WILLIAM MARSH RICE UNIVERSITY Minutes of the Faculty Meeting

May 10, 1996

Attendance: Approximately 135

1. Minutes of the previous meeting

2. Approval of Candidates for Degrees

3. Approval of Undergraduate Honors

4. Overview of Faculty Accomplishments

5. Recognition of Retiring Faculty

6. Announcements

President Malcolm Gillis called the meeting to order at 10:00 a.m. in 301 Sewall Hall.

1. Minutes of the previous meeting.

The minutes of the February 12, 1996 meeting were approved.

2. Approval of the lists of candidates for degrees.

Gus Armeniades, Chair of the Committee on Examinations and Standing, presented the list of candidates for baccalaureate degrees and explained one exception. The faculty approved the exception and accepted the list of candidates. Philip Brooks, Chair of the Graduate Council, presented the list of candidates for advanced degrees. The list was approved unanimously. The following degrees were approved: Doctoral degrees, 117; Masters degrees, 337; Bachelors degrees, 674. Total degrees awarded, 1133. Number of persons receiving degrees, 1088.

3. Approval of undergraduate honors.

The Committee on Examinations and Standing recommended the following honors:

Rank	1996	1995
	(Grade point average)
Summa	3.974	3.929
Magna	3.795	3.847
Cum laude	3.621	3.698

4. Faculty accomplishments and teaching prizes.

President Gillis complimented the faculty on the published books, performances, grants, honors, and medals that demonstrate the academic and professional accomplishments of Rice faculty. Teaching awards from various sources were presented to Stephen Klineberg (Sociology), John Ambler (Political Science), Edward Cox (History), Deborah Harter (French), John Hutchinson (Chemistry), Michael Maas (History), Pol Spanos (Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science) Marco Ciufolini (Chemistry), Richard Smith (History), Steven Cox (Computational and Applied Mathematics), John Anderson (Geology and Geophysics), Karin Broker (Art and Art History), and Dara Keeton (Art and Art History).

5. Recognition of retiring members of the faculty.

Department representatives spoke in appreciation of the accomplishments of retiring faculty from several departments: Albert W. Bally (Geology and Geophysics), Paul Cooper (Shepherd School of Music), Tom Estle (Physics), Maria Teresa Leal (Hispanic and Classical Studies), Charles Philpott (Ecology and Evolutionary Biology), John Cheatham (Mechanical Engineering), and Katherine Drew (History).

6. Announcements.

Hally Beth Poindexter discussed commencement arrangements. A copy of the faculty resolution presented to Charles W. Duncan, Jr., on May 8, 1996 has been attached to these minutes in the University Archives.

The meeting was adjourned at 10:45 a.m.

Respectfully Submitted,
Linda P. Driskill, Secretary of the Faculty