I. CALL TO ORDER

 Dr. Anderson, vice president for academic affairs, called a regular meeting of the Academic Affairs Council to order at 9:00 a.m.

II. ROLL CALL

 Members Present: Duane C. Anderson, Pamla Armstrong, Dennis Boe, Bob Feighner, Kurt Jackson, Carlotta Lockmiller, Linda Mitchusson, Bill Osborne, Jack Paschall, Charles Perry, Shirley Talley, Nancy Thomason, Alvin Turner, C. J. Vires, Bruce Weems.
 Recorder: Holly Sewell

III. APPROVAL OF MINUTES

 The minutes of November 14, 2000, for the Academic Affairs Council were approved as posted to the Academic Affairs Web Page.

IV. DR. BILL S. COLE

 Dr. Cole met with the council to provide information on projects taking place on campus during the spring semester.  Offices in Horace Mann were refurbished over the Christmas break.  Cosmetic work is going on in McBride, Old Science Hall and the Oklahoma Room.  Most of these projects stayed on schedule even with the bad weather.

 Renovation of the Old Library will go out for bid by the end of March.  The renovation will provide additional office space, two large computer labs and conference rooms.  This project should get underway by the end of April and be completed by the end of the year.

 Work on the roof and ceiling at Kerr Center is another project set to take place this spring.  A consulting firm has been on campus to review and study the situation.  Plans are to have the project go out for bid and under contract before the end of May.

 The University Foundation is hoping to hear from the Reynolds Foundation about a grant for the proposed fine arts center by the end of January.  This is a $14 million dollar project that will take at least 2-3 years to complete.

V. MR. TODD ESSARY

 Mr. Essary thanked everyone for their support on the Great Escape event in the fall.  There were 125 students and their families at this event.  He also provided the council with information on upcoming Student Services recruiting activities:

 ECU Winter Jam - Saturday, January 27, 2001 - This is the second year for this event. Will include tours, information sessions, free lunch and tickets to ECU’s game against Midwestern State University that afternoon.  Mr. Essary is expecting 150 students and their families for this event.  Faculty are invited to attend.

 ECU Native American Day - Wednesday, January 31, 2001
 Native American high school students statewide are invited.  The event includes speakers, tours, a luncheon and much more.

 ECU Interscholastic Meet - Tuesday, February 13, 2001
 This is a campus wide event from 9 am through noon and hosts over 100 high schools statewide.  There are three divisions with over 2,000 high school students taking tests on-campus.  Mr. Essary went over procedures for the day.

 Call/E-Mail Sheets - will be released in early February.

VI. Unit Reports

 Continuing Education and Community Services Center-Ms. Nancy Thomason
 Interviews are scheduled for the position of Coordinator of Distance Learning.

 Linscheid Library-Dr. Charles Perry
 An ad has been submitted to fill the position left vacant by Lori Mardis.

 Faculty Senate-Dr. Dennis Boe
 The Faculty Advisory Committee meets January 28 and with the Regents on February 9.

 School of Humanities and Social Sciences-Dr. Alvin Turner
 Dr. Turner critiqued part of the North Central self study report by candlelight during the ice storm.  A Black Folk Art Exhibit by Georgia Pugh will be on display in the student center in February.  Dr. Turner is working with Maud Schools on a historical grant.

 School of Mathematics and Sciences-Dr. Bruce Weems
 No report.

 School of Business-Dr. Linda Mitchusson
 Recruiting for several open faculty positions is taking place this spring.  Dr. Mitchusson indicated she will be working on the self study for the School of Business accreditation.  The School newsletter is now on the ECU web page.

 Registrar-Ms. Pamla Armstrong
 Ms. Armstrong thanked faculty for turning in their grades in a timely manner.  Grade reports went out on schedule.  ECU now has an electronic Application for Admission on our web site.  Since the application was posted to the web, the Registry office receives 4-5 applications a day electronically.  Dr. Anderson thanked the Registry Office staff for working so diligently in getting out grades.

 School of Education and Psychology-Dr. Bill Osborne
 Certification and accountability issues in Education are being raised once again, which may mean requirement changes in the future.

 NCA Self-Study Coordinator-Dr. Carlotta Lockmiller
 Dr. Lockmiller read the second draft of the self study during the break.  The document needs some editing and there are still a few parts that have not been turned in.  Dr. Lockmiller hopes to get the self-study on-line in the next month or two.

 Computer Services-Mr. Bob Feighner
 Mr. Feighner thanked Registry office staff for their help in getting out grades.  He also reminded everyone that Charles Pokorny retired December 31, 2000.

 Assessment and Institutional Research Center-Dr. Kurt Jackson
 No report.

 Grants and Research Information Center-Mr. C. J. Vires
 ECU has 7.8 million dollars in grants approved and 13.8 million in operation.  The University received funding for one new summer academy and continued funding for two academies.

 School of Graduate Studies-Dr. Jack Paschall
 Intersession classes got off to an icy start.

VII. AGENDA OF THE VICE PRESIDENT FOR ACADEMIC AFFAIRS

 Dr. Anderson introduced Holly Sewell as the new Assistant to the Vice President for Academic Affairs.  Ms. Sewell fills the position left vacant by Sue Milner who retired from ECU after 29 years of service.  Among other duties, Ms. Sewell will be keeping calendars for Drs. Talley and Anderson.  Please call extension 203 to schedule appointments.

 Semester Start-up Dates and Times
 January 9  Faculty Return
    Deans and Dept. Chairs meet with VPAA and AVPAA - 9 am in the Oklahoma Room
    General Faculty Meeting - 1 pm in the Ballroom
 January 10  Regular Enrollment
 January 11  Classes start-will look at small classes in late afternoon and early the next morning .

 Calendar Dates
 January 10  Intersession ends
 January 15  Martin Luther King Day-No classes, offices closed
 January 18  Last day to add 1st 8wk courses
 January 18-19  BOROC meeting
 January 19  Non-instructional contribution forms due
 January 24  Final summer schedule due
 January 25  Last day for 100% refund
 January 26  Census day
 January 29  Spring 01 Load Report due
    Proposed Fall 01 schedule due
    Proposed Fall 01 Load Report due
 February 5  Syllabi due
    Tenure applications due
 February 6  ACT
    Reappointment of Non-Tenured Faculty letter due
 March 1  Promotion applications due
 March 9  Administrator evaluations due

 Early Enrollment for spring, December 11
 The enrollment report run by the Registry Office on December 11 shows undergrad FTE up 1.7% and graduate FTE up 5.3%.  Overall FTE is up 1.9% and 4.1% in headcount.

 Winter Intersession Enrollment/Problems
 Of the winter intersession classes scheduled, only two were canceled.  Before Christmas break, 163 students were enrolled in intersession classes, up from 148 last year.

 Catalog-Placement of Course Descriptions
 It has been suggested that course descriptions be moved from the school sections to the back of the catalog and listed alphabetically.  Dr. Anderson put this item on the agenda for discussion at the deans/dept. chair meeting next week.

 CLEP Exams
 ECU is currently not a CLEP site.  Students taking CLEP exams must go to Seminole State College.  In order to serve our students better,  Dr. Anderson is checking into the possibility of ECU becoming a site.

 Administrator Evaluation Schedule
 Evaluation forms will be distributed the 1st of March and are due back in the Academic Affairs Office by March 9.

 Computer Count
 A memo with instructions and a form for submitting the January 2001 computer count was distributed.  A copy of the form has also been sent electronically.  Deans are reminded not to rely upon existing inventory documents, a physical count should be made of the computers.

 New Drop/Withdrawal Dates, Title IV Funds
 The new drop/withdrawal dates are listed in the new class schedule book.  The drop dates coincide with students receiving Title IV funds.

 Federal Appeals Court Lifts Injunction
 Dr. Anderson informed the Council that a federal appeals court has lifted an injunction barring race-based admissions.

 Night General Education Schedule
 Changes or additions to the general education night schedule are due February 9.

 Trauma Team
 Dr. Linda Massey is the primary facilitator of a trauma team established to address the emotional/psychological needs of students or faculty when an incident of trauma occurs on campus.  This team does not deal with medical issues, only those of a social/psychological nature.

 Beginning Freshmen Admitted by Core GPA
 A third category of admission for Beginning Freshmen has been added.  ECU admitted 15 students under the Core GPA category in the fall of 2000.  Of the 15 students, 7 took one 0 level course; 1 took two 0-level courses; 1 took three courses; and 2 took two or more.  Three students enrolled in reading; three in English, and four enrolled in intermediate math.  These numbers do not reflect a big difference in the number of students taking remedial courses admitted in this new category versus beginning students admitted in the other two categories.

 Proposed Academic Calendar
 The Academic Calendar for 2001-02, submitted to the OSRHE, was distributed to Council members.

 Transfer Credit Equivalencies
 Information regarding transfer credit was distributed to new faculty.  Dr. Anderson encouraged the Deans to copy the information for Department Chairs and faculty.

 Handouts
 Dr. Anderson distributed several articles of interest to the Council for their review.

 Other
 None.

VIII. AGENDA OF THE ASSISTANT VICE PRESIDENT FOR ACADEMIC AFFAIRS 

 Student Evaluations
 Dr. Talley reported that student evaluations from the fall semester are being scanned.

 Enrollment Dates - PLC, Regular summer, June/July
 PLC    April 23-26
 Regular Summer  June 1
 June/July  June 13-15
    June 19-22
    June 26-29
    July 10-12
    July 24
 
 Multicultural Annual Report
 Deans should support their faculty in gathering information of any activities of a multicultural nature in which faculty participated.  The information is to be sent to the Academic Affairs Office no later than March 21.  Activities are during the period May 2000 through May 2001 and anticipated activities in March and April.

 New Faculty Advising
 The following faculty have been recommended by their department chair and/or dean to be added to the active list of ECU advisors:
 Allene Warren   Kenneth Andrews  Robert Hill
 Ceclila Lin   Kathleen Landes   Ken Hada
 Barbara Gibson   Jeff Tymony   Hongkai Zhang
 Barbie Hardison   Nancy Norvell   Greg Plumb

 Retention Issues
 In studying the issue of retention, it has been found that students making a “C” or less in UNIV 1001 do not succeed in their other subjects and eventually drop out.  Dr. Talley is working on a plan to help improve retention through the Freshman Seminar class.
 
 Department Writing Plans & English Proficiency Committee
 The English Proficiency Committee has reviewed all the old departmental writing plans.  The committee will now go back to the departments to help with some fine tuning.  Plans are due before spring break.

 Other
 The Cultural Activities Committee has $400 that is unencumbered.  If anyone has a cultural event that needs help with funding, they should provide Dr. Talley with the following information:  name of the event, person or organization in charge of the event, dates, and the people who will benefit from the event.
 

IX. OLD BUSINESS

 Student Computer Lab Policy on Opening and Closing Times
 Opening and closing times of computer labs must be posted in the labs.  Any changes in posted times should be sent to Dr. Anderson and campus police.

 General Education Advisory Committee
 The General Education Advisory Committee will be called into session this spring.  The revised syllabus form will be discussed at the February meeting.  Dr. Anderson will schedule math literacy skills for discussion at the Deans/Dept. Chair meeting next week.

 Departmental Brochures
 Departmental brochures should be completed as soon as possible.  The color copier in the Assessment Center is available for use provided departments furnish their own paper.

 Foundation for Excellence
 No applications were submitted.

 Academic Affairs Procedures Handbook
 Dr. Anderson distributed the first draft of the Academic Affairs Procedures Handbook.  He asked the Council to review and bring back changes to the March meeting.  He went on to say that this is a procedures document only; it does not supersede the Faculty Handbook.

X. NEW BUSINESS

 Policy on Overdue Interlibrary Loans - Dr. Perry
 Dr. Perry discussed with the Council a draft policy on overdue interlibrary loans.  This policy was developed due to the increasing problem of overdue books over the last couple of years.  Overdue interlibrary materials is a serious issue that can adversely affect all who utilize this service.

 Department Chairs/Deans Meeting
 This meeting is scheduled for 9:00 am on January  9 in the Oklahoma Room.  Items to be included on the agenda for that meeting were discussed.

 Budget Instructions and Forms for FY02
 Budget Guidelines and forms for 2001-02 were distributed.  The forms are unchanged from last year.  Requests for new monies must be justified and linked to a department, school, or academic unit goal or objective and to assessment results where applicable.  Completed forms should be sent electronically to Marilyn Cole by February 20.

XI. ADJOURN

 There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 1:30 pm.    Deans met immediately after the regular AAC meeting.  The Deans Council will meet February 6.  The next meeting of the full Council is scheduled for March 6.
 

Duane C. Anderson
Vice President for Academic Affairs