Minutes: 11/22/02
Members Present: D. Crowell (Biology), R. Chin (Computer Science), G. Filippelli (Geology), D. Rao (Physics), P. Fastenau (Psychology), J. Luke (Mathematics), K. Nguyen (Dean's Office), K. Wilson (Dean's Office), D. Stocum (Dean's Office), J. Kuczkowski (Dean's Office), D. Malik (Chemistry), K. Johnson (Secretary), R. Allen (Chair)
1. Jon Luke will serve in place of Bart Ng as representative from Mathematics for the remainder of this term.
2. A Secretary is needed for Spring, 2003, as Kathy Johnson will be on sabbatical. (F. Kleinhans Physics has agreed to serve in this capacity.)
3. Continued discussion of the proposed changes to the SOS Bylaws ensued. Several documents were circulated:
- Excerpts from non-tenure track faculty subcommittee of Faculty Affairs Committee of IUPUI Faculty Council (February, 2002),
- Excerpts from IU Academic Handbook (2001),
- Excerpts from SLA Bylaw Amendments (4/26/02)
- Draft of revisions to SOS Bylaws
Ruth asked each departmental representative for departmental feedback on the proposed revisions. She also posed the question of whether the Steering Committee should be voting on this issue (i.e on what the proposed amendments to the bylaws should address), or whether the faculty themselves should be polled concerning their views. She proposed that the same questions be asked of all faculty, so that we can quantitatively assess the degree to which faculty are in support of the revised policies.
Issues to consider in questionnaire distributed to faculty (draft attached):
- Inclusion of Lecturers as faculty right to attend Faculty Assembly
- Participation in Administrative Reviews
- Participation on SOS committees as a departmental representative and/or Chair of committee
- Voting for SOS faculty president
- Eligibility to serve as SOS president and/or secretary
- Participation in mail ballots
- Participation in voting during SOS Faculty Assembly and/or SOS committee meetings
Discussion ensued concerning the establishment of clearer guidelines for the promotion of Lecturers to Senior Lecturers. D. Malik suggested forming an ad hoc committee to revise Section VIII. Subsection 3 of the SOS Bylaws to better accommodate Lecturers and Assistant Scientists to Associate/Senior Scientists, as well as to make any other changes that need to be made (Chair: D. Malik, Members: 2 members to be named by the Dean, D. Rao [representative from Unit Committee]).
4. D. Stocum informed the committee that he will be meeting with several administrators (representative from Office of Engagement, Dean of Science at Purdue, and representative from School of Technology) from Purdue/West Lafayette in the near future, and commented that inter-campus relations have improved somewhat at the level of the upper-administration. Potential positive and negative motivations for this change were considered.
5. D. Stocum also reported on NCA site visit, recently completed at IUPUI. He spoke very positively of the members of the review team and indicated that 3 days were spent on campus during the site visit. The review went extremely well and feedback was very positive. A report will be provided to the campus based on this review in the near future.
Next meeting: January 17, 2003