Brown University Task Force on Faculty Governance Minutes of Meetings

Minutes of The Task Force on Faculty Governance

October 24, 2002

Attending: Nancy Amstrong, Anne Fausto-Sterling, Richard Fishman, Peter Gromet, John Savage, and Michael White.

Absent: Russell Church, and Rajiv Vohra

Guests: Russell Carey, Ruth Colwill, Beverly Ledbetter, Peter Richardson, Steve Rabson

1. The meeting opened at 1:05pm and ended at 3pm.

2. The minutes of October 17 were approved.

3. Committee on Grievance
   1. Proposal from Prof. Rabson on behalf of the AMC

      Two proposals were heard from Steve Rabson. The first was to amend Item 1.c. in the charge to the Faculty Affairs Committee so that it reads as follows (changes in caps):

      c. It shall assess THE DIVERSITY OF THE FACULTY BY RANK AND DEPARTMENT ANNUALLY AND it shall advise on Faculty retention, recruitment and advancement policies.

      The Task Force approved the amendment and incorporated it into the charge that is being circulated to the Faculty.

      The second motion was to add a new Item 1.d. in the charge to the Faculty Diversity Committee that would read:

      d. Review all denials of promotion, tenure, and reappointment to ensure their adherence to the Corporation statement on non-discrimination.

      After extensive discussion the Task Force did not agree to adopt the language of this amendment.

   2. Discussion with Profs. Ruth Colwill and Peter Richardson

      Ruth noted that the current description of the Committee on Grievance does not provide a) for the notification of a person who is charged in a grievance nor b) for a charged person to offer a defense. It also doesn't mandate that mediation should be attempted before a case moves into a formal grievance. Peter Richardson also noted the need for a due process clause in the committee description.

      The Task Force welcomed these suggestions and will draft language to incorporate these changes into a new version of the committee. This matter will be taken up at our next meeting.

      We acknowledged that the FEC had authorized a change at its meeting on October 22 in the normal period in which to file a petition stated in 2.d. from one to six months.

      In Item 2.g. we agreed to delete the reference to "Chair of the Faculty Executive Committee".

      We also agreed to add to the description of the Committee on Grievance a statement that any failure of parties to cooperate with the Committee would trigger and automatic reference of the case to the Provost for a final determination.

4. Changes in TPA

   In Item 1.c. of the description of TPA we agreed to add the word "also" after the phrase "The procedural review shall".

   In response to a comment by Peter Richardson we agreed to put a heading just before Item 2.h. saying that the following paragraphs pertain to charges described in Item 1.1.ii.

5. Management of the Motions

   At the request of Bill Beeman members of the Task Force were assigned responsibility to respond to questions that might arise concerning the motions to be presented at the November 5 Faculty meeting. The assignments are as follows:

   1. Create Academic Priorities Committee (APC)
      Mike, Anne
   2. Replace ACUP by the University Resources Committee (URC)
      Rajiv, Peter
   3. Revise and Rename the Committee on Faculty Reappointment and Tenure (ConFRaT) as Tenure, Promotions and Appointments Committee (TPA)
      John, Peter
   4. Create the University Curriculum Committee (UCC), and to Revise the College Curriculum Council (CCC), and the Graduate Council
      Nancy, Russ, Richard
   5. Revise the Standing Committee on the Academic Code
      Russ, Richard
   6. Create the Faculty Affairs Committee (FAC) and the Faculty Diversity Subcommittee (FDS)
      Nancy, Anne, Mike
   7. Create the Committee on Grievance
      Anne, Nancy, John
   8. Revise the Faculty Executive Committee (FEC) and to Create the Nominations Committee for the Faculty Executive Committee (NCFEC)
      Not assigned
   9. Create Administrative Advisory Boards
      Not assigned
   10. Authorize the Faculty Executive Committee to make cosmetic changes to Faculty Rules and Regulations as a result of Faculty Governance changes
       Bill Beeman
   11. Mandate the Faculty Executive Committee to review all changes to faculty governance
       Bill Beeman
   12. Empower the Faculty Executive Committee to allow continuance of existing committees
       Bill Beeman

   Submitted by
   John E. Savage