I. CALL TO ORDER

 Dr. Anderson, Vice President for Academic Affairs, called the meeting of the Academic Affairs Council to order at 9:00 a.m.

II. ROLL CALL

 Members Present: Duane C. Anderson, Pamla Armstrong, Bob Feighner, Claudia Hisle, Kurt Jackson, Carlotta Lockmiller, Thomas Morehart, Bill Osborne, Jack Paschall, Charles Perry, Richard Putnam, Holly Sewell, Shirley Talley, Nancy Thomason, Alvin Turner, C. J. Vires, Bruce Weems.

Members absent:  None

Also present:  Kevin Davis, Shelley Ross, Bob Vavricka, Dennis Boe

 Recorder: Marilyn Cole

III. APPROVAL OF MINUTES

The minutes of the January 3 meeting were approved as presented.

IV.  Reports

A.  Dr. Kevin Davis, Director of the Writing Center, discussed the services provided by the Writing Center - services available both to students and to faculty.  The Writing Center is not just a computer lab.  They offer tutoring and writing assistance to students and are available to faculty for help in various areas.

B.  Dr. Dennis Boe, Director of the Honors Program, distributed brochures from the Honors Program together with the 2000-2001 Annual Report.  Dr. Boe shared that the Honors Program graduates between 20 and 30 students each year.

C.  Mr. Bob Vavricka, Director of the Advising Center distributed a packet describing some of the many functions handled by the Advising Center.  The mission of the Center is to provide all students with accurate academic advising and to assist the faculty in maintaining current academic advising information and skills in order to iimprove student retention.

1.  Regional VPAA Meeting, February 14, 2002

There was a discussion about the use of adjunct faculty.  BOROC institutions have about 15-20% of their courses taught by adjunct faculty.  However, some exceed that percentage.

Online courses - Cameron University has 32 online courses; Rogers State has 60; Northeastern has 20; UCO has 10-12; Southeastern has six; ECU has none.

A week ago last Wednesday, the Electronic Media Committee met.  Eduprise' state contract has really fallen apart.  The "24/7" help desk isn't.  It is available from 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. EST.  The licenses for WebCT and Blackboard aren't a part of the contract.   However,  Phil Moss continues to negotiate with WebCT to continue to contract with the State Regents.  The new contract will probably average about $7,000 per year.

2.  COI, February 14, 2002

One matter for discussion was a faculty employment bill in Committee.  The Senate bill passed out of the subcommittee.  The House version was defeated in the subcommittee.  The bill that survived will require institutions to inform faculty in writing of the denial of any tenure or promotion application and for the reason for any change in employment status.

Dr. Anderson will be one of the four COI members who will meet with the subcommittee of the Faculty Advisory Committee.

Brice Fair talked about the Governor's 4X4 proposal.  It was killed in committee.  Some similar bills have survived.

The OHLAP scholarship began in the 90's.  Students must make a contract in the 8th or 9th grade.  The income limits have been raised from $50,000 to $70,000.  Institutions can obtain the names and addresses of students who are participating in the OHLAP program.  This could be a valuable recruiting tool.

Applied Biology/Chemistry has been extended one year.

Have received copies of the report on the Oklahoma Higher Ed Task Force on Education and will forward copies to the deans.

The Concurrent Enrollment policy was on the agenda again.

There are now three ways for students to be admitted to a teacher ed program.  The OGET will probably be added as a fourth method of admission.  Senate Bill 1595 means that everyone except those who qualify for alternative certification will have to take the certification test.

3.  Calendar Dates

2-28-02 - Last day to drop 1st 8-week courses
3-1-02 - Rank Promotion due
3-7-02 - First 8-week courses end
3-8-02 - Second 8-week courses begin
3-8-02 - Technology Fee budgets due
3-15-02 - Administrator evals sent out
3-18/25-02 - Spring Break (offices open 18th and 19th)
3-25/28-02 - Summer 2002 Pre-enrollment
3-28-02 - Final Strategic Plans due
3-29-02 - Administrator evals due
4-5-02 - Zone day (last time)

4.  Spring 2002 Enrollment

Spring enrollment is up - headcount 2.1%, FTE 3.5%

5.  AASCU Meeting, Report

Alexander Astin, UCLA, has been involved in assessment for 40 years.  He told the group that his conclusions over 35 years is, "As a group, students today are less engaged in academia and more focused on using their college education to get a job than ever before.  And in general, students come to the academic world much less prepared, but with higher expectations of the credits they want to get."

6.  Lectures

Rothbaum Lecture - March 7, 7:00 p.m. in the Estep Center.
Parker Lecture - April 1, 7:00 p.m., Dr. Eugene Hargove
Hedgehog and Fox - April 10, 2:00 p.m., Dr. Cluck and Dr. Biles
Boswell Lecture - April 23, 7:00 p.m., Dr. David Stone

Still working on the Limes Lecture and the Watkins Lecture.

Dr. Paul Lehman will be speaking on February 28 at 6:30 in the Regents Room.

7.  George Nigh Award Date

The luncheon for the George Nigh Award has been set for April 23 at 12:00.

8.  Other

A.  Computer count - all but one school has been received.
B.  Handouts on student workers grading papers, Campus Compact, Police Corps, Army National Guard.

1.  Multicultural Annual Report

Need information by March 1.

2.  Student Ambassadors

One of the Ambassadors is taking the recruiting for Ambassadors as a class project.  Will be sending a box stuffer letter with an application.  The Ambassadors attended Higher Ed Day at the Capitol this year.

3.  March 25-28 Early Enrollment for Summer

Already discussed.

4.  Course Equivalency Matrix Update and Icon

Will discuss in the Dean's meeting a plan to have the institutional transfer matrix on their computers.

School of Graduate Studies - Dr. Jack Paschall.
Nothing to report.

Library - Dr. Chuck Perry.
Have filled three support staff vacancies.  Advertised for Mary Evans replacement.  Word of the month is "photography."

Assessment and Institutional Research - Dr. Kurt Jackson.
Will be contacting departments for the courses for the Student Opinion Survey.

Grants Research Information Center - Mr. C. J. Vires.
C. J. distributed a graph depicting the comparison of external funding by division/school for 2000-2001 and 2001-2002.  Total funding collected to day is $8.98 million dollars.

A proposal has been submitted to develop a library media center.

North Central Coordinator - Dr. Carlotta Lockmiller.
The Self Study is grinding through the North Central process.  The Chair of our team has sent the final version of their report to the Higher Learning Commission.  The next step is that the report is sent to Dr. Cole.  Dr. Cheper and Dr. Lockmiller have been selected to do a mentoring workshop at the Higher Educatioh meeting in March.  They have also been asked to display ECU's Self Study document in the Resource Room.  Dr. Lockmiller and Dr. Anderson will be at a table at the "Self Study Fair."

Assistant to the Vice President for Academic Affairs - Ms. Holly Sewell
Nothing.

Computer Services - Mr. Bob Feighner.
On February 12, Kurt Jackson and Bob Feighner went to the Regents' office.  The Interscholastic Meet went well.  There was a small change in how the scores were displayed.

Admissions and Records - Ms. Pamla Armstrong.
Nothing to report.

Title III - Ms. Claudia Hisle.
Will start taking applications on April 1 from faculty for next year's CETL program.  The applications are available on the website - web1.ecok.edu, Title III.  Should be moving to the basement of the Education Building the week after spring break.

School of Education and Psychology - Dr. Bill Osborne.
The search for Dr. Wigdor's replacement.  Will advertise for the Department Chair's position soon.  Have been approved by the Commission for Teaching Preparation for an endorsement for ESL.

School of Mathematics and Sciences - Dr. Bruce Weems.
Computer Science - Mary Kay Tarver hosted a Regional Computer Science competition that was very successful.

The Oklahoma Science and Engineering Fair and the Oklahoma Junior Academy of Science meetings are the first weekend in April.

Still trying to recruit faculty for unfilled positions.

School of Humanities and Social Sciences - Dr. Alvin Turner.
The 1940's Radio Hour is doing very well.  Bret Jones has a play opening this weekend.

There is a new minor - Media Graphics.

Good responses to Criminal Justice.

Delma Hall has completed her doctorate.  Mara Sukholutskaya is to become a U. S. citizen.

Faculty Senate - Dr. Dwight Myers for Dr. Rich Putnam.
Faculty Senate is meeting.

School of Business - Dr. Tom Morehart.
Submitting this week the proposal for a new concentration in entrepreneurship to the Regents.  On March 2, there will be a joint venture with the entrepreneurship program, Ada Jobs Foundation, and Oklahoma Department of Commerce to do an Entrepreneurship Fair.  It will be in the Estep Center from 9:30 to 3:00.

Center of Continuing Education and Community Services - Ms. Nancy Thomason.
The OERB Grant was re-funded.  It is to train teachers in the public schools and then they do science projects in class related to the oil industry.

1.  Interscholastic Contest, Wrap Up

There seemed to be few or no problems this year.  Some students stopped by to pick up information on ECU.

2.  General Education Advisory Committee

A.  Review of General Education syllabi

The General Education Advisory Committee has met and is in the process of compiling the results.

3.  Administrator Evaluations

Already covered.

4.  Spring Jam, February 23, 2002

Spring Jam is this Saturday.  Faculty should talk to Dr. Williamson to get details.

5.  Call Sheets, Beginning Freshmen Recruiting

To be discussed in Deans' Meeting

6.  Gen Ed Night Schedule Update

Received all of the Gen Ed Night Schedules back.

7.  Return Strategic Plans

Read through all of the Strategic Plans and made comments.  They are ready to pick up.

8.  Status of MIS report

The Committee is down to two companies - Jenzabar and Sungard.  Several committee members went to Longview, Texas, to look at the Jenzabar package.  Sungard representatives came to campus.  We are still planning to proceed with the purchase.

9.  Other

Construction in Fentem is moving along.

1.  FY03 Budget Status

Budget forms are due today.  Tech Fee Budgets are due March 8.

2.  Retention Issues and Performance Funding

To be discussed in Deans' Meeting.

There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 12:15.
 
 

Duane C. Anderson
Vice President for Academic Affairs