Faculty Assembly
THE FACULTY ASSEMBLY
THE COLLEGE OF WILLIAM AND MARY IN VIRGINIA:
MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF TUESDAY OCTOBER 26, 1999
The meeting was called to order at 3:33 p.m. with 26 members present.
The minutes of the meeting of September 28, 1999 were approved as distributed.
I. Administrative Reports
President Lutzer distributed a letter from Provost Cell proposing that the deadline for submitting fall term grades be changed to December 24, 1999. President Lutzer explained that the proposed deadline change was to prevent a potential Y2K problem in t he College's computerized grading record system. President Lutzer introduced Susanna Yunker, the College's new registrar. She explained that the Registrar's Office developed a Y2K contingency plan over the summer. Submitting grades by December 24 will enable the Registrar's Office to process them by December 31. Ms. Yunker asked that the faculty assist her office in its Y2K efforts this year. Any faculty who are unable to complete their grading by the December 24 deadline will be asked to submit "G" grades for their students.
Mel Vogelsang from the Office of Information Technology told the Assembly that there has been extensive testing of W&M systems to insure that they are Y2K compliant.
Several Assembly members voiced concerns about the difficulties the revised grading deadline will cause. Colleen Kennedy noted that the deadline will be particularly difficult for Area I (Humanities) faculty who have many papers to grade in a short perio d. Other Assembly members raised similar concerns. Professor Kennedy stated that her main concern is the late notification of the potential problem. She asked why the Assembly was not notified earlier of this situation.
Mel Vogelsang reported that W&M's new student information system will be in place and running roughly 18 months after the contract is awarded.
Colleen Kennedy moved that the Assembly accept the Provost's proposal to submit fall term course grades by December 24 with the understanding that "G" grades are acceptable if necessary. The revised grading deadline applies to Arts and Sciences and the S chools of Business and Education only. The motion passed unanimously.
Professor Kennedy made another motion stating that the Assembly needs more time for consultation on problems of this sort. The motion was intended to alert the administration to the Assembly's interest in improving the consultation process. This motion also passed unanimously.
II. Reports of Standing Committees
A. Committee on Committees. Committee chair Joe Scott reported that the COC has sent a survey to chairs of 1998-99 committees to assess committee functioning
B. Executive Committee. David Lutzer reported the faculties of Arts and Sciences and Education have approved the proposed changes in the Assembly's constitution. All other constituencies will vote in the next two to three weeks. President Lutzer also n oted that the Executive Committee is working on wording on the domestic partnership issue to send to the Faculty Senate of Virginia for its consideration. The Executive Committee will meet on November 2 to determine whether the full Assembly will meet in November. President Lutzer has not released the membership of the ad hoc committees on student financial aid and faculty development. He is still seeking volunteers from the schools to supplement Arts and Sciences membership.
C. Liaison Committee. Committee chair Bill O'Connell reported on plans for the next Liaison Committee report to the Board of Visitors. Professors Colleen Kennedy and Bill Cooke will provide an overview of W&M's Freshman Seminar program.
III. Old Business
AAC Chair Katherine Kulick provided an update on the progress of the 1999-2000 Faculty Survey. She led an item by item review of the draft instrument and agreed to revise the survey in response to suggestions offered by Assembly members. Professor Kulic k noted that the survey should be ready for distribution the week of November 8. If potential problems can be resolved, the survey will be available on the Web as well as in hard copy form. Professor Kulick will discuss survey security measures with the Computer Center.
IV. New Business
The following motion was presented from AAC and EC: The Assembly recommends that the College adopt a special policy concerning early contract letters (i.e., earlier than the usual date of April 15) for faculty who
i) are certain to have contracts for the next year and
ii) need to apply for visa extension for the next year.
For such faculty members, early contract letters should be issued for the following academic year as soon as it is certain that they will be re-appointed for the next year. If salary levels for the next year are not known at that time, then the contract letter should carry the same salary level as in the current year, with the understanding that an updated salary letter will be issued on April 15 and that the terms of this second contract would supercede those of the early contract. This new policy will permit faculty to apply early for visa renewals and not be caught in the visa "quota" or "cap" set by the U.S. government. The motion carried unanimously.
Professor Ed Crapol asked that Provost Cell report at the Assembly's next meeting on the College Bookstore's status, contract, and profits and their distribution.
The meeting was adjourned at 5:00 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Roger Baldwin
Secretary
