Faculty Meeting Minutes
May 1, 2026
Gannett Auditorium/Zoom
Natalie Taylor, Interim Dean of the Faculty and Vice President for Academic Affairs called the meeting to order at 3:36pm.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES
Dean Taylor informed the faculty that a correction had been made to the distributed minutes of the March 27th Faculty Meeting.
In New Business, regarding the Promotions Committee motion, the initial language of the minutes read:
鈥溾�nly requiring one additional full Professor allows for more flexibility...鈥�
and the corrected version now reads:
鈥溾�nly requiring two full Professors allows for more flexibility...鈥�
Dean Taylor then asked if there were any further changes or corrections to the minutes as distributed. There being none, she moved to approve the minutes. The motion was seconded and the minutes were approved.
OLD BUSINESS
Associate Professor Kendrah Murphy read the following motion on behalf of Promotions Committee (PC):
MOTION: The Promotions Committee (PC) moves to revise the Faculty Handbook (FHB) language describing its membership to include at least two tenured faculty at the rank of full Professor.
Professor Murphy then opened the floor for questions and comments from the faculty.
A faculty member asked if there is a sufficient number of full professors at the college to accommodate this requirement. Professor Murphy said that we have 79 full professors and 83 associate professors. The faculty member asked how those numbers are trending. Associate Dean of the Faculty Oscar Perez-Hernandez said that he would look back at the numbers to have an accurate answer, but that the upcoming cohorts are larger than some previous years. So, it is most likely that the number of full professors will trend upwards.
A faculty member asked if the new requirement would create challenges when it necessary for faculty to recuse themselves and whether or not the Committee had considered introducing some exceptions to account for this possibility. In her capacity as a member of PC, Associate Professor Erica Wojcik noted that, while two full professors have not previously been required, it has often been the case that two full professors have served on PC. Additionally, PC can pull replacements from the roster of previous members of the Appointments and Tenure Committee (ATC) and PC. For these reasons, PC is not sufficiently concerned about this potentiality to include exceptions in the revised FHB language.
There were no further questions, and Professor Murphy moved to bring a vote. The motion was seconded, and the motion passed with a large majority.
Associate Professor Amy Frappier read the following resolution into the record on behalf of the Committee for Educational Policies and Planning (CEPP):
RESOLUTION: Whereas, the 微密圈 Faculty supports the change in delivery format of the All-College Course Evaluation forms (currently the 鈥渜SETs鈥�) from paper to online; and anticipating that implementation for the Fall 2026 semester will require concomitant changes to the Faculty Handbook,
Be it resolved that the Faculty approves CEPP鈥檚 recommended changes to the Faculty Handbook in Part Two, Article III, Section G, subsection 1.1
Professor Frappier then solicited questions or comments from the faculty.
A faculty member commented that, at the March 27 Faculty Meeting, a change of language from 鈥渆valuation鈥� to 鈥渞ating鈥� had been suggested. She asked if it would be possible to introduce this change as a friendly amendment. Professor Frappier affirmed that if, as the motion-bringer on behalf of CEPP, she accepted this as a friendly amendment it would not require a vote. DOF/VPAA Taylor noted that 鈥渆valuation鈥� is the term used consistently throughout the FHB, and that any language change of this nature should remain consistent. The faculty member agreed to bring the matter back in front of the faculty in the fall. Professor Frappier encouraged the faculty member and any other faculty to reach out to her as the current CEPP with their thoughts on the matter so that it can be considered by the committee in the fall.
There being no further questions or comments, Professor Frappier moved to bring the resolution to a vote. The motion was seconded, and the resolution was approved with a large majority.
NEW BUSINESS
On behalf of the Office of the Dean of Faculty & Vice President for Academic Affairs, Associate Dean of the Faculty David Cohen introduced the following motion:
MOTION: Revision of the Faculty Handbook language to clarify the confidentiality of unsolicited letters
ADOF Cohen presented the rationale behind the motion before soliciting questions and comments from the assembly.
A faculty member asked if more could be said about the piece of the rationale having to do with the involvement of non-tenure track (NTT) faculty during the process of reviewing promotions given that negotiations continue between the NTT Union and the College with regard to these processes. ADOF Cohen thanked the union for their patience over the course of the past year, sharing that he believes an agreement will be reached that allows NTT faculty at ranks comparable to associate or full professor to participate in discussions and review files, while not being considered eligible to write letters incorporated in the chair鈥檚 letter, approve the chair鈥檚 letter, or vote. The option to write unsolicited letters would continue to be available. The union has raised the issue of those letters not being confidential, which could potentially limit the freedom of NTT faculty to express their opinions on issues of tenure and promotion. This suggested change in language is meant to address this.
The faculty member asked if NTT faculty are a demographic that have historically made use of the option to submit unsolicited letters. ADOF Cohen said that it has been a number of years since ATC has received an unsolicited letter. Professor Murphy added that PC has received unsolicited letters in the past few years, and will also be revisiting the FHB language around these matters in the fall. She said that PC is planning to bring a motion to change the language around the confidentiality of unsolicited letters and that discussions with the office of the DOF, ATC, CAFR and PC have already begun. ADOF Cohen clarified that ATC and PC have both approved the language revisions being brought by the office of the DOF.
A faculty member expressed that the proposed language gives a false impression that, if you are denied, recommended, or not recommended for promotion that you will have access to written materials in the promotion file. She pointed out that the list of which file materials are excepted from this access includes a majority of the file鈥檚 contents. She said that she supports the proposed revision, but would also like to see a revision that more accurately represents the rights of a candidate in terms of file access.
There being no further questions, the motion will lie over until the next faculty meeting.
OTHER
Dean Taylor invited Dean of Admissions and Financial Aid/Vice President for Enrollment Jess Ricker to provide an update on enrollment for the Class of 2030. Dean Ricker thanked the faculty for their partnership and highlighted the importance of their engagement throughout the admissions cycle.
She shared that overall attendance at spring admitted student programs (YES! Days) was comparable to last year, with particularly strong participation in weekend events, including one of the largest admitted student programs in recent years. She emphasized the critical role faculty play in these programs, especially in helping students experience 微密圈鈥檚 academic environment firsthand.
More than 50 faculty hosted classroom visits this spring, with many others participating in panels, academic fairs, and individual meetings. Dean Ricker noted that these interactions help students envision themselves at 微密圈 and are a key differentiator in their decision-making.
She also described increased demand for more personalized visit experiences, with more than 200 families participating in individualized visits. Many of these included class visits and faculty engagement, underscoring strong interest in the academic experience.
Financial aid conversations have been a central part of this year鈥檚 cycle, with significant engagement from families and a high volume of follow-up discussions. Dean Ricker noted that this reflects both a competitive environment and sustained interest in 微密圈.
Dean Ricker concluded with an update on the enrollment timeline. While May 1 marks an important milestone, the class will continue to take shape over the coming months. The College is targeting a class of approximately 680 students and will use the waitlist as needed over the summer. She closed by thanking faculty for their continued partnership in helping students see themselves at 微密圈.
Dean Taylor then invited Professor Kimberley Frederick to the podium on behalf of the Working Group for Inclusive and Accessible Teaching and Learning (WGIATL). Professor Frederick explained that she will be providing an update on the WGIATL鈥檚 work toward a common set of qualitative questions to accompany the new online qSETs that were just voted in. She noted that the Middle States Accreditation Team had recommended that the College institute and refine more uniform practices regarding the systems and mechanisms for faculty evaluation. The WGIATL anticipates that a common set of long-form qualitative questions will be integral to accomplishing this. The working group has developed a set of questions, using the feedback generated during the February 6th Committee of the Whole. These questions have been tested by a group of students and evaluated by the students in the Psych 340 course on psychological testing. The information gathered is being used to refine and rewrite the questions. The refined questions will be brought to CEPP, who will then take the lead on implementation.
On behalf of the Appointments and Tenure Committee, Professor Larry Jorgensen informed the faculty that ATC and College President Marc Conner have agreed upon revisions to the current FHB language regarding the process for the review of senior administrative officers (please find the full presentation here). He explained that the ultimate goal of the process is to provide direct, timely and actionable feedback to Cabinet members that supports their leadership development and growth. (It is important to note that each VP is evaluated by the president every single year.) Because this process is in Part V of the FHB, it does not require a faculty vote. Rather, this section of the FHB stipulates that any changes must be agreed upon by ATC and the President, with any revisions agreed to by FEC. After a year of collaboration, this process has been completed, and the new review schedule will be implemented beginning in the coming academic year. There were no questions or comments from the assembly.
RECOGNITION OF RETIREES
In his capacity as chair of ATC, Professor Jorgensen read the following resolution into the record:
Be It Resolved,
That the faculty of 微密圈 College expresses its profound appreciation and admiration for the following members of the 微密圈 Faculty who have this year expressed their determination to retire: That the faculty of 微密圈 College expresses its profound appreciation and admiration for the following members of the 微密圈 Faculty who have this year expressed their determination to retire:
- Joel Brown, Department of Music
- Grace Burton, Department of World Languages and Literatures
- Catherine Golden, Department of English
- Paul Sattler, Department of Art
- James 鈥淩ik鈥� Scarce, Department of Sociology
- Denise L. Smith, Department of Health & Human Physiological Sciences
- Shirley Smith, Department of World Languages & Literatures
- Joanne Vella, Department of Art
- Mark Youndt, Department of Management & Business
The faculty further resolves that the biographical highlights of these members contained in the Retirement Citation booklet distributed at this meeting be included in the Faculty Meeting Minutes of May 1. 2026 in recognition and celebration of their distinguished service and achievement.
Both the resolution and the following citations were greeted with enthusiastic ovations.
PRESIDENT鈥橲 REFLECTIONS
President Conner expressed his gratitude and awe for the faculty retirees and the indelible impact they have had on the lives of so many, as well as on the College itself. He then provided updates on four items of note:
- The Dean of Faculty/Vice President for Academic Affairs Search Committee has been fully formed. The committee members are; Kate Sterling 鈥�27, VPAA for the Student Government Association, Associate Professor Hope Casto, Senior Director of External Relations and Strategic Communications Sara Miga, Associate Professor Emmanuel Balogun, Dean of Students/Vice President for Student Affairs Adrian Bautista, and Assistant Teaching Professor Eileen Sperry, with President Conner serving as Chair and Professor Casto taking on the role of Vice Chair. The committee will have its first meeting next week. There will be many substantial opportunities to share the many perspectives on what the College is seeking in this vital search.
- The Accessibility Task Force has been fully formed. The Tri-Chairs will be DoS/VPSA Bautista, ADOF Perez-Hernandez, and Elise Hinrichs 鈥�28. The committee will be staffed by Artist-in-Residence Teisha Duncan, IdeaLab Manager Darren Prodger, and Zoe Levine 鈥�28. This is in response to a profound need on our campus, which is also highlighted in the Strategic Plan.
- The President鈥檚 Awards have been announced. Recipients in Academic Affairs are Teaching Professor Cathy Hill, recognized in particular for her profound contributions to entrepreneurship and student learning, Professor Bob Turner, Academic Administrative Assistant Carolyn Lundy, and the Middle States Steering Committee.
- The University of Chicago principles remain relevant to our work on campus, and President Conner had a thoughtful conversation with CAFR on the topic; there will be an open forum on the mission statement this coming Wednesday. Over 100 respondents have completed the survey, engendering further lively discussion on the topic.
President Conner said that he will be sharing further end-of-year updates and college business at the upcoming May 13Faculty Meeting. To conclude, he thanked the retiring faculty and welcomed questions, comments and suggestions after the meeting.
DEAN OF THE FACULTY AND VICE PRESIDENT FOR ACADEMIC AFFAIRS' REMARKS
Dean Taylor opened her remarks with thanks to Associate Professor Joseph Cermatori, Director of the Periclean Honors Forum, and Lisa Bradshaw, Academic Administrative Assistant for the Honors Forum, for their considerable work on this year鈥檚 Academic Festival. Honors Forum held their external review this week as well, making the success of Academic Festival all the more impressive. She also thanked ADOF Corey Freeman-Gallant and Coordinator for Student Academic Affairs Terri Mariani for their work on Honors Convocation last night. Dean Taylor took a moment to acknowledge that it鈥檚 thanks to the teaching and mentoring that we have these culminating events to celebrate student accomplishments.
In other good news for 微密圈, we have received a grant from the Arthur Vining Davis Foundation. The title is 鈥淪kidMORE Discourse: Meaningful, Open, Respectful Engagement.鈥� It is a needed complement to some of what President Conner has mentioned throughout the year regarding freedom of speech and expression. As an educational community, we rely on freedom of speech and expression, but we do so in the pursuit of wisdom and understanding. Civility is crucial to ameliorate some of the negative consequences of our polarized discussions for the sake of that shared purpose. The grant will promote civil discourse across campus in academic, residential, and community life. On behalf of herself, Dean Bautista, and President Conner, she thanked Danielle Bedard, Director of Strategic Partnerships, for her above and beyond efforts to write this grant proposal. In closing, Dean Taylor noted that many faculty are already doing this work, and she looks forward to connecting with them about the grant.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
On behalf of CEPP, Professor Frappier provided an update on the status and process involving the proposal from Off-Campus Study and Exchange (OCSE) and First-Year Experience (FYE) to sunset the London FYE program, and introduce a successor program that preserves the global perspectives component of FYE in a fiscally sustainable way, while also improving support for incoming students. A final recommendation from CEPP to the faculty would be premature at this stage, but OSCE and FYE have paused the London FYE program for Fall 2027 pending a decision about the program鈥檚 future. CEPP, OCSE, and the Dean of Faculty recognize how important this signature program has been to many of you, and to our students. The proposal to close this program is not taken lightly. CEPP is forming a subcommittee to further develop the part of the proposal involved with the successor program, with the goal of bringing a proposal to the faculty fall. This will be a priority agenda item for CEPP in the early fall semester.
Professor Monica Das, on behalf of the Faculty Development Committee, announced recipient of the 2026-27 Edwin M. Moseley Faculty Lectureship as Professor Jason P. Breves of the Department of Biology. The announcement was greeted by rousing applause from the assembled faculty. Please find the full citation here.
There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 5:26pm.
Respectfully submitted,
Nora E. Graubard
Senior Administrative Coordinator