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Minutes of the Meeting of the Academic Affairs Committee
Antioch University Board of Trustees
Convened at Williamstown, Massachusetts (in retreat)
Saturday, August 26, 2006
9:00 a.m, – 3:00 p.m.
Members Present
Trustees: Dan Fallon (Chair), Bruce Bedford, Reuben Harris, Jack Merselis,
Barbara Winslow, Art Zucker.
ULC: Laurien Alexandre, David Caruso, Steve Lawry, Toni Murdock.
Guest: Rick Jurasek.
Minutes prepared by Dan Fallon, in consultation with Laurien Alexandre.
* * * * * *
THEME
VISION FOR TIIE tUTURE:
ACADEMIC QUALITY, INTEGRATION, AND INNOVATION
* * * * * *
1. The meeting convened at 9:00 a.m.
2. Toni Murdock presented an overview of the academic sector of the university.
A. The following characteristics of the “nonresidential” campuses were
described by Chancellor Murdock: ..
i) The culture of the nonresidential campuses is what could
be termed “adult continuing education.”
ii) The nonresidential campuses were never academic
centers.
iii) The nonresidential campuses primarily offer graduate
programs; yet, there is no sense of the usual requirements
of a graduate faculty.
iv) The nonresidential campuses have not created faculty
senates, or academic standards committees.
Minutes of the Academic Affairs Committee
Williamstown, MA
August 26, 2006
Page 2
v) in general, there is no set of standards or procedures
governing faculty responsibilities and relationships.
B. There was a wide-ranging discussion of faculty procedures and
policies, in the context of Trustee Resolution 10.22.05:20
(Attachment 1). This resolution requires that the Chancellor and ULC
prepare a comprehensive set of policies governing faculty standards
and procedures to be delivered no later than December 31, 2007, i.e., a
little more than one year from now. The report will address numerous
issues related to faculty standards and procedures, including policies
for Emeritus/Emerita status. Nonetheless, a separate Trustee
Resolution, 10.22.05:19 (Attachment 2), requires that the Academic
Affairs Committee, in consultation with the ULC, prepare an
amendment to the existing Emeritus/Emerita policy (Attachment 3)
requiring that recommendations for conferral of the title Emeritus or
Emerita be accompanied by evidence that the candidate’s performance
has been of meritorious character, and this amendment must be
prepared by February 28, 2007. i.e., in time for the June, 2007 meeting
of the Board of Trustees. Laurien Laurien Alexandre will
provide a status report on these matters, as well as a draft of the
required Emeritus/Emerita amendment, at the February 2007 meeting of
the Committee.
C. The Committee discussed the description for the newly created
position of Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs. The Committee
endorsed the concept of the position and the specific description, and
further endorsed the proposal by Chancellor Murdock that Laurien
Alexandre be appointed to the position when it is established.
Establishment of the position will depend, in part, upon the decision of
the Pearson/Lovelace Foundation concerning a proposal it is currently
considering from Antioch University.
3. Laurien Alexandre Laurien Alexandre and Toni Murdock presented a status
report on the university-wide academic audit they are carrying out in
cooperation with the ULC. The purpose of the audit is to determine what
policies and procedures are currently in place at each campus, and their relative
effectiveness. This could be called a “compilation.” Following the compilation,
an effort will be made to rationalize all policies across campuses so as to generate
a university-wide coherent and comparable set of policies and procedures.
A. It has become clear that completing the audit is a mammoth job. It will
take many years. A first compilation is nearing completion.
B. The academic deans will review the SOO-page compilation at a meeting in
September. The Deans will meet again in November for a second review.
C. Initial priorities for the academic audit will be policies and procedures for:
Minutes of the Academic Affairs Committee
Williamstown, MA
August 26, 2006
i) Emeritus/Emerita status.
ti) Academic Program Review.
iii) Assessment of Student Learning.
iv) Faculty Evaluation, inclusive of contracts and
compensation.
Page 3
D. All elements of the academic audit will be informed by the recently
adopted mission statement of the University (Attachment 4), to provide
university-wide coherence and ensure conformity with the mission.
E. Bruce Bedford voiced strong support for the academic audit. The
Committee agreed with Bruce’s sentiment that the Board must support
this essential management function.
4. The Committee then turned to an extended examination of faculty resource
management.
A. Steve Lawry and Rick Jurasek presented their analysis of the faculty
resource picture for Antioch College:
i) Over the past three years, the size of the College faculty has been
reduced from 64 FTE positions to 4S FIE positions. ,Of these 45
faculty positions, 6-9 positions have been designated for “visiting”
faculty, meaning that such positions do not accrue obligations for
temrre.
il) In the new strategy for faculty development that Steve and Rick
and their faculty colleagues are creating, there will be three
categories:
a) Tenure-track. or tenured;
b) Term appointments limited to a single three-year contract;
c) Adjunct faculty employed to teach one or more courses, on a
course-by-course contractual basis (“outsourced instruction”).
iii) Reuben Harris spoke in favor of the concept of tenure, in general.
It is one way you build a sense of community that shares a set of
standards.. Since the cost to the institution is high, the value of the
faculty awarded tenwe must be in some proportionate sense at
least as high. Thus, in Reuben’s view, the concept of tenure could
be entertained at any of the University’s campuses, but academic
standards for tenure must be ensured at a very high level.
Minutes of the Academic Affairs Committee
Williamstown.. MA
August 26, 2006
Page 4
iv) Steve Lawry stated his intention to prepare a more detailed
analysis of faculty at Antioch College, by tenure stalus, academic
discipline, age, gender, and race. Steve indicated the need for this
analysis in order to proceed with systematic planning as the
College moves forward in its development, and his hope to have
this analysis ready by the November meeting. The Committee
welcomed Steve’s offer, looking forward to receiving the report” in
November.
B. Toni Murdock praised the analysis being conducted at Antioch College
and indicated that such an analysis would be valuable on all campuses of
the University. The Committee concurred and asked that a similar
analysis by tenure status (or comparable position), discipline, race, gender
and age for each of the University’s campuses be prepared by the
February 2007 meeting of the Board.
4. The Committee returned to consideration of policy for Emeritus/Emerita.
A. The Committee confirmed that approved policies are in place for conferral
of Emeritus/Emerita status for the position of Trustee (Attachment 5). No
record can be found of policies for conferral of Emeritus/Emerita status for
the positions of Chancellor or President. Toni Murdock Toni Murdock
was asked to look into this question with the assistance of David Weaver
and report back to the Committee.
B. As noted under 2.B., above, the OLC is working with Laurien Alexandre
to prepare an amendment of existing policy for conferral of
Emeritus/Emerita status on faculty. In accordance with the directive of the
Board of Trustees, the amended criteria will require evidence of
meritorious performance.
5. Laurien Alexandre Laurien Alexandre and Toni Murdock led the Committee
in a discussion of policy with respect to program review.
A. Currently, only those specific academic programs that require external
professional accreditation (e.g., accreditation of psychology doctoral
programs by the American Psychological Association) are reviewed in a
systematic fashion, and, once reviewed, are no longer specifically
reviewed by the University.
B. Toni made clear that henceforth ALL academic programs within the
University should be subject to regular review of their quality, relevance,
and status. Furthermore, these reviews should be conducted in light of
the recently approved University mission statement.
C. Currently there are no common standards across all campuses for award
of the bachelor’s degree. There should be comparable standards for B.A.
degree completion across all campuses of the University. It is understood
Minutes of the Academic Affairs Committee
Williamstown, MA
August 26, 2006
PageS
that the standard for Antioch College may be different than that applied
to the nonresidential campuses, but standards at the nonresidential
campuses should be uniform, and all undergraduate degree programs
should be held to high quality standards.
D. It is an enormous burden on the faculty and administration to undertake
serious academic program review. This will have to be accomplished in
cycles, a few programs at a time.
6. The Committee then took up the issue of assessment of student learning
outcomes.
A. Dan Fallon reminded the Committee of a key element in the renewal plan
that called for rigorous externally-validated assessment outcomes of the
general and liberal education expectations for graduates of Antioch
College.
B. Rick Jurasek stated his intention to provide a written report on the
assessment of the first-year learning communities before February 1, 2007.
C. Rick Jurasek reported that the faculty, under the leadership of Dean of
Faculties Andrzej Bloch.. is now developing a plan for assessment of
general and liberal education outcomes for College students.
D. Laurien AlexandreLaurien Alexandre reported that, at the request of the
College, Antioch University Southern California faculty member Jon
Wergin will be leading a university-wide retreat on assessment of student
learning outcomes.
7. The Committee concluded the meeting with a discussion of several items.
A. Toni Murdock Toni Murdock reported that she will be reviewing policies
with respect to the terms and conditions of contracts. At present
on the nonresidential campuses, for example, twelve-month contracts are
now the norm. Toni pointed out that at most similar institutions such
contracts are usually for ten months. She plans to regularize contracts of
academic-year employees at ten months across the University.
B. A “Teach-in” is being organized for October 5, 2006, “Guantanamo Day,”
in part through a request for participation by Sherwood Guernsey. The
ULC approved Sherwood’s proposal and planning is moving forward on
all campuses. Each campus president will separately approve activity on
that president’s campus.
C. The Committee expressed its interest in learning more about the proposed
“University Commons,” as proposed in a position paper by Laurien
Alexandre. One important question of interest to the Committee is the
extent to which academic services will be part of the commons. Laurien
Minutes of the Academic Affairs Committee
Williamstown, MA
August 26, 2006
Page 6
agreed to provide a status report on the commons at the February meeting
of the Board. Laurien indicated that the first area of exploration will be
about access to library resources across all campuses of the University,
and she will ask for a librarian to be present when she gives her progress
report. Steve Lawry asked that the academic deans be an integral part of
the discussion of the university conunons from the outset and Laurien
provided assurance that this would be the case. It was agreed that the
University Commons would form the focus for the next retreat of the
Academic Affairs Committee in summer 2007.
D. The Committee responded to Toni Murdock’s request for advice and
counsel with respect to The Antioch Review. There was consensus that this
literary journal was a positive asset to the University, and was regarded as
its flagship publication. Nonetheless, several members of the Committee
expressed concern about the present quality of the journal. Toni indicated
that her inquiries revealed that there was little or no external review of
entries accepted for publication in the Review, and that she would
undertake an assessment of the status, staffing, and operation of the
journal with an eye to increasing its quality, distribution, and visibility in
the scholarly community as well as with the public at large. The .
Committee expressed support for such an assessment and appreciation for
Toni’s initiative.
8. The Meeting was adjourned at 3:00 p.m.
Action Items
*** For the Academic Affairs Committee meeting at the November 2006 Board meeting
in Yellow Springs:
• Steve Lawry – Analysis of faculty at Antioch College by tenure status, academic
discipline, age, gender, and race.
• Toni Murdock – In consultation with David Weaver, report on existence or lack
thereof of Emeritus/Emerita policy for position of Chancellor or President.
*** For the Academic Affairs Committee meeting at the February 2007 Board meeting in
Santa Barbara:
• Laurien – (1) Status report on Trustee Resolution 10.22.05:20; (2)
Proposed amendment in response to Trustee Resolution 10.22.05: 19; (3) In the company
of a campus librarian.. a status report on the University Commons. .
• Rick Jurasek – Report on assessment of effectiveness of learning community
instruction.
• Toni Murdock – Analysis of faculty at all campuses of Antioch University by tenure
status (or comparable position), academic discipline, age, gender, and race.
Minutes of the Academic Affairs Conunittee
Williamstown, MA
August 26, 2006
Attachment 1
(Minutes of Academic Affairs Committee, August 26, 2006)
Page 7
Approved _x_
RESOLUTION
10.22.05:20
WHEREAS, traditions within Antioch College and Antioch University have
honored the value of rigorous outcomes-based validation of knowledge and
perfonnance; and
WHEREAS;the standards of the academy have in recent years also moved toward
an emphasis on persuasive evidence ‘as a means of public accountability, as
expressed, for example, by Criterion 3 on student learning and effective teaching
of the standards for accreditation by the North Central Association of Schools and
Colleges, which states, “the organization provides evidence of student teaching
and teaching effectiveness that demonstrates it is fulfilling its educational
mission'” and,
WHEREAS, faculty resources within Antioch College and Antioch University are
continuously being reconfigured to meet the needs of a changing society for higher
education;
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, THAT:
I. The Chancellor and the administration of Antioch University are
requested to conduct a review of policies for faculty performance
review and of the status of current ranks and contractual conditions of
employment throughout the University, and to prepare for the Board of
Trustees a comprehensive set of policies for the Board to consider for
approval; and
2. The proposed policies shall contain, at a minimum, provision for
evaluations provided by qualified scholarly peers external to Antioch
University of the accomplishments and qualifications of any faculty
recommended to the Board for an appointment that conveys the
contractual obligations associated with tenure; and
Minutes of the Academic Affairs Committee
Williamstown. MA
August 26, 2006
PageS
3. The Chancellor and the administration of Antioch University are
requested as tliey prepare the policies to consider the following ideas:
(a) External evaluation for faculty recommended for
appointment to rank of high stature, such as Professor,
Distinguished Professor, Professor Emeritus or Professor
Emerita; and
(b) . Clear performance-based thresholds for each rank, inclusive
of a system for evidentiary criteria to be presented and
evaluated for each threshold, with benchmarks for
qualification by rank; and
(c) In the case of campuses with agreements to maintain
unranked faculty positions or no formal system of academic
tenure, a criterion-based evaluation system for evidence to
be considered for renewal of term contracts extending
beyond six years of continuous service; and
(d) Creation of some form of university-wide faculty position,
not specifically linked to anyone campus, and available
onjy to a small number of faculty (for example, no more
than seven), who shall have experience as long-term faculty
teaching at one or more campuses of Antioch University,
and which shall have some form oflong-term job security
that is not the same as the formal contractual obligations of
academic tenure; and
(e) Provision for removal of any faculty member at any campus,
or from the University at large, for due cause, with
customary guarantees for the protection of academic
freedom and of due process within formal hearings; and
(I) Acknowledgement of the warrant possessed by the
University to release faculty from any campus of the
University, or the University at large, for reasons of
financial exigency, irrespective of contract appointment
status; and
(g) Integration of faculty personnel policies and procedures with
strategic planning considerations, as, for example, in
Minutes of the Academic Affairs Committee
Williamstown, MA
August 26, 2006
Page 9
shaping the academic profile of the faculty to meet the needs
of a designed curriculum, inclusive of the University’s right
to reassign faculty from the unit to which they are currently
assigned to another unit with a different mission; and
4. Such a set of proposed policies shall be presented no later than
December 31, 2007.
Minutes of the Academic Affairs Committee
Williamstown, MA
August 26,2006
Attachment 2
(Minutes of Academic Affairs Committee, August 26, 2006)
Page 10
_x_ Approved
RESOLUTION
10.22.05:19
WHEREAS, Antioch University is currently without a University policy on
the conferral of the title Emeritus to University faculty; and
WHEREAS, more than one campus has requested clarification of policy so
that the title Emeritus might be appropriately bestowed on faculty; and
WHEREAS, the Academic Affairs Committee has received and positively
evaluated a proposal for such a policy from the University Leadership
Council;
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLYEO THAT: The policy attached to this
resolution, entitled”Antioch University Emeritus Faculty Policy” be
adopted by the Board of Trustees as policy governing conferral of the title
Emeritus on faculty of Antioch University; and
WHEREAS, the title Emeritus means by virtue of merit, and is Widely
regarded in the academic world as a title of special stature and distinction;
THEREFORE, BE IT FURTHER RESOLYEO THAT, the Academic Affairs
Committee, in consultation with the ULC, and no later than February 28,
2007, is directed to bring to the Board an amendment to the policy attached
to this resolution to the effect that recommendations for Emeritus status
require review of evidence that the faculty member’s teaching, service, and
scholarship have been of meritorious character.
Minutes of the Academic Affairs Committee
Williamstown, MA
August 26, 2006
Attachment 3
(Minutes of Academic Affairs Committee, August 26, 2006)
ANTIOCH UNIVERSITY EMERITUS FACULTY POLICY
[Existing, pending new policy to be introduced 2007]
A faculty member (core or ranked) shall be eligible for Emeritus status if
the faculty member and has fulfilled !he following conditions:
(1) has completed at least ten (10) years of full-time service at one or
more of the campuses of Antioch University;.
(2) is at least 60 years old or is permanently disabled.
Page 11
Recommendations for Emeritus status must be made through the academic
governance structure of the campus and approved by the campus President.
Privileges to be enjoyed as a result of Emeritus status depend on the
campus. The range of privileges may include some or all of those
identified below, and/ or others so designated by the campus:
• Listing in campus catalog;
• Participation in ceremonial activities, such as commencement;
• Campus newsletters and other materials forwarded to home address;
• Continuation of an e-mail account;
•Library privileges;
• Office space, if available;
•Invitation to faculty meetings and retreats, when/ if appropriate;
•Free admission to special events;
•Teaching a course or courses upon agreement with campus dean or CAD;
•Access to office services at minimal cost, as available and determined
by the campus President or CAO
Minutes of the Academic Affairs Committee
Williamstown, MA
August 26, 2006
Attachment 4
(Minutes of Academic Affairs Committee, August 26, 2006)
THE MISSION OF ANTIOCH UNIVERSITY
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Antioch University is founded on principles of
rigorous liberal arts education, innovative experiential learning
and socially engaged citizenship.
The multiple campuses of the University nurture in their
students the knowledge, skills and habits of reflection
to excel as lifelong learners, democratic leaders and
global citizens who live lives of meaning and purpose.
I
Minutes of the Academic Affairs Committee
Williamstown, MA
August 26, 2006
Attachment 5
(Minutes of Academic Affairs Committee, August 26, 2006)
CRITERIA FOR TRUSTEE EMERITUSIEMERITA
Page 13
Trusteeship emeritus/ emerita status may be conferred upon a past trustee
in recognition of distinguished service and consistent, exceptional dedication to
the mission of Antioch University. An emeritus/ emerita trustee will have
demonstrated outstanding personal commitment to preserving the University
and advancing its goals through extraordinary generosity, spirit and leadership_
S/he serves with a voice but not vote.
Specific criteria:
1. Serve at least ten years on the board
2. Demonstrate leadership on at least two major committees
3. Exemplary fundraising capacity either through personal gifts and/ or
attracting major gifts
4. Support major university initiatives that demonstrably move the
institution forward.
The privileges and responsibilities of a trustee emeritus trustee include:
1. Promoting the mission, vision and values of Antioch University.
2. Engaging in fundraising for the University
3. Attending meetings of the Board of Trustees, participating in its
deliberations in an ex-officio capacity without vote.
4. Serving on standing or special committees of the Board at the pleasure
of the chair
5. Serving as an ambassador of the University to its students, faculty,
staff and other interested parties and the public at large.
6. Supporting the academic programs, experiential learning
opportunities and civic engagement of the University.
7. Understanding the difference between an emeritus trustee and a sitting
trustee.
Procedure:
A candidate is nominated to the Trusteeship Committee, followed by review and
the nomination is forwarded to the full Board. Emerita/us status is confirmed by
majority vote of the Board.
