March 16, 2010 Minutes

Tuesday, March 16, 2010
4:00 P.M. – 5:30 P.M.
Brown Hillel, Social Hall

Members: President Simmons, Provost Kertzer, Karen Davis, Margaret Klawunn, Hanna Rodriguez-Farrar, Elizabeth Doherty, Bill Twaddell, James Baird, Corey Brettschneider, Chi-Ming Hai, Evelyn Hu-Dehart, Kiri Miller, Brittaney Check, Clay Wertheimer, Ryan Hartigan, Heather Lee, Patrick Worth, Merle Krueger, Katherine Perry, Daniel Harrop, Charlie Kroll, and Ken McDaniel were in attendance. Anthony Cokes, Timothy Herbert, Lynne Joyrich, Cynthia Loncar, Corey Walker, Chaney Harrison, Subha Subramanian, Yelen Chihombori Quao, Eva Glieberman, Esther Dorzin, Catharine Beattie, Gillian Bell, Yolanda Castillo-Appollonio, Paul Magliocco, and Damon Rarick were unable to attend.

The minutes of the February 9, 2010 meeting were approved.

Russell Carey, Senior Vice President for Corporation Affairs and Governance, reviewed steps to prevent campus violence and emphasized the importance of education and awareness in ensuring campus safety. Workplace safety resources are available on a new webpage on the Department of Public Safety website and resources for helping students in distress can be found on the Office of Student Life website. Mr. Carey discussed the overall preparedness of the University to respond to campus violence. He then discussed the newly formed committee charged with reviewing pedestrian safety on campus. The committee will review the campus infrastructure, including signage, signal lights, and crosswalks.

Margaret Klawunn, Vice President for Campus Life and Student Services, reported on the recommendations of the Committee to Review the Non-Academic Disciplinary System. The committee included the following changes in its recommendations: change the name from the Non-Academic Disciplinary System to the Code of Student Conduct; retain administrative hearings; replace University Disciplinary Council with Student Conduct Board; sexual misconduct policy should include two levels of offense; and the language for weapons violations should be strengthened. The Brown University Corporation will vote on the proposed changes in May.

Clyde Briant, Vice President for Research, reviewed the importance of research to Brown and its role in aiding economic development and building international programs. Mr. Briant discussed how partnerships are critical due to the increased complexity in research. Among the partnerships Brown currently has are with the Marine Biological Laboratory, IBM, and Draper Laboratory. He concluded with an overview of the mission of the Office of the Vice President for Research.

The next meeting of the Brown University Community Council will be held on April 22, 2010 from 4:00–5:30 pm at Brown Hillel, 80 Brown Street.

Respectfully submitted,

Catherine Pincince,
Secretary of the Brown University Community Council