Issues in Progress
President's Commission
on the Status of Minorities
Much of the commission's Feb. 23 meeting revolved around planning a Universitywide
colloquium on affirmative action. Chair-elect David Patton passed out a
tentative schedule developed at an executive committee meeting for the April
2 event, and members discussed details and assigned tasks.
Members agreed the colloquium should focus on what works in affirmative
action and "coming to terms with how the University is going to implement
its own affirmative action policies." They discussed topics for breakout
sessions, including recruitment, retention and development of faculty, students
and staff; curriculum; internationalization; responding to the policy's
critics; and strategic planning.
Calvin Banks, chair of the travel fund, passed out a report on this year's
fund recipients. He noted the decision to establish a single award amount
worked well. "Clarifying the amounts up front seemed to give a more
realistic expectation [of awards]," he said. He recommended continuing
the process. Travel fund recipients are: Natasha Barnes, assistant professor
of English; Huiman Barnhart, assistant professor of biostatistics, Rollins
School; Anandhi Bharadwaj, assistant professor of decision information analysis,
Goizueta School; Teresa Fry Brown, assistant professor of homiletics, Candler
School; Dorcas Doward, administrative assistant, Black Church Studies, Candler
School; Tianquan Lian, assistant professor of chemistry; and Jennifer Obidah,
assistant professor of educational studies.
After discussing this and other business, the commission viewed the videotape
"Shattering the Silences," a look at academic life through the
eyes of eight minority faculty. The commission plans to screen the film
at the affirmative action colloquium.
The next meeting of the PCSM will be held March 23 at 3 p.m. in 405 Administration
Building.
-Stacey Jones
Addendum: The commission announced March 4 that the affirmative action
symposium will be postponed until fall due to scheduling conflicts of President
Bill Chace and Interim Provost Rebecca Chopp.
University Senate
President Bill Cody convened the meeting Feb. 24 in The Carter Center's
Cecil B. Day Chapel. Joyce Jones, director of educational programs for the
center, welcomed Senate members and gave a brief overview of The Carter
Center and its many activities.
Cody called for approval of minutes and introduced President Bill Chace,
who spoke on the University's endowment and what it does and does not signify
for Emory's annual budget. He also talked about his plans to restructure
the budgetary authority of the provost.
Alice Benston and Rudolph Byrd of the honorary degrees committee presented
a short list of candidates and described briefly the backgrounds of each.
The Senate will vote on honorary degree recipients at its March meeting.
Frances Lucas-Tauchar, dean of Campus Life, addressed the Senate to outline
her division's major goals and philosophies. She said first and foremost
Campus Life staff, including some 90 professionals spread across 22 departments,
consider themselves educators, seeking to teach students by setting examples.
Lucas-Tauchar added her staff tries to challenge students while supporting
them and also attempts to connect its programs to the University's curriculum
however it can.
Lucas-Tauchar introduced new Dean of Students Darnita Killian, who gave
background on herself and talked about her interest in helping to create
a community of learning at Emory.
Sidney Stein reported the fringe benefits committee's efforts to try
to prevent identity theft by asking Prudential to keep track of its health
insurance members through other means than Social Security numbers, which
are printed on EmoryCare and PruCare insurance cards. The company claimed
its computer system could not be adapted to deal with new identification
numbers now or in the immediate future, Stein said, and the Senate discussed
several alternatives. Stein said his committee will do more research and
report again at a future meeting.
Luke Johnson discussed The Carter Center's faculty liaison program and
urged faculty members to look into participating. The program is especially
important, Johnson said, "to develop a network of knowledge and cooperation
between Emory and The Carter Center, particularly as we enter the next generation
of the center's existence."
Jonathan Freimann, outgoing president of the Student Government Association,
thanked the Senate for its work and support during his tenure and introduced
his successor, Chuck Divine.
Cody called for officer nominees for the Senate's 1998-99 term and announced
the executive committee has nominated John Boli for president-elect and
David Pacini for a second term as secretary. The Senate will vote on new
officers at its next meeting, March 24 in Cox Hall.
-Michael Terrazas
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