November 20, 2003

Present: Erik Bucy, Ellen Dwyer, Katy Fraser, Susan Gubar, Kevin Hunt (chair), Chuck Livingston (recorder), Al Ruesink

1. The meeting began at 4:00 PM with the approval of the minutes of November 13, as amended.

2. A nominations committee for the election to the 2004-2005 Policy Committee has been appointed: Roy Gardner, Susan Gubar, and Al Ruesink. The Committee seeks nominations for three new members: two from Arts and Humanities (including Communication and Culture) and one from Social and Behavioral Sciences (including Apparel Merchandising & Interior Design, Criminal Justice, Speech and Hearing Science, and Telecommunications). Nominations should be sent to Susan Gubar (gubar@indiana.edu) and copied to Kevin Hunt (kdhunt@indiana.edu).

3. At 4:10, Karen Hanson, Dean of the Honors College, joined the meeting to describe the Honors College's offerings and to discuss needs of the program as they relate to the College of Arts and Sciences.

a. The Honors College admits approximately the top ten percent of entering freshmen in terms of academic standing. In addition to scholarship opportunities, the Honors College offers students advising, extracurricular activities, grants for overseas study, service, research or internships, and an "honors floor" living environment in Forest Dormitory.

b. Honors College students also are offered, and honors scholarship recipients are required to take, honors courses. Indiana University offers far fewer honors courses than do peer institutions, and thus the quality of the program, and its effectiveness in attracting students, is impaired. Dean Hanson is seeking means to encourage and facilitate departments and faculty to offer more honors level courses. In this she will be working with the Policy Committee, the Dean's Office, and with individual departments. Further meetings with the Policy Committee are planned for the Spring semester.

a. With regards to issues related to the Department of African American and Diaspora Studies, the Dean expressed his satisfaction with the progress that is being made toward resolving remaining issues and the appointment of a new chair. Michael McGerr has stepped down as Associate Dean, but will continue to act as Interim Chair for AAADS during the time of transition.

b. The Policy Committee engaged the dean in a general discussion about administrative changes at the College and Campus levels. Dean Subbaswamy discussed his appointment of the new Associate Dean for Graduate Education, Claude Clegg, Associate Professor of History, who replaces Michael McGerr.