Reports

President Alivisatos and Provost Baicker convened a Committee on Advancing Computing and AI at UChicago on February 23, 2024, charging them to consider a plan for computing and artificial intelligence for the future. The Report of the Advancing Computing and AI Committee reflects their findings and recommendations, as delivered to the President and Provost on May 21, 2024.

The Committee on Graduate Education, comprised of faculty and PhD students, was appointed by Provost Diermeier in April 2018 to assess PhD education at the University in light of our commitment to excellence in research and teaching and in the context of a changing landscape of higher education.

The Spring 2016 Campus Climate Survey provides data that will be enriched through further discussion. In this report, the terms “religious identity” and “religious identification” are intended as broadly construed, to include today’s diverse human experience of religious and spiritual affiliation and practice, including nonreligious and secular approaches as well as individual experience that does not readily fit within traditional lines of definition. The findings from this survey compel us to contend with complex national and institutional issues. The University of Chicago has a foundational commitment to the idea that a culture of free and open inquiry requires empowering individuals of all backgrounds, experiences, identities, and perspectives to challenge conventional thinking in pursuit of original ideas. Such goals can only fully be realized within a climate that is inclusive.

In response to a recommendation from the deans of the College and the Social Sciences Division, Humanities Division, and Physical Sciences Division, the Norman Committee was charged in April of 2016 to evaluate the University’s academic administrative structures relating to their divisions and the College. This report contains the results of the committee’s exploration of possible alternatives for maintaining the benefits of the current structure and recommended changes to resolve existing obstacles and capitalize on emerging opportunities.

The Diversity Advisory Council (DAC) was formed in February 2015 by the President and Provost of the University of Chicago. The DAC’s charge was to review institutional practices in consultation with members of the campus community in order to “insure an intentionally open community of learning, for all.” The Council was encouraged to consider all forms of diversity and inclusion; advise on best approaches to attracting and retaining underrepresented faculty, students and staff; identify promising approaches to cross-cultural awareness and inclusivity; submit recommendations designed to enhance the priority of diversity and inclusion within the University; and suggest measures for improved institutional coordination of existing initiatives.

The Spring 2016 Campus Climate Survey is the first University of Chicago survey to attempt to capture some of the experiences and perceptions of students, staff, and academics (defined as tenure track and non– tenure track academic appointees and postdoctoral researchers) on a broad range of issues related to diversity and inclusion. Administering the Climate Survey is intended to be a crucial step towards improving our campus climate. The survey will serve as one baseline against which to measure improvement; be a catalyst for communication and discussion; and contribute to thinking about the implementation of new programs, policies, and activities that will foster an inclusive climate.

In 2013, Provost Thomas Rosenbaum appointed the Provost’s Oversight Committee on Online Learning (POCOL) and charged them with: (1) overseeing the University’s first forays into online learning over a two year period; and (2) based on knowledge gained during this period, making recommendations for the University’s future utilization of, and participation in, online learning. To fulfill its charge, the committee oversaw the production of five Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) by faculty members in Booth, PSD, BSD, SSD, and Law. These experimental, non-credit courses were hosted on the Coursera and edX platforms. The Committee delivered its report in 2015 to Provost Eric D. Isaacs and made two major recommendations for the University of Chicago’s ongoing role in online learning: Develop a centralized resource on campus to facilitate and advance innovative and effective pedagogy and appoint an editorial board to review and approve online University-branded courses not otherwise vetted by a degree-granting entity.

The report does not address for-credit coursework. That question is more complex and was outside of the charge given to this committee.

The University of Chicago conducted the Sexual Misconduct Survey: Attitudes, Knowledge and Experience, or the Spring 2015 Climate Survey, to examine the campus climate, with a particular focus on questions of sexual misconduct, including sexual assault, intimate partner violence, and sexual harassment. This document constitutes a preliminary report on the outcomes of the survey, which was administered in April 2015 and included all enrolled students 18-years-of-age and older.

The Committee on Freedom of Expression at the University of Chicago was appointed in July 2014 by President Robert J. Zimmer and Provost Eric D. Isaacs “in light of recent events nationwide that have tested institutional commitments to free and open discourse.” The Committee’s charge was to draft a statement “articulating the University’s overarching commitment to free, robust, and uninhibited debate and deliberation among all members of the University’s community.”

This document reports on the working environments (climate) of the Natural Science departments in the University of Chicago and Northwestern University. It created from the lengthy (over 100 page) report of the research findings from in-depth interviews with 112 faculty members conducted by NORC on behalf of Northwestern University and The University of Chicago. The goal of these interviews was to explore faculty perceptions of institutional climate and to identify practices that may lead to increased faculty satisfaction. 

This document incorporates the responses of Nim Chinniah, Executive Vice President for Administration and Chief Financial Officer, who oversees the University of Chicago Police Department, and Karen Warren Coleman, Vice President for Campus Life and Student Services, who is responsible for student affairs and the Dean-on-Call Program to the recommendations of the Ad Hoc Faculty Committee on Dissent and Protest.

The Provost established this committee in Winter Quarter, 2013. His charge to the Committee is reproduced in Appendix I. The committee was established in the aftermath of demonstrations at the Center for Care and Discovery that led to arrests and disciplinary actions against demonstrators and allegations of misconduct against the University of Chicago Police Department. The events surrounding those demonstrations were addressed by a separate investigation and report, and those specific events are not the subject of this Committee’s work. The Provost directed us instead to make recommendations about the principles that should govern protests and demonstrations on campus in the future.

In September 2012, the Provost appointed two committees to advise the faculty and administration in devising a strategy in the area of on-line education—one focusing on courses for credit and the other on courses offered without credit. This report sets forth our recommendations for the University of Chicago in the short-run (i.e., two years) in connection with the following potential situations: (1) faculty of the University of Chicago who wish to offer classes either partially or entirely in an on-line format to students enrolled at the University of Chicago; (2) students who matriculate at the University of Chicago who wish to transfer credits toward a Chicago degree that include credits from on-line courses; (3) students who are not matriculated at the University of Chicago who take on-line courses offered by University of Chicago faculty and seek Chicago credit and (4) faculty who wish to offer courses without credit to students both at the University of Chicago and elsewhere.

Report from the Biosafety Advisory Group on the external review of the biosafety programs and pathogen research labs on campus and the evaluation of the significance of two biosafety events on campus. 

Communication from then-Provost Thomas Rosenbaum, Dean Polonsky, and Dean Gilliam inviting the University community to read and respond to the report issued by the Biosafety Advisory Group. 

In February 2010, Provost Rosenbaum asked faculty members to serve on an ad hoc committee to review university faculty compensation practices. The charge to the committee was: 1. What are the appropriate factors to consider as we seek to reward our colleagues in accord with our ideals of outstanding scholarship, teaching and citizenship? and 2. Would schools and divisions benefit from more formal processes, or articulated guidelines, with respect to salary setting?

This document reports on the impact that the Masters programs in Humanities and Social Science have on the texture of faculty working lives in those Divisions.

Provostial and decanal follow-up to the Report on the Impact of the Masters Programs in Humanities and the Masters Program in Social Sciences, including measures to alleviate the stresses on Divisional resources resulting from these programs. 

Report from the Faculty Committee on the Quality of Academic Life on the issues that most challenge the University's commitment to a stimulating academic life for faculty and recommended improvements for consideration.

This document details the Faculty Committee on the Quality of Academic Life's recommendations and notes the progress made to date.

In this report, the Ad Hoc Committee on Graduate and Professional Student International Travel assesses the nature and scope of University-sponsored or -sanctioned graduate and professional school international activities and to recommend policies, procedures, and resources for the safe and effective conduct of such activities.

This report assesses the University's record with regard to the hiring, promotion, and leadership opportunities provided to female faculty. 

This committee, consisting of faculty, students, and staff, was appointed to consider four specific student disciplinary questions: How ought the University to handle discipline of groups? While ensuring compliance with Federal law, to what extent and under what circumstances may the individual alleging a violation occurred be involved in and apprised of the disciplinary process and its outcome? Should sexual assault cases be heard by a central disciplinary committee? If yes, should domestic violence complaints be heard by that centralized structure, too? Where should the University consider complaints against admitted students who have not yet matriculated?

Recommendations for the position specifications for the Director of the Institute for Molecular Engineering. 

A proposal for the establishment of a University of Chicago Institute for Advanced Study in New Delhi. 

This response to the Graduate Education Committee Reports includes the recommendations endorsed by the Provost's office including the phased elimination of Extended Residence status, a normative time to candidacy, the extended freezing of Advanced Residence out-of-pocket tuition, allowing flexibility in the timing of students’ last year of Graduate Aid Initiative funding, institution of a centralized system of teaching applications and processing, and working with the divisions and schools to implement best practices from our own institution and peers.

This document presents the rationale, grand intellectual challenges, viability, and practical aspects of how the establishment of the Institute for Molecular Engineering (IME) may be realized within the University. 

Memo from the Subcommittee on Roles, Responsibilities, and the Monitoring of Teaching of the Committee on Graduate Student Teaching to Provost Rosenbaum with recommendations on work expectations for graduate student teachers and the nature of departmental grievance procedures.

This report encapsulates the recommendations of the Pedagogical Training Subcommittee, which believes strongly that training all graduate students in the skills necessary to be effective teachers should be an integral part of graduate education, and it should be a priority for maintaining the University’s high academic standards for undergraduates. 

This report from the Provost's Committee on Advanced Residence reviews the current AR registration system, the annual increases in AR tuition, and the out-of-pocket contribution of students. It also considers how restructuring tuition rates might lessen the financial burden on students entering AR status, examines the relationship between the AR system and time-to-degree, and makes recommendations aimed at helping students complete their degrees in a reasonable length of time. 

A budget memo from Provost Rosenbaum following up on the memo issued in January. This communication offers the specific results of the efforts of the Divisions, Schools, and administrative units across the University to preserve the financial health of the University.

A report from the Ad Hoc Committee on China proposing a University of Chicago Center in China. 

A response from President Zimmer and Provost Rosenbaum to the Ad hoc Committee on China and proposed next steps. 

A budget memo from Provost Rosenbaum on the planning underway to preserve the financial health of the University in light of the financial crises. 

In the fall of 2007, Deputy Provost Ken Warren and Associate Provost Mary Harvey recommended to Provost Thomas Rosenbaum that a Task Force be formed to examine the current state of University policies and practices in light of the efforts being undertaken at peer institutions to better accommodate the current work-life needs of our faculty and staff. Provost Rosenbaum accepted the recommendation and asked Warren and Harvey to convene a Task Force to assess the University's response to the demands of work-life balance and to make recommendations concerning policies, practices, and programs that would enhance the ability of members of the University community to function productively in both their professional and personal lives. This report contains the findings and recommendations of the Task Force. 

The interim report from The Provost's Committee on Graduate Student Teaching concerning the remuneration graduate students receive for their teaching activities. 

Memo from Deputy Provost for Graduate Education, Cathy J. Cohen, announcing an increase in the remuneration for graduate student teachers effect Autumn Quarter 2008. 

After learning that the original Working Group's report (The Report of the Working Group for Graduate Student Life in the Humanities, Social Sciences, and Divinity School) contained miscalculations, the Office of the Provost engaged a staff member to work with the Budget Office to correct the errors. The following document contains precise, fully vetted cost estimates, and replaces the flawed worksheets for Attachments 5A, 5B, 5C, and 5D in the original document.

A memo from Cathy J. Cohen, Deputy Provost for Graduate Education, announcing the temporary one-year suspension of the tuition increase while also convening a committee to examine the AR system as it currently operates. 

This report from the Working Group for Graduate Student Life in the Humanities, Social Sciences, and Divinity School contains recommendations for lasting institutional innovations that could benefit doctoral students at the University of Chicago who did not benefit from the Graduate Aid Initiative announced by President Zimmer in 2007.

A report from the Working Group for Graduate Student Life in the Humanities, Social Sciences, and Divinity School summarizing the actions taken by administration to implement the recommendations from the original Working Group report. 

A communication from President Zimmer about the action steps taken to support graduate students. Central, the Divisions, and the Departments together committed approximately $4.9 million over five years in order to implement the actions suggestions in this report. 

This report from the Ad Hoc Faculty Committee on Molecular Engineering considers whether the University should explore and, if the resources can be raised, create a new research component in Molecular Engineering.

A report from the Provost’s Initiative on Minority Issues (PIMI) evaluating the status of diversity programs on campus and making recommendations to the University administration in AY 2004-2005.

A report from the Provost’s Initiative on Minority Issues (PIMI) evaluating the status of diversity programs on campus and making recommendations to the University administration in AY 2003-2004.

A report from the Provost’s Initiative on Minority Issues (PIMI) evaluating the status of diversity programs on campus and making recommendations to the University administration in AY 2002-2003.

Convened in 2000 by then-Provost Geoffrey Stone, the Arts Study Group spent a year evaluating arts offerings on campus to determine the University’s existing capacities and ongoing needs. The outcome of these deliberations was the 2001 Future of the Arts report, which called for a stronger embrace of practicing faculty artists, more arts leadership, and a new performing arts center. The recommendations in this report marked the beginning of the University’s push to reimagine the arts in the 21st century, and led directly to the creation of some of the most successful arts initiatives to date—including the Logan Center. 

In September, 1996, Provost Geoffrey Stone appointed a second Committee on Academic Fraud (the first one was appointed in 1984 by Provost Norman Bradburn). Its charge was (a) to review the existing policies and procedures in light of the University’s experience, the development of discussions and policies elsewhere, and the expectations of external institutions that do or may fund research at the University; and, if necessary, (b) to recommend revisions in the University’s Procedures for Investigating Academic Fraud. The findings of this committee are documented in this report. 

On 17 April 1974, President Levi requested the Committee on the Criteria of Academic Appointment to propound its views on the standing and rights of persons who are invited by The University of Chicago, through appropriately constituted appointive bodies, to lecture or conduct seminars on particular occasions. The Committee concluded that deliberate frustration of this activity is an illegitimate abrogation of the powers of invitation and appointment, which are absolutely crucial to the University's execution of its proper functions.

The Kalven Committee was appointed in February 1967 by President George W. Beadle. This faculty committee was charged with preparing "a statement on the University's role in political and social action." The resulting Kalven Report now stands as one of the most important policy documents at the University of Chicago. It affirms the University's commitment to the academic freedom of faculty and students in the face of suppression from internal and/or external entities while also insisting on institutional neutrality on political and social issues.