Academic Council Minutes, August 30, 2006

I. Minutes 

--A couple of editorial changes were noted.

·        Jeffrey Di Leo noted Arts and Sciences had hired a recruiter for the UHSSL campus. 

·        Approved a request of Dr. Jeffrey Di Leo for a research grant ($550), pending receipt of a FY 06 conference report, to prepare a manuscript titled Fictions Present:  Situating Contemporary Innovative Narrative that has been accepted for publication.

II. Guests 

·        Academic Competitiveness Grant and National SMART Grant Carolyn Mallory explained both grants and said that as of now no one has qualified for either of them.  She asked the Deans if she could use their Academic Advisors (Emily Harrison, Alma
Alvarado, Rhiannon Davila) to figure the GPA if she has someone that qualifies for either grant.  Financial Aid will determine the other criteria to see if a person is eligible.   The Deans asked her to prepare a 1-page explanation they could post on the web.   

·        Web CT

Jody Gillit explained that Web CT had been back up since 1:00 pm Tuesday.   She would like to encourage faculty to work with students because it was down off and on since Wednesday of last week. She asked how it could be handled differently or better.  Dean Bullock suggested sending an email regarding the lockdown browser.  Someone asked if it would be monitored over the long weekend?  Jody said Blackboard monitored it overnight and she would ask about the long weekend.  

·        Development Plan for UHV

Dick Phillips had a handout on UHS-Comprehensive Campaign.  He asked that everyone review it and let him know if there are any additions or changes he needs to make.  He has a meeting in Houston on Friday and will hopefully find out the definitive goals.  Would like to develop a Naming Opportunities for Victoria.   

III. General Agenda

·        Enrollment

-- Trudy Wortham had a handout that listed the current headcount of paid students by major.  Chari Norgard said they have been calling all non-paid students and dis-enrolled students and have about 78 who have registered late and not paid.  They are trying to keep a record of why students are dropping and not re-enrolling and if there is something the university can do to help them.  

--Dr. Di Leo would like the print out of headcount to be listed by “Program” instead of “Major.”  Trudy Wortham said once PeopleSoft is implemented, she will do that.  For now she will have to do it manually and will try to get it to him tomorrow.  

·        Instructional Technology/Online Issues 

--Nothing new to report 

·        Fort Bend Issues and Updates  

--Dr. Hartshorn reported that Nursing had their first class last Thursday and it went really well. 

·        Other  

o       Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) Award for Institutional Progress in Student Learning Outcomes

--If we have any programs that will fit this award, Dr. Margaret Rice and Faye Landry will complete all forms necessary.  Dr. Rice reported that Coastal Bend College received a Title V Grant and UHV was partnered with them.  UHV students will be mentoring Coastal Bend College students. The goal is to increase UHV’s Hispanic population. 

IV. Specific Agenda

·        Student Appeals

--A student appeal was referred back to the School of Education and Human Development to handle.

·        Faculty Development Grants

--When last year’s conference report is submitted, Dr. Joseph Ben-Ur will be awarded $1,186.36 for the Academy of International Business and Economics (AIBE) 2006 Annual Conference, in Las Vegas, NV.  

--When last year’s conference report is submitted, Dr. Diane Prince will be awarded $900.00 for “Teaching Critical Thinking Skills,” in Greenville, S.C. 

--Dr. David Satava was awarded $600.00 for a publication entitled “Thacher on Columbus’s First Voyage:  How Much Did It Cost From a Forensic Accountant’s Perspective?”  

--Accepted grant funded conference travel reports from Drs. Meledath Damodaran, Di Leo, Xavier Garza-Gomez, Jifu Wang. 

--Accepted grant funded research reports from Drs. Kay Kohlhaas, Teresa Le Sage, Hsin-Hui Lin, Mary Natividad, Yixi Ning, Marie Stern Plemons, and Jifu Wang. 

As recorded by,
Dee Dee Canion
8/31/06