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ACADEMIC LEADERSHIP COUNCIL

Academic Leadership Meeting Minutes

August 29, 2012

Q 202

 

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

ALC MEMBERS:  Austin Asgill, Tom Ball, Sam Beadles, Richard Bennett, Renee Butler, David Caudill, Richard Cole, Lance Crimm, Tom Currin, Meg Dillon, Ameen Farooq, Alan Gabrielli, Steven Hamrick, Bob Homer, Ruston Hunt, Andrew McMorran, Joyce Mills, Thomas Nelson, Julie Newell, Mark Nunes, Jeff Orr, Nikki Palamiotis, Phil Patterson, Hassan Pournaghshband, Dawn Ramsey, Jeffrey Ray, Nancy Reichert, Han Reichgelt, Ronny Richardson, Becky Rutherfoord, Khalid Siddiqi, George Stickel, Denise Stover, Mark Sugalski, John Sweigart, Zvi Szafran, and Tim Zeigler

MEMBERS ABSENT:   David Caudill, Dawn Ramsey, Denise Stover

GUESTS: 

 

Item 1. Updates

Dr. Szafran updated the Council on the following

  • New department chairs – Becky Rutherfoord, Interim Chair for IT; Hassan Pournaghshband, Interim Chair for CWSE; Renee Butler, Chair of Systems & Mechanical Engineering; Lance Crimm, Chair of Electrical & Mechatronics Engineering; Sam Beadles, Chair of Civil & Construction Engineering; and Mark Sugalski, Chair of the newly created Biology & Chemistry Department.
  • Civil Engineering Technology is now part of the School of Engineering Technology & Management
  • Budget – cut of 3% with possibility of an additional 2%.  System will most likely ask each institution to submit a report on how they will handle the cut.  SPSU normally holds back some money for such occurrences and may cut travel or not fill vacant positions to make up the short fall.  Cuts have not affected departmental OS&E budgets, which are being set by the deans.  Additional OS&E funds are also being allocated to the departments by the deans.
  • Searches – a few searches are beginning (most from failed searches from last year with the anticipation of filling them in January), others will begin in September
  • Capital Projects – The BoR is trying to complete projects on their existing list and is approving almost no new projects except small capital projects up to $1 million dollars.  SPSU submitted a proposal for a new capital project which was turned down but the BoR suggested we submit a renovation project instead which was submitted for Building D.  We are still waiting for an answer.
  • Promotion/Tenure/Reappointment, etc. issues – Szafran assured the Council that he is working on July reappointments but that he is reviewing them in the order in which they were received.  Additionally, Szafran has been communicating with the chairs when he encounters issues with the packets, such as packets being submitted that are much too large, things are missing such as SIRS, narratives, etc.  He reminded the Council that packets must be complete and that the SIRS summary form must be included and verified by the chair.  He also reminded the Council that packets should contain an up-to-date resume and documents placed in the correct order.  It is critical that packets be kept to what is absolutely necessary only as the Vice President’s office files are almost to capacity.  Also noted is the use of the word “satisfactory” when describing faculty work because the two categories are “noteworthy” and “satisfactory” and using satisfactory means non noteworthy.  Szafran suggested that committees and chairs be careful when using "satisfactory" -- it should only be used when satisfactory (but not noteworthy) is meant.  If "noteworthy" is meant, that word should be used.  Szafran also reminded the Council that P&T packets are due to the chairs on Friday and that he is still missing several reappointment packets that were due the end of July.  Becky Rutherfoord announced that pre/post-tenure, annual evaluation, and reappointment workshops will be offered in the CTE and she will send out the dates.
  • Enrollment both undergraduate and graduate is at an all-time high; 6,200 undergraduate students and 801 graduate students.  Szafran thanked everyone for making things work for the students this semester.  Hamrick announced that there will be no additional 4-digit CRNs and will begin assigning 5 digit CRNs in the spring.
  • Early Warning – Szafran talked about the critical issues that arise when faculty don’t take the early warning reporting seriously either by not reporting or reporting inaccurately.  He stated that this is ultra-inappropriate and can cause serious problems especially with Financial Aid.

 

Item #2.  Start Up Issues/Successes

  • Course Demand - Tom Ball stated that his department had some difficulty assessing true course demand since students are waiting until the last minute to pay.  Hamrick stated that Telnet might help with this but won’t solve the issue and suggested that web reports may help with planning the number of sections needed.
  • Tuition Differential – Zvi is in very preliminary talks with Bill Prigge to eliminate online tuition differential and ways if approved to make up that loss without cutting budgets.  It was suggested that tuition for out-of-state online students could be raised to offset the cost of lowing tuition for in-state on-line students.  Nikki should be involved in the discussions.
  • Registration During Orientation – because of the mass chaos during orientation getting students registered, Szafran is working the Ron Koger about the possibility of changing the way this is done.
  • e-Core – Russ Hunt shared our enrollments versus e-Core enrollments and stated that this needs to be discussed.
  • Area E Issue – Julie Newell talked about a trend she is seeing in the core classes she offers (Area E) and is finding very little demand for evening core classes and thinks students are taking major classes at night and their core classes via e-Core.  It is clear to Julie that more students want early classes.  In the past some CSE faculty showed interest in teaching on Saturday and Szafran asked the Council to consider the possibility of offering core on the weekends to see if there is a market for it.  It was suggested we do a market study before offering classes.
  • Goals – Bob Homer needs data for last year’s goals which was due the end of July.  He needs this no later than September 15 and new goals no later than September 30.

 

Item #3.  Upcoming Due Items with Dates – Not for Discussion – Dates Only

  • Comprehensive program review -  (additional questions form for departments with professional accreditation, schedule for departments that don't--this includes graduate programs).  Question form is due August 31.   Date for schedule?  Becky will send out the list again.
  • New programs under development (NSR = Next Step Responsibility)
    • M.S. in Civil Engineering – Prospectus: Approved       Full Proposal:  VPAA's Desk     NSR:  Zvi
    • B.S. in Environmental Science -   Prospectus:  BoR     NSR:  BoR, then if positive, Tom Nelson/Mark Sugalski - for full proposal
    • B.S. in Environmental Engineering Technology -    Prospectus: BoR   NSR:  BoR, then if positive, Jeff Ray/Tim Zeigler - full proposal is on Zvi’s desk
    • B.S. in Biotechnology -     Prospectus: VPAA   NSR:  Zvi
    • D.P.S. in Applied Computing and Information Technology -    Status:  Almost complete    NSR:  Zvi and Han – finalizing for Downtown
    • B.S. in Biomedical Engineering Technology  -   Status:  With department   NSR:  Jeff Ray/Austin Asgill – prospectus
    • B.S. in Geomatics -  Status:  With department   NSR:  Jeff Ray/Matt Wilson
    • B.S. in Renewable Energy Engineering Technology   Status: With department   NSR:  Jeff/Austin/John Sweigart
  • Accreditation  
    • Mechatronics Engineering visit in 2012-13 - October 21, 2012
    • Systems Engineering submission 2012-13
    • CE/EE/ME submission 2012-13
    • NAAB visit (Architecture) in 2013-14
    • AACSB (Business) target is 2020 – currently AACSB accredited
    • Education – January 27, 2013
  • Departmental RPG Plans - Due November 16, based on data from the five web reports that we have been looking at (and that non A&S departments submitted).   NSR:  Chairs to send to Dean by Nov. 16, to VPAA by Nov. 23
  • Permanent Schedules - NSR:  Send to Dean by  October 5.  Deans' review:  Due ?  When complete send to Steve as well. Work with S&ES on Recruitment Plan for Department.  NSR:  Chairs to consult with S&ES, starting now, unless already done
  • Differentiation and Communication Plan to Distinguish E & ET:  NSR:  Ray/Currin/Szafran to establish process by Sept. 15
  • Budget and Space Analysis/E and ET to align resources with program needs.  NSR:  Ray/Currin/Szafran to establish process by Sept. 15, Due Dec. 15
  • HR Study regarding recruitment and retention of faculty.  NSR:  Szafran/Prigge to initiate HR Study.  Results due December 15, 2012
  • IT/AA Assessment of Instructional Capital IT Needs to meet Program Requirements:  NSR:  Szafran/Conn to initiate assessment by Sept 15.  Status Review:  Nov 1
  • Plan for Recruiting More Female Faculty/Setting Goal for same:  NSR:  Deans to discuss by September 15.
  • Promotion plan for TCSG Articulation.  NSR:  David Caudill/Jim Cooper to set up plan by December 15.

 

Item #4. Online Proctoring – Data From Business Administration

Ronny Richardson distributed the data collected on the test study done to compare grades of students taking proctored versus un-proctored exams in their online course.  The study was conducted and paid for by Extended University and consisted of 22 comparisons of computer-graded exams.  The study concluded that 19 of the 22 grades were higher in the un-proctored  exams by 1 grade indicating that the un-proctored students had help.  Comments from the Council included:

  • Would students be required to come to campus? Yes, although alternative testing sites would be available
  • Departments would be responsible for paying the cost of proctored exams.
  • Not truly an online program if students must go to a testing facility.
  • Students must be told up front if this is a requirement and whether a cost is involved.
  • What do other universities do?  Hunt replied that it is all over the place – many differences among campuses.
  • Proctoring software is also available.
  • Szafran suggested that the chairs give input to their deans.
  • *Future Deans Council Agenda Item – proctored versus un-proctored exams

 

Item 5. Space Utilization

Szafran stated that there is no money for capital construction and that the BoR is looking at classroom usage.  The pilot study conducted of six universities (SPSU was one) showed full capacity is not being used and that we need to schedule more efficiently before asking for a new building.  The suggested capacity is 48-hour usage in each classroom.  Szafran stated that is next to impossible because we don’t schedule many Friday classes and no weekend classes.  He suggested we need to capture room usage better and push faculty and chairs to schedule Friday courses, test and see what happens.  More will come on this from the Deans Council, the Board of Regents, etc., encouraging better room utilization.  It was suggested to put all space under the control of Leigh Ann.  Szafran stated that even the Chancellor agrees that space is used more efficiently when not locally controlled.  He stated that departments need to follow schedule input deadlines and no block classrooms anticipating possible need later just to keep others from scheduling classes in their space.  He also reminded the Council to use standard time slots when scheduling classes.  The Deans Council will draft something to send out.

 

Item 6. New Business

No new business.  Szafran asked the Council to send Academic Leadership Council agenda items to him for future meetings.

 

The meeting adjourned at 4:03 PM