of Higher Education, much of the focus was on the ‘Philadelphia Experience’. There is a lot of focus now on team teaching and interdisciplinary course development. Funds are available for interdisciplinary courses.
Terry then introduced Gen Ed professors, each of whom gave a short overview of her/his class.
Guest: Joellen Meglen (Dance) and Cynthia Folio (Music Theory): Course, ‘The Jazz Century in America’
The course involves the history of Jazz with integration across the media. There are reading and writing as well as creative components. As an example, the students write poems, choose some jazz music, and set the poems to music. For another project, the students researched and analyzed the ‘Cake Walk’. Then the students performed some original dance routines. They incorporated music and art into their dance application of what they have learned. In groups of six and seven, music was selected, and a dance performance was created (on Apreso, you can actually see the students performing. Click on slide 28 on the left). Most of the students had no previous experience in dance.
Guest: Ray Coughlin (Mathematics): Course. ‘Critical Reasoning’
Coughlin has a developed a math class based on LSAT problems which are basically logic problems. He discusses logical process in problem solving. His aim is for students to think cogently and consistently – to use logic when reading a book. He wants the students to do well on GMAT’s, MCAT’s, GRE’s and similar exams. This class is not only a math class; students learn to read in a critical manner. As a result of this class, students also become better writers since they have learned how to organize their thinking.
Annie, a student in his class mentioned how this class has helped her to put first things first, to see the end concept, and to see what is important. She is able to apply the steps of critical reasoning in many areas of her life.
6. Unfinished Business:
Marina Angel (Law) moved to table the pending motion, “Status of Contract Negotiations and Involvement of the Presidency”.
The motion was seconded by Paul LaFollette: For: 29, Opposed:
0, Abstained: 2.
7. New Business:
None
8. Adjournment:
The meeting was adjourned at 3:00 PM.
Bonnie Averbach
Secretary
