CAL Faculty Council Minutes Oct. 3, 2023
College of Arts and Letters
2023-2024 Faculty Council Meeting Minutes
October 3, 2023, Webex
I. Call to Order
Motion to begin; Second; Motion Approved; Meeting begins.
II. Roll Call
Present: Alam, Alamina, Al-Hariri, Allred, Amialchuk, Baltus, Beatty-Medina, Benton,
Black, Bland, Bonifacio, Carpenter, Christman, Cook, Damschroder, Dudley, Emonds,
Feldmeier, Foss, Gamble, Grazzini, Hey, Kistner, McBane, McKether, Mezo, Mossblad,
Myers, Nelson, Rouillard, Sakowski, Schlemper, Semaan, Smith, Stauch, Taylor, Ward,
Whittaker, Zeigler (39)
Absent: Day, Geiger, Monteleone, Nemeth (4)
Guests: Barnes, Bullock, Edwards, Gregory, Keith, Lawrence, Lingan, Sullivan (8)
III. Approval of Agenda and Minutes
Meeting agenda submitted for approval; Motion to approve; Second; Vote: Agenda Approved.
IV. Dean’s Report: Melissa Gregory
A verbal offer has been made for CAL’s Marketing, Communication, and Enrollment Specialist.
FY25 planning underway; Colleges are waiting to hear from Finance and are strongly advocating for earlier budget numbers. The CAL PT instruction budget needs to be reallocated for more strategic usage and the Dean’s office is collaborating with departments regarding next year’s Gen Ed schedule. Overall University “cash burn” (salaries, etc.) exceeds revenue.
Enrollment recap: CAL is the only academic college that increased its undergraduate enrollment in fall. Chairs have access to enrollment dashboards in Argos and Power BI. The Web Report Library provides lists of students.
Fall admissions events: Friday, October 20 – Junior Preview Day; Saturday, November 18 – Discovery Day; Saturday, December 19 – Rocket Scholarship Day.
Please continue submitting Student Success Stories to chairs and Dean’s office. Tracking of graduated students provides qualitative evidence that can be helpful for marketing and recruitment for programs. Transfer-friendly curriculum is important because we are getting more transfer students and they help make up the DHS deficit.
The Department of Psychology is now one of 5 US News and World Report-ranked undergraduate programs; the PhD program is already ranked. The Department of Geography and Planning is celebrating 60 years.
Faculty and staff at the institution create alumni who return for events such as Homecoming, become philanthropic supporters, and are supporters of the institution and higher education.
CAL’s Strategic Plan revision was delayed due to the University’s delay in the 2023-2028 Strategic Plan, which is now complete. President Postel has mentioned that further development of the vision of the University’s future is forthcoming, and Provost Molitor has suggested a pause until more is known. Programs and departments are encouraged to think about mid- and long-range plans.
V. Executive Committee Report: Ammon Allred
The Executive Committee met to discuss today’s agenda, scheduling future Council guest
speakers, and today’s New Business.
VI. Faculty Senate Report: Gaby Semaan
The Faculty Senate Executive Committee reported that standing Senate committees are
populated and all have chairs. The final draft of the revised Policy on Academic Dishonesty
will be distributed to faculty before Spring Break. Questions about the Institute
of American Constitutional Thought and Leadership’s director and his ability to serve
on Faculty Senate are being considered and the Constitution and Rules Committee was
asked for input. A survey asking for faculty input on their experiences and how budget
cuts are impacting them and departments is being planned.
Summer classes will be handled by the Colleges, not the Provost’s office. The Honors College will be dissolved by the end of the year and faculty will be housed in the departments where they are tenured.
The Health & Human Services and Nursing colleges are discussing the possibility of a merger.
The Committee on Student Affairs reported on the main concerns of students: food, parking, and residential life and student involvement.
Interim Provost Molitor emphasized that neither Finance nor Faculty Labor Relations make disciplinary decisions regarding faculty.
Note: Faculty Senate Minutes are available on their website.
VII. Graduate Council Report: Jami Taylor
The Acting Vice-President for Graduate Enrollment and the Interim Provost are working
to improve graduate processes and make them more user-friendly. Race and ethnicity
information is being removed from SLATE for admissions committees, driven by a recent
Supreme Court case. Accessible theses and dissertations will be enforced in the near
future. CAL does not yet have a grad student rep on the Graduate Student Council.
VIII. Elections Committee Report: Beth Schlemper
No report.
IX. Constitution and Bylaws Committee Report: Jami Taylor
No report.
X. Curriculum Committee Report: Holly Hey
Course modifications approved:
FILM 2230: Creative Approaches to Cinema
Program modifications approved:
JAPN: Japanese, Minor
XI. Old Business
Vote to correct the typo in line 347 (“creativity” should be “creative”) of the College
of Arts and Letters Elaborations for Faculty Evaluation of Tenure and Promotion: approved.
A vote will next be sent to eligible CAL faculty by the Elections Committee.
XII. New Business
Linda Rouillard reported on the consequences of decisions made by the finance office
and the impact on CAL departments, staff, faculty, and students. Guest speakers: Natalie
Bullock, departments of English and World Languages, and Lisa Edwards, departments
of Art, Film & Theatre, and Music.
XIII. Announcements
Fall Break is October 16-17. Next CAL Council meeting is October 31; Julie Quinonez
and Gina Roberts from the Registrar’s office will be guest speakers.
XIV. Adjournment
Motion to Adjourn; Second; Motion Approved; Meeting Adjourned