FACULTY EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

Minutes

Tuesday, September 10, 2002

PRESENT: William Beeman (Chair), Carolyn Dean, Mary Anne Doane, James Egan, Anne Fausto-Sterling, Constantine Gatsonis, Michael Rosen, John Savage, Susan Short

GUESTS: Mary Fennell

Professor Beeman opened the meeting at 3:05 p.m. Minutes of the August 28, 2002 special FEC meeting were approved as submitted.

Professor Beeman gave a Chair’s Report. He is pleased that all the FEC members are able to join President Simmons for dinner at her home on September 30. Professor Beeman attended yesterday’s MFEC meeting and commented on how impressed he was with Dean Besdine’s participation in the discussion. The Medical Program is undergoing a very thorough review, and the MFEC decided to hold off on their recommendations for structural change to its charge or membership until the review is completed. The MFEC is quite adamant about looking very seriously at the disconnection between the multiple governing structures that affect faculty members in the Division of Biology and Medicine. It is clear that medical faculty want to be better integrated with the Brown campus.

Professor Beeman had a very productive meeting with the Provost this morning discussing the draft proposal for the new Conflict of Interest Policy. With Provost Zimmer’s permission, Professor Beeman then distributed the draft policy to the FEC, which will be discussed in depth at the next FEC meeting on September 24. The FEC executive officers are scheduled to meet with Provost Zimmer on September 18.

Professor Beeman attended several meetings with the Task Force on Faculty Governance and is very impressed with the work they have done. The Committee is working hard and has been very thorough, and he has high hopes for excellent results later on this year.

At this time of year, the FEC usually sponsors a luncheon meeting for committee chairs. Since many of the committees may not exist if Brown’s governance system is restructured, should there be such a meeting this year? Discussion ensued whereby the FEC concluded that a luncheon meeting with committee chairs and members of the Task Force on Faculty Governance would be beneficial. This will give the chairs, especially those that have not already met with the Task Force, the opportunity to express their concerns. It was decided that the luncheon meeting will be held on Friday, October 4, at noon, and committee chairs as well as members of the FEC and the Task Force on Faculty Governance will be invited to attend.

Professor Beeman briefed the FEC on the proposed Brown police and security policy and urged them to read the Bratton Report if they have not already done so. He stressed the importance of faculty input on the issue of arming Brown police and encouraged the FEC to voice their concerns to the administration. Discussion ensued, and it was noted that a Brown police and security policy involving arms does not necessarily mean that all Brown police and security will be armed. Professor Beeman stated that it seems the issue is not the question of whether or not to arm Brown police, but rather what the policy is concerning the use of arms. It was suggested that this issue be an item on the October 1 faculty meeting agenda. It is likely that President Simmons will cover this topic in her report. Professor Savage will discuss where this item should be included on the agenda when he meets with President Simmons on September 20. Since Professors Beeman and Fausto-Sterling are not able to participate in that meeting, Professor Doane volunteered to accompany Professor Savage.

Professor Elaine Bearer, Chair of the Committee on the Status of Women, worked hard on a proposal for a family leave policy over the summer, and Dean Fennell reported that a draft proposal has made substantive progress in the Dean of the Faculty’s office. She noted that President Simmons is not interested in a policy that does not treat staff and faculty equally, and the President has asked that she and the Provost see the latest draft when it is completed. The Dean’s office is working with Human Resources on the policy, and there are still some issues that need to be addressed. Dean Fennell should be able to provide a draft of the family leave policy to the FEC in time for the October 8 FEC meeting, and it was suggested that Professor Bearer be invited to attend that meeting.

In lieu of lengthy introductions of new faculty at the fall faculty meetings, Dean Fennell proposed that a new faculty brochure be published that will include biographies and pictures. Introductions will still be made at faculty meetings, but they will be very brief. The FEC approved of the idea and proposed that a reception for new faculty be planned, which would immediately follow the faculty meeting. It was decided to postpone new faculty introductions until the November faculty meeting.

Professor Savage gave a brief update about the Faculty Forum on Faculty Governance, which is to be held immediately following the FEC meeting at 4:00 p.m. He provided Professor Stultz, Chair of the Faculty Forum, with printouts of everything on the Task Force’s web site and plans to make a power point presentation that will include a list of frequently asked questions. Several issues that have been brought before the Task Force on Faculty Governance will be addressed. Professor Beeman plans to discuss the aftermath of the forum at the next FEC meeting.

The meeting adjourned at 4:00 p.m. so that members could attend the Faculty Forum on Faculty Governance.

Respectfully submitted,

Cheryl A. Moreau

Secretary