Faculty address minority student recruitment, computer science's home

By Jacquie Powers

After hearing an update on the progress of the faculty salary improvement plan, the Faculty Senate passed measures last week to standardize minority student recruitment and to speed the process of finding a home for the Department of Computer Science.

Provost Biddy Martin told the senate that substantial progress had been made in the first year of the multi-year salary improvement program. "We are pleased with the progress that has been made, and expect to make continued progress in the coming year," Martin said.

She noted that endowed college faculty salaries increased 7 percent in 2001-02, compared with the peer group average of 4.4 percent, according to preliminary data from the American Association of University Professors (AAUP). Cornell contract college salaries increased by 6.5 percent, compared with the peer group average of 2.6 percent. (See story on Page 1.)

The resolution regarding "Best Practices for Recruitment, Retention, and Addressing Concerns of Students of Under-Represented Minority Groups," introduced by Anthony Ingraffea, the Dwight C. Baum Professor of Engineering and chair of the Faculty Committee on Minority Education, was approved unanimously. Ingraffea said the measure, which requests that the colleges implement the recommended best practices and that the university supply the resources required for the colleges to implement the proposals in a timely manner, was the result of two years of research and deliberations, including discussions with students.

The research showed that "there are major differences and inconsistencies, and a lack of knowledge about the efficacy of programs among the various colleges," Ingraffea said.

The resolution concerning implementation of what is known as the "Garza Agreement," introduced by Terrence Fine, professor of electrical and computer engineering and chair of the faculty Committee on Programs and Policies, was approved in a vote of 63-1, with three abstentions. The measure requests that the administration take concrete steps "to begin immediately the process of locating the computer science department in accordance with the Garza Agreement, with this process to be completed by October 2002."

It continues: "Be it resolved further, that this implementation will assure that the dean(s) in whose college(s) the Computer Science Department would be located will play the traditional roles in determining Computer Science Department faculty hires, promotions, salaries, etc., i.e., activities that deans normally engage in at Cornell."

Fine said the delay in locating the Department of Computer Science has had "unfortunate consequences for the College of Engineering," including damage to the collegiality between engineering and computer science.

At an earlier meeting, Martin had explained that the delay in locating the department administratively was due to the comprehensive search for a new engineering dean. She added that the newly appointed dean, W. Kent Fuchs, head of the School of Electrical and Computer Engineering and the Michael J. and Catherine R. Birck Distinguished Professor at Purdue University, has indicated he wants to be part of the discussion regarding the Department of Computer Science.