I.  General Agenda 

• Data Collection 

--Liz Branch noted that her office was redoing CIP codes and course inventories as a result of revising the university’s table of programs for purposes of reporting to the Coordinating Board.

--She shared data on TOEFL scores, which indicated that 22 of 37 students taking the test had scores of over 550.

--In response to a question, she said a UH representative would be shortly explaining how the system for checking prerequisites works at that institution.

• Technology

--Chari Norgard distributed organizational charts for Sugar Land and Cinco Ranch.

--A policy providing for posting information to a WebCT class in case of instructor emergency was shared, having been developed by the deans and provost.

--Joe Ferguson reported that a server-based license for SPSS was too expensive, and so the institution would continue to purchase individual copies.  There are currently more than 60 of these at a cost of $160 per copy per year.

--He noted that some IT policy has been posted on the web for review and will then go to the cabinet for approval.

--He also indicated that problems with computer/internet speed continue at Sugar Land.  Downloading video and music files appears to be part of the problem but not all of it.  Analysis continues.

• Fort Bend

--The provost reported that tables had been moved from campus to furnish the biology room in Sugar Land.

--Dick Phillips indicated that he and some members of his staff would be going to Cinco Ranch and Sugar Land to prepare staff members there for the SACS visit.

--Issues discussed included whether online courses could be listed in the Cinco and Sugar Land schedules if not part of programs offered at those sites (System policy currently precludes this) and problems of functionality and upkeep with regard to the center web sites.

II.  Specific Agenda 

• Faculty Development Requests and Reports

--Approved the request of Dr. Daniel Hallock, for a travel grant ($451) to present at the 2003 Southwest Federation of Academic Disciplines, Southwest Administrative Systems Session, in Houston, TX, in March.

--Approved the request of Dr. Louie Ren, for a travel grant ($1,200) to present at the 2003 International Applied Business Research Conference, in Acapulco, Mexico, in March.

--Approved the request of Dr. Harold Smith, for a travel grant ($1,172) to present at the 2003 Pacific Coast Conference on British Studies, in Rohnert Park, CA, in April.

--Accepted a report on grant-funded travel from Dr. Diane Prince. 

Note:  Fiscal limitations for the remainder of the current year and for next year were discussed.  It was concluded that total grant funds for the remainder of the year would be limited to no more than $1,200 per faculty member, inclusive of any prior grants awarded this year.  The provost provided some draft alternatives for next year.  Other options were considered, such as allocating a portion of school funds to supplement the Faculty Development grant pool and moving the $8,000 currently reserved for support of sabbaticals into the pool.  The provost will attempt to define further some issues and options for consideration by the Council and faculty.

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3/10/03