Meeting Minutes

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PRESENT: Andrews, Angel, Arend, Bates, D.Betz, P.Betz, Bloch, Brown, Cole,  DeGioia, Diamond, Fink, Glazer, Goldfrank, Iglarsh, Jacobs, Kopac, McFadden,S.J., Moran Cruz, Morris, A.K.Myers, Nishioka, Noyes, Peck, Pfeiffer, Rameh, Richardson, Serene, Soudee, Subramanian, T.J. Walsh, Young, (Father O'Donovan, Dean Douglass, Aviad Haramati - guests).

ABSENT: Areen, Breall, Byrne, Cohn, Danielson, Davis, Dover, Dretchen, Finkel, Fisher, Fort, Gallucci, Gerli, Haft, Harter, Hauser, Joyner, Kellar, Lauerman, Lawton,S.J., Lepgold, Martire, McCabe, McGrail, K.Myers, Mujal-Leon, Nelson, Oakley, Pinkard, Puto, Regan, Ronkainen, Rothstein, Scribanu, Spiegel, Stent, Terrio, Tracy, Viksnins, J.Walsh,S.J., Wasserstrom, Weidenbruch, Wientzen, Wiesel,

The meeting was called to order at 4:20 p.m. by Prof. Bates.  Minutes of the previous meeting on March 17, 1999 were approved.

Dean Bruce Douglass discussed the Task Force Report on Catholic and Jesuit Identity.  In Fall, 1996, a document on "Centered Pluralism" was produced; it was widely discussed throughout the University.  In Fall, 1997, the Task Force was appointed to make recommendations related to centered pluralism.  The Task Force Report has generated much discussion and some controversy.  The charge of the Task Force was to 1) focus on long term issues, 2) focus on the University as a whole, 3) be wide ranging in terms of recommendations, going beyond the main academic part of the University community, 4) emphasize new initiatives, and 5) assume new initiatives would be financed not out of current revenues alone, but also from development and other sources.

Father O'Donovan made remarks about the Task Force recommendations.  He hopes faculty will read and discuss the report.  The report emphasizes the need for Catholic scholarship here, while maintaining a pluralistic university.  Father O'Donovan related the Task Force report to ongoing national and international discussions, for example, of the Apostolic Constitution.  The latter was published in 1990 and states what it should mean to be a Catholic university.  Georgetown sponsored a symposium on the Pope's statement on Catholic higher education.  At that time, a set of ordinances were proposed by the group of bishops in the U.S.; while those were rejected, a refined set of ordinances was later passed, which made a strong statement regarding Catholic universities in the U.S.  However, it was rejected by the Vatican.  A revision was prepared by the Bishop and the conversation has continued.  The proposed implementation plan, however, appears unworkable for various governance, financial and other reasons.  Georgetown does not wish to simply refuse to implement the plan;  a group of universities is preparing a response, including alternative plans.  Father O'Donovan assured the faculty that in no way will faculty academic freedom or the autonomy of the University be jeopardized.

At this point, President O'Donovan answered questions from the Senate.  In response to a question from Prof. Bates, he stated that the Centered Pluralism report and task force report are helpful in demonstrating an ongoing, self-initiated discussion internally.  Finally, Father O'Donovan pointed out that the Task Force report includes some specific recommendations regarding the role of the Jesuits in the University.  He assured the Senate that this is a topic for discussion, not for unilateral action.

Prof. Serene asked about the proposed lease of our hospital to Medstar and whether the problems encountered by St. Louis University are likely to be avoided.  Father O'Donovan said he hoped so, but could not say for sure.  Finally, he made some announcements, including a fine accreditation report on the Law School, and a good ranking of the Law School and Business School in U.S. News and World Report.

Prof. Bates mentioned the College Dean search.  Anyone interested in serving on the search should forward their names to Prof. Bates.  An appointment to the Research Integrity Committee is needed.  A Main Campus person is sought.  Prof. Bates has suggested Henry Richardson.  This was moved, and passed, for final action by the Steering Committee.  Lastly, Prof. Bates has provided names to the administration as possible Senate appointees to the Licensing Implementation Committee, which arose as a result of recent student activism.  Dean James Donahue has revised the list and send it back to Prof. Bates.  From the list, Pietra Rivoli and Peter Pfeiffer were nominated and approved by the Senate.

Meeting was adjourned at 5:45 p.m.

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