President’s Advisory Team
Minutes
February 20, 2014
President’s Advisory Team Members in attendance:
Diane Allen, Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs
Simeon Ananou, Chief Information Officer
Humberto Aristizabal, Interim Associate Vice President Administration and Finance,
Human Resources
Aaron Basko, Assistant VP for Enrollment Management
Tabatha Beck, President, Graduate Student Council
Beth Skoglund for Aaron Basko, Assistant Vice President of Enrollment Management
Eric Berkheimer, Associate Vice President for Administration and Finance,
Capital Planning and Construction
Steven Blankenship, President, Staff Senate
Betty Crockett, Vice President, Administration and Finance
Richard Culver, Director, Media Relations
Jason Curtin, Assistant Vice President, Development & Alumni Relations; Deputy Director SU Foundation
Janet Dudley-Eshbach, President
Sue Eagle, Assistant Vice President, Marketing and Public Relations
Dane Foust, Vice President of Student Affairs
Susan Griisser, University General Counsel
Bea Hardy, Dean, Libraries and Instructional Resources
Amy Hasson, Chief of Staff
Brian Waller for Edwin Lashley, Chief, Salisbury University Police
Evan Miller for Katherine Mooney, President, SGA
Karen Olmstead, Dean, Henson School of Science and Technology
Cheryl Parks, Dean, Seidel School of Education and Professional Studies
Maarten Pereboom, Dean, Fulton School of Liberal Arts
Greg Prince, Vice President, Advancement and External Affairs
Elizabeth Ragan, President, Faculty Senate
Tim Robinson, Chair, Adjunct Faculty Caucus
Robert Sheehan, Deputy Chief of Staff and Director for Government and Community Relations
Kara Siegert, Director, University Analysis, Reporting & Assessment
Brian Stiegler, Assistant Provost for International Education
Bob Wood, Dean, Perdue School of Business
1.
Welcoming and Opening Remarks – President Janet Dudley-Eshbach
o
Dr. Dudley-Eshbach opened the meeting by welcoming the group.
o
President Dudley-Eshbach has asked that the campus employees pay particular
attend to customer service, especially when it involves members from the outside
community and our students.
o
Humberto Aristizabal is serving as interim Associate Vice President for Human
Resources while a search is conducted for a permanent replacement. A
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restructuring of Human Resources is taking place with the creation of the Office of
Equity, Diversity and Inclusion that will now report to the President’s Office.
2.
o
Special appreciation goes to Melanie Perreault and for those who participated in
putting together the draft strategic plan. Great feedback and comments were
received from the campus during the review period and changes are being
incorporated as appropriate. The final version should be completed soon.
o
Thanks as well to all of those who worked on the Strategic Enrollment Plan and all
of those who reviewed and gave input.
o
Nominations are requested for the 2014 President’s Distinguished Community
Leadership Award. Information is on the SU web site and nominations should be
sent to either Amy Hasson or Gina Boobar.
o
In the news recently was an article about fraternity hazing with a mention of
Salisbury University. There is expected to be additional news coverage in the
future. The University is complying with several public information act requests
for information spanning several years.
University Governance
o
Faculty Senate – Dr. Elizabeth (Beth) Ragan
i. The Faculty Senate has been deliberating changes to the undergraduate
grading system. In December 2013, the Faculty Senate narrowly voted not to
accept the recommendation to adopt plus and minus grades. Sixteen percent of
full-time faculty petitioned for a Faculty meeting where that decision could be
reconsidered, and the meeting was held in February 2014. A quorum was not
achieved at the meeting and therefore a binding vote could not be taken. A
request for a straw poll was taken and 123 faculty members (29% of all
full-time faculty) were in favor of some form of plus/minus grading system for
undergraduates. Because a significant number of faculty who could not attend
due to schedule conflicts there will be discussion on the possibility of
reinstating some form of all-campus hour with the Provost.
o
Adjunct Faculty Caucus – Tim Robinson
i. Professor Robinson reported that there have been several measures taken to
foster inclusion of adjunct faculty into the campus community. New adjunct
faculty are invited to attend new faculty orientation, as well as extended hours
are offered to obtain a parking passes and access to help for My Classes. On
many departments websites adjunct faculty are listed with full time faculty.
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o
Staff Senate – Steven Blankenship
i. The Staff Senate is appreciative to be involved with updating the University’s
mission statement.
i. Humberto attended a recent meeting of the Staff Senate to update Senators on
Title IX training and asked the Staff Senate to review the Policy on Prohibiting
Sexual and Other Forms of Discriminatory Harassment.
ii. Four nominations were submitted for the Board of Regents Staff Awards.
o
Student Government Association – Evan Miller
i. Evan reported that the first of three housing fairs was held, the next fair will be on
March 11.
ii. Plans are underway for the Stop Hatin’ campaign. Included in the weekly
festivities will be Heritage Day where items from different cultures around the
world will be on display.
iii. School Spirit Week is scheduled from April 7 through April 14. The Big Event
where students help the community will be April 12. The Spring Concert will be
held on April 13.
iv. The Senior Class Gift Program has been implemented this year with plans to give
a t-shirt and raffle tickets to those seniors that donate. Students can choose to
donate their money towards a student crisis fund, or the organization, sports team,
or department that they choose. Donations run from $10 to $20.14.
o
Graduate Student Council – Tabatha Beck
i. The Graduate Student Council participated in the February general Job Fair, and
anticipates participating in the remaining three job fairs in March.
ii. The Graduate Student Council is becoming more involved in University events
directed toward students such as the “Stand for You” campaign.
iii. Campaigns for new officers are underway. Most of the current officers will be
graduating and it could possibly be a completely new group of officers next year.
3.
Maryland General Assembly Session Overview – Robby Sheehan
o
Robby provided an update of the 2014 legislative session. Governor O’Malley
introduced his FY2015 budget several weeks ago. The University System of
Maryland received a nearly 8 percent increase in State support between FY14 and the
proposed FY15 allowance. This proposed budget includes an allowance for a 2
percent cost-of-living-adjustment to be actualized in January of 2015.
o
Salisbury University still remains the least funded institution per student (in regard to
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educational and general revenues), while remaining the most efficient university in
the system, graduating more students for the least cost or “biggest bang for the buck.”
Many of our success rates are second only to University of Maryland, College Park.
This year, for the fourth and final year, Salisbury University will again be able to
increase tuition by 6%.
4.
5.
o
The Governor and several members of the General Assembly are pushing for an
increase in the State’s minimum wage (which is currently coupled to the federal
minimum wage).
o
Legislation is being introduced by Senator Raskin which will increase the fine for
hazing from $500 to $5,000. The University System as a whole will be testifying in
support of this legislation.
o
On Friday, February 28th, students from all 12 University System of Maryland
(USM) Institutions and two regional higher education centers will unite and rally in
Annapolis with one voice in favor of Governor O'Malley’s proposed budget to protect
access to an affordable and quality higher education.
o
The John R. Hargreaves Distinguished Legislator Award will be presented to Senator
Thomas (Mac) Middleton on Thursday, March 13 from 11:30 to 12:30 p.m. in Miller
Conference Room #2. This award serves as a way of recognizing and honoring those
outstanding legislators who often are too little appreciated for the time and effort they
spend on behalf of their fellow citizens. It fosters a dialogue and closer contact
between students and legislators with the goal of creating, on the part of students, a
better appreciation for the complexities and rewards of legislative life.
Enrollment Updates and Initiatives – Dane Foust, Aaron Basko
o
Dane Foust and Aaron Basko provided an update on enrollment numbers. In the
annualized count of full-time students provided to the University System of Maryland
every year, a complicated formula is used to predict enrollment that is used for state
funding. This past year our numbers were extremely accurate and were only off by a
small percentage. Our freshman ______ from fall to spring went from 91% to 93.5%.
Our Center for Student Achievement has created additional classes for students
needing additional help, particularly those on academic probation.
o
This year we have had slightly fewer applications which is part of a nationwide trend.
SU is still relatively strong compared to our peers. Karen Olmstead noted that the
STEM majors are up 28% in applications. She also commended the Enrollment
Management team for their data information, as it facilitates planning for fall classes.
o
There are two new Living Learning Communities this coming fall semester: Faith and
Globalization, and Gender and _____ (as part of the Sophomore Experience.)
Seidel School Initiatives – Cheryl Parks
o
Dean Parks updated the Team on the following Seidel School iniatives:
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i. The new doctoral program in Education on Contemporary Curriculum Theory
and Instruction: Literacy has had several open houses, and currently 20 students
are registered for the program. Dr. Judith Franzak will be the program director.
The program is in the process of applying for Carnegie classification.
ii. A collaborative program between SU and University of Maryland University
College (UMUC), located at Ramstein Airbase, Germany, is accepting its first
cohort group for a Masters of Social Work.
iii. Health Sciences students assisted in wellness program “Jump Rope For Heart.”
This event was held on February 12, 2014 and promoted heart-healthy lifestyles
and raised funds to support the American Heart Association.
iv. The Teacher Education major will be offering four credit courses beginning fall
2015. In addition interdisciplinary “Diversity Strand” courses for one credit will
be offered.
v. Professor Diana Wagner after completing the Holocaust Educators Network’s
annual summer seminar at New York City’s Memorial Library, she was charged
with using her experience to help teachers in the Wicomico County area. One of
the outcomes of her project has been the establishment of Salisbury University as
a Holocaust Museum satellite.
vi. The Universities at Shady Grove and the University of Maryland at Hagerstown
have grown the number of students enrolled at SU taught programs.
vii. The Athletic Training program has been placed on a hiatus as they finalize their
Masters degree program in Athletic Training to be offered in 2016.
viii. Children’s Literature Festival will be held April 7 through 12. The speakers this
year include Rita Williams-Garcia and Alfie Cohn, as well as other award
winning authors and illustrators. Our own Tina Gorrow, the author of “Inside the
Eagles Nest” will be presenting.
6.
Graduate Commencement – Diane Allen
o
7.
In an effort to provide special recognition to those students who are graduating
with Masters degrees, and to alleviate overcrowding, a separate ceremony
including a ceremonial hooding will be held the evening before the undergraduate
ceremony.
Coffee with a Cop – Perdue School – Bob Wood
o
Dean Bob Wood spoke on the success of the inaugural “Coffee with a Cop”
program. SU policeman and security guards were available to meet with students
in the Perdue atrium to answer any questions and to offer safety advice.
Approximately 40 to 50 students attended and many offered that it was the first
time they had an opportunity to speak to SU police officials.
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8.
Advancement Newsletter – Greg Prince
o
Vice President Greg Prince offered hard copies of the inaugural edition of the
Advancement newsletter. Because their offices are scattered across campus, this
newsletter keeps the different offices in the Advancement division informed. This
newsletter is sent electronically and if anyone would like to be included on the
mailing list, they should contact the publications office.
Recorded by: Tracy Hajir