Faculty Assembly Meeting, Apr 13, 1999

College of Arts & Sciences

FACULTY ASSEMBLY MEETING

April 13, 1999

Registering Attendance:
Anthropology E. Segal
Biology: R. Atlas, C. Covell, M. Klotz, W. Pearson, J. Steffen
Chemistry: G. Pack, J. Richardson
CML: R. Buchanan, J. Greene, A. Greenfeld, S. Jourdain, A. Leidner, A. Mastri, W. Pfeffer, R. Roebuck
Communication: C. Willard, S. Willihnganz
English: D. Billingsley, T. Byers, J. Dietrich, D. Hall, D. Journet, K. Mullen
Fine Arts: S. Maloney
Geology/Geosciences: D. Howarth, C. Leuthart
History: B. Adams, J. Cumbler, L. Curry, S. Herlin, T. K'Meyer, T. Mackey, J. McLeod, L. Weissbach
Humanities: M. Stenger, E. Wise
Mathematics: R. Davitt, K. Ostaszewski, W. Williams
Pan African Studies: B. Hudson, F. Iyun
Philosophy: T. Maloney
Political Science: A. Hashim, L. Jones, R. Payne, L. Rhodebeck, N. Schwartz, P. Weber, C. Ziegler
Psychology: J. Birkimer, M. Cunningham, J. Pani
Sociology: J. Busch, M. Evans-Andris, C. Negrey
Theatre Arts: G. Brown, A. Harris

Professor Harris called the Assembly to order at 2:10 p.m.

The minutes of the meeting of September 9, 1998, were approved as distributed.

OLD BUSINESS:

The chair recognized Professor Stephanie Maloney. On behalf of the Curriculum Committee, she requested that the proposal to change the criteria for cross-cultural general education courses submitted to the Assembly April 13, 1998, be withdrawn. The chair requested and received unanimous consent to withdraw the proposal.

NEW BUSINESS:

The Assembly approved the list of graduates from August and December 1998, and of the candidates for May 1999, pending their successful completion of all requirements.

The chair recognized Professor John Richardson who nominated Ellen Arnold as the 1999 Woodcock Medalist. The nomination having been seconded, the chair requested and received unanimous consent for the naming of the medalist.

The chair recognized Professor William Pearson. Professor Pearson moved an amendment to the description of the structure of the Academic Discipline Committee in the "Standing Rules for Operating Committees" (III.C.2.). He proposed that the following be added as III.C.2.c: "Alternates shall serve where possible; otherwise, replacements shall be drawn by lot from a list of those faculty members who have served on the committee in the previous five years."

Discussion included Professor Pearson. Hearing no call for further discussion, the chair put the question and the motion carried.

The chair recognized Professor Stephanie Maloney, who moved, seconded by the Curriculum Committee, the following revision to the class attendance policy.

"Students are expected to attend class regularly. Instructors who choose to do so may include attendance, along with other factors (e.g., participation, papers, exams, tests, quizzes, presentations), in determining a student's grade. Instructors who use attendance as a factor must indicate on their syllabus what their policy is and what percentage of a student's grade will be determined by attendance."

Discussion included Professors Klotz, Pfeffer, Maloney, Willard, Leidner, Weissbach, Wise, Billingsley, Herlin, Schwartz, Hall, Atlas, Cumbler, and Birkimer.

Professor T. Maloney offered an amendment to strike "regularly." There being no objection, the chair put the question and the motion to strike carried.

Professor Billingsley moved to strike the phrase "along with other factors…" through the end of the parenthesis. The motion was seconded. Hearing no objection, the chair put the question and the motion to strike carried.

Professor Billingsley then moved to replace "what percentage of a student's grade will be determined by attendance" with "how attendance will affect the student's grade." The motion was seconded. Hearing no objection, the chair put the question and the motion to amend carried.

The chair clarified that the Curriculum Committee intended that the new policy be effective with the Fall Semester 1999.

Professor Wise noted that the University has a policy on excused absences, which should be taken into consideration in the application of the college policy.

Hearing no call for further discussion, the chair put the question on the motion as amended, and the motion carried. The approved policy reads:

"Students are expected to attend class. Instructors who choose to do so may include attendance in determining a student's grade. Instructors who use attendance as a factor must indicate on their syllabus what their policy is and how attendance will affect the student's grade."
The chair then declared the floor open for nominations for chair of the Faculty Assembly for AY 1999-2000. Professor Weber nominated Professor Bert Harris. The nomination was seconded. It was moved, seconded, and carried that nominations cease. The chair put the question and Professor Harris was elected.

The chair declared the floor open for nominations for parliamentarian for AY 1999-2000. Professor Byers nominated Professor Billingsly. The nomination was seconded. It was moved, seconded, and carried that nominations cease. The chair put the question and Professor Billingsley was elected.

The chair then announced that discussion would begin on two draft items regarding general education, "A Philosophy for Undergraduate Education at the University of Louisville" and "Foundations for Excellence Program Guiding Principles."

Professor Byers moved that the Assembly go into quasi committee of the whole for the purpose of their discussion. The motion was seconded. The chair put the question and the motion carried. At 2:35 p.m. the Assembly moved to quasi committee of the whole.

At 3:15 p.m. it was moved to rise from quasi committee of the whole. The chair reported that discussion had been conducted and completed on the draft items.

The chair announced that he would entertain a motion to adjourn. The motion was made, seconded, and carried.

The meeting adjourned at 3:15 p.m.