WILLIAM MARSH RICE UNIVERSITY

Minutes of the Faculty Meeting

February 03, 1998

1. Minutes

2. Proposal for a new undergraduate curriculum in computer science

3. The procedure to be used in implementing Policy 201-97, Sections 8a and 8b, and changes to Faculty Council By-Laws

4. Recommendations of the Curriculum Review Committee

5. Announcements

1. Minutes.

Minutes of the meeting of December 4, 1997 were approved.

2. New curriculum in computer science.

Professor McKenney, Chair of the Curriculum Committee, presented for a second vote of approval the proposed new curriculum for a Bachelor of Science degree in computer science, which would increase the number of computer science courses required but reduce the total hours necessary for the degree. This proposal was approved unanimously. Back to top.

3. The procedure to be used in implementing Policy 201-97, Sections 8a and 8b, and changes to Faculty Council By-Laws

Walter Isle, Speaker of Faculty Council, introduced the draft of the procedure to be used in implementing Policy 201-97, Sections 8a and 8b, and draft changes to Faculty Council By-Laws.

Bill Wilson, member of Faculty Council, introduced amendments to the proposed revisions of the By-Laws that had been attached to the meeting agenda. Wilson proposed the following changes:

In the heading of Section A, change "A. Procedural Appeals and Grievances Committee" to "A. Appeals and Grievances Committee."

In the first sentence of Section A, change "Procedural Appeals and Grievances Committee" to "Appeals and Grievances Committee."

In the title of subsection 1 of Section A, change "Procedural Appeals" to "Appeals."

In the title of subsection 2 of Section A, change "Grievances" to "Grievances and Accusations."

In sentence 2 of subsection 2, change "consideration of a grievance" to "consideration of a case."

Stephen Baker proposed that the word "grievant" be changed to "faculty member" in item 3 (b). Wilson accepted this suggestion. Although some other substitutions were also put forward as friendly amendments, Wilson declined any and all of these wording changes.

Jane Chance recommended that the proposed procedures, mentioned in the proposed By-Laws changes, be discussed before a vote be taken, and the Speaker concurred. A vote on the amended revisions was delayed until after the procedure was discussed. The faculty turned to a discussion of the proposed procedures for implementing Policy 210-97.

Moshe Vardi proposed several wording changes, which follow, based on the recommendations of the AAUP:

Strike the last sentence in item 3, the last sentence in item 4h, and the last sentence in section 4i. In addition, move the phrase "with supporting reasons" from 4(m)2 to the beginning of the item so that it would apply to all four sub parts of item 4, thus: The Hearing Panel's findings and recommendations, with supporting reasons, will be presented in a full report
. . . ."

Walter Isle added that a further change had been discussed with the AAUP. This change involved the recipients specified for distribution of the full report. Instead of giving a full report only to the President, the AAUP recommended that the hearing panel deliver its full report to the President, the Speaker of Faculty Council, and the accused and send a summary of the report to the Faculty Council. President Gillis noted for the record that he was in full accord with these recommendations from the AAUP. Vardi accepted the additions Isle mentioned.

Tom Haskell seconded the motion to approve these amendments; a motion to vote on closure of debate passed; and Vardi's motion to amend the draft passed.

Jane Chance asked three questions: (1) When will an accused faculty member be told that a serious charge is involved? (2) How many faculty members have been dismissed for cause or have had sanctions imposed? (3) Will involuntary retirements after medical disability be handled by this procedure? She received the following answers:

In order to preserve the informality of stages 1 and 2, when experienced consultants advised that some 90 percent of all accusations are resolved, some ambiguity would have to be tolerated.

No faculty members have been dismissed for cause during President Gillis's term of office, although some have been penalized with sanctions.

Involuntary retirements necessitated by medical disability will rarely be handled by the 201-97 policy. Chance expected faculty members to wish to continue teaching; Grob commented that he thought seriously disabled faculty would not want to have a hearing involving charges of incompetence.

Chance also suggested an additional change: strike the second sentence in item 4 and change the wording of the third section to indicate that the Hearing Panel pool of fifteen faculty will be "elected annually by the Faculty" instead of "appointed by Faculty Council." This proposed amendment failed.

Chance also moved to add the sentence, "The faculty member will be informed this is the first stage in the procedure" after item 3 (a) in the draft procedure. This proposed amendment failed.

The question of approving the amended revisions to the By-Laws was then called, and the faculty voted their approval. Back to top.

4. Recommendations of the Curriculum Review Committee

William Martin, Chair of the Curriculum Review Committee, introduced the Committee's preliminary recommendations, located on the Web at http://www.ruf.rice.edu/~currrev/CurrProposalDisc.html.
The three primary goals of its proposed reform are to ensure that students

• acquire substantial specialized knowledge in one or more fields,
  
  
• experience broad intellectual growth, and
  
  
• develop proficiency in a range of skills that will facilitate the accomplishment of these tasks while at the university and prepare them for effective lifelong learning.

Martin described a system of university-wide requirements designed to accomplish these goals, but because of the late hour, only a brief discussion was held. Some faculty were clearly pleased by the comprehensiveness of the plan. Others objected to the lack of specific prescribed "general education" content of the sort recommended by the previous curriculum review committee headed by John Hutchinson and approved by faculty vote.

Every faculty member is urged to read the proposals at the web site shown above and to prepare for important discussions on the curriculum. The committee is holding a series of meetings to involve the entire faculty in small group discussions. Be ready! Back to top.

5. Announcements.

Ira Gruber reminded the faculty of the session scheduled for Wednesday, February 4th at 4 p.m. to discuss the current draft of the Faculty Handbook and urged them to come or send e-mail to the members of the committee. Back to top.

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