Reports

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.

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 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. 

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. 

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.

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.

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 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. 

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

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. 

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.