President’s Advisory Team Minutes September 21, 2006 President’s Advisory Team Members in attendance: Judy Fischer for Alice Bahr, Dean, Libraries and Instructional Resources Ed Cowell, Dean of Students Richard Culver, Director, Media Relations Jackie Maisel for Jane Dané, Dean, Enrollment Management Janet Dudley-Eshbach, President Michael Folkoff, Interim Dean, Henson School of Science and Technology Len Foxwell, Assistant to the President for Government and Community Relations Steven Hetzler, Chair, University Forum Clacie Hubbard, President, Staff Senate Tom Jones, Interim Provost Donna Keener, Director, Human Resources Paul Land, Director, Auxiliary Services Ed Lashley, Chief, Salisbury University Police Greig Mitchell, Vice President, Administration and Finance Herman Manakyan for William Moore, Dean, Perdue School of Business Ellen Neufeldt, Vice President, Student Affairs Timothy O’Rourke, Dean, Fulton School of Liberal Arts Carol Wood for Dennis Pataniczek, Dean, Seidel School of Education and Professional Studies Darrell Mullins, President, Faculty Senate Jennifer Poole, President, Student Government Association R. Bryan Price, Director, Institutional Research, Assessment and Accountability Brian Stiegler, Interim Director, Center of International Education Rosemary Thomas, Vice President, University Advancement Jerry Waldron, Chief Information Officer Ellen Zinner, Assistant to the President 1. Welcome and Opening Remarks - President Dudley-Eshbach: o President Dudley-Eshbach welcomed everyone to the first President’s Advisory Team meeting of the 2006-2007 academic year. o Enrollment update - Ellen Neufeldt i. As of September 15, enrollment data were as follows: 7,383 enrolled students 6,629 are full-time students 1,034 students in the freshman class 872 new transfer students 592 graduate students. PAT Meeting September 21, 2006 Page 2 o This incoming class is the most diverse in SU history and has an average GPA above 3.4, with 65% reporting on their applications that they participated in leadership activities. The youngest student is 14 years old and the oldest is 52. FourSight Workshop - October 6, 10:00 a.m. to 1:15 p.m. - Worcester and Montgomery Rooms i. Members of the President’s Advisory team are invited to this workshop that will explore an innovative assessment tool to reveal how people approach challenges. o Phi Beta Kappa i. Salisbury University is in the process of applying to host a chapter of the Phi Beta Kappa honor society. SU’s institutional profile has improved since the last application was denied. Being a part of this honor society would underscore the quality of Salisbury University’s academic programs and students. 2. Signing-In Ceremony Update - Ellen Neufeldt o 3. Upon the recommendation of Ed Cowell, Dean of Students, Salisbury University has instituted a new program for incoming students that emphasized the significance of joining the SU Community. The opening activities also stressed the acceptance and promised adherence to the new Student Code of Conduct, whether students live on- or off-campus. University Governance: o Faculty Senate - Darrell Mullins i. The focus for the Faculty Senate this year will be General Education and assessment of the curriculum. Two schools that provide most of the Gen Ed courses will be considering alternate curriculum models. ii. Faculty benefits will be considered. o Staff Senate - Clacie Hubbard i. This year’s focus will be on the structure of the Staff Senate. ii. A member of Human Resources is now an ex-officio member of the Staff Senate. This allows for more open lines of communication in light of the changes in collective bargaining. o Student Government Association - Jennifer Poole i. The SGA is currently working on Homecoming events. This year’s theme centers on “Tradition.” PAT Meeting September 21, 2006 Page 3 ii. A statue of “Sammy the Sea Gull” is almost ready for placement in front of Maggs Gym. iii. Complaints about parking have steadily decreased. o 4. 5. University Forum - Steven Hetzler i. The focus for the University Forum this year will be increasing participation in shared governance, particularly in the Staff Senate. ii. President Dudley-Eshbach noted that the SU Community needs to take a proactive look at the current structure of campus governance. Are the existing structures still effective, taking into account the increased size of the student body and the implementation of collective bargaining? Strategies for Enrollment Management - President Dudley-Eshbach o The Board of Regents and the University System of Maryland have designated SU as one of the “enrollment growth” institutions in the System. SU admitted 323 additional students for the 2006 academic year, and is being asked to accept between 1000-1500 new students over the next five years. o Fifteen percent of incoming freshman are from out of state. o Of our 7,383 students, 592 are graduate students. Ideally, 10% of students should make up graduate program numbers. Reexamination of master’s programs may suggest changes that would increase this number. o SU is considering launching a pilot program in which SAT scores are optional for admission. An improvement in our standing in national college guide publications may result. Faculty input is being sought prior to a decision by the administration. o As the number of students increases, the physical side of the University also needs to grow to house more students and provide more classrooms and office space for increased faculty and support staff. The President believes a University Planning Council (yet to be formed) could better prepare the campus for changing student demographics. Campus-wide Activities - Rosemary Thomas o Fun Day update - Saturday, September 16 i. Over 2,000 guests of all ages came to campus to enjoy many free activities. ii. Kudos to Derek Tennent, a graduate student working in the Advancement office, for coordinating the event. iii. This year’s Fun Day was endorsed by the Wicomico County PTA, another step towards collaboration with the local community. PAT Meeting September 21, 2006 Page 4 o TETC groundbreaking ceremony update - Wednesday, September 20 i. Representatives from the Governor’s Office, the University System of Maryland, and other offices participated in ceremonial “digs” announcing the beginning of construction of the Teacher Education and Technology Complex. o Sea Gull Century - October 7 i. There are 6,000 registered riders this year. ii. Last year, Sea Gull Century raised over $250,000, which was put back into the campus to support various programs and projects. 6. 7. 8. Facilities Update - Greig Mitchell o Construction on the TETC building has begun, and the anticipated opening date is summer 2008. This building adds 165,000 square feet of new space that includes labs, classrooms, instructional technology space, and offices. o The Dresser property parking lease has allowed parking for 650 cars close to the main campus. The demand for this space is lower than expected for a number of reasons, including improved sidewalks, new bicycle racks, an increased parking fee, and improved shuttle bus service. This decrease in demand opens the possibility of freshmen bringing their cars with them to campus in the future. o The Shoreland, Inc. property is being cleared of buildings and will remain a green field until future building projects have been determined. o University Police have moved to the East Campus Complex (formally known as the Power Professional Building). There will be an open house later in the fall. o The first step in the planning process for the Perdue Building has begun with the Division of Budget and Management reviewing the final program plan. Cultural Laureate Program - Tim O’Rourke o The Cultural Affairs Committee devised the Cultural Laureate Program to encourage freshman to experience cultural programs offered on campus. o The program is being piloted with the freshman class this semester. Next meeting: The next meeting of the President’s Advisory Team will be held on Thursday, October 19, 2006. Recorder: Tracy Hajir