Faculty Council Minutes

Present : Bob Patten (speaker), Ed Akin (deputy speaker), John Ambler, Stephen Baker, Janet Braam, Tom Haskell, Lynne Huffer, Seiichi Matsuda, Gordon Mutchler, Barbara Ostdiek, Herb Ward and John Zammito. Absent : Bala Dharan, André Droxler, Caroline Levander (on leave) and Jennifer West.

(1) Minutes from the April 4 faculty council meeting : The minutes were accepted as written.

(2) Old business :
A. Rice Athletics Program and Approval of Questions Document (Patten): Patten provided copies of the document that contains the Council’s questions regarding the athletics program, and he gave an overview of reports from various sources concerning those issues. He stated that he is planning to forward to President Malcolm Gillis, on Friday afternoon, May 10, the Council’s athletics inquiry document. The members agreed that if they have any concerns about that document, they will advise Patten before May 10.

B. Replacement of John Ambler for 2002-2003 (Patten): Patten stated that Ambler has requested to end his service on the Council and not serve as a member in the fall of 2002. It was agreed that Patten will try to find an appropriate senior faculty member to appoint to that ”Professor at Large” position on the University Council. However, the members decided that in the fall of 2002, the business for the new Speaker and new Council will be to fill the four positions that will be vacated by present members, all of whom have agreed to continue to serve until the fall of 2002.

C. Final Wording of Honorary Titles Policy (Akin): Postponed because of time constraints.

D. Report, Election Committee (Baker/Patten): Baker provided the following election report, which describes the positions and persons elected to those positions:

Election 1: Professor or Associate Professor, to a four-year term (2002-2006) on Faculty Council and on University Council, Ed Akin, Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science Department

Election 2: Professor, to a four-year term (2002-2006) on Faculty Council and on University Council, Steve Crowell, Department of Philosophy

Election 3: Professor Any Rank at Large, to a four-year term (2002-2006) on Faculty Council, Deborah Harter, Department of French Studies

Election 4: Professor, to a four-year term (2002-2006) on Faculty Council, Mark Wiesner, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering

E. Report, Committee on Committees (Braam): Braam gave a brief status report about the rotation of the committee chairs issues. The Council agreed to further discuss those matters during the first business meeting in the fall, and that a limit of five years of service on any appointed committees should be enforced.

(3) New business :
A. Recommendation from University Council about calendar for 2003-2004 (Patten): Patten provided an overview of the Council’s ”proposed” 2003-2004 academic-year calendar. It was determined by the Council that the matters regarding dead week/spring break cannot be resolved at this time, and the following motions were made:
”We use the Council’s proposed 2003-2004 academic-year calendar (first semester, 70 days of classes; second semester, 69 days of classes) until the Houston Independent School District determines their schedule.” (vote, unanimous)
”We forward the Council’s proposed 2003-2004 academic-year calendar to the University Council with the recommendation that it be presented to the general faculty for vote in the fall of 2002.” (vote, unanimous)

B. Recommendation from Promotions and Tenure Committee about teaching evaluations : Postponed because of time constraints.

C. Report on meeting with President Gillis (Patten): The Speaker stated that he and Akin had a very productive meeting with the president regarding this year’s Faculty Council business. They discussed each issue with him and felt very positive about the results of the meeting.

D. Relocation of Ellen Butler’s office (Patten): in May the Council Office will be relocated from Anderson Hall to Fondren Library, Room 529.

(4) Scheduled first Faculty Council business meeting of fall 2002 :The Council agreed to schedule the fall 2002 business meeting for Monday, August 26, at noon.

(5) Adjournment : The meeting was adjourned at 1:30 p.m.

Ellen Butler
secretary