8/5/05 Administrative Council Meeting Minutes

 

In attendance: Dr. Claudia Limbert, Nora Miller, Scott Rawles, Dr. Bucky Wesley, Perry Sansing, Patsy McDaniel, Anika Perkins, Dr. Tom Velek, Wahnee Sherman, and Elizabeth Montgomery.

 

Absent: Dr. Sam Gingerich, Mary Margaret Roberts, and Susan Sobley.

 

Dr. Claudia Limbert called the meeting to order.

 

1.                  The minutes from 6/3/05 were approved.

 

Dr. Limbert asked if there are any needs that should be addressed before classes start later this month. Dr. Bucky Wesley said Banner will be down a couple of days next week for some upgrades, and he is concerned this may interrupt registration. Nora Miller explained that this is done every year. Dr. Wesley announced that MUW will have approximately 20 students from Heritage Academy dual enrolled this fall. He is working with the Columbus and Lowndes County school districts to enroll more students. Dr. Limbert encouraged the members to keep an eye out for these students because she would like to see them enroll as full time students after high school graduation.

 

2.                  Items from the President’s Cabinet:

 

Bond request presentation - Ms. Miller gave the same power point presentation to the Administrative Council that she gave during the annual campus visit of the members of the House Ways and Means Committee and the Senate Buildings and Grounds Committee. In addition to giving an update on current projects, the presentation included MUW’s FY07 requests. The most immediate need is to update Fant Memorial Library at the estimated cost of $4.5 million. The renovation would provide room to house the university’s archives and the creation of study rooms and a cyber café. There also would be additional computers and resources. She said MUW is the last of the universities to get an upgrade for its library. One senator mentioned the possibility of building a new library which Ms. Miller said would cost approximately $12 million. Another request is a recreation service facility at the estimated cost of $250,000. It would be located near the existing tennis courts and would include restrooms, a phone, and a small office. MUW’s request also includes some repairs: storm damage and street repair for $500,000, roofing and mechanical needs for $856,846, and additional lighting and parking for $2,355,250. Ms. Miller also went over the Facilities Master Plan with the state legislators and showed them how much has been accomplished in phase I. She also took them on a tour of campus that included Cochran and Martin halls. The legislators were impressed with the historic preservation of Cochran and the practice rooms in Martin.

 

RadKIDS - Perry Sansing announced that MUW police officers have been involved with R.A.D. for sometime. Two officers are now certified to teach radKIDS, making them the only two instructors certified to teach radKIDS in Mississippi. They hope to enroll children of MUW faculty, staff and students in the first classes and then offer it to the community. Dr. Limbert said that the MUW Foundation will help provide funding for equipment from the Security grant.

 

3.                  General updates:

 

Anika Perkins mentioned that the next issue of Visions should arrive in mailboxes very soon. The Office of Public Affairs is gearing up for the start of fall classes and is working on press releases.

 

Dr. Wesley reported that registration numbers for this fall are up. The number of registered freshmen is up and so is the number of those living on campus. He said they are ready to start another recruiting year.

 

Elizabeth Montgomery, who also works in Community Living in addition to being SGA president, said many parents do not like the Community Living dropout fee. Dr. Wesley said having this fee is fairly standard and it helps in planning. She also said she just returned from an excellent conference for student government leaders. SGA is planning a lip sync contest this year.

 

Wahnee Sherman passed out Welcome Week schedules. The theme is “Start Your Engines.” A packet of information that includes a Welcome Week poster recently was mailed to all new students. A web blast will be sent soon. Information will be emailed about Move In Day in hopes of recruiting many faculty and staff members to help. A meeting will be held soon to discuss Move In Day issues, such as traffic flow. Students will be encouraged to turn in t-shirts from other institutions for a MUW t-shirt. The new MUW t-shirts will be provided by the Foundation; the t-shirts turned in will be donated. Printed spiral planners with important dates and parts of the student handbook printed in them will be given to new students. Dates have been set for orientation next year: June 13, Transfer I session; June 15-16, Freshmen I session; July 18, Transfer II session; and July 20-21, Freshmen II session.

 

Perry Sansing announced that employment letters will go out soon. They were delayed because of the delay in getting the final budget from the Legislature. Chief Calvin Sellers was one of 30 selected in Mississippi for the FBI Command College.

 

Patsy McDaniel reported that Susan Foster Edwards (`62) was selected Star Teacher at Eupora High School. This is her 10<sup>th</sup> time to be chosen. Loralei Tallant McGee (`89) was awarded the Distinguished Member Award for 2005 by the Mississippi Health Information Management Association. She is the Education Resource Coordinator at North Mississippi Medical Center in Tupelo. Lacy Alford Hull (`76), instructor at East Mississippi Community College, was honored by the Mississippi Legislature. Heather Fasciocco (`04) is the marketing specialist for the Museum of Aviation in Warner Robins, Georgia. Two alumna recently celebrated their 100^th birthday: Lucille Van Guin (`27) of Jacksonville, Florida, and Lucy Nell Platt (`27) of Shreveport, Louisiana. Chapter meetings for August will be held in Northwest Mississippi; Dallas, Texas; Tuscaloosa, Alabama; and the Alabama Coast. The online community project is underway with hopes to go live in October. The faculty luncheon hosted by the alumni is Wednesday, August 17 in the Shattuck Art Gallery. The SAAs will have their retreat next week.