March 15, 2022 Minutes

Council of Department Chairs

In attendance: Curtis Bennett, Barbara Taylor, Margaret Karteron, Maryanne Horton, Andreas Bill, Dessie Underwood, Allie Puz, Lijuan Li, Will Murray, Lora Stevens, Henry Wu, Lisa Martin, Kris Slowinski, Babette Benken.

NOTE: THESE MINUTES REFLECT DISCUSSIONS THAT HAPPENED ON THE DATE OF THESE MINUTES.  DUE TO THE COVID-19 SITUATION, THINGS ARE RAPIDLY CHANGING.  FOR OFFICIAL POLICY PLEASE WAIT FOR DOCUMENTS FROM THE APPROPRIATE OFFICES.

  1. Approve Agenda (10:00)
  2. Approve Minutes from March 8th
  3. Announcements
    1. ASM
      1. HVDI
        1. The budget will be similar to last year’s.
        2. Let Kris know the number of SI sections departments will need for the coming year.
        3. ISAs funding will significantly decrease soon.
    2. Operations Update
      1. Call for faculty nominations coming soon.
      2. No Commencement updates as of right now.
    3. Dean’s Report
      1. Tenure-track faculty hiring process continues; offers and interviews currently underway.
      2. December Commencement Discussion
        1. Tentative Position: CNSM is not in favor of an additional December Commencement ceremony.
  4. Associate Deans
    1. Academic Programs
      1. Reserve Capacity for Courses
        1. Please look at files provided and decide which courses will need reserved capacity.
      2. Reminder: Freshman SOAR is later this year than it has been previously; Starts on July 28th, 2022.
    2. Research
      1. Key Requests
        1. Ask staff who handles key distribution to check which keys have not been returned before you ask Barbara for more keys. Double requesting keys causes problems.
    3. Graduate
      1. Non-Resident Tuition Waiver
        1. In the process of correcting the calculation error that caused the university to distribute too many NRT waivers.
        2. Each college will be allocated the same number of NRTs but the total number of NRTs distributed will be scaled down.
      2. GF & D Green Graduate Research Fellowship (Deadline: Monday, March 21 by end of business – was extended)
        1. Reach out to Babette with any questions.
  5. SEF Discussion (Designated & Competitive Funding Requests by Department)
    1. Biology Requests
      1. UnipicK – Universal cell and tissue acquisition system
      2. Seahorse HS Mini Cell Metabolism Analyzer
      3. Service Contract for SONY SH800
      4. Backup Freezer Options
      5. Artec Space Spider 3D Scanner
      6. Amaxa 4D Nucleofector Core & X Unit
      7. Autoclave (benefits multiple departments)
    2. Chemistry & Biochemistry Requests
      1. Stacked Incubators
      2. ALFA-II IR Instrument
      3. Service Contracts – autoclaves, flow cytometer, Micro Sorvall, ultracentrifuges, GC-MS, NMR, FTIR, PL, and Raman systems
      4. Benchtop NMR
      5. Nanodrop
      6. Fluorescence Sub-Micro Cuvettes
      7. Mini Clinical Centrifuge, UV Lame for TLC, Vacuum Pressure Gauge, Crystallization Dishes
      8. Conductance Measurement Instrument
      9. Electrophoresis DNA Gel Kit
      10. Projector for MLSC 317-A
    3. Geology Requests
      1. New Field Vehicle to Replace Old Vehicle
      2. 2 CGoldenwall Laboratory Balances
      3. Replacement Parts for Ion Chromatograph
      4. Horiba Computer and Upgrade
      5. Dionex ASE 350 (Accelerated Solvent Extractor that would benefit many departments)
    4. Math & Statistics Requests
      1. No requests this year.
    5. Physics & Astronomy Requests
      1. Probes for AFM and Magnetomoeter
      2. Equipment for Physics Laboratories
      3. Rooftop Piers
      4. SmartLab X-Ray Diffractometer Service Visit from Rigaku
      5. PPMS Maintenance Service for Evercool II and Broken Parts
      6. New Computer and MCCB, PLCB Cards for the Scanning Electron Microscope
      7. 3D Printer for Experimental Classes
      8. In Plane Option Upgrade of X-ray Diffraction (XRD System)
      9. Magnetometer
      10. HPC Node
    6. Science Education Requests
      1. Classroom Technology Updates; Ports and Connections
      2. Removal of Non-Working Teaching Equipment Dishwasher
      3. Ipad Keyboard Cases for Equipment Protection
    7. Send all GE lower division courses that require course fees to Henry for potential reallocation.
    8. Options to repurpose SEF.
    9. Consider how funding requests can benefit multiple departments.
  6. New Business
    1. N/A

Upcoming Dates:

March 21st (new deadline): Graduate Fellowship/D. Green Fellowship Application Deadline
March 22nd: SEF Discussion
March 28-April1: Spring Break
Apr. 4th:  Nobel Prize Lecture, Dr. Donna Strickland (Virtual Event)
Apr. 18-22: Week of RSCA
April 20th: Fellows Colloquium (7:00pm Hybrid)
Apr 23rd: CNSM Showcase for Incoming Freshmen
May 17: College Commencement (1pm, between COTA (9am) and COB (5pm)) at the stadium

Meeting Minutes were APPROVED on Tuesday, March 22, 2022

*Note: This reflects discussion on the date of the CDC meeting about policies, not actual policy. Faculty and staff should wait for official communication on each subject before acting.