The University Record, February 21, 2000

LS&A Meeting Roundup

By Theresa Maddix

Dean Shirley Neuman brought proposed changes to the Faculty Code and faculty meeting schedule to the Jan. 10 LS&A faculty meeting. Jill Becker, assistant to the dean for faculty affairs, presented the changes.

The proposal calls for four faculty meetings each year instead of eight. Most meetings have low attendance, and the Faculty Code provides for the calling of special meetings when requested by petition.

Other changes would update the procedures, committees and titles in the Code that are no longer in use or that have changed in practice due to Regental rules or federal law.

Other proposed changes include:

  • Section Two: (h) Part of the section states: “A distinguished university professorship shall be held by the appointee during the period of active service as a member of the faculty of the University, with the understanding that upon the termination of active service the position and title shall be vacated.” The proposed change would modify this section to read “A distinguished university professorship title may be retained after retirement.”

    (i) A change from “College Professorships” to “Collegiate Professorships” and the removal of the final sentence: “No former colleague may be recommended for a named chair until two years have elapsed after his/her death or retirement.”

  • Section Four: Eliminating the current section on retirement and replacing with “The College of Literature, Science, and the Arts subscribes to all University of Michigan policies regarding retirement.” Mandatory retirement is a violation of federal law and the University’s central administration governs retirement procedures. A separate policy is unnecessary.

  • Section Six: Changing the wording from Associate Dean for Curriculum—the position no longer exists—to Dean’s Delegate, and changing references to the Pilot Program and the Residential College to “all Living Learning Programs that are administered by LS&A.”

    The Entire Code—Change “Vice President for Academic Affairs” to “Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs;” change references from “Pilot Program-Residential College” to “LS&A Living-Learning Programs.”

    Deleting the following sections also is proposed as these are no longer standing committees: Sec. 8: The Steering Committee on Admissions, Sec. 11: Advisory Committee for College Publications, Sec. 12: Committee on Examinations, and Sec. 13: Committee on Teacher Education and Certification.

    Alice Reinharz, director of LS&A Academic Advising Center, proposed changes in the Code, as well. She asked that the current name “LS&A Academic Information and Publications” be used instead of “LS&A Checkpoint,” and that references to the “LS&A Academic Counseling Office” be changed to “LS&A Academic Advising Center.” She also asked for a switch in wording from “LS&A counselors” to “LS&A academic advisers.”