May 3, 2004

Present: Judith Anderson, Erik Bucy, Katy Fraser, Jeff Hart, Kevin Hunt (chair), Chuck Livingston (recorder), Al Ruesink, Pam Walters

1. The meeting began at 2:00 PM with the approval of the minutes for April 26, as amended.

2. The Committee welcomed Professor Pam Walters, a newly elected member of the CPC, to the meeting.

3. CPC meetings with Dean Subbaswamy have been scheduled for May 24, June 14, and August 23, 2004, each at 2:00 PM.

4. Committee members reported on recent departmental planning meetings. A recurring theme is the variation between departments regarding the appointment and review of lecturers. The CPC recognizes that the role of lecturers differs between departments, but sees a need for each department to have clear written policies, developed and approved through the usual means of faculty governance, dealing with all aspects of appointment, review, and promotion. In particular, some departments have agreed on appropriate limits on the number or proportion of faculty positions held by lecturers, while other departments should consider this issue. Precise statements on the conditions of employment, dealing with such issues as review, are mandatory. Departments should review their policy statements regularly. The CPC is considering asking each department to submit to the College written copies of its Policy on Lecturers.

One Committee member recommended that the issue of the proportion of lecturers within the faculty ranks of a department should be further examined in terms of the distribution of each department's teaching load between tenure track faculty, lecturers, and graduate students.

5. The Committee returned to its discussion of earlier weeks concerning the Schedule of Classes and the fact that it is no longer available in printed form. Dean Subbaswamy has informed the CPC that he can consider means to circulate copies to College faculty and staff. Committee members felt that would be useful, but hope that the Registrar, Roland Cote, will be able to find means to have the Schedule more widely circulated. Conversations with the Registrar will continue.

6. Professor Hunt reported on his meeting with the faculty of the Department of Computer Science. At that meeting Computer Science faculty shared with Professor Hunt the challenges and frustrations associated with being in limbo regarding their transfer to the School of Informatics. They also highlighted the benefits already accrued through their association with the School of Informatics and the potential gains for all parties by having the Department transfer out of the College. Professor Hunt reminded the faculty that the CPC is constrained in its consideration of the transfer by specific policy requirements that demand written input from all relevant parties. He also explained that the pace of the CPC deliberations has been fully consistent with the timetable for the possible transfer, as earlier described to the CPC by Computer Science Chair Dennis Gannon and Chancellor Gros Louis.

7. The Committee discussed a draft of a letter to be sent to Chancellor Gros Louis concerning continued deliberations on the structure and funding of the School of Informatics.

8. Dean Subbaswamy joined the meeting at 3:00 PM. With regards to the transfer of Computer Science to the School of Informatics, the Dean informed the Committee that academic issues are close to settled. The Dean believes it is essential that the BA degree in Computer Science remain in the College; the College is the appropriate place for BA degrees and having a computer science BA degree available to students in the College is essential to the College's undergraduate program.

The Dean believes that the administrative work of offering this degree with its major course work outside the College will not be burdensome. With regards to budgetary matters associated with the transfer, discussions continue.

Hiring authorizations for next academic year are now under consideration. The Dean will provide the CPC with more details at one of the summer Committee meetings.

The Dean shared with the CPC preliminary budget figures and asked for comments.

There was a brief discussion about the administrative structure of the College. The Dean suggested that the CPC might initiate discussions on this topic during the coming year or two, but that no significant changes are under deliberation for the near future.

9. Dean Subbaswamy left the meeting at 3:45 PM, at which time the meeting concluded.

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.