FACULTY MEETING MINUTES
December 1, 2000
APPROVAL OF MINUTES
The minutes of the November 3 faculty meeting were approved as submitted.
PRESIDENT’S REPORT
With regard to strategic planning activities, President Studley thanked the many faculty members who participated in roundtable discussions. She said that strategic planning is importantly linked to the conversation about the core curriculum. Whatever the faculty decides about the curriculum, the results of the process should be implemented in the best interest of Skidmore and its students.
Professor Fehling, a faculty representative on IPC, encouraged the faculty to fill out the survey on the web even if they participated in roundtable discussions. She asked them to encourage their students and staff to fill out the web form as well.
DEAN OF THE FACULTY’S REPORT
In his tribute to Professor Eric Weller, Dean Berman stated that Eric had an incredible 38-year career at Skidmore. In addition to teaching, he also served as Dean of the Faculty for thirteen years, as well as Dean of Studies and Department Chair.
Susan Kress, Chair of CAPT, read the following resolution:
BE IT RESOLVED: The faculty of Skidmore College expresses its profound appreciation and admiration for Eric Weller, member of the Skidmore faulty, who has this year expressed his determination to retire. The faculty further resolves that the following biographical highlights be included in the minutes of the faculty meeting of December 1, 2000 as recognition and celebration of distinguished service and achievement. (See Attachment A.)
The motion was approved by acclamation.
Eric Weller thanked the faculty for recognizing him and for their warm wishes.
OLD BUSINESS
Speaking for CEPP, Professor John Brueggemann, informed the faculty that a few changes had been made to the core curriculum proposal that was presented at the November 17 meeting: Under Item 5, the term "intercultural education" was changed to "culture-centered inquiry." Another change made to the proposal was that all students would be required to take one foreign language course. (The changed motion is presented in Attachment B.)
President Studley, the Chair, accepted the above changes as a substitute motion.
Because of the gridlock students are experiencing during registration, reducing the core requirements is a very important goal for CEPP. Professor Brueggemann suggested that a general discussion about the proposal be held first, and then the faculty should discuss the proposed amendments.
A general discussion was held about the proposed core curriculum and the following comments were made:
- A reduction in natural science requirements is a change of direction for the College.
- It is not a good idea to reduce the science requirement to one course because our high school students lack preparation in the sciences.
- We need to retain science in the curriculum because looking only at the humanities and not at the rest of the universe would produce students who are less globally aware and less capable of making informed judgements.
- The current curriculum is favored because it has not been demonstrated that there is anything wrong with it.
- CEPP has worked very hard for months and months. Why the eleventh-hour objections?
- Goal of a core curriculum is to introduce students to different ways of thinking.
- Students should choose what courses they want to take.
- Add a second science course and have a two-course requirement called "nature centered" to balance the two-course requirements which are called "cultural centered" in the CEPP proposal.
- CEPP has presented a good proposal, and it is a template for the bare minimum group of courses every student needs to take to graduate from Skidmore. Many students are experiencing gridlock and have struggles filling the all-college requirements.
- Because of student stress over gridlock, the Academic Council stresses the urgency and students’ need for the approval of the CEPP proposal.
- Students need to do some exploration and find what they really like and then focus on that.
Regina Janes made the following motion to amend the proposal:
MOVED: Relative to the CEPP proposal, that under Item 4, the breadth component, we delete the social sciences and humanities requirements.
Motion was seconded, and there was a discussion. The comments included:
- We should include the humanities and social sciences in the core. We need to prepare our students to be active participants in the political and social life of our country.
- High school students study social "studies," not social "science." Social science and history are incredibly important.
- Professor Janes' proposal gives us room and flexibility. We need to put responsibility on the students for their education and their own learning. Give our students an opportunity to take courses that would interest them and be exciting.
- CEPP has worked long and hard on this proposal, and their work is a compromise. Faculty should not get caught up in the emotion of the moment and vote on a curriculum that has not been as thoroughly thought through as the CEPP proposal.
- Do not eliminate humanities and social science breadth requirements because students today don’t understand what economics is all about. Students need to understand how the economy works to be informed voters.
- Requiring students to take one course in each area is extremely important in maintaining coherence.
- To try to undo all of the work recommended by the mixed group on CEPP, who are from all backgrounds and disciplines, would be a huge mistake.
- Would like to see Professor Janes' motion pass to reduce the number of courses even further.
- Students are frustrated with the free electives that they don't have time for and the number of courses they have to take.
Professor John Thomas made a motion to call the question. The motion was seconded and it carried with all voting in favor.
The result of the paper ballot of the Janes amendment was as follows:
71 Voted "no"
53 Voted "yes"
3 Abstentions
The motion (proposed by Regina Janes) to delete social sciences and humanities from CEPP’s proposal failed.
Paty Rubio and Rob Linrothe made the following motion:
MOTION: We propose that under "Cultural-Centered Inquiry," the non-western and the inter-cultural study requirements each be stand-alone requirements. The non-western requirement would remain as it is now, and that we phase in the inter-cultural part by academic year 2003-2004. Should the faculty approve the amendment, CEPP will immediately convene an ad-hoc committee to work on guidelines for courses, look at existing offerings in this area, and invite proposals for the creation of new courses.
There was a discussion about the Rubio/Linrothe motion, and the following comments were made:
- The amendment shows a real commitment to non-western and cultural diversity because it looks at the future needs of our students.
- CEPP's proposal streamlines, but this gives us the opportunity to be trustees of the curriculum.
- This amendment muddies the waters considerably, and we are confusing ourselves about what we are voting on.
- Need more thoughtful planning as far as resources are concerned.
- CEPP is offering a curriculum that can be delivered. Voting for this amendment would be a mistake because the curriculum cannot necessarily be delivered because the faculty cannot control the resources.
Professor Goodwin made a motion to call the question. The motion was seconded, and it carried with all voting in favor.
The Rubio/Linrothe motion was defeated by a show of hands.
The CEPP motion was called (as presented at the start of the meeting and presented as Attachment B), and the motion carried.
The results of the paper ballot on the new core curriculum were as follows:
89 Voted "yes "
33 Voted "no
3 Abstentions
The motion to accept CEPP’s proposal to amend the core curriculum was approved.
President Studley thanked the faculty for an extraordinary and constructive discussion and thanked CEPP for its hard work.
The meeting adjourned at 6:30 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Claire Demarest
Executive Secretary
Office of Vice President for Academic Affairs and
Dean of the Faculty