Professor of Geology Jack Cheney proposed the motions on the Committee's behalf. The first motion (entitled motion two, the actual first motion was approved at the last meeting) requires that all junior faculty members up for reappointment submit a letter to their departments presenting information about their research.
According to Cheney, such a letter is crucial in the ongoing process as junior faculty members grow closer to receiving tenure. "The form will become the basis for conversations with tenured members of the department," said Cheney. "The letter is also a chance for junior faculty to provide senior faculty information about the details of their research, which will lead to a better letter of recommendation [regarding tenure]."
The faculty approved the motion after failing an amendment proposed by Professor of Fine Arts Joel Upton because that amendment made the language of the junior faculty reappointment inconsistent with the language of the tenure appointment requirements.
Cheney then proposed motion three, which states that the dean of the faculty will invite reappointed faculty members to discuss the way in which the Committee of Six evaluated the reappointment. Professor of Psychology and Women's and Gender Studies Rose Olver then proposed an amendment suggesting that the dean also discuss the Committee's interpretations with the appropriate department chair.
"In order to ensure that whatever is discussed by the Committee of Six is implemented in a useful way, it would be useful to have the department know the Committee's thoughts," Olver said. Professor of Sociology and American Studies Jan Dizard, a member of the Committee of Six, said that the Committee had already considered the possibility, but they were concerned that it would lead to an excessive and unnecessary amount of paperwork.
Professor of English Judith Frank supported the amendment. "It does come at tenure time that a department is shocked that the Committee of Six had different ideas for a candidate," she said. "This [extra discussion with the Dean of the Faculty] will provide the missing link in the chain."
Other faculty members also supported the amendment. "I think another advantage to doing this is that it will set up an expectation that an argument will have taken place," said Professor of History and Women's and Gender Studies Margaret Hunt.
The faculty approved Olver's amendment, but, after extensive discussion regarding the importance of allowing reappointment candidates to refuse a meeting with the dean of the faculty, failed an amendment made which would have made the meeting mandatory. The faculty ultimately passed motion three, with Olver's amendment.
Professor of Theater and Dance Peter Lobdell, chair of the Committee on Educational Policy, proposed that the faculty adopt a Five-College Certificate in Buddhist Studies. Assistant Professor of Religion Maria Heim, a member of the Steering Committee for the program, said that many students at the College already travel to the other four institutions to take courses in Buddhist Studies, and that most students interested in the field major in religion because there is no other field at the College which allows students to focus on Buddhism. Heim noted that the faculties of Smith, Mt. Holyoke and Hampshire Colleges have already approved the certification program.
Professor of Anthropology and Asian Languages and Civilizations Alan Babb urged the faculty to accept the certification program. "The program will give students the opportunity to register their achievements," he said. Professor of Economics Geoffrey Woglom was the sole opponent to the certification program, saying that he did not find it necessary at a liberal arts institution to codify every credential. The faculty ultimately approved the program, adding a certification in Buddhist Studies to the list of Five-College certification programs offered at Amherst.
Professor of English Chick Chickering announced that the College continues discussion with other NESCAC schools about academic requirements for athlete applicants.
Dean of the Faculty Greg Call announced that the Committee of Six established an ad hoc study abroad committee to help evaluate the rigor and appropriateness of study abroad programs in less popular areas. The Committee of Six will evaluate the ad hoc committee during the 2007-08 academic year to determine whether it should become a standing faculty committee.
Call went on to announce the creation of an online course catalogue which will be ready in time for fall 2005 preregistration replacing the additions and corrections addendum to the current catalogue. The College has also decided to increase small FRAP awards from $5,000 to $6,000 and to increase large awards to a maximum of $30,000.
President Anthony Marx announced that the Committee on Academic Priorities (CAP) is now meeting weekly to discuss issues of financial aid and the College's ongoing commitment to providing full aid to all qualifying students. Marx noted that the CAP is looking into the current advising system at the College. "I am glad that the faculty continues to take advising situations seriously," he said. Marx said that the CAP believes the advising system needs refining, particularly in light of recent incidents of students' failures to take the advising system seriously.