University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
College of Letters and Science
1997-98
Academic Planning Committee
Minutes No. 4
Wednesday, December 16, 1998
| Present: |
Marc Ethridge, Mark Harris, Patricia Kissinger (ex officio), Pat Mellencamp, Julio Rodriguez-Luis, Craig Sandgren, Mark Schwartz |
| Excused: |
Alice Gillam, Erl Olfe (ex officio), Leonard Parker, Ron Ross |
| Guest: |
Connie Jo, David Pritchard |
The Chair, Mark Schwartz, called the meeting to order at 1:10 p.m. in Holton 241.
- Procedural Matters - None
- Automatic Consent - Minutes #2 and #3 were approved.
- Old Business - PAR Recommendations
Mark Schwartz explained that the purpose of the meeting was to continue discussion of the PAR recommendations. The Women's Studies Program and the Department of Mass Communication have sent planning statements to the College that they wish to have the APC review; copies of these documents were distributed with the agenda.
There was general discussion about the Committee's role vis-à-vis the planning process in general. Members did not feel they had a clear idea of its responsibilities. In addition, the Committee normally receives information about position requests so shortly before the deadline for its recommendations that a careful review of department plans as part of the process of reviewing requests is not possible. Members decided to consider asking for the position requests earlier. Some members expressed concerns about the process becoming too cumbersome if all department chairs wished to make personal presentations to the Committee. Members agreed to hear from the Committee's guest, David Pritchard, and to return to discussion of this matter following that.
David Pritchard noted that Mass Communication is one of four programs at the undergraduate level and the only one at the graduate level in the College identified in the PAR process as in need of strengthening. The Department's enrollments are up 50% in two years, an increase that he ascribes to curricular revisions that demand more from students. The Department is requesting 4.5 new positions to serve the increased student interest.
Committee members returned to a discussion of the need for this kind of information from other departments prior to considering position requests. It was agreed that the Committee would send a letter to departments asking for a preliminary summary of the departments' needs as a cover to resource requests. There will be time for revision of these summary statements prior to the submission of requests. The statements should be no more than two pages long and should address the following:
- statements about things that needed to be done made by PAR reviewers that received no subsequent attention;
- the state of the department;
- what needs does the department have, based on all reviews done, not just the PAR; i.e. what is limiting the department and how will new resources help;
- any other matters related to position requests of which the Committee should be aware.
Mark Schwartz will draft the letter and circulate it via email for comments and suggestions.
- New Business - None
- Committee members agreed that a January meeting to discuss the PAR further was not needed. The meeting was adjourned at 2:15 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Connie Jo
Special Assistant to the Dean and
Distinguished Advisor
Secretary to the L&S Faculty
Distribution: Committee Members
L&S Deans
L&S Committee Chairs
Professor David Pritchard
Secretary of the University
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