Department of Physics
University of WI-Whitewater
Faculty Meeting Notes for March
18th meeting
I. Attending: R.
Benjamin, J. Constantinescu; G. Chulick;
P. Rybski; S. Sahyun;
M.;
Jeffrey
Polak (SPS representative)
Absent: S.
DasGupta (on travel)
II. Sahyun/Benjamin
moved approval of Meeting Minutes of March 11th meeting. Approved on voice vote.
III. Announcements
A. Chair¹s
Announcements
1. Software
in labs and classrooms; software purchasing program a reminder
to
review Benjamin Villanueva¹s message concerning installation of
software
in classrooms and laboratories and the T&IR software purchasing
program.
2. The
following departmental announcements/literature/recruiting material will
be
sent to Kate Loftus for the Deans Advisory Board Marketing Audit
a. Physics Alumni newsletter
b. Whitewater Observatory
lecture/observing session announcements
c. SPS physics lecture posters
3. SPS
Tour of Ray-O-Vac -- Ten students have signed up for Ray-O-Vac
tour. Benjamin will drive a university van,
leaving at 1 pm from outside of
the
Upham extension. Constantinescu
will coordinate the tour. Chulick
will
cover Constantinescu¹s class.
Rybski¹s entire A/D class will attend.
4. T&IR¹s
³4U² student computer purchasing plans details for this
purchasing
plan have not been distributed.
The program was announced by
Email
just this past week.
5. ³Physics
enlightens the World² participation Max Lippitsch of the Institute
for
Physics at the Karl Franzens University, Graz, Austria, is soliciting
participation
in a project commemorating Einstein¹s death to send a light
signal
around the world on April 18th, from person to person across
continents
and through fiberoptic cables across oceans. once around the
world
in 24 hours. Rybski will research
the details of the project and will
forward
them to the faculty
6. Graduation
status updates Mavis Fohtung is ready;
Clinton Thompson
must
still complete the university exit interview.
7. Planning
for summer packing and moving in Upham Greg Erdahl has
been
hired to work this summer to assist in packing and moving equipment.
Faculty
are asked to determine by April 15th the number of ³book² boxes
they
will need to have to pack material that will NOT be used next year in
classrooms
or laboratories.
8. Curriculum
proposal and course catalog revisions deadlines were reviewed.
Suggested
catalog revisions should be sent to Rybski by 4:30 pm Monday,
March
28th.
9. MS
Office 2004 for Mac Professional Edition is now available for
departmental
purchase from DoIT in Madison.
10. Education
consortium grants for state institutions discussion of this
material
will be delayed until the April 1st meeting.
11. A Physics
Education Research journal has been established as part of the
prestigious
Physical Review series.
B. Committee
Reports
1. Curriculum
April 7th is the last curriculum committee meeting for the new
catalog; this means materials must be in Elaine
Wagner¹s hands by
Tuesday,
March 29th
2. Graduate
Council no meeting
3. Library
no report
4. SPS
no report
5. Upham
renovation Discussion continues over the acquisition of office
furniture
for the Upham renovation. Color
choices will be decided finally
during
the week of March 28-April 1st. Furniture complements for faculty
offices
and laboratories, departmental offices and departmental chairs
offices
must be decided during that week.
6. Webpage
no report
C. Announcements
from the Floor
1. L&S/College
of Ed. liaison committee met on March 17th to implement a
summer
program to have in-service teachers do personal improvement
plans. Sahyun communicated our departmental
consensus that there be
real
CONTENT knowledge acquisition/planning in this activity. A mentor
needs
to be involved with each participant to tailor the content to the needs
of
the participant. A consultation
fee would compensate the mentors.
Sahyun
will be taking the Praxis test later this spring to determine what
courses
we will need to add to the requirements of our BSE emphases,
satisfactory
completion of which should permit them to pass the Praxis test.
Remember
that preservice teachers must take and PASS the Praxis test
before
they will be permitted to practice-teach.
We may need to add
additional
requirements in our PHYSICS BSE major to give them a broader
background. BSE curriculum revision issues must be
revisited in later
meetings.
2. Sahyun
attended the Chancellor¹s Select Committee for Needs of Disabled
Students
on March 18th. No
actions were taken that are relevant to Physics.
3. Sahyun
participated in a ³Science Night² at Lincoln Elementary School to
give
physics demonstrations. SPS should
participate in the future.
4. Congratulations
to Heidi Gneiser and Benjamin for making the cover of
Envision
magazine for work on GLIMPSE project.
Several articles in this
issue
discuss physics students and faculty involved in research. We should
obtain
additional copies for distribution to prospective students and their
parents
and to high school physics teachers in our service area.
IV. Old
Business
A. Physics
Curriculum Revisions
1. Sahyun/Constantinescu
moved approval of Form #4 curriculum
revision
of Physics 280 (Engineering MechanicsStatics) into Physics 305 (Physics
Mechanics-Statics). Approved as
amended on a voice vote.
V. New
Business
A. Liquid
Nitrogen Handling Fixture with scale to weigh tank. Discussion occurred
about
the need to obtain a handling fixture with a built-in weight scale that will
permit
using and refilling the tank safely as well as determining in a timely fashion
when
the tank needs refilling. Sahyun
will check the tank weekly to determine if it
needs
refilling and will work with Lynn Miller to order timely refillings.
Chulick/Benjamin move to adjourn.
Meeting adjourned at 3:46 pm.
Respectfully submitted,
Paul M. Rybski, Secretary of the Day
Xc: Chancellor
Jack Miller
Provost
Richard Telfer
Dean
Howard Ross
Dean
Lee Jones
Archivist
Karen Weston