A & S Department Chair Meeting

 

January 21, 2010

2:00 pm

 

In Attendance: Alan Gabrielli, Andrew McMorran, Mark Nunes,

Julie Newell, Daneir Pitts

 

Agenda

 

• Updates:            1.SPSU has hired a Webmaster (2 weeks ago). 
• 2. SACS report has come back.  SACS has 2 requests: 1page summary of QEP & F/U  consortial arrangements (WebBSIT).
• 3. Alan has 3 new computers that need a home. Please send requests to Alan if you could use them.
• 4. Newell: Met with Bob Homer on Tuesday.  Current web page needs to be updated; Bob has formulated a new one.  Retaining student work -5 years max. People keep sending Bob reports with no dates, please be aware of that.  Newell: Met with Campus Police and the focus seem to be on enhancing the relationship with Faculty.  A suggestion was made to invite officers to individual department meetings, since each departmental need will differ.
• 5. Nunes: Regents test guidelines have been sent.  BOR is limiting the number of institutions to be exempted from Regents testing.  Institutions must outline what methods they will use to assure that students' proficiencies are being assessed as rigorously as the regent's test.
• Faculty searches: When inviting candidates to interview, make sure the paperwork for travel is properly completed and handled.  Zvi needs credentials for all candidates being invited to interview.  If you are inviting an employee of SPSU to interview, you must get permission from the President's office.
• Equipment budget: We will have money at the end of the year in the Equipment budget.  Zvi is ready to release some funds now, so start getting equipment requests together and think BIG. Andrew asks: Can it be used to subsidize travel? Alan: �Yes, send requests.  Deans to review equipment money in a month
• Spring commencement: SPSU has outgrown the way we currently handle commencement.  In Spring 2 commencements will take place 1. Morning (10 am) for: ETM/Engineering/A&S 2. Afternoon for CSE/ACC.  For the afternoon commencement there will be lunch if you choose to stay for both commencements.  Since there will be 2 commencements, there will need to be 2 commencement speakers.  Respective Deans have been asked to recommend speakers.  Alan has first pick, he is open for suggestions. Newel �Alton Brown.
• Textbook costs: Zvi is pleading for all faculty to have care when selecting text books, try not to overburden students with costs.
• Transfer credit for students from un-accredited TCSG schools: Currently there are articulation agreements with TCSG, however, not all schools are SACS accredited.  Question: How do you deal with transfer credit for students who are enrolled in the un-accredited schools and want to take classes at SPSU? There must be a mechanism in place to show the validity of accepting credit from an un-accredited school.  Each department must create a list of what mechanisms will be used. (ie.. credit by exam, contact institution to collect syllabi, allow student to take next course in sequence & give credit for previous course based upon how well the student did).  Mark: We will approve transfer credit for course if the Institution demonstrates it was taught by a qualified instructor.
• Engagement reports: Remind faculty when engagement reports are due.  New information: There will be follow-up on students that are reported as not engaged.  They will be contacted by counseling services.  It is important that engagements be reported accurately and on time. Newell: The reports need to be sent to the advisors as well.  Alan: They are working on it.

Meeting was adjourned at 3:00 pm