Faculty Executive Committee Meeting

Minutes

Tuesday, April 20, 2004

Present: William Beeman, Michel-Andre Bossy, Andrew Brem, Deborah Cohen, Mary Ann Doane, James Egan, Anne Fausto-Sterling (Chair), Constantine Gatsonis, Sean Ling, Michael Rosen

Guests: Carolyn Dean, Catherine Dube, Walter Hunter, Abigail Ryder, David Targan, Harold Ward

The Chair opened the meeting at 3:08 p.m. Minutes of the 3/23/04 meeting were approved as submitted.

Professor Fausto-Sterling gave a Chair’s Report. The Vice Chair slate for the FEC ballot is still incomplete, and one candidate for another slate on the ballot is now ineligible. After some discussion, the FEC concluded that once the ineligible candidate is replaced, a partial ballot should go out. A Vice Chair ballot can be mailed at a later date. The FEC discussed nominations for positions on the CMFA, Graduate Council, and Honorary Degrees Committee and proposed candidates will be contacted shortly.

Another faculty meeting might be needed on May 18 if the faculty cannot complete all business scheduled for the May 4 faculty meeting. Tentative plans have been made for May 18.

The FEC discussed and approved the Faculty Resumed Undergraduate Education Policy and Admissions Committee and Library Advisory Board annual reports, which will be included on the May 4 faculty meeting agenda.

Professor Fausto-Sterling presented a draft of a committee participation report she prepared and welcomed input from the FEC. Results of the report indicate that although distribution of gender, rank and area are well represented in faculty governance, minority groups are underrepresented across the board, most likely due to the small pool. Discussion ensued about how the FEC could become more proactive in recruiting minority faculty. Their future plan is to meet with the Associate Provost, Director of Institutional Diversity, and the SDH to draw up strategies for improving representation of minority faculty on university committees and advisory boards. FEC members offered some comments that were added to the report, approved it as amended, and commended Professor Fausto-Sterling on a job well done. The report will be presented to the faculty at the May 4 faculty meeting.

Walter Hunter and Abigail Ryder were invited to update the FEC on the progress made by the ad hoc Transportation Management Committee. Mr. Hunter thanked the FEC for recommending such excellent faculty representation for the Committee acknowledging Professor Harold Ward who was also present. Mr. Hunter described a proposed University Transportation Management Plan that has already been well-received by the Administration and the Undergraduate Council of Students. Highlights include continuation of the Safe Ride evening shuttle and escort service, enhanced daytime shuttle service to downtown Providence, and support for car pooling. A RIPTA UPass or RIPTIK subsidy will be made available to all students, faculty and staff on a trial basis, September-November 2004, subject to satisfactory negotiations with RIPTA. There will be a guaranteed ride home in case of emergency for Brown employees using public transportation to travel to and from work. A centrally located visitors’ parking lot will be made available to accommodate guests of the University and campus parking for students will be limited. There will be a slight increase in parking fees. Future plans include constructing a new parking garage on a remote site to accommodate anticipated growth.

The Plan will be publicly announced some time in August with information on how employees can get bus passes, etc. Signs are being posted on the streets for shuttle stops. The FEC suggested that maps with shuttle routes be attached to the signs. Any other suggestions or comments from the FEC are welcome and should be emailed to the attention of Abigail Ryder.

Professor Carolyn Dean was invited to discuss the annual report from the Academic Priorities Committee (APC). The APC has met for weekly discussions consisting of dialogue between faculty and administrators about how to best shape and revise the academic infrastructure at Brown in order to foster and enhance intellectual inquiry. The Committee endorsed specific proposals that they felt would achieve that goal including the creation of three new faculty ranks, the proposed Masters’ Programs in Public Policy and Public Affairs, and a proposal to expand the Program in Public Health. This spring, the APC will continue to hold discussions on developing multidisciplinary initiatives and proposed restructuring of departments and programs in the Ancient World. Lengthy discussion ensued with regard to academic initiatives and the APC’s role in the process after which the FEC invited Professor Dean to meet with them for another discussion in the fall. The written report will be presented at the May 4 faculty meeting.

Dean David Targan and Dr. Catherine Dube were invited to discuss the annual report from the Standing Committee on the Academic Code. The Committee is charged with meeting to consider allegations of academic dishonesty in the College, Graduate and Medical Schools and to impose judgments and penalties in individual cases. Very often, students who come before the Committee are troubled and their actions are a symptom of a much larger problem. In those instances, the Committee tries to help students face the consequences of their actions and find appropriate avenues for remediation.

They described some of the cases the Committee recently dealt with, some of which had to do with technological plagiarism, and reviewed the process by which hearings are conducted. There is a fine line between collaboration and plagiarism, and students are confused about what behavior is acceptable. Students need to be educated about the University’s Academic Code, and very often the Committee is asked to consider and implement methods of educating and informing the Brown Community on issues of academic integrity. The Standing Committee on the Academic Code suggests separating the functions of education and adjudication, and would like the FEC to consider their recommendation for a committee that would deal only with non-adjudicative matters. Such a committee would include representation from the voting committee, yet operate independently, perhaps under either the Provost or the Dean of the Faculty.

Discussion ensued whereby the FEC suggested the Committee come up with a plan in the fall of how to deal with pedagogical issues and report back to the FEC at that time. Perhaps a non-binding resolution to the faculty about specific cases would be in order.

The meeting was adjourned at 5:10 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,

Cheryl A. Moreau

Secretary