NOTE: At times, issues of confidentiality may require that some items discussed in meetings be excluded from these minutes.

MEMBERS: Bill Barnes, Charles Bachman, Dave Caudill, Tom Currin, Alan Gabrielli, Steve Hamrick, Joyce Mills, Nikki Palamiotis, Jeffrey Ray, Han Reichgelt, Zvi Szafran, and Taixi Xu

MEMBERS ABSENT: Nikki Palamiotis

Item 1. Updates

Dr. Szafran opened the meeting with updates:

Budget - Next year’s budget allocations have been released but the budget has not yet been signed by the Governor. SPSU’s strategic budget allocation is $1.6 million – up from about $100,000 last year. The increase is due to our increased enrollment and other efforts on our campus. STEM funds have been awarded to the Campus in the amount of $210,000 for the first round and an additional $140,000 in the second round for a total of $350,000 for next year. These funds will be spend on new faculty positions, outreach for students, advising iniatives, etc. and are subject to renewal yearly if the targets are met. The following targeted iniatives that we submitted received funding:

Freshmen Advising – not funded
Freshmen Experience - $45,000
Research - $25,000
Lockheed Project (Rapid Response) - $150,000
Financial Aid Services - $45,000
Emergency Preparedness - $45,000
Shared Services - $145,000 – this is a savings to the University by combining certain services into one central location
Georgia Highlands – no word yet on the funding ($500,000 requested) to renovate Building E/Building H for Georgia Highlands’ use. This allocation may show up in Georgia Highlands’ budget.

All of the above are contingent on the Governor signing the budget. May 15 is the shut-down date for spending this year’s budget. He encouraged everyone to have purchase orders ready to go in the event year-end funds become available.

Franchise packets have gone out.

Articulations are being worked on.

Summer enrollment is flat but the numbers are up for fall.

Students from China in collaborative programs expected to be close to 100 in the fall.

Steve anticipates the largest graduation class this spring with approximately 330 graduates and includes the first two Construction Management graduates and the first two WebBSIT graduates.

Szafran reminded the Council of the May 1 deadline for the Regents Awards nominations which should include one individual and one department.

The Faculty Senate approved the night engineering program. It will go to the Undergraduate Curriculum Committee next and then to the general faculty and on to the Board of Regents for approval.

Faculty searches are going well and several positions have been filled. It has been brought to our attention that background checks are taking much longer than they should. University Police are working to correct this.

Item 2. Academic Plan

The deans are working on their part of the academic plan and the recommendations on advising are coming forward soon. The actual academic plan is being compiled and will be available for campus review in the near future.

Item 3. Graduate Student Support

The Council continued the discussion from the last meeting about the use of graduate assistants. All were in favor of having more graduate assistantships available and would like to increase the stipend.

Item 4. New Programs

Dr. Szafran asked for updates on programs in progress and ideas being considered for new programs.

A&S

Political Science – in progress
Graduate program in User Center Design

ETM

Accounting – in progress
Alternative Fuels
BAS Manufacturing Engineering Technology

ACC

Architectural Lighting
Architecture Engineering
Architecture Science or Studies

CSE

DPS
Gaming Design
Graduate program in Architecture
PSM in Software Engineering

Dr. Mills asked the Council to include the Library from the beginning when planning for new programs as this is especially important for accreditation purposes.

Alan Gabrielli met with representatives from Kennesaw State recently to review the curriculum for Math and Science Education and is working with our Math Department on proposed changes that involve math courses.

The meeting adjourned at 3:25 P.M.