Academic Leadership Council Minutes
Ballroom A – 2:00 P.M.
January 10, 2007
GUESTS: Ron Koger and Kasey Helton
Item 1: Updates
New programs – Our DPS proposal raised some questions from the System Office and has been pulled from their website. Dr. Szafran will follow up with them.
Faculty Searches – Advertisements were placed in print and online beginning January 5, 2007. There was some concern that we would be unable to use state funds to reimburse candidates for interview expenses but that has been resolved by the BoR Legal Affairs Office. All candidates who interview must give a campus talk to be eligible for reimbursement. Additionally, expenses cannot be charged to travel funds but must be charged to our non-travel account (752100). Dr. Szafran would like feedback in the next week from the departments conducting searches regarding the numbers of applications being received. Dr. Szafran also reminded everyone that he would like to interview all candidates brought to campus and to be careful to follow the policy regarding interviewing faculty from other University System institutions. Dr. Szafran also reminded the Chairs that they must use the approved advertising copy when placing ads.
Equity – Dr. Szafran has been waiting for some budget information in order to determine the amount available for faculty equity adjustments. An email will probably go out in the next few weeks. The Faculty Compensation Committee has suggested dividing the available pool evenly among those eligible but Dr. Szafran may modify this recommendation to some degree. Some issues were raised from the Council regarding these equity adjustments, with several chairs stating that there should be a means by which they could indicate that a particular faculty member does not merit an equity adjustment, and they should have a greater role in determining who gets an adjustment (and how much).
Item 2: Overloads and Extra Compensation for Faculty
Dr. Szafran stated that he is willing to compensate faculty with teaching overloads. If a situation arises where an adjunct is not available to teach a necessary course, a faculty member may be compensated for teaching an overload. Following are some of the criteria for qualifying for extra compensation:
Department Chairs need to look at the faculty in their
department to be sure they are all teaching a full load. All extra compensation requests are handled
through
Item 3: Transfer Student Advising
Dr. Koger and Kasey Helton came to today’s ALC meeting to talk about ways to improve the way transfer students are advised and to seek input from the Council. Among others, a big concern for the departments is how to properly advise students who show up who have not had their transfer credits evaluated by the Admissions Office and do not have copies of transcripts from prior institutions. The chairs were advised that all students who come to orientation do have either had their transfer credit evaluated and posted in Banner or are given a copy of their prior transcripts to bring with them to their departmental orientations. Students who haven’t been evaluated and show up without transcripts should be sent to the Registrar’s Office for copies. Kasey also agreed to ask students at the beginning of orientation if they have transcripts or transfer evaluations and if not they will be referred to the Registrar’s Office.
Another issue of concern discussed was the MAT. Ron Koger stated that many math advisory tests are given each semester and that students should be encouraged to take the MAT. The test results are faster than transcript evaluation and will help place students in the correct math course. Students with pending math transfer credits may want to wait until the next semester to take a math course. Note: If a student receives transfer credit for a math course but scores low on the MAT, the transfer credit prevails and they cannot be forced to take a lower math course.
Item 4: Academic Planning
Szafran distributed an article entitled “Liberal Education, Then & Now” for the Council to review. He asked the Council to take a good look at what we would like to be doing and what we are already doing when developing the academic plan. He stated that we tend to focus heavily on majors and less on the core and that the article touches on this issue. Szafran asked the chairs to review the article and come up with questions that should be addressed as it relates to fusion of liberal arts and technology and developing more interdisciplinary courses. He also announced that the DTAE proposals are almost ready to go to the Senate and the Undergraduate Curriculum Committee. These do not need BoR or System approval. The five concentrations of the BAS are:
Szafran asked the ALC to read the article and start thinking about major issues for the academic planning process, a timetable for deliverables, and topics and priorities for the Academic Planning Taskforce.
Item 5: Master Planning
Dr. Szafran reminded the Council about additional meetings that may be needed as the consultants give us scenarios to discuss regarding buildings, parking, residence halls, etc. Decisions will also have to be made regarding who will move into the new buildings. Dr. Szafran sees two immediate needs – a new engineering building and new lab facilities for the sciences. The Construction Advisory Board has expressed willingness to raise funds for a new Construction building. We also need to decide what will happen to buildings vacated by those moving into the new buildings. Our chance for one major building in the next five years is good so it should be carefully planned.
Item 6: New Business
The $900,000 DTAE proposal that went to the BoR should be decided on in the new few months.
Meeting adjourned at 4:15