1. Call to Order- The chair, Doug Cherkauer, called the meeting to order at 9:06 a.m in Holton Hall 141.
   
   
2. II. Automatic Consent
1. Minutes #3, 2003-2004 (December 12, 2003) were approved unanimously
   
   
3. Procedural Matters - None
   
   
4. Old Business
1. Discussion of Role of Assessment - Dean Meadows told members of the committee that at the present moment the Governor has not proposed any additional budget cuts. He expressed his view that if student enrollments continue to increase the university will be okay.

   Mark Amsler gave a brief summary of the APBC's decision to veto the proposed program priorities by the Provost. He mentioned that the proposal may be reconsidered at a later date. Dean Meadows handed out copies of an email message from the Provost in which he asked the Deans to write brief statements outlining specific benefits of the proposals they support. Members of the Committee expressed concern that the Provost will go ahead with his proposal without faculty approval. The Committee members agreed that such decisions should not be made until a new chancellor is appointed.

   The Committee expressed concern that L&S priorities are being ignored in the Provost's plan and that the plan seemed to come out of the Academic Deans Council rather than through traditional governance processes. In addition, concern was expressed about the development of a plan without first clarifying campus priorities. There was a great deal of discussion about the problems with focusing on national rankings. After much discussion, the Committee agreed that a letter expressing the following concerns be sent to the Provost:

   1. the need to focus on defining campus priorities;
   2. problems with a focus on national rankings;
   3. role of Dean's Council in recommending specific proposals;
   4. the appropriateness of starting new initiatives rather than following through on new programs already started;
   5. the need to give greater attention to the core research mission of the university.
      
      
   Doug, Mark, and Stacey agreed to meet to draft a letter and send copies via email to members for review.
   
   
5. Adjournment - The Committee set its next meeting on January 20 at 9:00 am. Mark Amsler and Donald Solomon will present the views of the APC at the next APBC meeting. The meeting was adjourned at 10:20 a.m.
   
   
   

Respectfully submitted,

Connie Jo
Special Assistant to the Dean
Secretary to the L&S Faculty

Distribution: Dean G. Richard Meadows
Associate Deans Harris, Miller, O'Bryan, Schuster
Assistant Deans Horstman, Kissinger
Secretary to the University

Minutes #4, 2003-04.apc