Minutes of the Committee on Academic Planning
for September 30, 1999

The committee on Academic Planning met on Thursday, September 30, 1999 at 11:00 AM in Union 104. In attendance were D. Cress, Dean, College of Arts and Sciences, D. DeVinny, D. Kummings, S. Meyer, K. Norton, M.K. Schleiter, R. Singer, and G. Wood. Evelyn Zepp representing the modern languages department was present for part of the meeting.

I. Election of a Chair

Gary Wood was nominated (DeVinny, Kummings) to serve as the chair for the year. He agreed to serve with the understanding that other faculty members would be sought to take his place on the Enrollment Management Team and the Non-Traditional Student Task Force. Steve Meyer agreed to attend faculty senate meetings if it was necessary to present CAP recommendations. G. Wood was elected on a unanimous vote.

II. Regular Meeting Time

Committee members will send their schedules to the chair.

III. Assessment of Prior Learning and Alternative Delivery Systems Task Forces

Last year, CAP produced lists of people to serve on two task forces that would look at issues related to non-traditional students. The recent creation of a new task force that will most likely examine those same issues seems to make the other two redundant. The lists will be forwarded to the Provost, who can use them to select faculty representatives for the new task force or its subcommittees.

IV. Strategic Plans and Program Review

The CAP agenda for this year will include finishing the collection of revised strategic plans from department and programs. A December deadline was tentatively set.

Each year, departments and programs are to provide CAP with an update of progress related to the strategies and measurable outcomes established in the strategic plans. A tentative deadline for submission of the updates was set for March 1. CAP will review these updates, and use them in its review of position authorization requests.

V. Position Authorization Requests

 

A. Failed searches from last year.
Three PARs that were authorized last year resulted in failed searches. These requests came from biological sciences, computer science and business (MIS). Dean Cress presented the justification for the biological sciences PAR, and pointed out some minor differences between the new one and the one that was authorized last year. It was noted that since these positions were judged important enough to fill last year, there was no compelling reason to have the departments wait until spring to have the PARs reviewed again. It was moved (Schleiter, DeVinny) that CAP recommend to the Provost that biological sciences, computer science and business (MIS) be authorized to reopen the searches that were not successfully completed last year. Filling these positions will be contingent on funding. The motion passed unanimously.

B. Modern Languages
Because of a mid-year resignation, modern languages has requested authorization to conduct a search for a lecturer or visiting assistant professor in Spanish for the spring 2000 semester, and to conduct a search for a tenure track faculty member in Spanish who would begin in the fall of 2000. Professor Zepp presented the justification for the positions. The committee noted that authorizing the faculty position now would give modern languages the advantage of not having its request compared to others in the spring pool. However, because this request is to replace a retiring faculty member, because there are currently about 60 Spanish majors, and because not filling the position would reduce the number of full time Spanish faculty to one, it is likely that the position would be given a high priority compared to others in the spring pool.

It was moved (DeVinny, Meyer) that CAP recommend to the Provost that modern languages be authorized to conduct a search for a full time lecturer or visiting assistant professor in Spanish for the spring 2000 semester. Filling the position will be contingent on funding. The motion passed unanimously.

It was moved (Meyer, Kummings) that CAP recommend to the Provost that modern languages be authorized to conduct a search for a tenure track faculty member in Spanish to begin in the fall of 2000. Filling the position will be contingent on funding. The motion passed unanimously.

The meeting was adjourned at 12:30 PM.

Submitted by,

Gary M. Wood