ACADEMIC CABINET

Monday, July 19, 2004

Present:

Alfred Guillaume, Academic Affairs

Lois Carder, for Tom Miller, Arts

David Freitas, Education

Linda Fritschner, Academic Affairs

Leda Hall, SPEA

Paul Joray, General Studies

John McIntosh for Lynn Williams, CLAS

Paul Mishler, Labor Studies

Nancy Plennert, Academic Affairs

Mary Jo Regan-Kubinski, Nursing and Health Professions

Michele Russo, Library

Bill Schwartz, Business and Economics

David Vollrath, Academic Senate

Absent:

Paul Newcomb, Social Work

Guests:

Pat Agbetsiafa, Advisor, School of Business and Economics

Christine Chmielewski, Advisor, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences

Tamea Rector, Advisor, Raclin School of the Arts

Professional Advisors Committee (PAC) (Chmielewski, Agbetsiafa, Rector):

Christine Chmielewski spoke about the history and formation of the PAC. Currently, the PAC consists of fifteen members who represent ten campus units. The PAC at “brown bag” lunches has invited speakers to discuss topics such as Admissions and Transfer Students, Supplementary Instructors, the Learning Center, the new General Education Curriculum, International Programs, and Foreign Language Placement Exams. Three such meetings are planed for 2004. These open meetings will cover career services, degree audits, and the new General Education curriculum. The PAC was involved in peer mentor training in 2003 and 2004. In August 2004, representatives of the PAC will participate in UCET (University Center for Excellence in Teaching)’s “Back to School Week” activities for new faculty.

The PAC hopes to continue advisory training for faculty and staff. They propose to offer training modules which would be targeted for specific purposes. The PAC also hopes that their will be funds available for professional development.

Enrollment Management (Alfred J. Guillaume):

The Chancellor is meeting weekly with a group to discuss enrollment management. Currently, IU South Bend is six percent behind in applications for fall. The Director of Admissions thinks that enrollment may actually lag by two percent. The Chancellor is very concerned. She wanted to thank faculty who made telephone calls encouraging students to enroll. Few students responded to the letter encouraging them to enroll.

The Chancellor is offering 50 merit awards to nonresident students who meet particular academic criteria. She is working on reciprocity agreements for Michigan students. There will also be television and radio advertisements on popular stations that target the traditional-age student. With the possible decline in enrollment, the Chancellor is also requesting that the Budget Office prepare scenarios with two, four, and six percent decreases.

Deans and Directors said that there are very few places for budget cuts in academic programs. Salary makes up the substantial part of the budget leaving telephone, travel, and supplies and expenses as the other segments of the academic budget. Some suggested more radical cuts. For example, there has been little conversation about off-campus programs. Except for political considerations, there is little case for off-campus programs. Some deans and directors also thought that Continuing Education should be excluded from Academic Affairs. Others thought that continuing education should involve itself with distance education. There should be incentives for faculty to teach continuing education courses as is the case with IPFW. Others suggested that continuing education become embedded in particular units at IU South Bend. In such cases, the incentive model should bring dollars back to the unit.

Faculty Searches (Alfred Guillaume):

Faculty job descriptions for the Chronicle of Higher Education were due to Academic Affairs on July 16.

Carry Forward Dollars (Alfred Guillaume):

Alfred will be discussing the carry forward dollars with Bill O’Donnell this afternoon. Later this week Chancellor Reck, Alfred, and Bill will meet to discuss carry forward dollars. Alfred said that there were no frivolous requests for these dollars.

Other Announcements (Alfred Guillaume):

• Five staff positions have been eliminated from Continuing Education. One person has found an alternative job at IU South Bend and Alfred is hopeful for two others. Alfred is concerned about the graphic arts position, but there may be a place in the Public Affairs and University Advancement area. Suzanne Miller will teach this 2004-2005 academic year and retire from the university in May.
• Alfred is to complete a report on summer school by November 1.
• Associate faculty generate a substantial revenue for the university. This was illustrated in data gathered by Linda.
• Jim Hurst is directing the Student Counseling Center until the end of the summer. An internal search for a director of the counseling center will begin in the fall.
• The Academic Affairs Retreat is scheduled for September 27 at the Elkhart Center.

Respectfully submitted,

Linda Marie Fritschner

Wednesday, July 19, 2004

cc: Chancellor Reck

Asghar Sabbaghi