The minutes for the meeting of October 6, and October 20, 2004 were approved as amended.

The Secretary, Professor Poland, reminded Council that at the dinner meeting on November 9, Dean Andrew Douglas and Dr. Janet Weise will give their perspectives on undergraduate education in the Whiting School of Engineering. Lunches with junior faculty are scheduled on February 23, 25, and March 1.

A Council member informed Council that the eleventh annual Sidney Mintz lecture in Anthropology will be given on Wednesday, November 10 at 8 p.m. in Hodson Hall by Andre Gingrich of the Institute for Social and Cultural Anthropology, University of Vienna. Professor Gingrich will talk about anthropology under Hitler, and she invited all members to the event.

There was further consideration of a new set of sample letters to referees, and with the incorporation of some minor amendments, Council approved them as they stood.

Professor Rugh, Chair of the Appointments and Promotions subcommittee, reported that the following appointments have been approved: 1) Dr. Marian Hobson as Visiting Professor in Romance Languages & Literatures for 9/1/05 - 12/31/05. 2) Dr. Michel Jeanneret as Visiting Professor in Romance Languages & Literatures for 7/1/05 - 6/30/08. 3) Dr. Eik (Eileen) Kahng as Lecturer in History of Art for 1/1/05 - 5/31/05.

The Chair of the Academic Affairs subcommittee, Professor Leslie, initiated discussion on recommendations regarding proposals by the Whiting School Graduate Committee as to the time allowed for completion of the Master's degree, and the minimum course-level requirements. There was also discussion about the grade-change policy proposed by the Graduate Board and the proposed concurrent bachelor/master degree in Materials Science and Engineering.

Professor Naiman, liaison to the Joint Curriculum committee, reported that the Curriculum committee discussed issues relating to ethics. It did not approve the granting of credit to on-line courses from other institutions.

Provost Knapp reported that at their October meeting, the Academic Affairs committee of the Board of Trustees discussed issues relating to academic integrity with representatives of groups from Homewood and from the School of Public Health. The Trustees asked why there was no honor code, and the Provost suggested that the Council might want to take a look at this at some point. The Provost emphasized the importance of integrity, and the fact that the academic enterprise is undermined if students have a sense that their achievements are being undervalued because of cheating by others.

The Provost also discussed proposed changes in benefits, and the implications of the outcome of the 2004 elections for higher education. Johns Hopkins University is the largest recipient of federal research funds, and has to be prepared for the possibility that the support will taper off and potentially decline. He noted increasing demands for accountability and for building the tracking of educational outcomes into educational programs. He discussed the general climate for support for science, and attempts in Congress to legislate restrictions on grants for projects thought to be morally questionable such as studies of HIV infection rates in prostitutes in Southeast Asia.

The meeting adjourned at 4:51 p.m.

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