George Mason University

Minutes of the Executive Committee Meeting

October 20, 2004

Present: J. Bennett, L. Brown, R. Coffinberger, E. Elstun, D. Kuebrich, J. Sanford and

L. Schwartzstein

Absent: M. Ferri

Chair Jim Bennett opened the meeting at 10:00 am.

I. Approval of Minutes

The minutes of September 29, 2004 were approved as distributed.

II. Announcements

Jim Bennett commented that it was a sad commentary on contemporary society that the George Mason University Police carry guns on campus.

III. Old Business

A. Academic Policies

The only carryover item for the Academic Policies Committee is the approval process for interdisciplinary programs. The Committee will also follow-up with the Task Force on the Teacher/Course Evaluation Pilot Program. The Academic Policies Committee has designated Cliff Sutton as Chair effective January 2005, replacing Esther Elstun for the remainder of the 2004 – 2005 academic year.

B. Budget & Resources

The Budget & Resources Committee has on-going work concerning faculty salary reports, compensation issues, and alternative severance options. The Committee met with Provost Stearns and Assistant Provost Rossell to learn more about the process of solving salary equity problems.

The possible disbursement of new salary funds to correct inequities was discussed from the perspective that the Faculty Senate was not consulted for its recommendations, as has been the custom.

C. Faculty Matters

The only carryover item for the Committee is summer school salaries. The Executive Committee reviewed the different aspects of the data complied by Rick Coffinberger. The overlap of some issues with the Budget & Resources Committee resulted in the request that the Chairs of both Budget & Resources and Faculty Matters have a joint meeting with Provost Peter N. Stearns.

D. Nominations

The election of Chairs of the University Committees is ongoing.

E. Organizations & Operations

The new Organizations & Operations Committee will consider the Library Resolution that was created over the summer. Jim Sanford raised the question of a revision of the Faculty Handbook.

IV. New Business

1. The Executive Committee expressed concern to Linda Schwartzstein on how the restructuring of the College of Arts and Sciences and the School of Computational Sciences is being attended to by many different committees with these committees having a small part/say in what is being decided.

V. Adjournment

The meeting adjourned at 10:55 am.

Respectfully submitted,

Marylou Masiyowski

Clerk, Faculty Senate