Faculty Senate (2010 - 2011 minutes): 2011-02-11 meeting

2011·31 MB·English

by  George Washington University, Faculty Senate

THE GEORGE WASHINGTON I]NWERSITY
Washington, DC
\-, MINUTES OF THE REGULAR FACT]LTY SENATE
MEETING HELD ON FEBRUARY fl,20'N
INTHE STATE ROOM
Ptesent
Prcsident Knapp, Ptovost Lrrmatrr RegisuarAmundson and Parliamentadan
Chamovitz; Deans Baratt, Burke, Dolling, Feuer, and Guthde;
Ptofessots Bamhitt Biles, Castlebery, Cotdes, Corry, Costanza, Dickson,
Galston, Garcia, Garis, Hardngton, HelgertrJohnson, Klaten, Ku,
Lipscomb, McAleavey, Pagel, Patsons, Sitnon, Wilmarth, \trirtz, andYezer
Absent
Dean Btownr lntedm Deans Akman and Maggs; Professots Boyce, Flotez,
Kessmann, Rehtnanl and Shesser
CALLTO ORDER
The meeting was called to ordet by Ptesident Knapp at 2:15 p.m.
APPROVAL OFTHE MINUTES
The minutes of the meeting ofJanuary 14,2011werc approved as distdbuted.
INTRODUCTION OF RESOLUTIONS
\-
No resolutions were inttoduced.
REMARKS BYTHE CHAIRMAN OFTHE GW BOARD OF TRUSTEES
President Knapp intoduced Chaitman of the Board W. Russell Ramsey, who is an
alumnus of the Uaivetsity and is now sering his second tetm as Chairman- Mt Ramsey is
a gtaduate of the GW Business School and was also a star athlete and All-Amedcan baseball
playet during his undetgraduate years at the Univetsity.
Chairman Ramsey thanked the Senate for the invitation to s1rcak at the mee'ag.
Boatd membets have been sn gampus several days this week, beginning on Wednesday and
Thusday fot Committee meetings, dft the full Board meeting that morning. Mr. Ramsey
confitmed that he was a 1981 atumnus of the GW Business School and the first in his family
to go to college. He added that this eryetience ttansfotmed his life. After gmduating, Mr.
Ramsey said he had spent some 30 yeats as arr entnepreneur, mainly irr financiat senrices.
'fhis
cateet included wotkiog in many financial sectors on the 'sell' side, including capital
matkets, venture capital, IPO's, ,nerge$, acquisitions and business rcstructuriog in a wide
variety of businesses. Over the last ten years, Mt Ramsey said he has managed a hedge
fund with the goal of maintaining a balanced pordolio in equities in such a way that it
makes money fot the fund's investors.
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Faculty Senate Minutes, Febtuary ILZAll Page2
Mr. Ramsey recounted that he had found his way back to GW a little ovet a dozen
yearc ago when former Trustee (and now Senator) Matk Warner sharcd with him why he
pereonally had thought it was impottant to sewe on the Board of his alrna mater. Mt.
Ramsey said that he agreed to serve on the Boatd even though he had only a vague notion
of what that invohed, as he felt veqy passionate about using his skills and background to try
to help lead the Univemity to fulfill its potential.
GW is a ptivate Univercity and as such does not report to a state legislatue ot
governor. It is the largest non-government employer in the Disttict of Columbia, and also a
very large l,andovrner. While GW is not a business, it is a very latge entity with a h.rg.
number of moving pars and pieces, all otganized to furthet the Universiq/s academic
mission.
Ultimate tesponsibility fot the otgatization rests with the Boad, which holds three
tegular meetings a year as well as an annud leadership tetreat in June. The Boatd consists
of limited tetm Trustees. Trustees are elected fot four year terrns and may ser\re oo more
than three tems (12 years) in total Boatd officets ate elected annually, howevet, the Boatd
Chair is elected for a three-year term. Mt. Ramsey said he was nos, at the beginning of his
last three-year tern on the Board- With a limited tefln structure, the Boatd must constantly
ienew itself, and this year rccruitedwhat is pobably its latgest class of new Boatd membets,
from different walks of life. Among new Boatd members this yeat ate L Goldman Sachs
partner, an awatd-winning motion pictute actfess, and a fonrret acting sectetary of the
Nry. This teflects the fact that the Trustee selection process is designed to tectuit a
diverse set of people with an intercst in the Univemity who ate wiling to devote theit time
and their venture and intellectual capital to advance the Univetsity towatd its goals.
The Board presently consists of 36 memberc, the ma:rimum numbet berng 42. This
allows room for the Boatd to add individuals who wan! on a volunteet basis, to paticipate
in overseeing all of the components of the University. Even though Trustees ate not
compensated for theit serice, the Boatd is the fiduciary for all stakeholders, and thete is no
favodte child.
The Boatd could not fulfill its rcsponsibilities without the wotk of a numbet of
pemanent Cornmiffees - these include Comtnittees on the Medical Center, Itrvestmentst
Finance & Audiq Real Estate, Academic Affairs, and Exemal Relations' among otherc.
When appropdate, from tirne to time the Boatd also authodzes the fotmation of Special
Cornrnittees - one such Cornmittee was formed, for example, when Ptesident Trachtenbetg
rctired andasearch was launched to find his successor. Mt. Ramsey said he was offered the
opportunity to lead a collabomtive seatch process which involved stakeholdets ftom the
Univetsity community, including several Senate membets. 1'66 Qotnrnittee finished its
work six months ahead of schedule and tumed out to be one of the bettet e<lreriences Mt
Ramsey said he had had. This Special Committee came out of the permanent Corntnittee
on Govemance, Compensation and Nomination (GCN[) which is responsible for making
sure the Univetsiq/s governance is exetcised accotding to the Boatdts bylaws, and ensudng
that it is as transparent as possible.
Mt. Ramsey said he believes that GW's Boatd today, as a private Boatd at a ptivate
Univetsity, incorporates all of the best practices in fuIfilling its rcsponsibility to everyotre;
this includes .oment students and alumni, faculty, and of course' all of the seniot
Faculty Senate Minutes, February 11520n Page 3
adminis6ators who are reslrcnsible for carying out the academic and other missions of the
Univetsity. He added that he was prcud to say that he thought the Board has a very
rigotous and incentive-based compensation plan for all of the senior people in the
organizaion" and this has become something of a model for higher education.
Mt. Ramsey concluded his rcmatls by saying ttrat, in the year 2021, GW will
celebmte its 2fi)e birthday. GW is unique in many, many ways and has cleady articulated
its set of goals and aspirations. Mt. Ramsey said that his goal which has been stated
publicly and repeatedly, is for the Univercity to become the most admfued and rcspected
educational institution in the wodd. GW is now building on what is successfuI in each one
of its schools, each of which is changiog and has its own near-term challenges and
oppotunities.
Sevetal questions followed. Ptofessor Wirtz inquired about the composition of the
Boatd, asking how many Board membets have earned doctomtes. He also asked about the
dationship between two Cornrnittees of the Boatd - the Medical AmLi$ Committee and
Academic Atraits Qornrnittes. He said there would seem to be some oveilap betureen the
tsro in terms of academic issues and asked undet that circumstance hon, academic issues
would be resolyed.
Chaitman Ramsey asked Provost Letman to corrrmen! but said that ultimatety, most
academic issues ate the rcsponsibility of the Academic Atrairs Cotnrnittee. Prcvost Letman
said it appeated to hirn that the Academic Amnirs Qqrnrnittee deals with all of the Schools,
including the Medical School The Medical Afiairs Cotnn ittee conceflrs itself with all
aspects of the Medical Center, including the Universiqfs relationship with the Medical
Faculty Associates the Univemity Hospital and other University partnerc. In priot yeas it
\-. was not possible for the Vice President for Academic Atrairs to attend both Committee
meetings as they occured at the same tirne. Beginning this year, Comtnittee schedules
have been changed to permit the Provost's attendance at both.
The e><act answer to Prcfessot Wirtzts first question was not readily available.
Seveml Boatd memberc have M.D. and f.D. degnees, and at least three othet Boatd
memberc have earned doctorates. Ptofessor Wirtz followed up by asking if there is some
mechanism in place rcquiring that a Board member chafuing the Academic Affafus
Com'nittee have an eamed doctorate. Mr. Ramsey said he did not think the Bylaws
contained such a tequitement, but indicated he worild be open to suggestions or input
about this. Professor Wirtz said that he thought that Trustee Lydia Thomas, who is no
longet on the Boatd provided extaordinary leadeship as Chair of the Academic Amairs
Dt
Cornrnittee. Thomas's ctedibility was enhanced by het academic crcdentials and she
contdbuted a much-needed non-adrninistative academic perspective to her guidance of the
Committee's work. Professor Wirtz said that his pesonal view was that contiouing that
credibility would fos s66gthing that would be in everybody's best intercsts as that sott of
petspective and guidance is essential to the ovetsight responsibilities of the Board of
Trustees of an academic institution.
Ptofessot Pasons said that he sensed a general lack of academic stars on the Board
of Trustees and suggested that the composition of goveming boards at other institutions be
examined. Chairman Ramsey tesponded by saying \at his e-mail inbox was open to
v
suggestions about additional Board members fot consideration in the Trustee selection
nrz0tl
Faculty Senate Minutes, February Page 4
process, which is an open one. With the Univetsiqfs commitment to raising its reseatch
visibility and capability, it is particulatly desimble to recruit Ttustees with acadetnic
qualifications to the Boatd.
Professor Hetgert asked about the Boards view of the Science and Engineedng
f,smplex. Chairman Ramsey rcsponded that there has been a long history of this concept at
GW for the last 35 or 40 years. He said his first Special Boatd Comrnittee assignmerrt was to
participate in the evaluation of the old GW hospital centet and its sirc on Squate 54. Even
back then there was a notion that the Univetsity needed a blg acade*ic space. The
Univercity chose a well-regatded advisot from among some 50 intetested parties to ptovide
an opinion on the highest and best use of Square 54. The result was demolition of the old
hospital and the construction of a mixed use complex thete whete the Univetsity incured
no financial risk and would reap a 60 year income sttearn that it could use for academic
puq)oses. The hospital itself was sold to an outside entity and a new hospital facility was
constructed actoss 23d Street from Squarc 54.
The concept of the SEC tose to the top as the highest ptiotity ptoiect follow'rng a ve{y
intemctive process looking at ways to use a pmt of Squarc 54 nevenue. Therc was no doubt
that engineering facilities wete in great need of imptovement. There was also thought
about how to use a new facility in a collabotative way to meet science and engineedng
needs, and possibly obtain rcsearch revenue to help covet some of the oogoing expense of
the facility. The financial anatysis by the Boad detetmined that even if teseatch funding
could not be secured, which is not expected there ate othet possible academic uses fot the
building. Suppott fot the SEC was unanimous on the Board-
Professor Yezer congmtulated Chairman Ramsey and the Board on the decision to
sell the Hospital and their choice of Boston Propeties as the developet for Squate 54.
Professor Yezet said a matter of concem to some fac"lty is the Univetsiqfs
instructional expenditute pef student as a percentage of net tuition fevenue Pef student is
very low, standing at approximately 32.loh. This is in comparison to Geotgetoum University
roi A-".ican Univetsity who both ate at 49o/o instuctional expenditue per net tuition
dollat. Professor Yezet said he wondeted if these figues should not be looked at and the
Universiq/s business model made to look more like the competition. Chairman Ramsey
asked thi President to rcs1rcnd, and a shott discussion followed. President Knapp said it
was clear that the University is cotnrnitted to invest more resouces in irc acadernic
pdorities. The work of the Innovation Task Fotce which seels to identi$ an additional $60
-;llion per yeff for these pu{roses will help to achieve tha! as will incteased philanthrcpls
suppoft.
Ptofessor Wilmarth thanked Chairman Ramsey fot making t"ne in his very busy
schedule to address the Senate. FIe asked what the Board vievre as the gfeatest oppornrnity
for the University, and its greatest challenge, ovet the next few yearc. Chairman Ramsey
rcsponded that tle SEC, niw School of Nusing, and the new building for the School of
public Health and Health Serices will atl ptovide significant new optr ottunities fot the
Univercity. Leaderchip by th. new Deans will also be impottant in incrcasing the visibility
of GW,s academic piogta-s. Undetaking a capital campaign to obtain additional
resorrces is likely, i" tmq among other things, new endowed professorships. The
Faculty Senate Minutes, February 11\20n Page 5
oppomrnity is there to bdng the Universiqfs resorrces to bear so that GW is not
iust
keeping pace but is erqslling in prcviding the substance that everybody is looking for.
Chaitman Ramsey said he thought that if therc is a challenge, it is that GW is
ssmt.iffefl to bei.g a Univemity which would ideally be available to a[ and one that has an
apprcpdate focus on divetsity. The goal is not iust to match the Univerciqfs peer goup in
its percentage of multicultural students, but to exceed that notm. The reality is that in oider
to do that the University needs to have the resources to be able to go out and rccruit
applicants who have many othet choices.
In terms of philanthropy, Chairman Ramsey said that recently, there have been a
number of maiot gifts and more are eKp€cted in the future. These wilt be made public in
the next sevetal weels and months. These will be a sorrce of pdde to those associated with
them and ptovide teal benefits to the Univercity as has the rccent gFft by the Smith-Kogod
fatni$ for the tenovation and improvemeot of the Charles E. Smith Center. The facility is
not iust the home of basketball, but also is the home of all of Gw's 22 Division I sports. It is
a grca;t iesoruce fot all of the Univerciqfs student athletes and the Univemity will continue
to enioy it as a center fel sampus community activity because of the commitrnent and vision
of the Smith-Kogod family.
Ptofessot Bamhill noted that the Chairman was a very successfrrl entrepreneur
skilled at recogttizing opportunities and takiry advantage of them. He asked what the
Chairman sarv es rre maior opporunities for GW in the Washington D.C. atea, nationally,
and globally ovet the next ten to twenty years. Chairmaa Ramsey said that Washington
D.C. is incteasingly a regulatory and financial capital, and a center of political po*.r .od
leadeshiP in an incteasingly global wodd. He said he thought it was not a question of
whether but of whenemetging markets would dominate the economy as the gowtU engines
of the wotld. GW is uniquely positioned on many fronts and where other educational
institutions have in rccent yeats had to cut slrcndirg and make hatd financial decisions due
to the economic slirnaf6, GW is financially stnoog and has been able to keep building and
gtowing its academic progmms, as itwill continue to do in the futue.
Prcsident Knapp said that he has had a unique opporttrnity to observe the Board in
action, not iust at large fotmal meetings, but also on a day to day basis. He said that it is
importanq as has been mentioned, that whatevet the psychic re*ads may be, these are not
positions that are financially compensated. To see the amount of t'.ne and effort that goes
into the wotk of the Board and its multiple Committees and the day to day effoi of
engaging donors and connectirg G\f with important cootacts that help the Univercity
academically as well as with financial aad other kinds of support ;s irnpressive, and this is
sornsthing that colleagues do not have the opportuaity to observe frequently. Prcsident
KnaPp thanked Chairman Ramsey for taking the time to addtess the Faculty Senate, and
added that the effoms of the Chaitman and his fellow Trustees to advance the Univemity ate
very much appreciated.
Ptofessot Castlebeqy also thanked Chairman Ramsey fot coming to the Senate
meeringr and said that he has also gained a better appteciation for the Boardrs wotk on
behalf of the University through participation in sevetal Board meetings, their summer
retreat, their planning retreat, and the Academic Amair Committe., .s *ell as paticipati.g
in othet Q6rnrnittees and groups. He said he thought the Boatd,s work is very ri-it r t6
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Faculty Senate Minutes, February 11520n Page 6
that of the Senatel memberc are not compensate4 but they cate iust as much as Senate
memberc do about the University. While their wotk may be more concentated in Boatd
meetings and the Senate's work is more sprcad out, they spend as much time, if not moret
than faculty members working for the grcater good of the Univetsity. This is a very
impressive group of people, particular$ in the way they involve students' and they devote
enounous enctgy to theit task
UPDATE ON THE GW SiHOOL OF BUSINESS
Dean Doog Guthrie ptesented the update in PowetPoint fotmaq saying his rcport
wogld focus on what the vision for the Business School would be over the next 4 to 5 years.
Referiog to Chairman Ramsqfs stated goal of making GW the most admired Univesity in
the wodd, Dean Guthrie agreed that many people say that about their univercities, but he
had nevet been pat of a Univesity that has such a cornanon vision and a cornmon message.
At his former institution, Dean Guthrie said that Univetsity was very balkanized; the
Business School was built around Wdl Sueet, the Lau, School was built atound a vety
different kind of intellectual odentation, and even though werybody was doing well on theit
own, it was a very, very ftactured place. GW has a message which is a unified one, and
Dean Guthrie said that as he thought about what the Business School can be, he could not
think of a mote erciting opportunity fot a Business School at this moment' in this City.
For the better part of the last four decades, Business Schools in the United States
have tracked to focusing more and more namowly on finance. That started to change about
the turn of the century when attention was tumed to the politicd and social embeddedness
of markets - where students arc taught about the complexity of matkee and the ways in
which social and political embeddedness arc the centeqpieces of building a healthy matket
economy. Dean Guthrie added that there was no place he would mthet build that than at
GW. As Chairman Ramsey pointed out, the Nation-s Capital is now not iust the political
capital of the globat econof,1rr but it is tnrly a place whete finance and tegulatoty issues ate
centr.t. From a sociological percpective Dean Guthrie said he also thought Washington is
also a place where the notion of political embeddedness is teally key to how everything
functions in the economy. The ovemll goal for the Business School is not iust to become one
of the top 20 schools in the nation, but more important by fat, to be the best Business
School in the Natior's Capital at the cerrter of the largest economy in the wodd. If that is
achieved, the mnkings will be thete.
Dean Guthde said he had inhedted a good potdolio when he came to the School.
GW has a very strcog Intemational Business Departmeng and that is a sEength that can be
built upon. The School also wants to incrcase its ties with the Elliott School of Intemational
Atrairs. Global social responsibility will cerainly be a cornelstone of the School's offedngs.
Thete ate a numbet of faculty membets who will allow the School to seize the oppornrnity of
building a Business School on the intercection of business and public Policy, suplrcrted by a
s6ong intemationd agenda, sustainability, social tesponsibility, and leadetshiP, and ethics.
GW is the only Business School in the top 50 that offem ethics as a cole coruse.
Dean Guthrie said that when he arived at GW, the substantive pictrre of the School
looked grand to him. On the other han{ questions wete taised about the relative
underfunaiog of the School Housekeeping was also necessary to impmve the School's
tdeep
intemal fr,ancial con6ols. It was necessery to do a dive' and thinh aggt'essively
Faculty Senate Minutes, Febnrary f\201J1 PageT
about how to assess the School's crrrent state of affaits, how to undetake an organizational
restructurirg pnocess, and develop neur initiatives that would grour the School's pordolio by
about 307o. The goal fot gtowth ovet the next five yearc is to move from generafng
apptoximately $90 rnillion per year to about $120 million. It was also necessary to work with
the Univesity administation in fguriog out how new initiatives could be frrnded and
obtaining some kind of investr ent to do this, with a plan for paying back the funds. All of
these activities ultimately seamlessly link to the development of a philanthropy plan for the
School.
During the six months he has been at the University, Dean Guthrie said he worked
to develop a deep knowledge about the innerworkiogs of the School. In otdet to do this, he
met with evety single faculty member. This was a painstaking process, but Dean Guthde
said he thought it was important fot him as a new Dean to have deep knowledge about the
School develop a good sense of the direction in which it should go, and provide
transparency about these two things. The Dean acknowledged that there was a lot of
constetnation ovet what it meant that the Dean and his teArn were wdting a business plan
when the faculty should teally be in contd of stmtegy. Dean Guthrie said he has always
been vety cleat about this; this was done not only to furthet his own information gathedng,
but also fot expediency, because he wanted to initiate convercations with the Provost about
the financial state of the School. From this point forward, Dean Guthrie said that the
process will be faculty-driven, particular$ thtough the work of seveml task forces. Dean
Guthrie said it was wonderfrrl wotking with the University adminisuation because it
basically found that the School's plan for reorganization and re-structurirrg v/as a good one,
and that enough teseatch had been done to i"st& giviog the School a bit of latitude to
invest in areas which would allow it to grow.
In tenns of development goals, Dean Guthde said his key targets would be
leadetship, intetnational ptograms, the Career Centet, scholarships, and public po[cy
engagement. Anothel thing he hopes to do in the next five years is to name the School.
Seveml initiatives fot the School are bei.g exlrloted. The School pmiects significant
gowth over the next five yeats, but the Universiqfs ennrllrnent at the Fogg5r Bottom
campus is veqy close to the maximurn petmitte4 and t\at poses a prcblem. Fortunately, the
University has a foopdnt that extends beyond Foggy Bottom, including the Yirginia
Science and Technology campus in Loudoun County, the Mount Vernon sarnpus; as well as
Adington and Alexaadda. In otder to expand, particulady in the MBA prograrn, the School
will need to move some faculty and students to other locations. Ptofessor Chetian is leading
the School's Off Campus Relocation Task Force, and its recornmendations are exlrected in
March. These may not [6 irnplemented immediately, but will have to be discussed with
faculty members in the School to ensute full engagementwith the goals.
Dean Guthrie obseryed that many institutions have been very uninterested in
thi*ing .hat
aggnessively about online space. He added he qTas lfoanldul to have inherited
an institution that has thought deeply about this. The School currently has two online
education programs that ate quite excellent that ut'lize two completely different
technologies. Online education is an oppornmity not only to grow the School's revenue, but
also to take a thought leaderchip position in this area. Professor Wirtz is leading a Task
Fotce on Distance Education to o<lrlore oppotunities fot the School. Dean Guthrie also
said he thought this wotk could not be done without thinking about partnerships, so he has
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Faculty Senate Minutes, Febtuaty 11\2011 Page 8
been meet''rg recently with Embanet and a couple of othet otganizations to explore
developments in the online instruction wotld-
A third Task Force on Intetnational Progmms is at wotk to exlrlorc gowth
opportunities for the School Dean Guthrie said he had met with this gmup a couple of
times because, as a China scholar, he has a special interest in this particular atea. GW does
have the s6smingb, limitless resoutces of some othet institutions, so choices must be made
about the areas of rcgiond focus that will build upon the exlrettise of the School's faculty.
Even more impotant is substantive focus. The School has a veqy intemctive Intemational
Business depatment and taking cote ideas that teally drive the international agenda
forward, such as international development issues, is one place wherc new oppornrnities
maybe found.
In conclusion, Dean Guthrie said he thought the School is on ttack to achieve its
goals, but a lot of had workwill be tequired to bdng about the expansion necessary. Many
of the School's faculty memberc are very excited about new developments and ready to step
up to the challenges that lie ahead. While the drcam of building a Busiaess School that is
riLrr"rt fot the public policy wotld and really thinking about hou, to engage questions of
politics and public policy is always daunting, Dean Guthrie said he found it exciting to be
pat of the co-n r..sation about the expansion of iobs in Washington and thinking about D.C.
q-k
as a global city that can take innovative positions and influence how 1rcople about
thtngs like iobs in the energy and the clean and tenewable technology sectots. The update
may be viewed at:
Sevetal questions followed. Professor Gards commented on the widespread
perception that the necerrt economic crisis was basical$ caused by very greedy people, many
of *no- are graduates of the Hanrard Business School He said he had tead an article ttrat
said the School decided to try to look at the kind of gtaduates its cutticulum was ptoducing,
and more fuIIy integate ethics into its progam. He added that said he was glad to see that
the GW Business School akeady includes itnics in ie curdculum. Dean Guthde rcsponded
that, mther than blaming co4)orate gree{ he thought the problem-was that otganizations
arc great at sepatating piopleftom the outcomes of their actions. The solution lies in how
studlents are tained; it is necessary to ttansmit technical knowledge but also important to
train them to think about systemic risk and 1fos irnplications of theit actions. A Business
School cutriculum that incfudes complexity ana$sis and takes into account the
embeddedness of social and political considemtions is key.
Professor Yezer said he did not hear teal estate mentioned in the update, and asked
whethet the Business School curriculum includes this. Dean Guthde rcsponded that this is
a huge area of emphasis at the Business School in its center for rcal estate and urban
aoafyiis. The latter is important because it studies rcgronal econornic development and the
emblddedness of rcal ."t t organizations within alatget political conter(L This center has
rccently teceived seveml gifts to furthet is wotk
Prcfessor Lilxcomb identified hetself as an evolutionary biologist with a specialty in
biodiversity and the environrnentr and she inquired about the School's intetest in
sustainability. Dean Guthrie said the School is in tansition dght now. Popul,ar intercst
Faculty Senate Minutes, February 1ib20n Page 9
seems to focus on green buildiogs, but Dean Guthrie said he thought the deeper question is
about renewable energ5r. A l"rge number of snrdents in the Business School have self -
identified as beirg interested in sustainability. GW has pmgtams in seneral different
schools, in renewable energy, solar enetgy, and sustainability. Conversations ate rmdetway
to levemge the Univetsiqfs resorrces in a way that will ptovide students with technical
knowledge, as well as familialily with business considetations, regulatoly, policy, and legal
issues in these areasi.
REPORT OF THE E)(ECUTTVE COMMITTEE
Professor Castleberry prcsented the rcport of the Executive Comrnittee, which is
enclosed. In connection with his rcmads about dmft bylaws fot the School of Public
Health and Health Serices, Dean Goldman offered I rninsl cladfication - these bylaws
have been circulated and cornments solicite4 but no vote has yet been taken to adopt them.
It is o<pected this vote will take place at the SPHHS spdng faculty meeting.
CHAIR'S REMARKS
Due to the length of rcports ptesented at the meet'ngr Ptesident Kn"PP noted
without providing detail that quite a number of events have taken place at the Univetsity in
the past month" mone than usual
As Chairman Ramsey alluded to some of the Univetsiqfs successes in fuadraising,
President Knapp said that some of these have been announced and othet atrnouncements
would be forthcoming in the next sevetalweeks. In the last month done, the Univercity has
received apprcximately $24 millioo, which is more than is usually raised. While it cannot be
ptesrrrned that this trendwill continue to the end of the semestet, GW appeats to be on tmck
to equal or oulpetform in fundtaising compared to the pastyear.
Giving an update on personnel searches undetway, Ptesident Knapp said the Law
School is now interviewing sernifinalists fot the Dean's position, and he erpected to speak
with four of these by the end of the day. All arc very stong candidates. The Law School has
a very strolrg faculty search cornmittee and a successfrtl outcome is exlrected in faidy short
ordet.
The seatch for a Vice Provost for Diversity and Inclusion has beea concluded.
Ptesident Knapp said the Univetsity was not yet at liberty to aonouoce the outcome, but
that he thought the seatch committee and othets involved in the search pnocess were vely
pleased with the rcsult
BRIEF STATEMENTS (AND OUESTIONS)
Professor Wfutz noted that The llatchet had rccently published an aticle about
questions mised by the 1.Q,. /,o,nin.g Cornrnission in connection with planning details fot
if
parking frcilities at the Law Leaming Centet to be constructed on G Sueeq and he asked
the Ptesident could cornrnent on that. President Knapp tesponded that if Vice President
Katz were present he could pobably give mote detail than he coul{ but the question taised
had to do with the best place for enteting and exiting the facility. The Universiqfs plan was
\-,
Faculty Senate Minutes, February llr20ll Page 10
that access and egtess would be from the dley parallel to G Stteet in the middle of the bloclq
because patkerc would be able to entet and exit from both 206 and 21o Steets. President
Knapp *.id n" thought that an alternative plen to ptovide access and egtess from G SUeet
had been proposed by membets of the Foggly Bottom community because it was believed
that would rcsult in less taffic congestion. It is orpected that this question will be rcsolved
without substantially interfedngwith the timitg of the prciecg ot its cost
Professor Simon courmented about Ptofessot Yezet's observations concetning the
new Univercity Hospital. He said that the initid cost of the Hospital was $116 rnillios, arrd
with a ptofit oi$SO rnitlioq the Hospital reaped a vety good tetufin on iavestmenL Professor
Simon said he was not so sgre that sslling the Hospitalwas such a wise decision at the time,
and it would certainly be desimble for GW to follow the e>rample of USC, which bought
back their Hospital from Tenet That is because the goals and aspiratioas of the Hospital
are very differcnt from the goals and aspfuations of the University
On behalf of the Corntnittee on Libtaries, Ptofessor McAleavey, Chafu, commented
that the Cornrnittee is this year addressing ptoblems f"ciog the Gelman Libmry. Reportsin
The lfatcher and GW Today have detailed plans fot rcnovation of the first floot of the
Libmry and it sounds as if therc is forwatd movement on this ptoiect. tlowever, it is cleat
that thete is no coherent plan for improvements to the rcst of Gelman Library, ot for the
futue of the facility o.r.r the long term. That is ssmsrhing that the Senate Cotnrnittee on
Librades has tded io address in frevious years, with Resolutions adopted in 2m6 and 2ffi9
on the subiect
Professot McAleavey said he thought it startling and well woth not'ng that in the
last six years therc has been no inctease in the acquisitions budget fot Gelman- Given that
the cosiof all the matedals which Gelman teceives, online and in Piinq incteases at least 57o
every year, obviously, the Gelmao collection is effectively shrinking. Ptofessot McAleavey
said the Comrnitte. *.. hard at work prcpadng a Resolution to urge th- at the administration
strengthen this ctitical aspect of the Univesity. Pmfessot McAleavey also invited membets
of the Senate to submit useful ideas they might have to the Committee while it is cmfting
the Resolution, which he said he hoped would be rcady for Senate considetation beforc the
end of Spdng semestetr 20lt.
Professot Yaer said that about two years ago he had complained quite stenuous$
about the problems faculty membets encouflteted trying to schedule classes and extra
sessions and serr.irrrrs on campr". He said he could not speak fot othet f"olty membets,
but that based on his ,.."ot o<petience, the scheduling office has since then been
completely transformed and serice by that office has imprcved temendously.
ADJOURNMENT
Therc being no further business beforc the Senate, and upoo motion made and
seconded, the meeting was adioumed at 3:45 p-m.
Tfrzahetfl A- Amnm^dson
ElizabethA" Amundson
Sectetary