Quick notes on the most recent Executive Committee meeting (division chairs + dean Paula + assoc. dean Carol):
In our meeting of 9/16 we discussed some issues that were raised in the Chairs Committee meeting the previous day (as a result of MY course proposals!): What to do about a course proposed by an adjunct that is truly interdepartmental; that is, one that doesn't clearly fall within a specific department. Paula expressed concern about making the curriculum wide open and so feels it's important that any course be housed in a department. Makes sense. The question then is, should a department be allowed to offer a course that doesn't clearly fall within its discipline (the course in question was Theatre's proposed ST Art and the Apocalypse)? No clear answer, but there's clear concern about "adjunct creep" and having a basis for turning down a course proposal.
The larger issue came up as to whether the Chairs Committee should approve Special Topics course proposals. Seemed to be general agreement that authority could stay at departmental level, rather than rise to the level of all department chairs.
We agreed that the time was right to go ahead and put ballots in mailboxes for the major changes to "the document formerly known as green". General celebrating ensued for the next 5 seconds. Only one absolutely crucial issue remains: What Color??? Judgment: We'll see.
Each division chair (Nat Sciences, Soc Sciences, Library, FAH) gave a quick report on what was happening. The Library has evidently hit a temporary glitch with construction of the study rooms; Chris is a model of patience. Paul reported that Natural Science Div is talking to PAC about the college possibly adopting one or both environmental quality programs that have been cut by UNCA (one dealing with lead poisoning prevention in the area, the other with water quality issues in streams, lakes, etc.). Exciting prospects. I followed with a summary of what's been going on in FAH (see my earlier post) and mentioned my interest in a Center for Community Based Research, which coincides with the Nat. Sciences idea. Some general excitement about the possibilities for real interdisciplinary work through community-based research (Service)!
That's it.
Saturday, September 19, 2009
Latest FAH-related news bits
Here are some things that have been happening:
FAH Chairs met Sept 2 -- I met with the chairs of our eight departments: Leah, David (Mycoff), Warren, Sally, Ron, and Gary--Dongping sat in for Phil Otterness, and Angela couldn't make it. The one item on the agenda was how and whether to use the list of departmental needs generated at our earlier FAH Division meeting to influence the strategic planning process (big community meeting planned for the following day). We agreed to draft a statement intended to signal the need for appropriate teaching/learning spaces across all departments to replace the "Build a new building" item in the draft Strategic Plan. That evening, I drafted a statement to submit to PAC and sent it to the chairs for revision. Ron offered revisions and Gary drafted a wonderfully pithy version, which I subsequently emailed to Paula and PAC on behalf of FAH.
Further Strategic Plan developments -- Following the very successful community-wide strategic planning day, PAC released a much revised draft of the plan. I was gratified to see our proposed change adopted almost word-for-word. Following the faculty meeting on Sept. 8 (our "affinity group"), Paula released another much-revised version to present to the community last Thursday (Sept. 17). At first, I was dismayed, thinking that our concern for upgrading teaching/learning spaces had disappeared or become too vague, but, looking more closely, I found the statement moved under Priority #1 and rephrased to include all areas of the college. I think our efforts to create a more inclusive call for improving our facilities have paid off (although Ron pointed out to me afterward that it places resources for academic facilities in a wider competitive field). Now, of course, comes the nitty gritty: Developing the Acting Plan.
Other news and developments:
Regarding the ongoing General Education revision discussion, Jeff Holmes announced in an Academic Council meeting (Sept. 2) that the results of his survey at faculty retreat regarding opinions on the need to change the program--and in what ways--indicate that the faculty is "all over the place" with this exception: There is almost universal agreement on the need for a foreign language requirement of some kind. A discussion of what such a requirement would look like and what it would intend should be interesting, with major consequences for the Modern Languages Department.
I've continued trying to help move a few facilities-improvement projects along: Art (clay mixing room air quality issue, 3-D sculpture/metalworking studio) and Music (the decade-long-delayed conversion of a storage area to a band practice room). Dealing with FMTS continues to be frustrating, although I honestly think they are trying harder to communicate where things stand--but I'm not sure things are actually moving any faster. Maybe. Steve Williams finally had to threaten to lock down the Music Wing in order to get a lock replaced (and the repair is still temporary). The system is still very, very broken, something that I think PAC realizes. My plan is to help the process as much as I can so that things actually get done--but not to replace direct communication between departments and FMTS! If anyone has problems in this area, please let me know.
Writing Department adjuncts are now ensconced in half of Mitchell House (the stone duplex between the amphitheatre and the health center). During this year, plans will be laid to renovate the entire building for office space--and FAH has priority (I believe!).
Speaking of Modern Languages, I was much involved in a last-minute attempt--successful--to find an adjuct to teach Spanish I & II in the wake of Luis's departure. Thanks to Leslie Bradshaw's assistance, we found D.D. Swift, who is a welcome addition to the program.
Warren Gaughin has arranged for a consultant to visit the Music Department next month to help in their process to significantly beef up the Appalachian music part of the program, particularly with the upgrading of a part-time position to full-time status (delayed from last year). As part of the same process, Phil Jamison is already teaching half-time in the Music Department (thanks, Mathematics).
Bette Bates and Don Baker are going to serve on the Sustainability Task Force. I was bothered by the fact that Margo Flood had no one from FAH on this possibly influential group--now there are two!
I've been involved in two other areas that are not exclusively FAH-related (although both could be):
1) I'm officially Chair of Integrative Studies. There are now only three people on that committee: Lucy Lawrence, John Casey, and me (Mallory McDuff is helping). There's general agreement that the program much change if it is to continue. I'll be organizing a conversation to that end. Meanwhile, students keep talking to us about proposing an Integrative Studies Major. The program is currently under the Social Sciences Division, but Ben Feinberg and I are talking about bringing it under FAH.
2) I'm becoming more and more involved in an effort to support service learning and the SLO by promoting community-based research, even to the point of brainstorming about a Center for Community Based Learning, perhaps in partnership with UNCA (my immediate connection is through an interest in the community-based arts movement--particularly regarding performance). Some of us will be going to a workshop at Maryville College next month--they've got what could be a good model for us. Recent developments in the Natural Sciences regarding this kind of thing (there are two orphan programs that deal with water quality and lead poisoning issues in the area--and the college might help) could result in interdepartmental initiatives. I'm an advocate for even greater involvement by faculty and students in helping solve problems in the area, as long as the needs are coming out of the communities themselves--which is what community-based research is all about. This is something that Franklin Tate--to whom we bid farewell on Friday (though he'll still be in the area)--has been advocating for years. If anyone in FAH is interested and wants to know more, let me know.
That's all for now. Too long as it is. Must make more posts more frequently--and shorter!
Graham
FAH Chairs met Sept 2 -- I met with the chairs of our eight departments: Leah, David (Mycoff), Warren, Sally, Ron, and Gary--Dongping sat in for Phil Otterness, and Angela couldn't make it. The one item on the agenda was how and whether to use the list of departmental needs generated at our earlier FAH Division meeting to influence the strategic planning process (big community meeting planned for the following day). We agreed to draft a statement intended to signal the need for appropriate teaching/learning spaces across all departments to replace the "Build a new building" item in the draft Strategic Plan. That evening, I drafted a statement to submit to PAC and sent it to the chairs for revision. Ron offered revisions and Gary drafted a wonderfully pithy version, which I subsequently emailed to Paula and PAC on behalf of FAH.
Further Strategic Plan developments -- Following the very successful community-wide strategic planning day, PAC released a much revised draft of the plan. I was gratified to see our proposed change adopted almost word-for-word. Following the faculty meeting on Sept. 8 (our "affinity group"), Paula released another much-revised version to present to the community last Thursday (Sept. 17). At first, I was dismayed, thinking that our concern for upgrading teaching/learning spaces had disappeared or become too vague, but, looking more closely, I found the statement moved under Priority #1 and rephrased to include all areas of the college. I think our efforts to create a more inclusive call for improving our facilities have paid off (although Ron pointed out to me afterward that it places resources for academic facilities in a wider competitive field). Now, of course, comes the nitty gritty: Developing the Acting Plan.
Other news and developments:
Regarding the ongoing General Education revision discussion, Jeff Holmes announced in an Academic Council meeting (Sept. 2) that the results of his survey at faculty retreat regarding opinions on the need to change the program--and in what ways--indicate that the faculty is "all over the place" with this exception: There is almost universal agreement on the need for a foreign language requirement of some kind. A discussion of what such a requirement would look like and what it would intend should be interesting, with major consequences for the Modern Languages Department.
I've continued trying to help move a few facilities-improvement projects along: Art (clay mixing room air quality issue, 3-D sculpture/metalworking studio) and Music (the decade-long-delayed conversion of a storage area to a band practice room). Dealing with FMTS continues to be frustrating, although I honestly think they are trying harder to communicate where things stand--but I'm not sure things are actually moving any faster. Maybe. Steve Williams finally had to threaten to lock down the Music Wing in order to get a lock replaced (and the repair is still temporary). The system is still very, very broken, something that I think PAC realizes. My plan is to help the process as much as I can so that things actually get done--but not to replace direct communication between departments and FMTS! If anyone has problems in this area, please let me know.
Writing Department adjuncts are now ensconced in half of Mitchell House (the stone duplex between the amphitheatre and the health center). During this year, plans will be laid to renovate the entire building for office space--and FAH has priority (I believe!).
Speaking of Modern Languages, I was much involved in a last-minute attempt--successful--to find an adjuct to teach Spanish I & II in the wake of Luis's departure. Thanks to Leslie Bradshaw's assistance, we found D.D. Swift, who is a welcome addition to the program.
Warren Gaughin has arranged for a consultant to visit the Music Department next month to help in their process to significantly beef up the Appalachian music part of the program, particularly with the upgrading of a part-time position to full-time status (delayed from last year). As part of the same process, Phil Jamison is already teaching half-time in the Music Department (thanks, Mathematics).
Bette Bates and Don Baker are going to serve on the Sustainability Task Force. I was bothered by the fact that Margo Flood had no one from FAH on this possibly influential group--now there are two!
I've been involved in two other areas that are not exclusively FAH-related (although both could be):
1) I'm officially Chair of Integrative Studies. There are now only three people on that committee: Lucy Lawrence, John Casey, and me (Mallory McDuff is helping). There's general agreement that the program much change if it is to continue. I'll be organizing a conversation to that end. Meanwhile, students keep talking to us about proposing an Integrative Studies Major. The program is currently under the Social Sciences Division, but Ben Feinberg and I are talking about bringing it under FAH.
2) I'm becoming more and more involved in an effort to support service learning and the SLO by promoting community-based research, even to the point of brainstorming about a Center for Community Based Learning, perhaps in partnership with UNCA (my immediate connection is through an interest in the community-based arts movement--particularly regarding performance). Some of us will be going to a workshop at Maryville College next month--they've got what could be a good model for us. Recent developments in the Natural Sciences regarding this kind of thing (there are two orphan programs that deal with water quality and lead poisoning issues in the area--and the college might help) could result in interdepartmental initiatives. I'm an advocate for even greater involvement by faculty and students in helping solve problems in the area, as long as the needs are coming out of the communities themselves--which is what community-based research is all about. This is something that Franklin Tate--to whom we bid farewell on Friday (though he'll still be in the area)--has been advocating for years. If anyone in FAH is interested and wants to know more, let me know.
That's all for now. Too long as it is. Must make more posts more frequently--and shorter!
Graham
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