Minutes of the Faculty Senate
DWR 205
Sept. 19, 2019
Present: Senators Zia, Logan, Huang, Oden, Testa, Boumtje, Lowther, T. Schroeder, Tucker, White, Wise, Stanford, Fanning, Wilson, Shirey, Hurdle
Ex-Officio: Leigh Labit, Jennifer Rowsam, Trey Berry, David Lanoue, Donna Allen, Roger Giles, Kim Bloss, Amanda Anderson
Call to Order at 3:41
Proxies – Lowther proxy for S. Schroeder; Logan proxy for Zhoa
I. Approval of Minutes:
Minutes from August 22, 2019 [motion –Logan, second – Oden]
II. Special Orders of the Day:
Dr. Berry provided enrollment updates:
A handout was distributed with SAU Enrollment charts that contained beginning freshman, freshman, sophomore, junior, senior, un pre bac, graduate, and un post bac. Undergraduate enrollment is 3,584 and graduate enrollment 888. The total enrollment is 4,472. We are down 50 paying in graduate and 50 paying students in undergraduate. This report was given to deans and faculty/staff officers. Then, Dr. Berry discussed statewide enrollment. He explained that SAU is in a very difficult recruitment time. This recruitment time will strain universities, and it will be difficult to attract students. SAU is 76% a private college. He explained that we have to start thinking and acting like a private college and be as nimble as we can. However, we are state college with the restrictions of a state college. He explained that he has some reservations about COLA this year due to budget constraints. He discussed what it means for SAU moving forward. SAU is going to market differently by moving away from the billboards and going toward electronic marketing. Although it is important to market to parents, electronic marketing will reach more students. SAU is being very strategic. One way is by helping make on-line program plan of studies easier to follow. Retention is going to be key. He asked for help from the faculty senators for recruitment and retention ideas and is looking for better ways to engage the community. Personal recruiting and a “Culture of Caring” is prevalent at SAU. He discussed the importance of making personal connections. Another aspect is fundraising is also important. He expressed his appreciation for the hard work that faculty and staff do to recruit and retain students. Senator Tucker suggested international recruitment. Dr. Berry said that international recruitment is a challenge. President T. Schroeder said that it would be good to have budget figures about what it takes to start a program and what the program would yield. Senator Testa said that a recession sometimes means an increase in enrollment. Senator White discussed concurrent enrollment. Dr. Berry said that there was a 60% return rate for local school districts of concurrent enrollment. SAU has done a great job on performance funding and received over $1 million. However, the performance funding could be in jeopardy with the decrease in enrollment.
Dr. Lanoue then explained that we are not in budget crisis. He emphasized that SAU is being proactive with regards to recruitment and retention.
Question for the administration: Could the Administration please comment on the monetary size of the largest prizes awarded at this year’s Blue and Gold Day event? I believe that a semester’s tuition was given away as a prize. Prizes of a semester of room and a semester to board were also given away. How does the Administration justify this during a year where supplies and service budgets have been cut and many faculty positions went unfilled due to budgetary restraints?
Dr. Allen explained that the meal plan given away as a prize doesn’t cost the university any money because it is written into Aramark’s contract.
Senator Logan gave handbook committee update. [motion –white, second – Lowther]
Motion passed
Senator Logan gave University Committee report. She distributed the list of senators and appointments. The senators reviewed during the meeting. President T. Schroeder ask Dr. Lanoue to get the faculty senate liaisons on the list that Ms. Crisp distributes.
President T. Schroeder asked for discussion about giving department chairs access to all courses in their department.
The recommendation is that dept. chairs be given access to on-line course tools in their department. [motion –White, second – Wise]
Motion passed
President T. Schroeder asked that there be representatives for the On-line Learning Task Force and the Scholarship Task Force.
Senator White volunteered for scholarship.
Senator Oden volunteered for on-line learning.
President T. Schroeder asked Senator White and Senator Oden to look for e-mails with information about being committee representatives.
President T. Schroeder asked for discussion about non-tenured faculty being allowed to vote in faculty senate elections.
Motion to refer to handbook committee [motion –White, second – Fanning]
Senator Hurdle discussed the importance of advising with recruitment and retention. He explained that if new students to his program could be identified earlier, then he could reach out to them sooner to make a connection.
Senator White explained that Poise could be a part of the problem with advising. The advisors are doing a good job; however, they need better tools. He added that with budget constraints, purchasing a new system may be difficult. However, Canvas could be an option to consider.
Motion to adjourn
[motion –Logan, second – Oden]
III. Meeting adjourned at 4:52
