2/3/06 Administrative Council Meeting Minutes

 

In attendance: Dr. Claudia Limbert, Dr. Sam Gingerich, Nora Miller, Dr. Bucky Wesley, Perry Sansing, Mary Margaret Roberts, Patsy McDaniel, Anika Perkins, Dr. Tom Velek, Susan Sobley, Melanie Freeman, and Elizabeth Montgomery.

 

Absent: None.

 

Dr. Claudia Limbert called the meeting to order.

 

1.                  The minutes from 1/3/06 were approved.

 

2.                  April IHL Board meeting at MUW - Dr. Limbert announced that the IHL Board will meet on the MUW campus April 19-20. A campus committee has been formed to work on the details according to IHL’s guidelines. Most of the IHL meetings will be held in Cochran Hall, and she hopes to have the dedication on Martin Hall on April 20. It is important that the Board’s visit be a success.

 

3.                  Legislative Budget Hearings - Dr. Limbert reported that the hearings were done differently this year. In the past, each president presented a report with requests for their own campus. This year, IHL Commissioner Dr. Tom Meredith asked a few of the presidents to give reports on behalf of the system. Dr. Dan Jones of the University Medical Center spoke about the hospital’s charity situation, Dr. Shelby Thames talked about Hurricane Katrina, Dr. Charles Lee gave a report on extension services, Dr. Robert Khayat spoke about salaries, Dr. Ron Mason talked about the challenges of Ayers funding, and Dr. Limbert reported on utilities. Utility costs are up $12 million system-wide and up approximately $600,000 for MUW. The legislators asked many good questions, such as how many faculty and staff the universities have lost because of low salaries, which is about 1,300. IHL proposed 15% raises over three years for merit and market equity. This will not get the faculty and staff where they should be in terms of salary, but it will get them closer. The legislators are saying that this year is for the community colleges and IHL. She said the meeting went well, and the legislators seemed pleased with the new format that included a written agenda.

 

4.                  General updates -

 

Dr. Limbert said that the IHL President’s Council had its monthly meeting yesterday, and Dr. Meredith announced that the College Fair will not be held this year. The universities will be marketed in a different way. Carl Nichols, who is president of the IHL Interalumni Council, said they will not be doing the legislative breakfast this year. The ad for the position of vice president for institutional advancement has been placed in several publications and on-line. She is very pleased with the work of the search committee, which is chaired by Dr. Bridget Pieschel.

 

Perry Sansing mentioned that a training session will be held for all budget managers and administrative assistants about personnel forms, purchasing, and other topics. The meeting will be mandatory. It is designed to make the university more productive and more efficient. He encouraged members to turn in topics for the training meeting.

 

Dr. Sam Gingerich said the Academic Council continues to work on the catalog and are currently focusing on the graduate programs section. The other sections are under review and will soon be circulated for one last read. The deans selected a new format for each of the colleges that features less verbiage. A campus‑wide meeting will be held next week on the program analysis section of the Academic Master Plan. The Steering Committee will then take a couple of weeks to consider incorporating comments into the plan and another meeting will be held. The finalized plan will be presented to the Academic Council and Faculty Senate for approval in late March. The

Deans and Department Chairs are discussing faculty evaluations and tenure and promotion process since there are so many new administrators because of the reorganization.

 

Dr. Tom Velek reported that the Academic Master Plan got a lot of attention at the last Faculty Senate meeting. Some faculty are concerned about the process used in rating programs for the program analysis section of the plan. He hopes people will understand that this is just one of four sections of the plan and that the purpose of the plan is to help the university move forward.

 

Dr. Limbert added that she applauds the many people who have worked so hard on developing the plan.

 

Dr. Velek said the Faculty Senate voted to request that the gates on campus remain open until 10 p.m. instead of 7 p.m.

 

Mr. Sansing said he would ask Chief Calvin Sellers to develop a new plan for gate closures that will be both safe and convenient.

 

Dr. Velek concluded his report by saying that the Faculty Senate discussed the ACT surveys and the need to notify faculty members in advance if their classes have been selected to complete the survey.

 

Melanie Freeman announced that she is collecting recommendations from members of the Director’s Council about topics that should be included in the upcoming training. A table top disaster response training session also will be held for directors in March or April.

 

Susan Sobley mentioned that the Staff Council is working on rewriting its bylaws. They may decrease the membership from 28 to 12. There would be no directors on the council.

 

Elizabeth Montgomery said that SGA will have a dance marathon on February 17 from 7 p.m. to 2 a.m. to benefit St. Jude. It will include all types of music. They also are doing a Valentine basket drawing to benefit St. Jude. She will attend the IHL Board meeting in February with the state’s other SGA presidents and student newspaper editors.

 

Patsy McDaniel noted that she will attend a meeting on February 9 with the state’s other alumni directors. The Jackson Metro young alums and male graduates will meet at Hal’s and Mal’s on February 10. February 14 is the Lowndes County scholarship fundraiser at Stephen and Dava Imes. There are 75 paid guests so far. The Alumni Winter Workshop will be held on campus February 24-25. The student advisory group is invited to attend the night meeting. Betty Lou Jones (`66) is being recognized on February 21 as March of Dimes East Mississippi Citizen of the Year. Every Friday this month the Southern Women’s Institute and the College of Business will host seminars in Reneau and Parkinson. The Alumni Office is working with the Public Affairs Office on the next issue of Visions. The SAAs are selling Valentine treats.