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Scenes from Faculty Senate

Joint Strategic Planning Committee

Thursday, Decemer 21, 2006

1:05 - 2:25 p.m.

President's Conference Room, Green Hall

Attendance: Robert Carothers, M. Beverly Swan, Tom Dougan, Robert Weygand, Michael Rice, Barbara Luebke, Marilyn Barbour, Jim Kinnie, Jim Kowalski, Jim Miller, Dayle Joseph, Domingo Morel, Ann Morrissey. Guests: Linda Acciardo, Linda Barrett, Michele Nota and Vincent Wilczynski.

Announcements: President Carothers announced that Dr. Peter Alfonso had been hired as Vice Provost for Research, Graduate Studies and Outreach and Dean of the Graduate School. The President said that he hoped the change in title to Vice President would be approved by the Board early in the new year. He also said that the University intended to bring the Research Foundation proposal to the Board in January as well. He noted that if approved by the Board, the establishment of the Research Foundation would also require approval by the General Assembly.

Provost Swan indicated that there was discussion as to whether the January 22 Board of Governors' Meeting would be cancelled. She expressed concern that the Board was not scheduled to meet again until March, which would delay not only the Research Foundation, but the University's honorary degrees as well.

President Carothers said that the University planned to go ahead with the appointment of a Vice Provost for Enrollment Management as recommended in the Hossler Report. He emphasized the importance of the position, especially as it related to financial aid distribution. He noted that the University dedicates a large but limited amount of funds to financial aid and that it must be distributed as effectively as possible. It was agreed that the Admissions Advisory Committee was the appropriate committee to discuss scholarship policies.

Provost Swan said that the establishment of the new Vice Provost position did not reflect negatively on the outstanding staff in Enrollment Services and Admissions. It was an indication that an expert in the area was needed to help make more informed enrollment decisions. Provost Swan announced that Dean Libutti had been asked to serve as Special Assistant to the Provost and assigned the responsibility for enrollment management during the spring semester.

Vice President Dougan reported that the dormitories were about 86% vacated for the intersession. He announced that Building C behind Browning should be ready for January and that the new Dining Hall and Building B were on target for April.

Minutes: the Minutes of the November 2 Meeting of the JSPC were approved with the addition of Domingo Morel to the list of members present at the meeting.

Mid-Year Budget Update: Ms. Barrett and Vice President Weygand reported on the status of the budget for the rest of the academic year. They indicated that they were hopeful that with additional enrollment revenue, funds would be available to support the curriculum by funding faculty positions, initially on an ad hoc basis, then hopefully tenure track. In addition it would support necessary non-faculty positions in Enrollment Services, Counseling and Talent Development. Other areas requiring funding included inoculations for dining hall personnel, the branding and marketing initiative in University Advancement and paying for the new IEP house this year before it is completed and can become self-supporting.

Vice President Weygand expressed concern that the State Budget Office had indicated that the amount of the RICAP funds that had not been spent or committed so far would be frozen as a means to balance the state budget. He said that the memo had assured the University that any funds not spent during the '07 fiscal year would be restored in FY '08.

Summer Session: The Executive Committee raised the topic of summer session and whether it is used as effectively as it might be. Discussion ensued as to whether the responsibility for summer session was more appropriately placed under the Vice Provost for Enrollment Management and various ideas for making it a more profitable and integrated operation were suggested.

Enrollment Management: President Carothers said that he hoped another improvement in the University's ability to gather and use data would be the transfer of the Office of Institutional Research and its staff to the new Vice Provost for Enrollment Management.

President Carothers said that in light of the continuing decrease in graduate student enrollment, it appeared to be the appropriate time to transfer the responsibility of Graduate Admissions to the Vice Provost for Enrollment Management. He also suggested that the time was appropriate for revisiting the issue of the Graduate School.

Announcement: President Carothers welcomed Dean Dayle Joseph, the newest member of the JSPC. Dean Joseph was the President's appointee under the new provisions of section 5.70.11 of the UNIVERSITY MANUAL.

The meeting adjourned at 2:25 p.m.