Academic Council Minutes, August 2, 2006 

I.  Minutes

--Approved as written 

II. General Agenda

• Data Collection

--Elois Kraatz, representing the registrar, distributed updated enrollment data. 

• Instruction Technology/Online Issues

--Joe Ferguson reported on an upcoming UHS meeting having to do with protection of student social security numbers.  He noted that John McKee would be assuming responsibility for IT at Cinco Ranch, as well as Sugar Land.  In response to questions, he indicated that he would send out a list of software available in the computer labs and would check on a matter that had been referred to FACT. 

• Fort Bend Issues & Updates

--Jeffrey Di Leo noted a joint hire with Student Services to replace two separate staff members, who had resigned, the hiring of an additional recruiter for A/S, and the scheduling of a recruiting event at the Safari to promote the BAAS in particular and the new option of a Hotel/Restaurant concentration provided by UH. 

--John Stansell said the recent open house event at Cinco Ranch was well attended, with Education/HD getting a lot of traffic. 

--The provost provided updates on the proposed UH branch campus on 290, noting it was on hold owing to opposition, primarily from Prairie View. 

III. Specific Agenda 

• Student Appeals

--The Council reviewed an appeal to change a grade from F to W, resulting from a failure to complete withdrawal procedures.  The Council considered the change to be the prerogative of the instructor.  The student also wished to have a stop removed that related to incomplete payment.  The Council does not deal with appeals related to non-payment of fees. 

--The Council reviewed an appeal that involved financial aid and the reversion of “I” grades to “F” grades.  The Council does not hear financial aid appeals.  The Council saw no rationale for changing the reversion of grades but concluded the student could ask the instructors to extend the period for completing the “I” grades, which would be the prerogative of the instructors.

--The Council reviewed an appeal to waive the state rule governing rebates for students who complete their degrees in accord with “on time” criteria.  The Council has no authority to waive the rule. The student had exceeded the limit by his own choice.

--The Council denied an appeal to change a grade from “C” to “B.”  At issue was the instructor’s judgment concerning the student’s performance.  There was no evident inconsistency with the syllabus or manner of evaluating other students in the class. 

--The Council denied an appeal to change an “F” to a “W” in an earlier MAS course but agreed the grade in the course that later replaced it could be used for graduation purpose. 

• Faculty Development Requests and Reports

--Approved a request of Dr. Kay Kohlhaas for a research grant ($510) to determine the depth and breadth of fifth grade science teachers’ pre-service preparation and to examine their professional science development during in-service training.  

--Approved a development grant for conference presentation ($1,000), pending receipt of a FY 05 research report, to Dr. Yong G. Lee to attend the 2006 American Accounting Association Annual Meeting, in Washington, D.C., in August.

--Approved a development grant for conference presentation ($900) to Dr. Barba Patton to attend the 33^rd Annual Conference for the Advancement of Mathematics Teaching, in Houston, TX, in July. 

--Accepted a grant funded research report from Dr. Harold Smith. 

--Accepted a grant funded conference travel report from Dr. Andria Young. 

III. Other 

--The provost reported on the completion of reassignment of positions and persons resulting from the recent restructuring process. 

DNS/kw
8/7/06