A new residential college was the main topic of a special Academic Council meeting Tuesday.

Marcellette Williams, chairwoman of the New Residential College Program Planning Group, presented the committee's draft report for a new liberal arts and sciences college.

Williams said the committee identified several issues faculty and students brought up in the various meetings it held.

"As we've been talking to faculty, students and staff, there are things we are hearing we need to be clearer about," Williams said.

The college, which would reside in Snyder and Phillips halls, would be based in the liberal arts and humanities. Students would be required to take foreign language classes and encouraged to go on a study abroad trip.

Williams brought up issues that involved faculty and students feeling as though many points in the report needed to be clarified.

Williams said the issues faculty were concerned with involved which curriculum areas the college would focus on, how much of humanities the college would focus on, what the benefits would be for students who entered the college and how much global issues factored into the college curriculum.

Some Academic Council members, such as zoology Professor Jim Smith, said he was concerned with whether a new college could be ready by fall 2005.

Williams said the committee had struggled with the time constraints, but thought it was manageable.

"It's a daunting task, but it's not without precedent," Williams said.

Other issues Academic Council members brought up were how faculty and students would be recruited, and when there would be discussions of curriculum and majors within the college.

Williams said because the committee was not asked to write up any plans about curriculum or faculty, they were limited as to how much detail they could include in the draft reports.

"It was not our responsibility or our function to be dealing with those issues," WIlliams said.

President-desigante Lou Anna Simon referred to the James Madison College as an example of how the new residential college could grow in size.

"You recruit a small group of faculty and students until they grow to a steady state," Simon said.

After hearing faculty comment, Williams said the areas that were discussed would continue to garner conversation from faculty members.

"These are areas that have been flagged as lacking some substance," Williams said. "We continue to invite participation and other conversations."

The committee hopes to have written a final draft and present it to Simon on October 15.