Minutes of the University Committee
for August 18, 2000

The Committee met at 9:40 in 262 CART. Members present were Laura Gellott, Fran Kavenik, and Greg Mayer. John Buenker and Walter Feldt were excused. Also present were Don Cress, Larry Duetsch, Clara New and Dwayne Olsen.

The Committee discussed the principal features of a proposal developed by the Provost and Dean Cress for broadening the responsibility for preparing future teachers. The proposal would create a new standing faculty Committee on Teacher Certification that would review and approve all curriculum, policy, and procedural proposals specific to teacher certification, and review and advise on the preparation of documents for external constituencies. The membership of this new Committee would include the members of the Executive Committee of the Department of Teacher Education, representatives from each electoral division of the
College of Arts and Sciences, and several community representatives.

Members of the Committee agreed with the Provost and the Dean on the need for stronger and more effective relationships between the Department ofTeacher Education and other departments in the College, but expressed concern about the creation of a standing committee that could overrule the department on curricular matters that have previously been deemed to be within the department's purview. Members were also concerned about the proposed empowerment of community representatives in departmental curricular matters, with no clear role for students or junior members of the department.

It was agreed that the Committee should defer further consideration of the proposal until it can be revised to take account of the concerns that have been raised. The Secretary of the Faculty offered to prepare a revised proposal that could be taken up by the Faculty Senate in committee of the whole. In the meantime, it was suggested that the Department of Teacher Education reconstitute its Community Advisory Board and, perhaps, its Departmental Liaison Advisory Board.

Dean Cress and Professors New and Olsen left the meeting at this point.

The Committee agreed to invite the Academic Staff Committee and the Classified Staff Committee to join them in circulating a survey of faculty/staff perceptions of administrative performance. The Committee expects to conduct its survey of faculty perceptions in mid-September.

It was determined that the Committee will usually meet on Mondays at 2 during the Fall Semester.

Under miscellaneous business, the Committee approved appointments to an augmented Executive Committee for the Department of Health, Physical Education and Athletics. The Committee also agreed to ask the Academic Policies Committee to examine the incidence of late withdrawals from classes to determine whether current procedures are being abused.

The meeting was adjourned at 11:30.