February 16, 2004

Present: Judith Anderson, Erik Bucy, Ellen Dwyer, Katy Fraser, Jeff Hart, Kevin Hunt (chair), Chuck Livingston (recorder), Al Ruesink, Rob Shakespeare

1. The meeting began at 2:00 PM with the approval of the minutes for February 9, as amended.

2. The Committee continued its work lining up a set of candidates for the upcoming Policy Committee election. Six candidates are to be selected for the election to fill three positions, two in Arts and Humanities and one in Social Sciences.

3. A faculty member's request to change from an appointment in a single department to a joint appointment was discussed. All parties have agreed to the transfer. The CPC awaits a Memorandum of Agreement, as required by the Policy on Joint Appointments (May, 2002).

4. Dean Subbaswamy has asked the CPC to consider the value of his attending a meeting with the faculty of each department on an annual basis. One CPC member remarked on the strong positive response from departmental faculty about one such meeting. One downside that is seen in this approach is that it will preclude the Dean from attending annual departmental planning meetings with chairs. Especially for chairs of smaller departments, it was felt that these planning meetings offer an important opportunity for interaction of chairs with the Dean.

5. The Committee returned to developments regarding the School of Informatics. Committee members who met with Chancellor Gros Louis to discuss Informatics on Saturday, February 14, reported on that meeting.

The Chancellor summarized the history of the change of Informatics from being a "virtual school" to its present status. Of particular importance was the very strong response of the Legislature and Governor's Office to building a program that would serve the economic development of the state. While recognizing the difficulties in creating joint positions between Schools, the Chancellor pointed out the importance of Informatics to the University and that facilitating its relationships with the other Schools will serve the development of the School of Informatics.

The Chancellor informed the CPC that he is constituting a committee to be chaired by Vice Chancellor Neil Theobald that will consider issues related to the development of the School of Informatics. The committee was conceived to examine the budgetary effects of the transfer of the Department of Computer Science, but the Chancellor will expand its charge to considering the broader range of issues associated to the growth of Informatics.

CPC members shared with the Chancellor the range of concerns they have regarding the transformation of Informatics from a School based on joint hires with other Schools to a fully independent School making appointments in fields that overlap with those of the College.

Committee members emphasized the importance they see in returning to the model of Informatics as based on joint hires. The Chancellor assured the CPC that Vice Chancellor Theobald's committee will be considering the full range of issues, and encouraged the CPC to communicate to him and the Vice Chancellor all matters related to Informatics that it wants addressed. The Chancellor also assured the CPC that future developments will move at a pace that will permit a full consideration of the issues.

6. Dean Subbaswamy joined the meeting at 2:55 PM. Committee members summarized for the Dean their meeting with the Chancellor. With regards to the College's relationship with the School of Informatics, the Dean emphasized his strong support for joint hirings between the Informatics and the College.

The Chancellor has announced changes in the second round of the Commitment to Excellence program. Each School is being asked to identify programs with "the capacity to sustain or attain recognition as a national and/or international leader in their field" and for which CTE funding will most likely be effective. Based on the Deans' reports, the Strategic Planning Committee will recommend to the Chancellor areas in which to request formal proposals. The Dean informed the Committee that he is formulating a response and will seek the input of the CPC in this process. The Dean also identified two important nondisciplinary realms in the College where new support is needed: graduate student support and undergraduate advising.

With regards to his attending annual departmental meetings with the whole faculty of each Department, the Dean summarized the value he places on having greater contact with College faculty. To the Committee's concern that his attending the small planning meetings with chairs (to be relegated to his executive associate dean under the new plan) is especially beneficial for the chairs of smaller departments, the Dean responded that he maintains an "open phone -- open door" policy for departmental chairs, and that if this is not sufficient to maintain full communication, he will open up other avenues to enhance his relationship with chairs. Committee members will accompany the Dean during these departmental meetings.

7. The Dean left the meeting at 3:40 PM. At that time Kevin Hunt encouraged CPC members to list for him their concerns regarding developments in Informatics as he drafts the CPC letter to the Chancellor and to Vice Chancellor Theobald.

8. The meeting concluded at 3:45 PM.

Questions or comments regarding the minutes and actions of the Policy Committee may be addressed to Kevin Hunt 5-3857, Dept. of Anthropology, Student Building 248, khunt@indiana.edu. Past minutes and College Policy Statements can be found at the CPC web page: www.indiana.edu/~college/faculty/policy/policies.shtml.