The Graduate U-Council

MINUTES

Minutes of a meeting of the Council of the Princeton University Community, February 14, 2000. In the absence of the President, the Provost chaired the meeting. Present were Ms. Abrams-Primack, Mr. Allard, Professor Augst, Mr. Bailey, Ms. Bedford, Mr. Berneman, Dean Deignan, Mr. DeRose, Mr. Ditter, Mr. Dressner, Mr. Fattorossa, Mr. Garcia, Ms. Halliday (secretary), Ms. Ham, Ms. Hargittai, Mr. Harris, Ms. Igo, Mr. Jagtap, Mr. Kim, Mr. Miller, Professor Muldoon, Mr. Nemeroff, Provost Ostriker, Mr. Primer, Ms. Rosen, Dr. Spies, Professor Socolow, Rev. Strasburger, Mr. Vere, Mr. Wright. Absent were Professor Babby, Professor Bergman, Ms. Briggs, Professor Craeger, Mr. Creesy, Professor Duffy, Professor Glucksberg, Ms. Joyner, Professor Li, Ms. Makuchowski, Dean Malkiel, Dr. Marks, Professor Martonosi, Professor Mendelberg, Ms. Muller-Landau, Professor Page, Professor Page, Dr. Riley, Professor Rouse, President Shapiro, Mr. Weidlick, Professor Wildberg.

Search for a Chief Student Affairs Officer

The Provost chaired the meeting in the absence of the President. He called for questions, and hearing none, he introduced the first agenda topic, an update on the search for the successor to Dean Janina Montero. Mr. Wright, the Vice President and Secretary, had been asked by the President to lead the search, and the Provost invited Mr. Wright to report on progress. The search committee included undergraduate and graduate students, faculty from a variety of disciplines, and administrators. The committee had reviewed the position's responsibilities as a starting point. A copy of their report can be found on the Web at http://www.princeton.edu/~vp/searchreport.htm. The Committee emphasized the important work that Dean Montero had accomplished to coordinate and connect offices that reported to her, including Athletics, Religious Life, Undergraduate Students, Health Services. The Committee wished to build on these and other strengths that were Dean Montero's legacy and enhance the collaboration with faculty, especially with Residential College masters.

The Committee had reviewed the approximately 70 applications received, and had conducted campus and telephone interviews with about 10 individuals whom the committee identified as the strongest candidates. The next step would be to narrow the list further, and invite approximately 3 individuals to meet with members of University committees and groups connected to student life as well as the President. These interviews were being scheduled for March.

One Council member asked whether the position's title would remain the same, and Mr. Wright replied that the Committee was open to changing the title to Vice President or Vice Provost for Campus Life, in part to distinguish the position from the Dean of Undergraduate Students.

Chancellor Green

Associate Provost for Planning, Allen Sinisgalli, the Director of Physical Planning, Jon Hlafter, and University Librarian Karin Trainer presented proposals for renovating Chancellor Green and East Pyne. The Provost noted with regret that because of a departmental conflict, Professor Ober, who chaired the faculty planning committee for the space, was unable to be at the meeting.

The structure was in need of fundamental and major infrastructure renovation. With the opening of the Frist Campus Center, and the burgeoning needs of the academic departments in East Pyne, the student center was scheduled to be transformed into academic space. As Mr. Hlafter's brief history of Chancellor Green suggested, that part of the structure had been created as library space, and the intention was to return the space to stacks of non-circulating core reference material for the Humanities. The facility would have much needed study space and preserve the architectural integrity of the space. Chancellor Green would help connect East Pyne and the new home of the Humanities Center which would be located in Joseph Henry House. In addition, a café at basement level would provide informal gathering space. Work was scheduled to begin June of 2001.

Discussion followed during which members of the Council and other students expressed reservations about dedication of the upper portions of Chancellor Green to library space. They argued that the University needed more informal study space that could also be used for social and performance events, just as Chancellor Green currently is intended. In response to questions about the extent of student input during the planning process, it was noted that there had been discussions with graduate students about options, and Professor Ober who chaired a planning committee for the space had established a Web site for student input. Mr. Sinisgalli referred to the competing pressures for space on campus, noting that difficult choices were the rule in making decisions about space use. Given the additional opportunities that the Frist Campus Center offered for informal study space and performance space (with the new library on the third floor, seminar rooms available in the evenings, the café and dining rooms, as well as lounge and computer cluster space throughout the building), the requirements of the Humanities departments and those using Firestone Library as well as the demonstrated need of more quiet study space were important to meet.

One graduate student suggested that Chancellor Green be renovated to serve as the Third World Center. A student leader of the Center's Governing Board commented that the needs of the Center were many and varied and that this location would not be ideal for the Center. Other students, remarking on the low level of student reaction to the Web site, suggested that students had not been consulted widely enough, and, given the strong student interest in maintaining a space similar to the current Chancellor Green, final planning should be postponed until there was more student consultation. Planning should wait at least until experience with the Frist Campus Center could be evaluated.

Noting time constraints, and the fact that the Secretary had regrettably scheduled the discussion without the important presence of Professor Ober, the Provost suggested that students who wished to discuss further plans for Chancellor Green should make arrangements to meet with him and Professor Ober.

Amendment to the Charter

On behalf of the Graduate Student Government, Mr. Vere presented for formal vote an amendment to the Charter which had been presented at the Council's January meeting. The changes would require that graduate student representatives to the Council be elected by graduate students, rather than appointed, and would change the date of elections to help assure that the process occurred in a timely manner. The amended text is as follows:

2.5 By April 30, the Graduate Student Government (GSG) shall hold elections for the vacant posts to be filled on the Council by graduate students, administered according to the bylaws of that body and publicized at least one month in advance. In no way shall the Graduate Student Government restrict who may stand for election, or limit the number of terms a graduate student may serve as a member of the Council. Elected graduate student members of the Council shall serve a term of one year, to begin at the beginning of the succeeding academic year.

Mr. Vere noted that the CPUC's Governance Committee had met to discuss the change with graduate students, and the amendment had the committee's endorsement. The Council approved the amendment unanimously.

Recommendations of the Wythes Committee

Finally, the Provost described for the Council the work of a Trustee Committee, the Wythes Committee, that for the past two years had been conducting a long-range planning study. The focus of the study was the next ten years, and the committee had been particularly interested in identifying areas where current principles, programs and policies should be maintained, and where the University might consider change. The Board had discussed the committee's recommendations, and the Trustees had requested that these be circulated to members of the broad University community for reaction and input.

The committee had adopted a mission statement which underscored the distinctiveness of Princeton as a research university that excelled in undergraduate teaching. Areas that had attracted the committee's interest and where recommendations are made include undergraduate and graduate students, financial aid, precept size and advising by faculty; the size, composition and compensation of the faculty and staff; physical and financial resources; distance learning and the Library. Because of time constraints, the Provost invited questions, remarking that the Council could return to more discussion about the report in March if they desired.

There being no further business to come before the Council, the meeting was adjourned at 6:00 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,

Ann Halliday, Secretary