Physics Department Meeting Minutes
April 8, 2005
Jarvis Hall Science Wing 103J

Members present: Mark Larchez (chair), Ellen Carlson, Paul Henkiel, Bob Foley, Laura McCullough, Jim Pejsa, John Rompala, Alan Scott (recording secretary), Dean John Murphy 

Mark called the meeting to order at 9:05am.

Department Chair

1. Dean Murphy was given time to discuss the up-coming department chair election.  He indicated the chair's position is difficult, important, requires leadership, and must be committed to the job.  It requires the person to multi-task, get involved with personnel issues, represent the department to the College and University, be a diplomat, be organized, and work with the secretary.

2. Dean Murphy indicated that about $100,000 year-end money is available and there are currently $430,000 worth of requests in the College of Arts and Sciences.  Getting back to the Chair position, the Dean also needs someone that can be honest and stay objective and professional.  Dean Murphy would like to talk with all people interested in the department chair position.

3. The Dean indicated that the likelihood of getting the major building renovation is strong, 90-99% sure.  It has past the joint finance committee at the state level.  We will know for sure if it is funded on July 1st of this year.  It is $41 million, the biggest project on campus and will include general purpose classrooms.  The math will be with the science departments and both need to "look to the future."  The Dean discussed his trip to NIST a month ago to visit the nanotech facilities.

4.  The Dean suggested we need to be patient concerning the influx of new freshmen this year to make-up for a 3-year deficit in student enrollment targets.  He recommended we enjoy family weekend at Stout.  Family weekend activities were discussed.  The Dean also recommended that we consider inviting him to observe the day-to-day operations of the department - some courses and labs.  He called this "Dean for the Day."

 General Concerns Discussed With The Dean

1. Issues about administrative positions and their interactions with the physics department were discussed.  Enrollment and workload issues (for example, administrative assistants and workload) were discussed.

Dean Murphy suggested the Faculty Senate would be a good forum to voice our concerns about these issue.

2. Department members discussed physics course offerings and their impact on programs of study.

3.  The suggestion of dropping General Physics and making College Physics the department's algebra-based introduction sequence along with University Physics as the calculus-based sequence was discussed.

4. Dean Murphy requests a 2 or 3 page synopsis of how to deal with the intro sequences...now is the time to do this...lets see what happens.

Physics department members thanked Dean Murphy for coming to the meeting and discussing the pressing issues.

Meeting was adjourned at 10:05am.

Submitted by A. Scott