Members Present: Duane C. Anderson, Pamla Armstrong, Ed Brackett, Bob Feighner, Tim Green, Kurt Jackson, Charlie Jones, Linda Mitchusson, Jack Paschall, Chuck Perry, Ray Quiett, Shirley Talley, Nancy Thomason, Bruce Weems

Members Absent: Kenneth Moore

Others Present: John Price, Holly Sewell

Recorder: Sue Milner

Dr. Anderson, vice president for academic affairs, called the meeting to order at 9:05 a.m.

I. Approval of Minutes

The minutes of March 18, 1997 were approved with one correction to the calendar dates. March 24-27, students are required to take the Composition course and the government or history course, not all three.

II. Vice President for Academic Affairs Agenda

Dr. Anderson gave an account of his trip to Denver where he toured the Higher Education Advanced Technology Center at Lowry. Mr. Stan Nnochirionye accompanied him.

A. COI, April 3, 1997

1. Oklahoma Commission for Teacher Preparation: There was discussion of the new testing process and the number of tests required of teacher education students. The battery of tests will cost a student $344 if the student passes the first time through the process. The debate on the process is ongoing.

2. Committee Report on Electronic Media. OneNet policy on basic services were discussed. Certain services are to be provided by receive sites. Also recommended that there not be a surcharge system-wide.

3. Academic Programs Committee. Received two handouts: program approval and program review. The Committee inserted new language in Program Review that instructional technology be explained.

4. Time To Degree Joint Committee. The completed report will go directly to the Chancellor.

B. Calendar Dates

1. April 10 - George Nigh Award luncheon at 11:45 in South Dining Room of Taft Cafeteria.

2. April 11 - Last day to drop 16-week course if remaining in other classes.

3. April 14 - Honors and Title III students enroll.

4. April 15-18 Fall Pre-enrollment. Arts and Letters students will be directed to the School of Business and McNair enrollment centers.

5. April 21 - First day of walk-in enrollment for transfer and continuing students.

6. April 21-24 PLC students enroll. Faculty should be available for advising. The Summer Bridge Program will be opened for additional students. Students must enroll in the Composition I course and the history or government course; they may also enroll in all three. A memo will be sent regarding the Summer Bridge program.

7. April 24 - Final Spring 1997 Faculty Load Report due.

8. May 5 - Update of the Summer 1997 Faculty Load Report due.

C. Part-time Faculty Eligibility for TRS

Dr. Anderson referred to a memo from Mr. Curtiss Baker, vice president for fiscal affairs, stating that part-time faculty are no longer eligible to participate in the Teachers' Retirement System unless they are already in the system through another agency or institution.

D. New Encumbrance Procedures

Dr. Anderson distributed a memo from the Purchasing Office explaining the procedure for completing requests for encumbrances.

E. Multicultural Report

The Academic Affairs Office is receiving responses to Dr. Anderson's request for Multicultural activities during the year.

F. General Faculty Meeting, April 15, 1997

A general faculty meeting will be held in the ballroom. Refer to the memo from Dr. Cole for details.

G. Other

1. Unit Annual Reports are due June 30. The reports will go into the appendix of the Annual Academic Report.

2. The Summer 1997 pre-enrollment report is down 16 percent from the same time last year. Dr. Anderson will provide names of students who have pre-enrolled. Departments should contact those students not on the list that should be enrolled. April 30 will more clearly indicate enrollment figures for summer.

3. Council members reviewed a handout of Student Transfer Activity Matrix showing a state-wide flow of students. ECU attracted the highest number of students from Seminole State College and Eastern Oklahoma State College.

4. Screening Committees are actively working toward filling positions for Dean of Humanities and Social Sciences, Assistant Academic Vice President, Elementary Education, Special Education, Psychology, Computer Science, Cartography, and Business Administration professors.

5. The Assessment Center sent a memo to persons who have historically provided general information about campus services to beginning freshmen to be included in the freshman packet.

III. Unit Reports

Faculty Senate--Dr. Charlie Jones

Faculty have received two items from Faculty Senate: proposed constitutional amendments and a report on election process and status. At the end of April, the Faculty Senate will be sending out forms for faculty to indicate whether they wish to remain on a Standing Committee and committee preference for vacant positions. Dr. Anderson is close to completing a revision of the Faculty Handbook.

Division of Health, Physical Education & Recreation--Dr. Tim Green

The division is in the process of filling a coaching/teaching position to replace Mr. Scott Varner.

Assessment and Institutional Research--Dr. Kurt Jackson

Dr. Jackson discussed the enrollment and advisement procedure for scholarship students April 21-24. The Assessment Center is returning annual assessment report packets to deans and department chairs. Dr. Jackson gave details for completing the report and emphasized using software compatible with WordPerfect 6.1 and using a calendar year rather than an academic year as the reporting period. Data should span a five-year period.

Title III and Grants/Research Information Center--Mr. Ed Brackett

Mr. Brackett received notification of full funding for the Title III program based on the 1995 funding level. The program will purchase 30 computers; 20 for students and 10 for faculty. The Grants office currently has 35 active grants representing the current year's funding of $4,553,669.

School of Graduate Studies--Dr. Jack Paschall

Dr. Paschall attended a Teletraining Institute in Stillwater, sponsored by OSRHE. It was well conducted and he hopes to be sharing the knowledge with others through Interactive Television on April 21 and 28.

School of Mathematics and Sciences--Dr. Bruce Weems

Odyssey of the Mind is Saturday, April 19. Dr. James Lowry has been granted a NASA Research Fellowship. He will be in Alabama two and one-half months working on the use of remote sensing as a tool to better understand the cultural relationships. On his return, he will be integrating the information into the cartography program.

Division of Social Sciences--Dr. Ray Quiett

Dr. Scott Barton received an NEH grant for summer and will be going to Harvard. Dr. Marc Petrowsky is doing a shared authorship on a textbook and is getting good publicity on that. The Rhodes Scholarship accepted Dr. Quiett's nomination for Dr. Tom Cowger who will be serving in that capacity. Dr Davis Joyce was honored with a McCasland Award for Excellence in Teaching Oklahoma History from the Oklahoma Heritage Association.

School of Business--Dr. Linda Mitchusson

"Profits in Education" will be the topic of discussion at the Parker Ethics Conference slated for April 16. The conference is free and open to faculty and students; however, if attending the luncheon, the cost is $20 and reservations should be made. Dr. Mitchusson has asked that those attending plan to stay a complete session. Parts of the conference will be taped to be used in classes. The Accounting Department's awards banquet is April 19 at 7:00 p.m. Business Administration has its awards luncheon April 25.

School of Education and Psychology--Dr. John Price

Dr. Price attended the Academic Affairs Council meeting. Dr. Moore is in Maine for an NCATE Examiners Week.

Continuing Education and Community Service Center--Ms. Nancy Thomason

The Multicultural Fair is April 16 at the University Center. Ethnic foods and displays are from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. and an evening style show is at 7:30.

Division of Arts and Letters--Dr. Shirley Talley

The ECU Music Department is sponsoring a community-wide presentation of The Messiah Wednesday evening, April 9, at St. Joseph's Catholic Church. The Division has several activities planned for April including music ensembles, art exhibits, symphonic band, and Theatre productions. For more information, call the Division office.

Library--Dr. Chuck Perry

The most searched topic this month is "sex." Two faculty positions have been filled in the library: Ms. Debra Holster moves from a temporary position to a regular position, effective July 1 and Ms. Dana Belcher joins the library faculty April 16. Dr. Perry is busy purchasing library furnishings. The date set for the new library dedication is June 3, the first day of summer school.

Data Processing--Mr. Bob Feighner

Electronic encumbrances are currently being tested in the library. Policies and procedures will be made by the next meeting.

Registry--Ms. Pamla Armstrong

The spring Commencement Program was sent to the printer last week.

IV. Old Business

A. Undecided Major Recommendation

The Academic Affairs Council approved the recommendation that "Effective fall 1997 semester all undergraduate students, including current students, will be required to declare an undergraduate major upon earning forty-eight (48) semester hours of ECU and transfer course work."

B. Dean and Department Position Descriptions

Deans and department chairs are to review the generic position descriptions and add specific functions that are unique to the area. Deans should return the descriptions by April 25 to Dr. Anderson.

VII. New Business

A. Scheduling of General Education Humanities Courses in G1 and G2

Deans and department chairs are to review humanities courses through spring 1999 and project how they may schedule these courses and the number of sections. This is due at the May AAC meeting.

VIII. Adjourn

There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 12:00 noon.

Duane C. Anderson

Vice President for Academic Affairs