UH-Victoria

President's Office

PRESIDENT’S REGIONAL ADVISORY BOARD

September 14, 2010
Minutes

Members Present: Baynum, Butler, Cain, Duncan, Herman, Hyde, Jacob, Jaso, Leatherwood, Marshall, O’Connor, Rachid, Salazar, Smith, Walker, Weber and Williams

Absent: Alcorn, Clapp, McCrohan, Parikh, Rubio and Villafranca

UHV Attendees: Alexandra Baker, Wayne Beran, Paula Cobler, Melinda Farmer, Faye Landry, Amy Mundy, Chari Norgard, Margaret Rice, Kathy Walton and Mark Zafereo

I. Welcome and Introductions

Chair Janet Leatherwood called the meeting to order and welcomed three new members, Dora Rollins Duncan, Paul Salazar and Keith Williams. Each new member introduced themselves and gave a brief bio.

Morgan Dunn O’Connor asked if the PRAB meeting times could be moved to 3:00 p.m. in the future.

II. Organizational Business

Approval of Minutes – Hernan Jaso moved that the minutes from the June 8, 2010 President’s Regional Advisory Board meeting be approved as written and Ron Hyde seconded the motion.

Motion Carried Unanimously

III. President’s Remarks

Dr. Smith provided a brief biographical update on himself for the PRAB members. He came to UHV in 1987 and stayed until 1993. He then moved to Georgia where he became the chief academic officer at the University of West Georgia for three years before returning to UHV in 1995 as provost. He retired as provost in 2006 and then taught an on-line course for UHV for three years. He was retired for only one year before returning to UHV. He is excited to be back for UHV’s new era.

He sees UHV’s mission as threefold; taking education to students, using technology to do that and collaborative efforts with Victoria College–with a dual role; residential and destination, as well as an outreach.

Regent O’Connor commented on online delivery of courses. She said UHV was a pioneer and the administration saw that opportunity and how important it was for UHV and took a “Leap of Faith.” We set the standards and led the State of Texas in the late 90’s in online delivery.

IV. Presentations

  • Ms. Chari Norgard gavean update on enrollment and first freshmen:
  • Fall Enrollment: 4,146, 15% over last fall enrollment
  • Semester Credit Hours: 34,589
  • Freshmen: 219, Sophomores: 83 = 302
  • 70 freshmen: 1st generation college students
  • 107 male, 112 female, 44 soccer, 12 baseball, 8 golfers and 7 softball
  • Majors: Business-65; Education-37; Arts & Sciences-117; Undeclared-20; Dn3-3
  • Average course load – 14 hours (3 to 4 classes)
  • Ethnic: 31% Caucasian; 17% Black; 25% Hispanic; 19% White/Hispanic; 2% Asian;
    3% Hispanic/American Indian and 2% American Indian/White
  • Student hometown areas: Houston-81; Victoria-59; Central Texas-40; Corpus Christi-31;
    North Texas-6; out of state New York-1 and out of country Great Britain-1
  • SAT: average 337-written; 465-math; 436-reading – National average -1500
  • ACT: average- 18; National average-21; Texas-20.8
  • Freshmen majority are in the top 50% percentile of their high school class.
  • Ms. Alexandra Baker and Ms. Melinda Farmer of the American Campus Communities (ACC) spoke about welcoming the inaugural freshman class to University of Houston-Victoria (UHV). The freshmen move in date for Jaguar Hall is planned for this Saturday, September 18. A total of 188 students are temporarily housed in six local hotels and shuttled to the campus every day.
    Highlights of first week:
    • Introducing students to staff, each other and behavioral expectations.
    • Student Life presented bingo, mall scavenger hunt and bowling.
    • Community welcome with over 55 booths.
    • Continual follow-up with the students; and RA’s holding lobby hours to assist students with questions.

    They presented a PowerPoint presentation on ACC and the UHV that covered:
    • ACC Management Philosophy
    • Management Goals at UHV
    • Residence Life Objectives
    • Marketing and Leasing
    • Business Operations Plan
    • Training and Employee Development
    • Facilities Maintenance Plan

    ACC’s mission: Our mission is to be the premier provider of quality student housing communities and services through a unique understanding and an unrelenting commitment to students, parents, educational institutions and investors. Our people are our strength, achieving success through a dedication to excellence and integrity.

  • Mr. Wayne Beran shared a handout titled “Legislative Appropriations Request (LAR) Summary of Exceptional Items and Tuition Revenue Bonds (TRBs).” UHV’s TRB requests will be for academic/office space for $61.5 million. UHV is requesting special item funding to continue on the Master of Science in Nursing, Center for Regional Outreach and Small Business Development Center. We are also requesting exceptional item funding for Downward Expansion, $6,040,945, and Centro Victoria, $1,000,000. Mr. Beran and Dr. Smith presented in Austin to the Legislative Budget Board staff in the governor’s office on September 9th.
  • Mr. Mark Zafereo shared an overview for fiscal year 2010. The University Advancement office raised $966,436 in gifts and pledges. The prior year total was $769,000 with a goal of $600,000. The Advancement office is in the process of getting out the annual fundraising letters. The faculty/staff “One for All – All for One” campaign for fiscal year 2011 has started. Kudos to the faculty and staff for their great support and donations. Enclosed in your package is the “Campaign Victoria” pledge form. The first UHV Golf Scholarship luncheon was a great success with over 100 people attending. Over $90,000 in scholarships has been raised. UHV thanks Claud Jacobs for his part in the UHV Golf Scholarship fundraising.

V. Board Discussion

  • What does Downward Expansion mean to the Advisory Board?
  • Board will have a role to play in support of regular students. Students will be coming from around the state to Victoria. The region we serve has been expanded. This will be a new situation for UHV and this Board. We will have new situations we haven’t dealt with and different student organizations along with parent organizations will need to be formed.
  • Jan Jacob discussed briefly the goal of the Crossroads Commission to increase educational attainment in our region. She passed out a sample of one of the handouts that the Commission had worked in the Health Science/Nursing Career Pathway.
  • Discussion on UH, UHV and VC joint master plan is ongoing.
  • The PRAB would like to be better informed and understand all sides of issues that are facing UHV. It was decided that additional focus would be given to this prior to and during the December PRAB meeting.

    Ms. Leatherwood thanked everyone for their input. The meeting adjourned at 4:30 p.m.

Submitted by: F. Landry

Approved: 12/07/10