Academic Council Minutes, September 7, 2005

 I.  Minutes 

--Approved as written 

II.  General Agenda 

·        Data Collection 

--2,401 students have enrolled so far, a drop from the previous report.  Some are yet to be enrolled, and about 140 have registered but not paid.  Credit hours are up but still behind budget. 

--Three displaced students from hurricane Katrina have enrolled or are in the process, included partnered courses. 

·        Instructional Technology/Online Issues and Updates 

--IT is in the interview process for its vacancy. 

--ISS is sending Jody Gillit for training at UH, so that we can take over creation of online courses in Vista. 

·        Fort Bend Issues and Updates 

--Chari Norgard reported on a meeting of the AAS (Academic Administrators Support).  The Provosts’ Council wants the group to continue.  Ed Hugetz will meet with the group to facilitate System coordination.  Bookstore and proctoring continue to be issues.  A document explaining textbook options is being prepared to try to reduce the gap between expectations and means of meeting them.  The UHS contract with Barnes and Noble (UHV excluded) is a complicating factor.   Proctoring is a concern for ITV courses (mostly UHD’s) but also for make-up tests.   

--The provost noted that UHV has now assumed management of Cinco Ranch and is working to gain efficiencies through shared positions and streamlining of the reporting structures.  The search for an academic administrator has drawn about 40 applicants to date.

III.  Specific Agenda 

·        Student Appeal 

--Approved an appeal for admission, even though student had three previous suspensions from another university, since 10 years had passed and the student had over a 2.0 GPA.  

·        Faculty Development Requests and Reports 

--Approved a development grant for conference presentation ($1,000), pending receipt of a FY 05 report, to Dr. Margaret Dorsey to present at the 2005 American Anthropological Association Annual Meeting in Washington, D.C., in November. 

--Approved a development grant for conference presentation ($966) to Dr. Jun-Yeon Lee to present at the Institute for Operations Research and the Management Sciences Annual Meeting, in New Orleans, LA, in November.

--Approved a request of Dr. Harold Smith, for a research grant ($150) for expenses to purchase copies of manuscript material for a co-authored book titled “Twentieth-Century Texas Women’s History.”

--Approved a development grant for conference presentation ($1,000) to Dr. David Summers to present at the 47^th Annual Mountain Plains Management Conference, in Cedar City, UT, in October.

--Approved a development grant for conference presentation ($200) to Dr. James Walton to present at the 47^th Annual Mountain Plains Management Conference, in Cedar City, UT, in October.

--Accepted grant funded research reports from Drs. Harold Smith and Donald Loffredo.

--Deferred action on a research grant request, pending further inquiry. 

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9/8/05