November 8, 2004

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

The meeting convened at 2:30, with Katy as our chair for the day.

Minutes of the meeting of November 1st were amended and approved.

The CPC continued its discussion of salary equity issues, agreeing that we need to invite some local experts to help us understand some past history and that we should ask Swamy some questions about the functioning of the present salary equity committee. At 2:40 Geoff Conrad (Associate Dean of the Faculties) arrived to help us understand two issues better: 1) the way non-tenure track faculty (NTT's) meet the teaching/service needs of departments and the ways they are accommodated, and 2) the impact of electronic publishing on academic practices.

Regarding NTT's, Conrad described some recent history regarding the positions and noted that recent reclassifications have helped to make the system more uniform, though there is considerable "grandfathering" of options and responsibilities. No associate dean in the Dean of the Faculties (DOF) office has primary responsibility for NTT's. Most schools _are_ now providing long term contracts for experienced NTT's and job protection for NTT's has generally improved. Policies for percentage caps on numbers of NTT's are typically set for whole schools, and departments will have to develop their own constitutional or by-law caps. Conrad believes that the DOF office is developing a better understanding of NTT numbers and locations. He will ask Susan McCammon to generate an updated list of College NTT's because the one we have had is inadequate. Conrad brought to the meeting an "NTT Academic Appointee Handbook," which can be read on the DOF website at http://www.indiana.edu/~deanfac/ntthbk/ntthbk.html .

As we discussed electronic publishing, it became clear that many fields are moving in that direction and that they are moving at quite different rates. Conrad noted that there were a number of problematic tenure cases last year, but none seemed to pivot on the issue of electronic publications. As with traditional publications, the reputation of the journal and whether it is peer reviewed is the yardstick for measuring quality. As we discussed P&T criteria relative to electronic publishing, it became clear that a big problem of P&T processes is the sheer bulk of material now being included. It is not clear how electronic publishing may be related to that problem. The Library seems to be tracking electronic publishing more than other units; we should probably bring in a librarian or two for their perspectives. As a bottom line, there are clearly many as yet unanswered questions about the way that electronic materials do count and should count for P&T and salary-setting purposes.

On a related topic, the CPC explored the concern that there seems to be a decrease in the outlets for hardcopy publications in the Humanities, disciplines where hardcopy publications are still the "gold standard" for P&T decisions. And more than before, the publishers are dictating areas of research in the Humanities, thereby affecting the nature of inquiry.

Geoff Conrad left our meeting at 3:33.

The CPC voted upon and unanimously approved a statement that reads as follows:

"The CPC recommends that annual salary merit evaluations be based on accomplishments over the preceding three years. The goal of this policy is to ensure that comparable achievements are rewarded equally despite year-to-year fluctuations in the overall salary pool. Such a policy also mitigates a bias in salary setting that favors work that manifests itself in more frequent but smaller achievements, such as journal publications, over longer term projects, such as book publication."

The CPC worked on revising a statement drafted by Judith regarding the formation of a committee to evaluate annual reports and c.v.'s of senior faculty for the purpose of providing information to deans that might assist them in making awards to the most appropriate faculty and appointing the best candidates to committees.

The meeting adjourned at 4:00.

Albert Ruesink, recorder

Questions or comments regarding the minutes and actions of the Policy Committee may be addressed to Rob Shakespeare, Dept. of Theater and Drama, Theater and Drama Ctr. A300H, 5-4367, shakespe@indiana.edu. Past minutes and College Policy Statements can be found at the CPC web page: www.indiana.edu/~college/faculty/policy/policies.shtml.