December 3, 2019 Minutes

Council of Department Chairs

Attendees: R. Behl, A.Bill, C.Brazier, T.Gao, L.Henriques, M.Karteron, A. Puz, K.Slowinksi, B.Taylor, D.Underwood, C.Whitcraft, H.Wu

  1. Approve agenda - 11:03am
  2. Approve minutes - Approved unanimously.
  3. Announcements
    1. Operations updates
      • Allie Puz will attend CDC meetings. She is in charge of internal and external communications/public relations efforts for the college.
      • Discussion about students searching for exams solutions online (Reddit, etc.). Allie is searching for such messages on the web to inform faculty. The policy Cheating and Plagiarism is presently being discussed at CEPC.
      • College RTP Committee: Its members expressed concern that it has only 5 members. The College Council proposed and approved (12/02/2019) an amendment to the college constitution that will be submitted for college wide vote in Spring 2020. The amendment suggests changing to 6 members (1 member of each department). A discussion ensued about the number of members in the committee (as many as departments? Another number? What rationale?). The text reads:
        • CNSM Constitution
          Article V STANDING COMMITTEES OF THE COLLEGE
          Section 5.2 Reappointment, Tenure, and Promotion Committee
          5.201 This committee shall consist of six tenured members with the rank of professor, elected by the Faculty of the College by secret ballot. The committee shall consist of one member from each department unless a representative cannot be nominated from one department. In this latter case, a sixth member shall be elected from the pool of eligible faculty.
      • CNSM Curriculum Committee members: There is an timing issue regarding the election time of the committee members (May) and the timing of the Curriculog process.
      • CNSM Grade Appeal Committee: the committee will be meeting in the Spring 2020.
      • The RSCA/FSG College Committee and the dean will make final decisions by Feb. 3, 2020. Note that there are more submissions than in the past.
      • CNSM Scholarship Committee (new ad hoc committee): Contact M. Karteron with suggestions of representatives for the Spring 2020. The work is mostly done in April 2020.
      • CNSM Holiday Party: on Dec. 10, 2-4pm.
    2. ASM update
      • Computer refresh: Please submit as needed during the academic year. Three main rules:
        1. the computer to be replaced needs to be 4 years at least
        2. It is one device per faculty
        3. The college matches the department spending for up to $1,200. The contribution of the department must be a University source (RS, department, etc., but not personal fund from faculty because of ownership issue.)
      • Department faculty search committees: The department chair is the authority on financial and travel arrangements for candidates, not the chair of the search committee. Committee members should contact the department chair for approval.
      • Absences of staff: H. Wu needs to be informed in two instances: when staff request vacation and also when they call in sick for the whole day. Staff members cannot call in a vacation day the same day, unless it is emergency. Obviously, they can call in sick the same day. According to their contract, staff members needs to ask for vacation 30 days in advance – discuss with chair and H. Wu as needed. Staff members should refrain from requesting vacation days around the start and the end of semesters.
      • Next Tuesday (12/10/2019) is a non-academic day.
  4. SATO Academy and CNSM
    • Dessie Underwood points out that SATO is a science and mathematics academy (magnet school) receiving advertisements from many universities, but little from our side. She suggested a more concerted effort in reaching out to SATO.
    • Suggestion: recruit students at SATO who can take classes at ºÚÁÏÍø and get an MS degree (4+1 years) with students working in a lab doing research over about 5 years. Almost all departments have individual students from SATO taking classes already. But the idea is to make it more formal.
    • Suggestion to have a workshop at the Open House in the Spring semester that is geared towards SATO students.
    • Issues raised: students attend impacted classes, students are minors (under 18).
    • K. Slowinski will reach out to Aimee Arreygue for the next steps.
  5. Associate Deans
  6. Research – No update.
  7. Academic Programs
    1. Advising Updates – No update
    2. Transfer SOAR
      See attachment for Spring 2020 transfer students. Check that the numbers and make sure there are enough seats available for transfer students.
    3. Spring 2020 schedule and waitlists
      Waitlisted courses: Please make sure students have enough reasonable offerings to not impact their progress towards their degree.
    4. January preparation workshop for CHEM 111A, 111B, 220A, other courses?
      January 16-18, 2020 (week before start of the semester; mostly end of afternoon): Workshop (see attachment in email from K. Slowinski) to reach out to students whose grades are below B; may assign peer mentors. The workshop should make them aware and prepare them to make the transition to the next semester with the intent to improve their grade. Students who have a C in a class would need to be emailed individually. Suggest names, courses, activities (workshop content) for the workshop to K. Slowinski by Friday 12/06/2019.
    5. Jan. 15, 2020: PM/Tutor subject-specific training – discussion
      January 15, 2020: Training of peer mentors. Will involve faculty. Suggest names of potential faculty who can participate in the training to K. Slowinski by Thursday 12/05/2019. Will be a workshop format.
    6. March 2020 Workshops / web resources for incoming freshman
      See attachment (also in email). Make suggestions of persons and workshops by... last week (aka. a.s.a.p)
  8. Adjourn (12:06pm)

Submitted by Andreas Bill, December 3, 2019.

Meeting Minutes APPROVED on December 10, 2019.

Upcoming Dates

  • Tuesday, December 3 - waitlist thinking recommendations
  • Tuesday, December 3 - Submission deadline for student research competition
  • Wednesday, December 4 - Names of participants for March workshops for incoming freshman
  • Monday, December 9 - Deadline for College Professional Leave Committee recommendations on Sabbatical Leaves
  • Tuesday, December 10 - CNSM End of the Semester/Holiday party 2-4 pm
  • Monday, December 16 - Deadline for Deans to submit recommendations on Sabbatical Leaves
  • Monday, March 2 - Final Decisions on Sabbatical Leaves