Members Present: Duane C. Anderson, Pamla Armstrong, Ed Brackett, Nick Cheper, Bob Feighner, Kurt Jackson, Linda Mitchusson, Kenneth Moore, Jack Paschall, Chuck Perry, Shirley Talley, Nancy Thomason, Alvin Turner, Bruce Weems

Others Present: Dale Hayden, Marilyn Cole

Recorder: Sue Milner

I. CALL TO ORDER

At 9:00 a.m., Dr. Anderson called a regular meeting of the Academic Affairs Council to order.

II. APPROVAL OF MINUTES

The minutes of February 17, 1998, were approved with one correction. Revise the Faculty Senate statement concerning direct incoming calls to "The Senate has sent a recommendation to President Cole requesting that direct incoming dialing (DID) be installed on ECU's telephone system. For security reasons and other reasons, DID would allow faculty members to be accessible during hours when the switchboard is closed."

III. DALE HAYDEN

Mr. Hayden gave information regarding workman's compensation. He reviewed the nature of the contract and a sign-up procedure that is required of all faculty and staff. The enrollment meetings are scheduled for 1:00, 2:00 and 3:00 p.m. in the Raymond Estep Multimedia Center. All faculty and staff are required to enroll with the WorkCare Oklahoma program.

IV. AGENDA OF VICE PRESIDENT FOR ACADEMIC AFFAIRS

COI, February 19, 1998

1. Bryce Fair, state regents' legislative liaison, talked briefly about the Hope Scholarship and the Lifetime Learning Credit. There are students who will be eligible to claim some of these tax credits. Mr. Fair also reviewed several legislative items. One may look on the Regents' web page link for updates on legislation pertaining to higher education. The update of February 19 identifies legislation important to academic affairs.

a. The Senate Education Committee gave a report on Bill 1372 concerning faculty employment issues. A bill outlawing faculty tenure did not get out of committee.

b. A proposal to create a course transfer matrix that would link private institutions to public colleges was assigned to a committee for review and recommendation.

c. Two bills dealing with a proposal for a freestanding university in Tulsa are unacceptable. Both The University of Oklahoma and Oklahoma State University must have a minimum of 25 undergraduate degree programs with a minimum of 25 majors in each program before a university can be established. It is unlikely these institutions can meet that requirement.

d. Health insurance will probably go up significantly next fiscal year for both the university and employees with dependent coverage.

e. A bill was introduced that extends the life of the Commission on Teacher Preparation to 2004.

f. A proposed tuition bill requires institutions to keep a tuition rate in effect for a cohort for five years. Tuition rates would remain unchanged for a continuous student for five years.

2. Leo Pressley, head of the Educator's Leadership Academy, gave a presentation. Faculty members interested in attending the leadership academy should contact Dr. Anderson. The deadline to apply is March 25.

3. Research Day at the Capitol is projected for late April. ECU has nominated one student who is doing a research project.

4. There was brief discussion on the Introduction to Business Advanced Standing Credit meeting. There will be a follow-up meeting April 1.

5. At a February 6 meeting of state regents, the Council reviewed the computer proficiency skills requirement recommendation. It will be approved at this month's meeting. Institutions must show how this is implemented.

6. The Electronic Media Committee presented its first version of the revised policy on electronic delivery of courses and programs. It will be forwarded to the Presidents Council. If it is accepted, the State of Oklahoma will have a free market for the delivery of individual courses delivered electronically. Geographic boundaries, agreements, nor approval of courses will no longer be required. However, delivery of degree programs (one-half of major courses or more) via electronic media will require State Regents approval.

Calendar Dates

March 3 Recommendation for rank promotion due

March 6 Last day to drop 16-week courses with guaranteed W

March 9-10 Offices open during spring break

March 11-13 Offices closed for spring break

March 16 Class work resumes

March 18-19 General Education Assessment exams

March 20 Dean and department chair evaluations of faculty due

March 23 Summer pre-enrollment for honors and Title III students only

March 24-26 Summer pre-enrollment

March 27 First day for summer walk-in Academic Administrators evaluations due

April 2-4 Oklahoma State Science and Engineering Fair

Oklahoma Junior Academy of Science State Meeting

April 3 Southeast Zone A Meeting.

April 7 Academic Affairs Council meeting

Other

1. Application for Test Development Participation: The Oklahoma Commission on Teacher Preparation is in the process of developing subject matter tests. If faculty members are interested in participating, they should complete the application form and return it to the agency listed on the form. Copies of the form were given to the deans.

2. The college work-study report shows that some departments are overdrawn in workstudy wages. One reason may be that some students are charged to workstudy who should be charged to regular. Deans are to discuss this problem at department meetings.

3. Dr. Anderson referred to Jerry Snow's memo of February 20. Faculty members requiring housing for camps, workshops, or lyceums must make arrangements with Mr. Snow.

4. Dr. Anderson urges screening committees to move along on faculty recruitment. Timing is a factor if ECU is to employ the most qualified candidates.

5. The academic affairs office needs official transcripts for faculty personnel folders. Deans will be notified of the names of faculty who need to request an official transcript of their highest degree.

6. Dr. Anderson distributed Procedures for an Exit/withdrawal Interview and a questionnaire to be completed by the student. Beginning March 16, students will be instructed to go to the Title III or Assessment offices to complete the exit questionnaire. Faculty members receive a blue card when a student withdraws from school.

V. AGENDA OF THE ASSISTANT VICE PRESIDENT FOR ACADEMIC AFFAIRS

Recruiting Trips

March 4 is the recruiting trip to Eastern Oklahoma State College for ECU Transfer Days. A large number of students attended transfer day at Seminole State College last month.

Other

1. Dr. Talley asked that all continue to collect information for the Multicultural Report.

2. Copies of the Fall 1997 Non-instructional Contribution forms are being sent to deans for clarification and completion. The forms are used for gathering information for the Scholarly Research Report.

3. A list of faculty members who sign up for workman's compensation will be maintained. Mr. Hayden and Dr. Talley are working closely to see that all participate.

4. Faculty may send suggestions for professional development by print or E-mail for the fall 1998 semester.

5. Dr. Talley is interested in creating a mechanism for collecting scholarly information.

6. Dr. Talley is initiating plans for the freshman rally.

VI. UNIT REPORTS

Continuing Education and Community Service--Ms. Nancy Thomason

Camps for Kids is an academic program being developed by Ms. Barbara Reed-Hardison. Evening activities will be available for a small fee for kids participating in on-campus camps.

Libraries--Dr. Chuck Perry

The most searched topic for this month is "accounting."

About 50 percent of the book stacks in the old library have gone to Phillips Theological Seminary.

Dr. Perry makes an appeal to faculty to return overdue library resources for others to use and for the library to meet interlibrary loan obligations.

School of Education and Psychology--Dr. Kenneth Moore

The school is continuing its search for faculty positions.

Folios have been submitted. Dr. Moore met with the Commission and found that the nationwide acceptance rate of folios has been 50 percent to zero. Dr. Moore compliments faculty for an outstanding job on the folios.

The attorney general has determined that the OGET (general education list) exams may not be used as admission test for teacher education. Tests may be given only after the student completes ninety hours; therefore, all universities will continue to use the PPST test and the 3.0 GPA for admission to teacher education.

School of Humanities and Social Sciences--Dr. Alvin Turner

The school is interviewing candidates for an English position. Positions are also open in sociology, communication, and art.

Mr. Jeff Frederick, assistant professor of music, is retiring at the end of the spring semester. An ad will be placed for that position after spring break.

School of Mathematics and Sciences--Dr. Bruce Weems

The school is preparing for the Oklahoma State Science Fair and the Oklahoma Junior Academy of Science State meeting in April.

Assessment Center and Institutional Research--Dr. Kurt Jackson

The 1992-97 edition of the Fact Book is ready for distribution through campus mail.

The Demographic Report is published and will be on the web as soon as possible.

School of Business--Dr. Linda Mitchusson

The school is filling a position in finance on a permanent basis.

A bill passed in the senate that requires 150 hours to sit for the CPA exam in Oklahoma. The requirement is effective 2003. Forty states already have this requirement.

Data Processing--Mr. Robert Feighner

Mr. Feighner pointed out the Hope Scholarship and Lifetime Learning Credit are federal income tax credits, not deductions. Loan interests are deductions, not tax credits.

School of Graduate Studies--Dr. Jack Paschall

Dr. Bill Schneider from the Noble Foundation came to the ECU campus and met with various faculty members to discuss how resources may be shared.

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

The office is continuing to receive approval of grants submitted. Total value of grants approved for the fiscal year is $5,814,172 and the total value of grants in operation is $6,022,118.

VII. OLD BUSINESS

Tech Fee Budgets

Instructional technology budgets are due Wednesday, March 4. Requests are for supplies, equipment, and other current expenses only. The budgets were distributed to faculty responsible for student labs. When completed, they must go to the deans before submitting to the academic affairs office.

Budget Meeting

The next step in the budget process is to set up budget hearings with department chairs, president, and vice president for academic affairs. Ms. Cole will be calling to schedule those meetings.

Strategic Plans

Strategic Plans should be returned by Friday before spring break.

VIII. ADJOURN

The regular meeting was adjourned at 11:30 a.m. Deans remain for a meeting.

Duane C. Anderson, Vice President for Academic Affairs

IX. MEETING WITH DEANS

Four-year Graduation Plans

Dr. Anderson distributed a revised Four-year Graduation Plan to deans. Of the four options, two are omitted and two altered.

Deans are to decide which degree programs they want in the four-year plan. The next step is to determine a course sequence for each semester. The deadline is March 27 for submitting a four-year schedule of courses.

Dr. Anderson suggested to deans that an advisor should be designated to assume the advising duties for those students selecting the four-year plan rather than having every advisor involved in the process.

Computer Skills Requirement

Dr. Anderson distributed the Computer Skills document of February 16 for review. Eventually, correspondence must be sent to the Regents outlining what ECU is doing to implement computer skills requirements.

Three options, under discussion, for meeting computer skills requirements are the following: (1) a student takes a computer literacy course; (2) identify a course or courses within a program; and, (3) complete a program such as computer science.

Until further action is necessary, the university will wait for a copy of the final approved OSRHE computer skills requirement.

XI. MEETING ADJOURNED

The meeting adjourned at 12:10 p.m.