President Tony Marx began the meeting with an announcement that the writing center had hired additional tutors, doubling the amount of tutoring sessions currently available to help students.
Marx then discussed several issues that affect the Five Colleges, including the length of Interterm. "Several [of the] Five Colleges may want to reduce the length of Interterm," he said. Though changes have been proposed, the issue will not affect the upcoming Interterm.
Marx also commented on the Center for Community Engagement's search for a director and on a new director for the Mead Art Museum. A moment of silence was then held for deceased Professor of History Otis Kerry.
The faculty then discussed and ultimately voted to approve three Five College Certificates in Russian, East European and Eurasian Studies, Asian/Pacific/American Studies and Native American Studies.
Professor of English and Russian Dale Peterson discussed the proposal of a Five College certificate in Russian, East European and Eurasian studies. "The proposal has been a long time in preparation. The certificates are the latest shifts in academic discipline," he said.
Peterson described the Certificate as one of the benefits of belonging to the Five College system. "We are fortunate to be located in a consortium, which will further the exploration that makes opportunities for students that one college [can] not offer," he said.
Peterson explained that the certificate would increase student awareness concerning changing aspects of their futures. The certificate would give students the opportunity to talk and think about their field with members of the other Five Colleges.
The Five College Russian, East European and Eurasian studies certificate was approved at Smith College and is still currently on the agenda for discussion at UMass and Hampshire and Mt. Holyoke Colleges.
Through a vote, the faculty approved the Five College certificate in Russian, East European and Eurasian studies.
The second Five College Certificate that professors voted to approve was the Five College Certificate in Asian/Pacific/American Studies. Professor of History and American Studies Kevin Sweeney discussed a third Five College Certificate proposal in Native American studies.
Both Five College Certificates were approved. "We need to operate among the Five Colleges in order to sustain and provide exploration to this [Native American studies] field," said Sweeney.
After the votes were tallied, the faculty discussed GPAs and cutoffs. Professor of Mathematics and Computer Science Katherine Tranbarger proposed an amendment to item number nine on the faculty agenda.
The proposed amendment concerns the authorization of the Registrar at the Commencement Meeting of the Faculty to report information about the distribution of GPAs for students earning a degree.
The proposed amendment reads, "Such information may include, to two decimal places, the minimum, maximum, 25th percentile, 75th percentile, median, and mean." The proposed amendment was approved and the registrar was authorized to report information about the distribution of GPAs at the Commencement Meeting of the Faculty.
Faculty deliberation over the institution of a potential writing requirement continued. Some faculty members expressed concern that the language presented within the faculty minutes was ambiguous. Professor of LJST and Political Science Austin Sarat also asked if it would be possible for the Committee of Six to send out the faculty minutes at an earlier time.
According to Sarat, the language concerning faculty deliberation over a potential writing requirement within the text of the minutes lacked clarity. "The language implies that we are instituting a writing requirement," said Sarat.
The language presented in this manner consequently disregards the faculty's current deliberation over the proposal for a writing requirement for students at the College. Professor of Chemistry David Hansen agreed. "The language disregards the long, nuanced discussions that have taken place up to this point," he said.
Hansen agreed with concerns about the ambiguous language presented within the text of the faculty minutes. "The phraseology of the minutes does not represent where we stand as a faculty on certain issues," said Hansen. Another professor added jokingly, "A discussion on students' writing has evolved into a discussion on our writing."
The focus of the discussion then turned to the need for requirements themselves, as professors asked Marx and Dean of the Faculty and Professor of Mathematics Gregory Call whether general alternatives to writing requirements will be considered.
Professors also briefly discussed evaluations on senior faculty. Professor of LJST Martha Merrill Umphrey asked whether the adminstration expects proposals from Ad Hoc Committees.
Marx then asked a general question concerning trustees joining the conversation. The faculty members discussed a proposal for discourse on financial aid concerns such as the possibility of instituting a need-blind policy towards international students.
Faculty members also voted on the approval of potential new courses to be taught at the College. Potential new courses include: "Japanese Women's Literature," "The American Political Tradition: Ideas and Institutions," and "The Graphic Novel." The College is also considering the approval of "Astronomy and Physics on the Stage," "Inscribing Orality in Caribbean Women's Writing" and an economics seminar.