March 2, 2004

Minutes

 

Present:  Alcorn, Blackwell, Clapp, Goodson, Hernandez, Jaso, Kvinta, Moya, O’Connor, Peace, Post, Rivera, Ross, Russell, Saxon, Schaefer, Simons, Smith, D., Stafford.

 

Absent:  Brockman, Davenport, Hales, McCrohan, McGuill, Murphy, Reddell, Smith, R., Soto, Walker, Ward.

 

I.  Organizational Business

 

A.  Approval of minutes:  The minutes of the December 2, 2003 meeting were                                            approved as written.

 

B.  The members of the PAC Nominating Committee were announced by Dr. Rivera, PAC Chair.  Loleat Ross will Chair the Nominating Committee with Mike Reddell and Randy Smith assisting.  Four places will need to be filled by outgoing PAC members from various counties.  

 

II.  President’s Report

 

A.  The Board of Regents met on February 19, 2004 at UHV in the Multipurpose Room of University Center.  The meeting was successful.  Dr. Smith, Interim President, and Regent Morgan Dunn O’Connor reported having received many compliments from UH System administrators concerning the level of detail and the commitment to excellence that UHV staff demonstrated for the events of 2/19. 

 

Also on 2/19, the ribbon cutting for the re-dedication of the new addition to University West took place.  The only drawback was the abundance of rain and threat of rain that kept the landscaping from being completed prior to the ceremony.  All else went very well.

 

A Strategic Planning Meeting was held in the Multipurpose Room after the Board of Regents Meeting on 2/19.  This meeting, also, went well.  The Strategic Planning Committee heard presentations from faculty/staff/student representatives and community leaders concerning educational needs in the community and how UHV can be a part of meeting those needs. The purpose of this committee is to decipher the educational/technical/administrative needs and project a long-range plan for meeting those needs.

 

The second meeting of the Strategic Planning Committee was held today, 3-2-04, at 9:00 AM at UH-Clear Lake.  There will be two more sessions on main campus to wrap up and finalize a list of needs/plans to present to the Board of Regents.

 

B.  Regent Morgan Dunn O’Connor, Chair of the Presidential Search Committee reported that the committee met on 2/19/04 and accepted the charge from Uh System Chancellor, J. Gogue, to find a new President for UHV.  The committee outlined the characteristics they wish to see in a UHV President. A job description is being published in three professional publications in an effort to find self-nominees.  Anyone may nominate a potential candidate. Nominations are being accepted by simply notifying Regent O’Connor.  The nominee will then be contacted and requested to send a biography and resume for review by the committee.  Anyone may be nominated; an educational background is preferred but not required. The committee will meet again in late March.  The Chancellor indicated that he would like a president chosen by the beginning of Fall 2004 semester or Spring 2005 semester at the latest.

 

III.  Enrollment Update

 

A.  Richard Phillips, Associate Vice President for Student Services and Regional Outreach, gave an

                      enrollment update.  He highlighted formal 2 + 2 agreements and course articulations with several area

                      community colleges (Blinn Community College, Coastal Bend Community College, Houston

Community College, North Harris Montgomery Community College, The Victoria College, and Wharton County Junior College).  UHV has course articulation agreements with these and most other colleges & universities so that when students transfer the courses already accomplished are readily accepted at other institutions.

 

A number of informative and statistical handouts were provided. Highlighting the UHV-Direct program,

he explained that UHV has dual admission programs in place with The Victoria College, Wharton County Junior College, and Coastal Bend College.  Students may be co-enrolled at one of these institutions while enrolled at UHV.  When first enrolled at one of these institutions, students have the

                       opportunity to work with a UHV Degree Plan Counselor to work out the best alternatives for taking

                       courses.  The objective is to map out a degree plan that will allow the student to graduate in the least

           amount of time.  By being assigned to a UHV Degree Plan Counselor early in the college experience,   

                       students become familiar with UHV standards, faculty, and staff.  This makes the transition from a

community college to a university much easier and time effective for the student.  Co-enrolled students have the opportunity to apply for financial aid as full-time students even though courses may be taken at two different institutions.

 

A Financial Aid Committee discusses how UHV can obtain more financial aid and how it can most effectively be made available to students.  Getting this information out to students early helps alleviate the concern over whether they can afford to enroll or not and thereby allows more students to receive

            financial aid.

 

A number of statistical, informational handouts were provided that highlighted various segments of

enrollment management.  Many addressed the tactics being implemented to retain students and increase

diverse enrollment. Thus far, the best advertisement for UHV is by word of mouth.  “Students talking to

students” have proven to be more effective than informative brochures or other means of recruitment.  This greatly demonstrates that

UHV is living up to the slogan, “quality education, personally delivered”.

 

IV.              L.E.A.D. Update

 

Dr. Margaret Rice, Director of Student Development and Regional Outreach, gave an update regarding the Letting Education Achieve

Dreams, comprehensive educational awareness program. The program’s main objective is generating educational awareness through community involvement, resulting in overall increases in educational attainment, and correspondingly increases in enrollment for the university.  Operating through five main strategies, L.E.A.D. Ambassadors, student mentors, and L.E.A.D. staff  (1) visit elementary schools, delivering a college awareness message to students through puppet shows and Ambassador presentations, (2) coordinate campus visits to UHV for fourth, seventh, and tenth graders, (3) generate educational awareness in parents by addressing them at workshops, (4) develop mentoring programs and provide training to junior high and high school administrators and teachers, and (5) host a Girl’s Academy twice yearly and a Girl’s Academy reunion once a year at the university to encourage female students to consider options in education that would ordinarily be missed.  In the past year, 10,000 school age students and 250 parents were reached through these programs. 

 

Two student L.E.A.D. Ambassadors shared success stories.  One such story highlighted the fact that the  

L.E.A.D. program is addressing misconceptions about the job market at the community level.  Many

parents and young people still believe that in order to be successful, obtaining employment at the ground level and working toward promotion is the best alternative.  L.E.A.D. educates parents and students as to the need for certifications, degrees of higher education, and leadership development asa necessity to have a decent quality of life in today’s world.  Presently L.E.A.D. is expanding through collaboration with high schools by creating “Go Centers”.  There, L.E.A.D Ambassadors work one-on-one with high school students and parents on such issues as filling out FAFSA, Free Application for Federal Student Aid, forms.

 

V.  Fund Raising Update

 

            Ashley Walyuchow, Development Coordinator, Office of University Advancement, gave a brief update concerning donations, pledges, and endowments.  For fiscal year 2004, $431,000 has been pledged and $321,000 of that total has been paid.  UHV faculty and staff payroll deductions increased substantially last year.  Matched funds for those contributions amounted to $8,500.  Friends of the University fund raising netted $127,000 so far this year.  The 30^th Anniversary Angel and Endowment campaigns were successful, resulting in nine new endowments.   The Alumni Tele-fund drive begins April 4, 2004.  UHV is hoping this drive will be successful with bigger results. There is a need for increased Alumni support. He noted that currently, a system-wide comprehensive campaign is pending. Also, Grenzebach and Associates are currently conducting a feasibility study that will be presented to the Board of Regents in June. 

 

VI.  Communications and Marketing Highlights

 

            Jennifer Price, Director of Communication and Marketing, gave a brief presentation highlighting the recent achievements of the Communication and Marketing team.  Their team commitment and diligent efforts resulted in numerous gold, silver, and bronze Victoria Advertising Federation, ADDY, awards for the university.  This year, the President’s Annual Report booklet won Best of Show at the February 4, 2004 VAF Awards Dinner.  Ms. Price encouraged PAC members to look over the pieces of advertising literature and their respective awards that were on display.  The award-winning advertisement literature will go forward to District Competition in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma in April 2004. 

 

VII.  Advice, Discussion

 

            Since there was no discussion, Interim President Don Smith reminded PAC members about UHV Spring Commencement that will take place on May 15.  Regalia would need to be ordered by March 22.  He reminded Council members to respond quickly if they wished to participate in the commencement ceremony.  He also asked if PAC members would like to continue using regalia for the ceremony.  It was decided that regalia adds finesse to the platform participants, making the ceremony a little more formal.  Regalia will continue to be ordered for those agreeing to participate by the required date. 

 

The meeting was adjourned.