ISMT Task Force Meeting Notes
October 29, 1999

Present: R. Roberds, R. Amenta, S. Frysinger, J. Herrick, R. Kolvoord, G. MacDonald, R. McKown, J. Sochacki, J. Steele, C. Talley, G. Taylor, C. Welter, T. Wood. P. Henriksen taking notes.

Absent: R. Abel and R. Rice.

Important Points/Action Items

A. The Task Force efforts will have a web page to facilitate the dissemination and gathering of ideas. A web board, linked to the task force web page, would facilitate the dialog and will be developed. Jim Herrick volunteered to prepare the web board. The following general questions will be posted on the web board and used to guide faculty discussions in the near future. (These are the five questions that were developed last week but reworked to better express what we were wanting to ask.

The Mission: To bring about collaboration, interaction, and integration among the JMU programs in the sciences, mathematics, and technology to best serve the students and faculty and to better equip the University for the challenges and opportunities of the 21st century.

1. Overall Mission Question: In what ways can integration and interaction of JMU programs in the sciences, mathematics, and technology best serve the students and faculty and better equip the University to face the challenges and opportunities of the 21st century?

2. Are there areas within the current science facilities that can be improved to address Question #1? How can these areas be improved through collaboration, integration, and sharing resources?

3. Given that the traditional disciplines are essential elements of the science, math, and technology programs of the future,

a. How can the integration and interaction of science, technology, and mathematics enhance the traditional disciplines at JMU?

b. How can the traditional disciplines at JMU enhance the integration of science, technology, and mathematics?

4. How would your particular idea for an integrated, interdisciplinary, or multidisciplinary effort call for a change in organizational structure? In other words, what is the appropriate organizational structure for your proposal?

5. Given the strength of our undergraduate programs, are there focused areas suitable for graduate study that would enhance our undergraduate program and accomplish the goals of the mission, above?

B. Meeting schedule for this semester.

November 5 Friday, 8:00 a.m.
November 12 Friday, 8:00 a.m.
November 17 Wednesday, 5:00 p.m.
December 3 Friday, 8:00 a.m.
December 10 Friday, 8:00 a.m.
December 15 Wednesday, 5:00 p.m.

C. Task Force members' assignments for the next meeting.

1. Look over the criteria provided by Dean Benson for evaluating the proposals that will be received from the faculty and staff. Come prepared to discuss these.

2. Bring any proposals that you received to this point and be prepared to discuss how we can effectively receive, process, and evaluate proposals.