Jim--
 
Is Thursday the day that is normally set as the first Dept. meeting
time?  I'm inclined to think we should wait until the following
Wednesday because (although I could be wrong about this, I would
expect people to be cancelling only the Tuesday...)--the problem
we're having is, I think, that Jew Holidays begin at sundown.
 
About your rec for Rosh:  I think you should make clear that Dick
Lynde proposed some meeting with students of the kind you recommend.
 
About setting priorities:  I think we should ask faculty to circulate
proposals by Sept. 1, then be prepared to discuss and vote the following
week.  Let's follow the procedure we used last time, i.e. we vote
for our number 1 choice first, then vote again, etc.
 
I think it's reasonable to expect that the slow start this year gives
people some lead time from the 1st to even the next Thursday (if
that's a better meeting time) to get themselves together for making
decisions.
 
J.