Academic Council Minutes, September 23, 2002
I .
General Agenda
--Tim Terry and Melissa
Carmona from the Victoria College bookstore were present to discuss book
orders, particularly with regard to serving Fort Bend and online students.
A tentative prospect was discussed for using the VC bookstore as a
primary provider for campus, off-campus, and online students.
The store could mail texts to students who preferred that method.
Faculty and students would be better assured that students would
get the right text on time. The
provosts and deans will further discuss and develop a proposal.
--Liz Branch explained that the UH System
wants at least one academic advisor to train on PeopleSoft for seven
days. She is trying to
arrange for ITV participation. In
that Business has turnover in that position and Education has a new
person, Tammy Neeley was considered to be the best person for the job.
A/S may draw on overtime funds if needed.
She noted that LaserFiche user ID's and
passwords are being assigned.
She also announced a final total of 2,183
students for this fall and about 15,500 semester credit hours.
--Dan Jaeckle noted that the
assessment reports on performance measures for the academic schools were
confusing as to time frames. The
provost noted that working with three years—past, present, and
future--with assessment reported in the fall and reviewed in the spring
during planning/budgeting process tended to be inherently confusing; but
the instructions can be reconsidered and perhaps clarified.
--Chari Norgard noted the provision of
online administrative announcements for WebCT students. These will not appear to be from the instructor.
However, the deans will review and approve any announcements
before they can be posted.
She passed around handouts on WebCT
accounts at UH and UHV. UH’s
number of accounts has increased dramatically, especially for fall 02.
--Joe Ferguson reviewed a report he had
distributed by e-mail on difficulties some off-campus faculty are having
with e-mail and noted efforts being undertaking to improve the
situation.
--The provost reported that a
revised/expanded guide to collaboration at the off-campus centers would
soon be available. He also
reported that the auxiliary buildings were in but not up on the Sugar
Land site and that there were now questions of whether the buildings
will fit on the proposed site.
--Liz Branch noted that
articulation agreements with HCC are still in progress.
--Joseph Ben-Ur referred
back to the data collection item, asking whether prerequisites could be
computer checked. It was
noted that there is no possibility of that currently and that PeopleSoft
will provide it only at extra cost.
--Joe Dahlstrom gave an update on the progress in filling the UHS-SL librarian
position. (Karen Locher is on
that search committee and interviews should be conducted in the next
couple of weeks.)
He also announced that a search committee is being formed to replace
Maryhelen Jones, UH System Distance Education Librarian, who is leaving
at the end of September. I
will be chairing that search committee and it will include
representatives from the other three UHS institutions.
II. Specific
Agenda
--In response to a student petition to use
two courses taken several years ago in a graduate program, the Council
was agreeable to counting one course but not the other.
- Faculty
Development Grants
*Some of these awards are pending receipt of
previous year’s reports.
--Approved the request of Dr. Sanjiv Behl
for a travel grant ($1,074) to present at the 15th
International Conference on Parallel and Distributed Computing Systems,
PDCS-2002, in Louisville, KY, in September.
--Approved the request of
Professor Charles Bullock for a submission fee ($250) for publication in
the International Business and Economics Research Journal.
--Approved the request of
Dr. Donald Loffredo for a research grant ($400) for research titled
“Factor Analysis of the Ego State Questionnaire.”
--Approved a second request
of Dr. Donald Loffredo for a travel grant ($833) to present at the
National Communication Convention in New Orleans, LA, in November.
--Approved a request of Dr.
Mary Natividad for a travel grant ($1,200) to present at the International
Conference on Education, in Honolulu, HI, in January.
--Approved a request of Dr.
Marie Plemons for a travel grant ($800) to present at the International
Conference on Education, in Honolulu, HI, in January.
--Approved a request of Dr.
Jifu Wang for a travel grant ($680) to present at the International
Business and Economics Research Conference, in Las Vegas, NV, in October.
--Accepted reports on
grant-funded conference travel from Drs. De Los Santos, J. Fry, Glasure,
and Hutto.
--Liz Branch reported that the mother of a
recently deceased student had called to ask whether he could be awarded
a degree since he was only one course away from completing it and had
registered for the course this fall.
The Council was agreeable to this request, pending inquiry into
policy at the other UHS institutions and a written request from the
mother.
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