Faculty Meeting Agenda
March 27, 2015
Dean’s Report
Faculty University Service Opportunities
Reminders
Spring Commencement – Naomi Oliphant
Updates and Committee Reports
Faculty Searches
Technology Committee
Scholarship Committee
Community Engagement update
Ideas to Action Ad Hoc Committee
Undergraduate Studies Committee
MINUTES
Dean’s Report
§ Fire restoration work is mostly completed. Installation of replacements for the six broken doors should be completed in a week to 10 days. Delivery of the custom box for the elevator is expected in early May.
§ Comstock Hall entry portals will be replaced with upgraded materials with installation expected in early May. A special grant from Central Administration covered costs of the recent work in Comstock Hall.
§ An alternative for the carpeting on the ground floor of the North Building will be explored this summer.
§ Restrooms on all the floors of the North Building are slated for upgrades beginning with the first floor.
§ Special Events Recognition
The Grawemeyer Conference on March 5-7 drew participants nationally and internationally. Dean Doane recognized Rebecca Jemian, Caroline Ehman and Marc Saterwhite for their work in organizing the conference.
Dean Doane thanked all the faculty who assisted with the Music Student Gala on March 1 and indicated plans to host this event again next spring.
Faculty University Service Opportunities
§ The School has been asked to nominate one faculty member for each of the selection sub-committees for the President’s Distinguished Faculty Awards Program. The sub-committees will meet for one session of 2 hours during the last two weeks of May. The President’s Office will establish the schedule of meetings. The following volunteers were endorsed by acclamation as our nominees for selection sub-committees: Brett Shuster for Research sub-committee, Sidney King for Service sub-committee and Rebecca Jemian for Teaching sub-committee.
§ The School has been asked to nominate a candidate for the ballot for the Athletic Association Board election. Brett Shuster nominated Jerry Tolson, who was accepted as the nominee by acclamation.
§ Sidney King was accepted by acclamation as successor to Dror Biran whose term in the University Faculty Senate has expired and he has declined to serve another term.
Reminders
§ Department of Performance Studies members still have outstanding ballots that need to be cast in order to finish the election of the department chair.
§ Jerry Tolson has been vetted as department chair by the faculty of the Academic and Professional Studies Department.
§ Faculty Development Summer Grant program applications due April 15 by 5 p.m.
§ Spring Commencement is on Sunday, May 10. The School of Music ceremony will be at 11:00 a.m. in Comstock Hall followed by a reception. Music students graduate at the 2:30 p.m. ceremony at the YUM! Center.
Spring Commencement – Naomi Oliphant
§ Approval of graduates
Naomi Oliphant called for approval of degree applicants for May 2015, pending successful completion of all requirements. Mark Satterwhite made the motion for approval; Jerry Tolson seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously.
§ Student Awards and Recognition
The faculty selected John Combs as the Outstanding Graduating Senior and Student Speaker for the commencement ceremony; Tyler Taylor as recipient of the Alumni Award; and Jacob Campbell as recipient of the Helen Boswell Award in Music Education.
Dean Doane announced establishment of a Dean’s Award with a cash prize of $500.00. Faculty selected both Ashley Campbell and Emily Yokum to receive the award (as a tie), with the prize split at $250.00 each.
The faculty agreed to honor Patricia Edison with a special award in recognition of her perseverance in returning to complete her bachelor’s degree and her role in inspiring other students.
Updates and Reports
§ Faculty Searches in Trumpet, Musicology, Voice, and Jazz are underway with candidate interviews expected to be completed by mid April.
§ Mark Yeary reported that the Technology Committee has been working with Matt Crum to enhance the School of Music website as a tool for student recruitment. The Jazz section of the website provides an example of an updated site. Faculty are encouraged to e-mail content or ideas for the website to Mark and Matt.
§ Darcy DeLoach reported that the Scholarship Committee has completed the first round of meetings, with offers extended to 81 prospective undergraduates, 21 prospective graduate students, 13 prospective graduate teaching assistants, and 7 prospective graduate service award recipients. Faculty are encouraged to contact Darcy if they hear from recruits as to their plans.
§ Jerry Tolson noted that the School’s community engagement report to the President’s Office is due April 30. Jerry noted that community engagement, which has become an increasingly important component of the School’s scorecard, typically involves “buy in” whereby the entitly we are serving in the community gets something from the relationship such as tutoring or internships (i.e., it involves more than a presentation). Dean Doane noted the ongoing increase in the amount of detail we are required to provide in relation to the Carnegie designation for community engagement. Over the summer, the community engagement section of Digital Measures may be revised to bring it into better alignment with new reporting requirements.
§ Darcy DeLoach gave an update from the Ad Hoc Ideas to Action Committee, noting that as part of SACS reaccreditation syllabi will be reviewed to assess the percentage of instructors and percentage of courses that address Ideas to Action standards. Several members of the Ideas to Action Committee indicated willingness to review syllabi and give feedback if faculty members request assistance. Ideas to Action was recommended as a possible topic for the faculty meeting in April.
§ Kimcherie Lloyd indicated she will have an item from the Undergraduate Studies Committee for the April faculty meeting agenda.
In preparation for SACS accreditation review, Naomi Oliphant mentioned the importance of having all transcripts available for full- and part-time faculty and the need to have completed documentation of qualifications of all part-time faculty.
Review of the 31 applications for the Student Summer Grant program is underway. Between $12,000 and $13,000 will be available to support grants, with individual grants ranging between $250 to $1,000. Recipients should be identified by April 3, with notification letters to be sent early the following week. Contact Anne Domeck if a particular student needs to know before then in order to meet a registration deadline.
The meeting was adjourned at 9:50 a.m.
Respectfully submitted by Anne Domeck