FACULTY
COUNCIL
Tuesday, May 16, 2006
3:30-5:00 p.m.
Penn State Room, 337 IMU
Members Present: Gloria Bulechek, Chris Catney, Michael Cohen, Virginia Dominquez, David
Drake, Paul Heidger, Steve McGuire, Frank Mitros, Michael O’Hara, Catherine
Ringen, Linda Snetselaar, Downing Thomas, Brad Thompson, James Tomkovicz
Members Absent:
Linda Boyle, Donna D’Alessandro, Vicki Grassian, Jarjisu Sa-Aadu,
Members Excused: Jerold Woodhead
Guests: Charlie
Drum (University Relations),
I.
Call to Order
President
Kurtz called the meeting to order at 3:30
II. Approvals
A.
Meeting Agenda
The
meeting agenda was approved by consent.
B.
Faculty Council
Minutes, April 11, 2006
The
meeting agenda was approved by consent with minor corrections.
III.
Reports
A. Faculty Senate
President, Sheldon Kurtz
President Kurtz requested that Councilors meet with
constituent groups on May 18 to discuss qualifications for the Athletic
Director search. Professor McGuire added that NCAA faculty representative,
Betsy Altmaier, values faculty guidance and concern for academics and
athletics.
C.
Presidential
Search Vice Co-Chairs, Katherine Tachau and Francois Abboud
President Kurtz introduced Presidential Search and
Screen Committee Vice Co-Chairs Professor Tachau and Dr. Francois Abboud.
President Kurtz invited them to share with the Council the current status of
the search.
Dr. Abboud expressed his commitment to finding the
very best president for the job. The committee is interested in working with a
wide range of faculty and students to ensure that constituencies are well
represented. Dr. Abboud asserted that it is important to have a large pool of
distinguished candidates that can be recruited by faculty, not solely by the
search committee. Professor Tachau echoed Dr. Abboud’s comments and reported
that the search committee worked well together. She added that in previous
presidential searches all top candidates were generated by faculty and
suggested that a good starting point would be for colleges to track alumni in
academia and to suggest their names for the applicant pool. The search
committee desires a long-term president.
Professor Tachau reported the committee’s starting
point as meeting with various constituents to learn what they think is
important during the search. They have met with the African American Council
and the Council on the Status of Latinos. The committee is drafting the job
description by utilizing the description from the search for the most immediate
past-president and deciding on necessary changes. Professor Tachau and Dr.
Abboud then queried the Council for ideas in both the job description and the
search. Main points of discussion included:
·
Gender equity. Issues of
equity should be a prime focus for the candidate. The search committee should identify the
candidates’ views on the issue.
·
Search
criteria. The committee is augmenting
the previous search criteria. Professor Tachau stressed the importance for
Councilors to mention elements that may seem self-evident, because such issues may
have been overlooked or not fully discussed.
·
Academic
sensibilities. To find a President
with strong academic sensibilities, the committee should search amongst
provosts and assistant administrators, particularly in universities with
medical schools. Provosts are usually accomplished both in administration and
in the academic community. Professor Tachau requested that Councilors network
with colleagues at other institutions to learn how they feel about their
provosts as potential presidents.
·
Role of Vice
Co-Chairs. Professor McGuire stated
his belief that great power had been invested in both the Co-chairs and they
are able to define the mechanisms in which we screen and bring candidates into
the process. Search Chair and Regent Wahlert seems to understand the importance
of faculty in generating potential candidates, which suggests that Regent
Wahlert has confidence in the faculty. This confidence should be maintained by
utilizing the Council to remain informed and, in turn, educate the campus both
horizontally and vertically. Horizontally, Council members should attend forums
and bring discussion to their colleges for peer input. This may generate a
level of investment. Vertically, the quality of forum discussions will inform
our success.
·
Role of Chair. Professor Tachau described the role of the chair as
similar to chairing any department or group, and as yet the precise definition
is evolving. Mutual trust has been
established and the committee is able to engage in frank discussion. Professor
Tachau expressed optimism for mutual respect.
·
Athletics and
academic health center. It is
important to find a president who is experienced in dealing with athletics and
academic health centers. Additionally,
the University has a strong liberal arts college alongside a strong college of
medicine. This is a facet which any candidate would have to respect to lead and
to understand the uniqueness of
·
Time frame. Dr. Abboud expressed the committee’s desire to
expedite the search as quickly as possible. The search firm representative will
be on campus June 1, and it is hoped that a new president will be named by the
end of December. Professor Tachau added that the committee has not set any
deadlines, but names may be forwarded immediately. Professor Tachau requested
that names be sent to both the search committee and the vice co-chairs. A
website will be available that will offer information for nominating
candidates.
·
Scope of
search. The scope of the search
should not be limited to provosts and vice presidents nor to people who are
currently university employees.
Professor Dominguez stated that first, it may be increasingly difficult
to find qualified women, and second, there are a number of related institutions
with potential candidates who have distinguished themselves through their
management of other intellectual operations. Additionally, liberal arts college
vice presidents may also be highly qualified.
·
Dual campus. Professor Kurtz encouraged the committee to find
someone comfortable in both liberal arts and health sciences. He suggested
pursuing a person from arts and sciences that could understand the health
science side, but cautioned against the reverse. He asserted that liberal arts
should remain at the core of who we are as an institution.
·
Scholar vs.
administrator. Many points were
discussed regarding the importance for the president to be experienced in
managing complex organizations, and academic administration must be stressed.
However, many felt that a background in scholarship is critical. Professor
Tachau was unsure about how the Regent members felt on this issue, but the
emerging search criteria should address this.
·
Compensation. Professor Kurtz requested that the searchcommittee be
reminded that presidential compensation not generated by the Regents but The
University of Iowa. He stressed the importance of compensating the president
fairly and in relations to our peers. This has been addressed by the search
committee, and the Board of Regents is aware that The University of Iowa has
different peer institutions than the other state schools.
·
Faculty needs. The president should understand the needs of faculty
and how to work with faculty. Not all non-academic administrators know the
inner workings of academia and how to relate to faculty needs.
·
Vision. The president should set an agenda that will
challenge the university and inspire faculty and students.
·
Outreach. The president should view The University of Iowa as
part of the State of
VI. From the floor
There
was no business from the floor.
VII.
Announcements
There
were no announcements.
VIII.
Adjournment
President
Kurtz adjourned the meeting at 5:00.