April 19, 2004

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

1. The meeting began at 2:00 PM with the approval of the minutes for April 12, as amended.

2. The Committee discussed the value of having College committees regularly report to the faculty on topics of ongoing consideration. The CPC will work with the Dean in setting the expectations for such reports.

3. A faculty member has shared with the CPC his disappointment that a paper copy of the Schedule of Classes is no longer available to students or circulated to faculty. Committee members noted the value of having an easily browsable copy of a list of course offerings, and situations in which students can use such a copy when internet access is unavailable. Given the academic aspects of the decision to eliminate the paper version of the Schedule, Committee members hope that the decision can be reexamined.

4. The Policy Committee will have its last scheduled meeting of the semester on Monday, May 3. Three meetings with the Dean will be scheduled for the summer months.

5. The President's Graduate School Review Committee is continuing its deliberations. Members of the CPC have varied views on the issues related to the Graduate School and will forward their remarks directly to Professor Beth Raff, Chair of the Biology Department and member of the President's Committee.

6. The CPC has received a revised proposal for a Program in Eighteenth Century Studies. The Committee voted to recommend to the Dean that he approve the proposal contingent upon the correction of minor errors and the addition of the 2004-2005 budget, once approved.

7. The Committee turned to a discussion of the possible transfer of the Department of Computer Science to the School of Informatics. Committee members have learned of the perception among some College faculty that the deliberations of the the CPC have served to delay the possible transfer. In its meeting with Chancellor Gros Louis on February 14, 2004, the Chancellor discussed with the CPC a time frame for the possible transfer; the CPC actions are fully consistent with the Chancellor's target. As reported in the CPC minutes of February 16, 2004: "The Chancellor also assured the CPC that future developments will move at a pace that will permit a full consideration of the issues."

The CPC recognizes possible consequences of a long delay in the decision on the transfer. Because of this, some members of the CPC supported a vote on the transfer in principle, subject to the budgetary considerations. Other members argued that it would be remiss to do so before more details concerning the move are available and the more general issues regarding the overall structure of the School of Informatics are resolved. The transfer is now under consideration at various levels of the College and University. In particular, the Chancellor's Committee on Informatics, chaired by Vice Chancellor Theobald, is charged with evaluating the budgetary aspects of the transfer of Computer Science as well as reviewing the School of Informatics. That committee has not yet issued its report. The CPC will also ask Professor Catherine Larson, Associate Dean for Undergraduate Education, to bring it up-to-date on how the undergraduate program in the College will be adjusted to accommodate the transfer, in particular the details of the continuation of the BA degree in Computer Science within the College.

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.