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1055
DOCUMENTS OF THE GENERAL FACULTY
Following are the minutes of the regular Faculty Council
meeting of November 20, 2000.
<signed>
John R. Durbin, Secretary
The General Faculty
MINUTES OF THE REGULAR FACULTY COUNCIL
MEETING OF
November 20, 2000
The third meeting of the Faculty Council for the academic
year 2000-2001 was held in Room 212 of the Main Building on Monday, November
20, 2000, at 2:15 p.m.
ATTENDANCE.
Present: Christopher O. Adejumo, Efraim
P. Armendariz, Neal E. Armstrong, Victor L. Arnold, Phillip J. Barrish,
David G. Bogard, Dean A. Bredeson, Cindy I. Carlson, Michael J. Churgin,
Richard L. Cleary, Michael B. Clement, Dana L. Cloud, Donald G. Davis,
Patrick J. Davis, Desley A. Deacon, Minette E. Drumwright, John R. Durbin,
Larry R. Faulkner, Shelley F. Fishkin, Dorie J. Gilbert, Nell H. Gottlieb,
Lita A. Guerra, Marvin L. Hackert, Barbara J. Harlow, James L. Hill, Martha
F. Hilley, Sharon D. Horner, Judith A. Jellison, Elizabeth L. Keating,
Ward W. Keeler, Stefan M. Kostka, Laura E. Luthy, Katheryn Coveley Maguire,
Glenn Y. Masada, Gregory R. Murphy, Melvin E. L. Oakes, Patricia C. Ohlendorf,
Thomas G. Palaima, Bruce P. Palka, Theodore E. Pfeifer, Linda E. Reichl,
Elizabeth Richmond-Garza, Daron K. Roberts, David J. Saltman, Joel F.
Sherzer, Michael P. Starbird, Laura T. Starks, Salomon A. Stavchansky,
Janice S. Todd, James W. Vick, James R. Yates, Katy B. Zarolia.
Absent: Mark I. Alpert, Anthony P. Ambler
(excused), Katherine M. Arens (excused), Matthew J. Bailey, Joyce L.
Banks, Joel W. Barlow, Brigitte L. Bauer (excused), Gerard H. Béhague
(excused), Harold W. Billings, Douglas G. Biow, Lynn E. Blais, Daniel
A. Bonevac, Richard A. Cherwitz, Patricia L. Clubb, John D. Dollard,
Edwin
Dorn, Sheldon Ekland-Olson, G. Charles Franklin, Robert Freeman, Von
Matthew Hammond, Thomas M. Hatfield, Arlen W. Johnson (excused), Sharon
H. Justice
(excused), Manuel J. Justiz (excused), Kerry A. Kinney, Karrol A. Kitt
(excused), Robert C. Koons, Richard W. Lariviere, David A. Laude, Steven
W. Leslie, William S. Livingston, David R. Maidment, Margaret N. Maxey,
Robert G. May (excused), Francis L. Miksa, Alba A. Ortiz (excused), Elmira
Popova, William C. Powers, Mary Ann R. Rankin, Johnnie D. Ray, Andrew
M. Riggsby, Victoria Rodriguez, Juan M. Sanchez, Dolores Sands, Robert
N. Schmidt (excused), Roberta I. Shaffer, Cynthia W. Shelmerdine (excused),
Mark R. V. Southern (excused), Lawrence W. Speck, Ben G. Streetman, Teresa
A. Sullivan, Paul Randall (Randy) Thompson, N. Bruce Walker, John W.
Walthall,
Ellen A. Wartella, Barbara W. White (excused).
| Voting Members: |
44
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present, |
31
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absent, |
75
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total. |
| Non-Voting Members: |
8
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present, |
25
|
absent, |
33
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total. |
| Total Members: |
52
|
present, |
56
|
absent, |
108
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total.
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1056
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I.
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REPORT OF THE SECRETARY
There were no questions about the written report (D
882-885).
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II.
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APPROVAL OF MINUTES.
The minutes of the Regular Faculty Council Meeting
of October 16, 2000 (D
860-868), and of the Special Faculty Council Meeting of October
30, 2000 (D
869-874), were approved by voice vote.
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III.
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COMMUNICATION WITH THE PRESIDENT
| A. |
Comments by the President.
The president reported that on November
16 the Board of Regents had approved his recommendation for
a new off-campus provisional admission program for UT Austin.
The Faculty Council had voted against the recommendation on
October 16 (D
860-868). The president said that "my judgment, developed
from extensive discussion with people interested in the University
from across the State, is that we would be acting against the
best interest of the University to choose that path."
The off-campus program, as originally proposed,
would have been limited to UT Arlington. The action of the
regents and the president’s comments indicate the program
will be expanded, although not necessarily in the first year,
to nearly all UT System academic components.
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| B. |
Questions to the President.
In April of 1997 legislation was approved
modifying the UT Austin policy on review of administrators
(D&P 15102-15113 [as amended]). Responding to a question
from a faculty member not on the Council, the executive committee
asked how the legislation was being implemented. The president
said that [with the exception of the evaluation of vice presidents]
this had been delegated to the provost (who was not present).
Based on the president’s response in the November 20
meeting, and comments from the provost in a meeting with the
executive committee, it is the secretary’s understanding
that the policy is being followed with respect to the review
of deans, but is uncertain about the thoroughness with which
the details are being followed with respect to directors,
chairs, and vice presidents. Thomas Palaima (classics) urged
that the University’s policy be followed regularly and
systematically.
In a second question, the president was asked
about the degree to which the faculty was being involved in
planning for changes in the summer program, especially with
regard to new high school students who would be admitted on
the condition they begin in the summer (D
860-868). The president responded that this was under
the supervision of the provost, and that the summer program
was being organized through the offices of the deans of liberal
arts and natural sciences. In consultation with Council Chair
Davis, several faculty members also had been selected to take
part in the planning process. Bruce Palka (mathematics) said
he had been included in the latter group, but regretted that
the person most involved in course scheduling in his department
had not been included.
In a final question submitted before the meeting,
the president was asked about the degree to which the faculty
was being involved in planning for the new off-campus provisional
program, especially with regard to the choice of the prescribed
courses and the compatibility of courses with those offered
at UT Austin. The president said that the offices of the deans
of liberal arts and natural sciences were also responsible
for this. He said that the admissions office was coordinating
the admissions portion of the newly-structured provisional
program.
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The secretary suggested that the changes in
the admission policy were part of a larger question involving
outside pressures on the University, including proposed fields
of study, core curriculum, and distance education. He said
he
thought that few members of the faculty had a grasp of these
issues, and suggested the creation of a special faculty committee
to provide oversight in these areas. He mentioned the example
of the ad hoc Committee on Undergraduate Education,
chaired by former Dean of Pharmacy James Doluisio, which submitted
its
final report in September of 1989 (D&P 12465-12541). The
president said it might be a good idea to create a more long-lasting
coordinative body to look at such issues, and suggested that
the Council consider this in one of its meetings.
In another question to the president, Palaima
urged that thought be given to creating something like spring
break for the fall semester. He pointed out that Cambridge
and Oxford devote less time to classes and more to individual
work. The president said this had been raised by Daron Roberts
(student government) and other students. James Vick (vice
president for student affairs) has been investigating various
possibilities, such as overlapping the first two class days
with two days of administrative procedures. This might lead
to a week off at Thanksgiving, but it is not yet clear that
this would be possible.
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IV.
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REPORT OF THE CHAIR – None.
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V.
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REPORT OF THE CHAIR ELECT – None.
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VI.
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SPECIAL ORDERS – None.
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VII.
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PETITIONS – None.
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VIII.
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UNFINISHED BUSINESS – None.
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IX.
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REPORTS OF THE GENERAL FACULTY, COLLEGES AND SCHOOLS,
AND COMMITTEES – None.
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X.
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NEW BUSINESS.
In January of 1999, the Council approved a recommendation
that the administration "institute procedures for modified
duties for faculty members who give birth or have primary responsibility
for a newborn child." On November 20 Vice Provost Lucia Gilbert
discussed the response, a "Policy on Teaching Continuity and
Restructured Faculty Workload upon the Birth or Adoption of a Child" (D
938-940) and invited members to comment.
Gilbert said the purpose was to ensure continuity
in classroom teaching. The policy would involve a restructured
workload but not paid leave. It would require planning with department
chairs,
deans, and the provost, and would be facilitated by resources from
the provost’s office in appropriate cases.
Elizabeth Richmond-Garza (English) said the Faculty
Welfare Committee, which she chairs, unanimously endorsed the policy.
She said they saw it as a very good first step in the direction
of a family leave policy as a whole. An extended discussion followed.
Michael Churgin (law) commented on the policy in the context of
the Family Medical Leave Act. Palaima questioned the policy’s
effect on sick leave. Janice Todd (kinesiology and health education),
Desley Deacon (American studies), and Phil Barrish (English) also
had questions. Gilbert said that the members’ comments would
be taken into account in writing the final version of the policy.
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XI.
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ANNOUNCEMENTS AND COMMENTS – None.
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XII.
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QUESTIONS TO THE CHAIR – None.
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XIII.
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ADJOURNMENT.
The meeting adjourned at 3:15 p.m.
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Distributed through the Faculty Council web site (www.utexas.edu/faculty/council/)
on January 12, 2001. Copies are available on request from the Office of
the General Faculty, FAC 22, F9500.
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