Council of Chairs

Council of Chairs Meeting of May 27, 2009 Minutes

In attendance:

• Peter Grego (AMC)
• Hamid Johari (E&CS)
• Jennifer Kalfsbeek (Tseng) – Secretary
• David Kretschmer (EDU)
• Melanie Williams (COBAE) – President

Melanie Williams welcomed the council to the last COC meeting of the academic year. 

First agenda item: designation of COC reps for 2009-2010.  Aside from the following, the existing COC members will remain the same:

• AMC: Ben Attias
• Tseng College: Henrik Minassians
• Library: TBD
• Humanities: TBD

Second agenda item: elect a new COC president and a new COC secretary.  Melanie Williams was unanimously elected to serve a second term as the COC president in 2009-2010, and the COC voted unanimously in favor of  David Kretschmer to serve as the COC secretary.   Williams and  Kretschmer accepted these positions. 

The committee discussed doing another grade distribution and grade inflation study.  The COC members discussed the notion of doing a regular study and departmental report regarding grading distribution trends and inflation to assist chairs in assessing and mentoring faculty.  This item will be pursued in the 09-10 AY by the COC.

The COC discussed concerns regarding balancing teaching needs of the departments and release time for faculty who receive grants for research.

• Chairs are concerned that good faculty members may teach less when they are doing research, straining the department.
• Additionally, now that the economic climate has led to a financial crisis for the CSU, faculty have been encouraged to apply for and work on more grants and contracts to generate revenue for the University.  Although this can have positive impacts, the COC member expressed the concern that some of the very best faculty members are also likely to be successful researchers and will therefore be successful in being awarded grants and contracts.  Therefore, with this push several chairs are concerned that even more of their best faculty than ever before will be applying for release time for teaching so they can do research instead, creating even more strain on the chairs to assure their department’s classes are taught at the highest quality.  

Melanie Williams shared with the group the UPBG meeting agenda for May 28, which will have a significant issues of budget and finance.  Williams encouraged the COC members to attend  that meeting.  Williams will be unable to attend the UPBG meeting. David Kretschmer agreed to attend  in her place.

It was agreed that minutes of the April 20, 2009 and May 27, 2009 meetings would be distributed by email for approval.

 

 
Next meeting:
TBA for the 2009-1010 AY

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Last updated: October 10 , 2009