Review and Planning Committee
RPC Minutes - November 15, 2006
Present: Matt Richey (chair), Eric Cole, Alison Feldt, Anne Groton, Jonathan Hill, Heather Klopchin, Jim May, Todd Nichol, Arnie Ostebee, Mary Titus.
The meeting was called to order at 3:30 PM.
Minutes from the 11/1/06 meeting were approved.
The sabbatical leave proposal subcommittee of RPC was determined. This committee will consist of Eric Cole, Alison Feldt, and Mary Titus. The goal of this subcommittee is to try and bring a recommendation before all of RPC about sabbatical leave proposals before the end of the semester. RPC will then pass on its recommendation to the Dean’s office.
It was also determined that Reading Day, December 13th would be RPC’s last meeting day for the semester.
RPC chair Matt Richey gave a report of feedback from the chairs on the “stopping of the tenure clock” proposal. It was noted that the general tone of the chairs’ responses was that the option of “tenure clock stoppage” was a good idea but the details needed to be worked out on the right set of criteria to be used when determining “tenure clock stoppage.” RPC had a lively conversation which included discussion of getting language out to the faculty about this by the February faculty meeting with a heads up at the Dec. meeting, drafting language by a subcommittee of RPC, giving the language to the college lawyers to look at and respond too, etc. Todd Nichol then made a motion to encourage the department chairs to get back to RPC about specifics of the “tenure clock stoppage” proposal by late November, have RPC create language, and then pass this along to the lawyers. After further discussion the question was called and the motion was approved. RPC will wait until Nov. 28 th or 29 th to get specific feedback from the chairs about the “tenure clock stoppage” proposal.
Updates were then given on committee restructuring.
The curriculum committee group reported after meeting with the CCC group (chairs of CEPC, IDOCS, and GEC, and Mary Cisar) that they in collaboration with the CCC would put a proposal together for the new curriculum committee structure by this spring. It was reported that there still was some hesitation from IDOCS about the restructuring of the committees based on their uneasiness about the functioning of subcommittees. This brought up discussion concerning the role of the subcommittees and it was pointed out that the purpose of the subcommittees wasn’t to create more work but to work more efficiently.
The Student Life committee group reported that they will be looking at other models of a Student Life committee from other institutions provided by Greg Kneser.
The Faculty Life committee group reported that after meeting with members of the current Tenure and Promotion committee, the Faculty Development committee, and the Nominating Committee that they suggest leaving T and P alone. Other ideas brought up concerning a Faculty Life committee included perhaps the Nominating Committee taking on the parliamentarian’s role, more conversation between the GFR and the FDC, having a staff person in faculty development, having only tenured faculty members on FDC, expanding the Dean’s sabbatical series, and faculty replacing themselves so that there was no need for a Nominating committee. Conversation will continue concerning the questions above and concerning faculty life in general including “What is Faculty Life about” and “What do we need from a Faculty Life committee.”
It was reported by RPC chair Matt Richey that the Nominating committee would hold elections as normal for the current committees and then if restructuring takes place, RPC will oversee and organize the transition to the new “uber” committees.
The RPC meeting was adjourned at 4:55pm.
Respectfully submitted,
Heather Klopchin
Acting RPC Secretary
