Faculty Council
October 6, 2003, 12 noon
Cohen House, Esther M. Cohen Dining Room

Present: Ed Akin (Speaker), Stephen Baker, Marjorie Corcoran, Steven Crowell, Deborah Harter, Tom Haskell, Hannah Landecker, Julia Morgan, Bob Patten, Patricia Reiff, Herb Ward, and Mark Wiesner. Absent: Rebekah Drezek, Michael Emerson, Lynne Huffer (Deputy Speaker), and Caroline Quenemoen.

(1) Minutes (10/22/03) (Speaker): The minutes were approved.

(2) Art & Art History Department (split) (Speaker): The Speaker provided an overview of a memo from Jim Pomerantz, Chair, Committee on Undergraduate Curriculum (CUC), to Gale Stokes and Gary Wihl, outgoing and incoming Deans of Humanities, a copy of which was forwarded to Council. The document established that the CUC has affirmed unanimously and formally that the attendant curriculum changes caused by the proposed separation of the Art & Art History Department into two separate departments (Art History and Visual Arts) are uncontroversial and fully acceptable to his committee. The CUC understands those changes to consist primarily of the elimination of one degree and the creation of two, and possibly a few other minor changes that are within the normal change spectrum of ongoing departments.

Akin then emphasized that Council has not heard any objection to that division. He then stated that his main concern is the impact it will have on the faculty when a department is split, merged, or discontinued. He stressed that he was also concerned because Council had not previously received confirmation that the departmental faculty is supportive of that division, so he contacted the Art & Art History Department to get that background information. The Speaker stated that he now has documentation confirming that the vast majority of the faculty supports that division of majors, and the appropriate people were consulted, and the proposed change was discussed in more than one meeting. Akin remarked that on those two separate issues of splitting the Art & Art History Department, he does not see any reason to oppose that division. He then asked Council if they would like to send forward the proposal to the general faculty for their vote in the November 11, 2003, general faculty meeting.

Council then discussed the inconsistent procedures used for the recent merging of at least two departments and they compared that to the processes used to request the division of the Art & Art History Department. The Speaker stressed the importance of the faculty having voice in department division/merging decisions. Baker pointed out that a major change will not take place in this case if the two major tracks were already established for the Art & Art History Department. Council then emphasized the importance of maintaining appropriate department representation; and they discussed the additional financial costs to be considered (such as support staff, administrative supervision, and overhead requirements). The members talked about the goals for visual art and for art history being very different, and the necessity for intellectual comfort within departments.

The Speaker commented that the Faculty Council is serving as a gatekeeper for issues related to curriculum. He reiterated that the basic proposal is for the two tracks that currently exist in the Art & Art History major, to be renamed individual majors in Art History and Visual Arts. Akin said that he has confirmed that the majority of the departmental faculty supports that idea (a few in that department are in opposition).

The following motion was made and seconded:

"I move that the proposal be forwarded to the faculty for the agenda for the general faculty meeting on November 11, 2003." (vote, 10 yeas and 2 abstentions)

Patten suggested that Council's questions be forwarded to the two new department chairs so that they will be prepared for the general faculty meeting on November 11, 2003, and Council agreed to that process.

(3) Rice Summer School, Admitting High School Students (Speaker): Akin provided an overview of the memo (dated August 25, 2003) to the Faculty Council from Jim Pomerantz, Chair, Committee on Undergraduate Curriculum (CUC). The memo established that the CUC has considered and unanimously approved a pilot project proposal from Dean Mary McIntire, entitled "Proposal to Admit High School Students to Rice's Summer School." Council decided that this change was informational in nature and could proceed without a vote of the general faculty.

(4) Continuing Studies, Masters of Liberal Studies Degree Proposal (Speaker: The Speaker stated that Council has several concerns regarding the Masters of Liberal Studies Degree Proposal such as . . .

- a possible lack of availability of Rice professors to teach those classes, because of time constraints.
- changing Continuing Studies into a degree granting program.
- the need for a clear-cut definition of which classifications of the faculty will be asked to teach the courses.
- the type of Continuing Studies degree to be offered in comparison to a general Rice University degree.
- educational safeguards needed for the students/faculty.
- financial issues.

Akin said that he will invite Mary McIntire, Dean of Continuing Studies (and some of the core faculty) to Council's business meeting on November 3, 2003, to discuss, basically, the questions related to the mechanisms for guaranteeing a Rice quality education in such a program. Council anticipates that they will not reach a decision in time for this to be an agenda item for the general faculty meeting on November 11, 2003, and that it will spill over to a later date.

(5) Honor Council Appeal Board/Panel (Speaker): Akin commented that the seven members of the faculty on the Honor Council Appeals Board Panel have started working, and Professor Joe Warren has been named the Convener. The Speaker said that the process seems to be making positive steps, and they have had at least two organizational meetings and are writing a series of proposed procedures for their actions. The Speaker said that he will keep Council informed as those efforts move forward.

(6) Budget Information, Information Access (Speaker):

(A) Budget Information: Akin stressed that he was pleased to hear Dean Currie suggest (during the September 29 meeting with the administration) that he would be willing to meet with Council to talk about how the budget process works at Rice. Akin said that he feels that it is desirable to have a liaison on the Board's budget committee, so that the Faculty Council will have more opportunities to learn about the budget process. He then pointed out that the Provost stated that he would like for Council to better understand the budget process. Patten emphasized, as we consider reorganization that the first step may be to have a new Faculty Council subcommittee, with one of those members, possibly, attending the Board budget meetings and keeping Council informed regarding that input.

(B) Confidential Information Access: Akin asked Council if they feel that they have adequately expressed (in the meeting on September 29, 2003) to the administration their concerns about having access to confidential information necessary for conducting its business. Haskell commented that he would like to see a small group (consisting of a few of the members of Council) have an informal, candid discussion during a lunch meeting with Richard Zansitis, General Counsel, regarding . . .

- legal liability in respect to information access concerns.
- legal liability and how it is construed on this Campus.
- potential problems, which may arise.
- a variety of options available, which do not leave the University vulnerable.
- the faculty being a part of all governance decisions.

Akin indicated that a meeting of Richard Zansitis and the full Council would be more useful.

(7) Academic Calendar Proposed for 2004-2005 (Speaker): The Speaker stated that he is gathering information about the calendar changes, which have impacted the academic labs and that process is still in progress.

(8) Adjournment: The meeting was adjourned at 1 p.m., and the next Faculty Council business meeting is scheduled for, Monday, November 3, 2003, 12 noon, Cohen House, Esther M. Cohen Dining Room.

Ellen Butler
Secretary