EDUCATIONAL POLICIES MEETING SUMMARY

September 16, 1996

Attending: Susan Whitney, Chair; Elizabeth Baranger; Jack W. Birch; J.R. Blachère; J.T. Cain; Tom Metzger; Susan Neuman; Tony Silvestre

Absent: David Crossman; Jack Daniel; Barbara Fredette; Kate Freed; Keith McDuffie; Erika Nanz; Glen Nelson; Sharon Nelson-Legall

1. Dr. Whitney called the meeting to order at 1 pm. She described the role of the committee and reviewed the activities of the committee during the past year. She stated that she will send a list of committee members and a description of the committee's roles and responsibilities with the minutes.

2. Dr. Whitney opened discussion of the draft of the Report of the University Capitol Planning Report with a description of the report. She noted that the plan finally approved will be sent to the appropriate city agency for review and approval. The plan is designed to be in effect for ten years. The draft has been discussed with the Faculty Assembly and the Senate. She stated that she believed that Deans and some department heads have also reviewed the draft. The draft is also available at University libraries. It appears that the reviews of the draft being carried out at the University are advisory in nature.

3. The following points were made during the discussion; related points have been combined:

a. The report refers to classroom standards. Dr. Birch suggested that we ask that the committee be sent a copy of baseline standards if they have been established. The committee asked that the report discuss the need for "user" involvement in the review and updating of standards as well as plans for ongoing maintenance and upgrading of classrooms.

b. Classroom renovations are scheduled to occur each year. The committee indicated that it supports hastening renovations and affirming that upgrading teaching facilities is the highest priority.

c. The committee expressed satisfaction that many of the concerns of the committee including improvements in libraries, classrooms, and student registration have been addressed by the report.

d. The committee discussed the need for more attention to student intellectual and physical life issues such as recreational facilities.

e. The committee asked that the use of rental space to house research faculty and staff for long periods of time while they work on a series of research projects be analyzed and reported.

Dr. Whitney agreed to write the committee's response to the report and to circulate it to members for a final review.

4. Founders Day

Dean Jamison of the Annenberg School of Communication will be our speaker. The focus will be language. A number of topics for the panel have been suggested. They include how children learn language, the loss of language skills, and language simulation. The sub-committee is beginning discussion of speakers for next year. Committee members interested in serving on the subcommittee or who have suggestions for next year should contact Dr. Whitney. In addition, she agreed to send a notice to the University Times asking for suggestions for speakers.

The committee adjourned at 2:30 pm.

The Committee will meet on October 21, 1996 from 1 pm to 2:30 pm in 6035 Forbes Tower.