09/25/02 Administrative Council Meeting Minutes

In attendance: Dr. Claudia Limbert, Dr. Vagn Hansen, Perry Sansing, Dr. Gail Stephens, Patsy McDaniel, Dr. Mark Bean, Nora Miller, Anika Perkins, Tom Scarbrough, Sherry Honsinger, Phillip Cockrell, Dr. Jo Spearman, Mary Margaret Roberts and Rose Mary Dill

Larry Jones updated the group on the Banner system. This system was purchased in the summer of 1998. In July 1999, the payroll part of Banner was up and running. Every effort was made to begin student use of the system. This part went live on March 1, 2001. Larry said that they are currently working on an on-line approval process and on-line requisitions. They are planning to give students more capability in registering on-line before next registration. Larry said that financial aid is not completed. Alumni and Development are also not hooked up to Banner. They do not have tax I.D. numbers for all of their constituents. Mary Margaret Roberts said that she is aware of a way that Raiser's Edge could be hooked up to Banner. Dr. Bean asked if Banner had the capability to pick up reports. Dr. Limbert said that Banner served as a data warehouse. Larry Jones stated that once we convert over completely to Banner, the Registrar's office will have to be ready to check the new transcripts that are created with the old. Dr. Spearman asked if there was any way we could hire someone to do just that. Dr. Hansen said that doing away with workshops did relieve the registrar's office of a lot of time-consuming paper work. Dr. Spearman asked if there was a way to identify people other than a social security number. Larry Jones said that a social security number was what was generally acceptable. Most students will give that number as their I.D. Dr. Limbert inquired about what was used on federal aid for identification. Larry said that the social security number was used, but we could use random numbers on Banner although Banner was already set up with social security numbers. It would take 15 to 20 minutes per record to change it over. Nora Miller mentioned that we could set up the new people with other I.D. numbers. Dr. Bean was concerned over the impact of on-line student registration. Less faculty student communication and errors in registering for the correct classes will affect the university, but the faculty is in support of the change.

Dr. Hansen spoke about the Aichi Shukutoku exchange agreement that was set up in1990. An Aichi Shukutoku student would pay tuition to their university and room and board here. Our student would pay The W tuition and room and board at Aichi. We only had one experience with a W student going to Japan under this agreement. Tom Scarbrough mentioned that since 1999, 21 students have come here from Japan. He is not sure whether they came from that institution. We had received a letter previously from Aichi that asked if they could send a student to The W, even if we did not have an exchange student. Tom wanted to know if that university had been investigated. Dr. Hansen said that a Boston University professor had spent a year at Aichi and wrote a positive report. He said that it was very inexpensive for a student to live there. Dr. Bean asked it we were planning to continue with this agreement. Dr. Hansen recommended that we continue at this time.

Dr. Hansen brought up an idea by Cay Lollar for a Directors' Council. It would consist of directors and management employees. Dr. Bean felt that this was a good way to strengthen communication. Perry mentioned that Ole Miss has group meetings with different areas where these groups meet for an afternoon to discuss issues and ideas. Tom said that a meeting was set up similar to that between admissions and student affairs that had a positive effect on handling some admission problems. It would be helpful to have a Director's Council before next registration. Perry felt that this group would be a good way to communicate with other areas. Dr. Limbert asked if we were wanting to set up a Directors' Council, plus have other groups go off for workshop meetings. Sherry Honsinger felt that this might help the staff communicate. Dr. Bean asked who would be the chair. Dr. Hansen felt that it should be one of the directors. Dr. Limbert wondered whether they should select their own leader and that person would come to Administrative Council. The composition of this group will be determined later. The purpose of this group would be to enhance operating efficiencies, improve communication between areas, and come up with ideas for better working procedures. Dr. Hansen suggested that this group start meeting, and they can determine whether they feel they are contributing and want to continue. Dr. Bean thought that some people in this group may find that some issues do not pertain to them. Dr. Limbert suggested that with some issues, the group may wish to have a subgroup look into them.

Nora Miller spoke to the council about the Art & Science Group. They started their survey process in January. They had received a late pool of applicants and plan to finish with their collected information shortly. The Group will come to campus on 10/24 and present their survey and analyzed data. This meeting will probably be held at Plymouth Bluff.

Anika Perkins said that she e-mailed the latest For the Record. Please e-mail to her any changes or additions.

General updates:

• Rose Mary Dill spoke about the plans for the inauguration and the IHL Board Meetings.
  
• Nora Miller gave an update on the end of the year close out of the financial statements. For the next several years, we will be doing double reporting due to new policies and a new format for reporting. We closed out the year with a surplus. We received more back in sales tax than expected, and this, coupled with the way summer school was reported, made the past fiscal year look good. This new reporting format will have a negative effect on this fiscal year. We have money left over that is one-time money that we can use for equipment or for putting financial aid on-line with the Banner system.
  
• Phillip Cockrell asked about on-line registration. Larry Jones said that students would get a pin number from their advisor to make registration changes.
  
• The IHL college Fair was brought up. Dr. Hansen said that he does not have the requirements for faculty to attend. Dr. Spearman said that the fair is at a busy time of the year, and some students may view it as a day off from school. Tom asked how many students register at The W as a result of the fair. Patsy McDaniel said that IHL is asking that each alumni group from the eight universities give away a scholarship.
  
• Philip Cockrell gave a report on his student survey about the yearbook. The students agreed that they liked the yearbook and did use it, but only 14 students replied.