Faculty Assembly
THE FACULTY ASSEMBLY
THE COLLEGE OF WILLIAM AND MARY IN VIRGINIA:
MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF TUESDAY OCTOBER 27, 1998
The meeting was called to order at 3:35 p.m. with 30 members present.
The minutes of the meeting of September 22nd were unanimously approved.
I. Administrative Reports.
The Provost was the only administrator reporting. She announced first that the Faculty Research Committee's budget had been increased from $618K to $656K, thanks to some funds carried over from last year and some new funds.
She then described a mandate from Richmond to the effect that all state agencies would have to develop a "strategic plan" as background for budget requests for the next biennium. She stressed that this "planning" would be in no way as extensive as the Co llege's own Strategic Planning of 1993-94; this plan-due in draft by April 16, 1999 and in final form the following Fall-would state our mission, describe our progress in meeting our goals, treat implications of state mandates, address the ways we meet th e needs of our constituents, identify our SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats), and generally articulate our goals and objectives. She suggested that BPAC be the campus group to prepare this plan.
In response to a question about the apparent discrepancy between the Department of Planning & Budget figures and President Sullivan's assertion that higher education had been cut by some $4 1/2 million since the early 90's, the Provost replied that Richmond had now determined that all parties were using accurate numbers, but describing decreases over different periods of time. In response to a question about a news report placing the College's need for financial aid relatively low statewide, the Provost replied that those figures-reflecting student need in state-could result from our having a relatively high proportion of out of state students.
Following the Provost's report, Assembly President George Bass introduced Marsh Pattie, the Student Assembly representative to the FA. Mr. Pattie announced a letter writing campaign to be held November 10th in Tidewater B; the campaign would focus on st udent aid and funding for the renovation of Millington Hall.
II. Standing Committee Reports
A. Academic Advisory Committee. Chair Barbara Watkinson brought forward the latest iteration of the Policy on Joint Appointments and provided a brief history of its development. There was no discussion, and the policy was passed unanimously. President Bass then announced that the Provost had presented two other draft policies to the Executive Committee-the revised Disability Leave policy and the Policy on Affiliated Scholars-which were in turn turned over to the Academic Advisory Committee, who would discuss them and present them to the Assembly at the November meeting.
B. Committee on Committees. Chair Wagih Dafashy moved approval of the most recent slate of nominees to College-wide committees. There was no discussion, and the motion passed unanimously.
C. Executive Committee. Assembly Vice-President David Lutzer outlined his proposal to establish procedures for nominating faculty to serve on certain College-wide committees. He explained that the document doesn't affect the Committee on Com mittee's constitutional mandate, but only clarifies the procedures for nominations. In response to a question from the Parliamentarian, Vice President Lutzer responded that his proposal would constitute a "standing rule," which could be modified by the s imply majority of the Assembly as needed. The document was amended as follows: the two Muscarelle committees, and four committees whose membership is determined by law-the Committees on Biosafety, Human Subjects, Radiation Safety, and research on Animals -were removed from the document by a friendly amendment. David Dessler then moved to strike Section D; Ed Crapol seconded the motion; there was no further discussion and the motion passed. The amended motion was then passed unanimously.
D. BPAC. President Bass reported that at the last BPAC meeting, Sam Jones provided an overview of the budget processed to new members. The next meeting will be November 9th.
III. Old Business. President Bass announced that the Faculty Senate of Virginia would be meeting on campus in November, and that an agenda would be distributed electronically as soon as it came available.
IV. New Business. Vice President Lutzer raised the issue of Assembly members-or a designated committee of the Assembly-lobbying legislators. Generally, the idea was that such lobbying would take place with the advice of University Relations, but on stat ewide issues identified by the Faculty Senates of Virginia, an organization representing faculty governing bodies across Virginia, to which our Assembly belongs. Following some discussion about the purposes of such lobbying, and especially the desirabilit y of lobbying for increased aid for our students, the Assembly generally agreed that it would be willing to offer support to University Relations, but that it was not yet ready to commit itself to an independent lobbying effort. No vote was taken.
The meeting was adjourned at 4:51.
Respectfully submitted,
Colleen Kennedy
Secretary
