Steering Committee Minutes – November 28, 2007

 

Present: Voting Members: Silvia Bigatti (Psych), William Bosron (Dean), William Geller (Math), Kathy Licht (Earth Sciences), Snehasis Mukhopadhyay (CS), Steve Randall (President), BD Rao (Phy), John Watson (Bio). Non-Voting Ex-Officio Members: Ray Chin (Past-President), Pam Crowell (Associate Dean), Andy Gavrin (Associate Dean), Jane Williams (Secretary). Absent: Stephanie Sen (Chem)

 

  1. Pres. Randall started the meeting at 11:04.
  2. Minutes were accepted.  Agenda was accepted.
  3. Meeting times for next Spring. Secretary will send out weekly template to identify new meeting time.
  4. Fall Assembly Agenda – Business Agenda – Will allot 20 minutes to the Dean’s Reports. Update on the budget is requested. Bylaw changes, curricular issues (Jr/Sr Integrator requirement and limit on the credit hours transferred into the University), Dean’s search, and meeting with France Cordova.  Dean Crowell will discuss current research relationships with Purdue. WG raised the issue of the proposal put forth by Math of a SOS budgetary affairs committee. SR suggested it should come to the SC first as the SC is identified in the Bylaws to be the advisory board for the Dean regarding budgetary issues, but acknowledged that it could be raised at the Faculty Assembly Meeting from the floor.
  5. Questions were raised about why the Dean’s candidates were not conducting research talks during their visits, as this was requested by the SC.
  6. We need to provide some information to Cordova about how a meeting will ensure with the faculty of Science and Engineering. This meeting came out of the regular Purdue Trustees meeting during which the visited the HITS building. Dean Sukhatme also spoke with them about the relationship between P-L and the IUPUI Purdue schools. It was a positive meeting that occurred in November.
  7. Meet with Pres. Cordova on Jan 3rd, 2008 in the IT building. Agenda items may include PhD program autonomy, research collaborations, growth in our graduate programs and gradation rates, and how the Schools of Science and Engineering here fit into her strategic planning for the University.
  8.  A discussion started about how the SOS PhD programs are overseen by their complimentary Purdue Program. The SC felt that now would be a good time to begin discussions with the Purdue Grad School about these relationships. Perhaps a set of guidelines about how the oversight would change as a program matures would be useful in moving autonomy forward.
  9. Administrative Issues: Need to make sure that last year’s administrative reviews are archived in the Dean’s office. SR suggested that we break up responsibilities: 4 forms to review and update. Chairs – SB & SM, Associate Deans – JW & RC, and Dean Bosron – SR, RC & boil rep.  By the next meeting we expect to have recommendations.
  10. Proposed bylaw changes.
    1. Table the diversity committee, perhaps have it in place for a while before it gets introduced in the Bylaws. SR suggested that in the interim it be set up as our other committees are; faculty reps from each department, staff, and student reps. SB noted that the VC for Diversity is being determined now and perhaps we should wait until we see how the new VC position will influence the direction of the committee and so she suggested that we don’t do anything at this point.
    2. NTTF – Administrative Review Changes – decided to drop the additional NTTF titles and go forth with adding NTTF to the administrative review process.
    3. Quick review of the research committee and Ed policy committee changes will be presented at the Assembly.
  11. WB discussed a concern about enrollment shaping should stay out of the taxation and so this is a discussion that needs to be cleared up. Could have a negative effect on the School. WB update on faculty searches: Chemistry faculty has a potential offer out. Chemistry Chair search is down to Jay Siegel and Tom Hurley. Regenerative Biology search has identified a candidate.  The search in Math stats is unknown. The earth sciences search was unsuccessful and they hope to open it up again. Administrative searches are ongoing.
  12. SR closed the meeting at 1:12.