GEORGIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY

GEORGIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY

MEETING OF THE

GENERAL FACULTY ASSEMBLY

Combined with a meeting of the

ACADEMIC SENATE

Tuesday, September 19, 2000

Student Center Theater

MINUTES

1. The President opened the meeting at 3:00 p.m. and welcomed new members of the Assembly and Senate.

2. The President commented on recent developments:

(a ) Fall freshmen enrollment is 2200 students, exactly the number predicted. Their High School GPA averages are 3.75 and SAT 1330. Retention from the previous Freshman class was 90% which is the highest level ever; last year’s retention level was 86%. Entering graduate enrollment was 200 students higher that last year. Total on campus enrollment is 14,400 students. Off campus enrollment (Lorraine, GTREP, Distance Learning programs etc.) is about 500 students.

(b) Budget proposals for special initiative programs are good. The Georgia Research Alliance funding is proposed to be $50 M of which $11 M might come to Tech and would include endowments for four Chairs. The Yamacraw project will provide nine new faculty for Tech. The BoR has agreed to support the Yamacraw Design Center which is planned for the North Side of Fifth Street.

(c) In the standard University System budget there is no specific figure proposed for raises but it is stated that the level of last year was inadequate. GTREP funding will provide for seven more faculty. The prospect for workload funding is ambiguous and related by formula to enrollment. System-wide enrollment is the same as the previous year but Tech enrollment is up by 5 percent.

(d) The Advanced Computing Building is ninth on the list of priorities and should receive design money this year. Renovations funds are requested for the Coon building in the amount of $5 M. Capital requests for GTREP should provide a building in the Savannah area to house that program. The ES&T building is under construction. OIT and GTRC have new homes on the periphery of the campus. Planning for the south side of Fifth Street is underway. SAC renewal is in the final planning stage.

(e) We are confident that the Capital Campaign will exceed $600 M.

(f) Hughes asked whether there were community concerns that the Fifth Street developments would adversely impact local traffic. The President responded that there are no concerns; the project would only change people’s location and would not result in a large increase of employees.

(g) In response to a question about the reactor the President replied that the de-commissioning was on track.

3. Said Abdel Khalik reported on recent activities of the Executive board of which he is Chair.

(a) The Board has undertaken a systematic review of the operations and charter of all standing committees. Some problems have been identified.

(b) A Committee has been created to study the Evaluation of Instruction; Chair is Andy Smith.

(c) The Board created a committee to review the procedures for Reappointment, Promotion and Tenure (Chairs McGinnis and LeBlanc). This will report to the Board in September and to the Faculty later in the term.

(d) The committee that proposed new rules for the award of General Faculty Status (Chair Ricky Moore) last year has been reinstated. They have been asked to consider some concerns with the new rules, particularly the matter of retroactive changes to status.

(e) At the October 10^th meeting of the GFA, the Board will propose a new procedure for the award of "Emeritus Status".

(f) The Board has instituted some change in AS/GFA meeting format and frequency with the objective of enhancing Faculty participation in governance.

4. The President introduced Ken Knoespel and Sandi Bramblett who jointly presented a review of the current status of the Institution’s Strategic Plan. They noted that the original plan dates from 1995 and it was now time to sharpen and update the plan. The presentation was based on a series of viewgraphs that can be accessed at the site: http://www.irp.gatech.edu/under "Ga Tech Strategic Plan Update Fall 2000".

The plan is an ongoing process. Meetings are being set up with student groups. The presenters would like to do the same thing with faculty units. Comments and input are welcomed and should be addressed to Knoespel and Bramblett.

Hughes commented that the BoR now requires that proposals for new programs be justified in terms of an Institution’s Strategic Plan; but this presentation gives no specific focal points on which a justification could be based. Knoespel responded that the objective is not to make a plan for a unit or programs but rather to develop a philosophy within which such questions can be answered. Mike Thomas commented that a plan must remain flexible so that we may respond to opportunities; one cannot lay out details in advance. It was commented that the plan does not seem to offer assistance to the less privileged members of the community in which we are located. Knoespel responded that there are multiple ways to address this problem but indeed the plan as formulated does not specifically address this need. Abdel Khalik commented that the plan omitted any consideration of "Ethics". Knoespel responded that "Ethics" as such is not specifically addressed but again can be addressed through the various points within the plan.

5. The President announced that the meeting would now consider business of the GFA and of the AS and of their various standing committees. Relevant minutes of these bodies have been posted and referenced in the call to the meeting.

6. Minutes of the GFA meetings of 2/29/00 and 4/18/00 were approved as posted.

7. Minutes of Standing Committees of the General Faculty Assembly were approved as posted (listed in detail under Note A below), there being no action items.

8. Minutes of the Academic Senate meeting of 4/18/00 were approved as posted.

9. Joe Hughes introduced action items from the Undergraduate Curriculum Committee. These include a certificate in HPS, new courses in HPS and ML, approval of Music courses for Humanities credit, revised course offerings in Computing. All were approved without dissent. Hughes further moved for approval of minutes of the UCC (listed under Note B below); this was approved without dissent.

10. Andy Peterson introduced action items from the Graduate Curriculum Committee. These include new courses in Management, Computer Science and City Planning. These were approved without dissent. Peterson further moved for approval of minutes of the GCC (listed under Note B below); this was approved without dissent.

11. Paul Benkeser introduced a proposal from the Student Rules and Regulations Committee that the point of contact between administration and student should be defined as the student’s e-mail account (rather than the post office box, as in the past). He explained that this was already in de-facto use by the Registrar’s department. The change to item III.A of the Student Rules and Regulations was adopted without dissent. Benkeser further moved for approval of minutes of the committee (listed under Note B below); this was approved without dissent.

12. The President further moved approval of certain minutes of the Student Activities and Computer Ownership Committees (listed under Note B below) which involve no action items. This was approved without dissent.

13. The President called for any other business:

(a) A member asked whether there had been adverse faculty response to the imposition of fees for the use of SAC. The President replied that there had been extensive prior consultation about the matter and that there had been no adverse response. Mike Thomas commented that as of last week some 256 faculty and staff had signed up to use SAC under the new arrangements.

(b) The president reminded members of the GFA meeting on October 10 at 3:00 p.m. at which he will present the "State of the Institution Address"

14. There being no further business the President adjourned the meeting at 4:20 p.m.

Respectfully Submitted

Edward W. Thomas

Secretary of the Faculty

Corrected Oct. 24, 2000

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Notes Concerning Minutes approved:

A. The following minutes of Standing Committees of the General Faculty Assembly were approved:

1. Faculty Benefits 11/8/99, 2/23/00, 5/12/00, 6/26/00

2. Faculty Honors. 2/23/00

3. Statutes 9/28/99, 2/15/00

4. Academic Services. 9/13/99, 10/05/99, 11/02/99, 12/10/99, 01/20/00, 3/16/00, 4/20/00: Library subcommittee minutes of 10/15/99 and 05/02/99

5. Welfare and Security 11/04/99, 12/09/99, 01/27/00, 02/24/00, 04/27/00

B. The following minutes of Standing Committees of the Academic Senate were approved:

1. Undergraduate Curriculum 04/12/00, 04/26/00, 05/03/00, 06/14/00

2. Graduate Curriculum. 04/27/00, 06/15/00, 08/02/00

3. Student Regulations. 09/16/99, 02/22/00, 04/10/00, 06/05/00, 09/07/00

4. Student Activities 08/26/99, 11/16/99, 12/01/99, 12/02/99, 12/01/00, 03/13/00, 04/26/00

5. Student Computer Ownership 12/09/00, 01/18/00, 02/22/00

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Attachments to the Archival Copies of the minutes:

(a) Agenda

(b) Attendance List

(d) Revision of Student Rules and Regulations item III.A