Academic Affairs Council
January 25, 2012
Present: Breese, Cirincione, Frohoff, Graham, Homan, Hathman, McConnell, McDonald, Pickel, Quick,
Ramey, Spake, Vargas, Volin
Absent: Braitman, Clump, DeBasio, Thrower
Guests: Nancy Donaldson and Bob Grant
I.
Call to Order – Sharon Homan
1. Ignatian Reflection – Rick Graham
2. Minutes approved
II.
Development Update – Bob Grant, VP for Advancement
A. Rockhurst Fund
1. Faculty and staff participation is important and the RU participation rate is at 53%,
with the closest Jesuit institution participation rate at 23%; and
It is this participation rate which is most impressive when Advancement
representatives meet with potential donors.
2. Alumni participation rate is lower than that at other Jesuit institutions.
Advancement is concentrating on a campaign to “grow the heart” of Rockhurst.
Creation of a unified “voice” or approach to engage past alumni and beginning to
engage students/graduates in alumni campaign/activities.
B. New Web Site Launch
1. New RU web site has been created and was launched on January 24, 2012.
This will become a useful tool with RU unified approach to the re-brand.
Contact PRM with any suggestions or recommendations.
C. Rockhurst Magazine
1. Features reflections of our two alumni mayors (Sly James, Kansas City, MO and Joe
Reardon, Unified Government of Wyandotte County and Kansas City, KS) on the RU
brand, “Where Leaders Learn.”; and
Rockhurst University, Academic Affairs Office | January 30, 2012
1
2. Highlights service emersion trips (internationally and local inner city) illustrated by
reflections of participating students and Fr. Curran.
III.
New Joint Engineering Degrees with UMKC – Tim McDonald
A. Curriculum
1. Working with UMKC to map curriculum for 5 joint Engineering programs (Civil,
Mechanical, Information Technology, Electrical & Computing Engineering and
Computer Science).
Designing courses and curriculum has been a task and new joint degrees will
benefit both universities.
The number of credit hours for each degree still to be finalized, but students
should be able to complete degree in 4 years.
B. Financials for Joint Engineering Degrees
1. Students will complete RU core requirements and lower level Physics, Math and
science foundation courses and UMKC will provide the more specialized engineering
courses; and
2. Fixed costs will be required for each joint degree and a per credit cost paid to UMKC.
C. Accreditation Requirements
1. Program must meet certification requirements from the Engineering Accreditation
Commission of ABET (the Accrediting Board for Engineering and Technology);
2. Programs must provide preparation for professional practice as a registered engineer
in the State of Missouri;
3. HLC may not require a focused site visit as this would be a Bachelor of Science degree,
and as such, a decision could be reached at the HLC offices regarding the approval of
this program; and
4. Application for accreditation of the program cannot be applied for until the first
cohort of students has completed the program.
D. RU and UMKC Approval Processes
1. RU and UMKC have agreed upon an administrative agreement;
Rockhurst University, Academic Affairs Office | January 30, 2012
2
2. UMKC will require approval of the Interim President (February) and then approval
from their Coordinating Board (March); and
3. RU will seek approval from the AAC council, the Faculty Senate, UPBC committee and
lastly the Board of Trustees (March).
E. Motion to support the new joint Engineering Program was made.
F. Motion was approved unanimously by the AAC Council.
IV.
Update on M.A. Educational Organizations and Leadership (EOL) – Jeffrey Breese
A. EOL Program was approved unanimously by the Faculty Senate January 24, 2012;
B. Program proposal will seek approval from the University Planning and Budget Committee
on Friday, January 27, 2012;
C. Program proposal will be presented to the Board of Trustees for approval March 2012;
D. Program anticipated start date is Fall 2013; and
E. HLC will schedule a focused site visit, new M. A. degree offering.
V.
Academic Calendar – Sharon Homan
A. Fall 2012-2013 calendar does not meet credit hour (2250 hours/semester) requirement.
B. Possible Solutions for 2012-2013 calendar:
1. Add an additional week in Fall 2012 to increase number of instruction days for MWF
and MF scheduled courses; or
2. To increase number of instruction days in Spring 2013, move exam week back and
eliminate Martin Luther King holiday or shorten spring break.
C. Suggestions
1. Many departments are affected by the academic calendar (faculty, Mission and
Ministry, Student Development, etc.) and might have insight or suggestions; and
2. Reinstitute the Academic Calendar Committee
Rockhurst University, Academic Affairs Office | January 30, 2012
3
D. Solutions for 2012-2013 Academic Calendar
1. To meet the immediate need of the calendar, a task force will be created to come up
with some viable solutions for the 2012-13 year and to meet the Federal Compliance
requirements; and
2. Show HLC that RU has taken steps to implement a process for creation of future
academic calendars.
VI.
Updates from Committee Members
A. NEW ROCKHURST WEB SITE
1. Documasters in all departments are in process of updating, verifying and checking
links on respective pages.
B. STUDENT DEVELOPMENT AND ATHLETICS
1. Resident Assistants have an average GPA of 3.73;
2. This spring has added 72 new Greek members;
3. In negotiations with RCN for participation in the new medical clinic; and
4. Sandy Waddell has asked that updates and/or recommendations for retention of
Transfer students be emailed to be included in the survey she will create.
C. LEARNING CENTER
1. Tutor appointments have increased to significant numbers and SI appointments, while
high, dipped slightly in the fall.
D. CETL
1. The 1st recipient of the Rues Foundation Fellowship is Dr. John Kerrigan; and
2. CETL is planning the calendar for Spring 2012, send in any suggestions for workshops
soon.
E. ADMISSIONS
1. Competitive Scholars is scheduled for February 10, 2012;
Rockhurst University, Academic Affairs Office | January 30, 2012
4
2. Currently have 126 students signed up, could increase to 200 by the event; and
3. In need of 70 – 80 faculty members involved with activities scheduled.
F. HSOM
1. Email Cheryl McConnell with information of any opportunity where a HSOM
representative could meet or make a presentation at any business or professional
organization to have the Rockhurst name out in the community.
G. GPS
1. The school will be conducting faculty searches this spring including: Chair of
Education, Exercise Science, and 3 PT candidates.
H. SERVICE LEARNING
1. Have received information on service learning from current classes (22 classes); and
2. Faculty members that want to include service learning projects in a course, submit an
application for MCMeel Foundation to review this summer.
Meeting adjourned.
Rockhurst University, Academic Affairs Office | January 30, 2012
5