Approved Minutes For Meeting On October 20, 2010

Date: October 20, 2010

Program:

1. The meeting was called to order by the Chair, JP Dunn. Visitors and guests were welcomed and introduced.

2. Roll Call

Members Present: Tuesday Ashner, Steve Buhman, JP Dunn, Pat Eckert, Jon Geiger, Alfred Jackson, Layla Murphy, Sarah Olson, Mike Reiman, Amy Rose, Charlotte Sarao, Lori Stettler, Meredith Thomas, Sue Tin.

Members Absent: Natalie Branca, Gloria Yuncker.

Proxies: Steve Buhman for Rod Sievers; Jessica Mann for Janet Douglas.

Visitors and Guests: Tracy Bennett; Patty Cosgrove.

3. Minutes

The minutes of the meeting on September 15, 2010, were approved as presented.

4. Adoption of Meeting Agenda: C. Sarao moved to adopt the agenda as presented; seconded by L. Stettler. Motion carried.

5. Reports

5.1 Chair 
JP Dunn reported: i) there has been discussion that the campus will be given two weeks notice before any administrative closure days are taken. Plans for the unpaid leave do not include undergraduate and graduate students. Other alternatives to the closure days are being considered, such as an early retirement incentive. There is nothing concrete, and there are no details to share, though he is aware the administration is looking at the models used in the past by the University of Illinois and other universities; ii) the President has been in Springfield lobbying to renew the borrowing bill. All the state universities are on board this time. SIUC is currently approved to borrow [during FY11] and has secured a line of credit. As far as he is aware, it has not been tapped into as yet. The University can borrow up to 75% of what it is owed, which is $18 million for FY10. No funds have been received for FY11, and those are not expected until January. The University is also not receiving the $3 million in Illinois Veterans Grant funds; iii) the Chancellor will be seeking a tuition increase for next year. The Board of Trustees had requested that both Chancellors prepare a report to show what effect flat tuition had on the campus budget. Those will be presented at the Board's December meeting; iv) there is currently a marketing firm, Lippman-Hearn, that is working on the University's branding. There is talk of asking the Foundation to support the marketing; v) a distance education council has been established to look at restructuring distance education on campus. There are several factors involved, such as how faculty are compensated for teaching distance education courses and where the revenue will go for those courses (currently, it goes to Continuing Education). There are three subcommittees of the larger committee, on which he and Heidi Jung (Instructional Support Services) serve: support unit, assessment and financial; vi) he and H. Jung are also serving on the Learning Management System Committee, which is looking at how the campus uses Blackboard and whether it should be upgraded or replaced with something different. The committee has one faculty member from each college and one from the library, as well as one IT person, a person from Enrollment Management and John Nicklow, who chairs the committee. The target date to complete their report is December 31; vii) last May, Professor Uche Onyebadi spoke to the Council about his project to build a school in Haiti. Those plans are moving forward, although they are now considering buying the materials needed to build a school and sending them to Haiti. There are still many details to work out, though they would like to begin a fund raising campaign on campus in late January.A. Jackson asked if the closure days have been finalized. JP Dunn responded that the dates are fairly concrete (November 24, December 23, January 3 and March 15), although he believes the administration is still considering other options. There is concern that if Senator Brady is elected, he will take 10% back mid-year from everyone state-wide; if that happens, the four days of administrative closure will do no good. The University will be in an even deeper hole, [and it is likely layoffs will occur]. A. Jackson asked if employees will be given early enough notice so they can [do some planning]. JP Dunn responded that the Chancellor told him there would be two weeks notice. He believes everyone state-wide is awaiting the outcome of the election [before moving forward with any plans]. S. Buhman asked if the legislature would have to weigh in on a 10% recall. JP Dunn believes a recall is within the Governor's authority.

5.2 Board of Trustees - None.

5.3 Human Resources (HR) - None.

5.4 Representatives to University Committees

5.4a Chancellor's Planning and Budget Advisory - Patty Cosgrove 
P. Cosgrove presented her report on the September and October meetings (included as an appendix to the minutes). C. Sarao commented on the Second Chance Program, pointing out that it is not a program for students in good standing, nor is it a new program; rather, it is an opportunity for students who left the University in poor standing a chance to complete their degree, if they meet certain requirements. The [call lists] the colleges were given by Enrollment Management are misleading and include students who have already graduated and employees who may have taken one course and received an A, but have no intention of pursuing a degree. The lists did not include students who might be eligible for the Second Chance Program. A. Jackson commented that the [program] also does not tell students that they have a cumulative GPA at [graduation]; they are just being told that everything they have done is dismissed, and they start over. Then, if they come back that first semester and fail, they are out. JP Dunn indicated he believed the student's prior GPA would be expunged. C. Sarao responded that it only appears as though the University is graduating them off their second chance cumulative; in actuality, when they graduate, everything counts, [resulting in a much lower GPA]. C. Sarao understands trying to track down some of these students, but believes the University's limited resources would be better spent attempting to recruit new students rather than trying to contact those who, for whatever reason, decided to leave.

5.4b Provost and Senior Vice Chancellor - Amy Rose 
A. Rose reported the committee's sole responsibility was to review all the applications and narrow them down. They were then to submit an unranked list to the Chancellor. JP Dunn commented that he met with the first two candidates and went to the third's presentation. He [found it unusual] that no evaluation forms were distributed [for any of the candidates].

5.5 Standing Committees

5.5a Executive Committee 
T. Ashner reported the Expanded Executive Committee met and discussed those topics that have already been raised. They also reviewed the minutes from the September Council meeting and the agenda for October.

5.5b Committee on Committees 
A. Rose presented for approval the following nominations for the Search Committee for the College of Engineering: Terri Harfst, Enrollment Management ; Sarah Olson, Engineering Advisement; and Cindy Jenkins, Career Services. Nominations were approved.A. Rose presented for approval the following nominations for the Search Committee for the College of Liberal Arts: Terry Huffman, Student Judicial Affairs; Anita Hutton, Liberal Arts; and Willie Ehling, Recreational Sports & Services. Nominations were approved.

5.5c Constituency Relations 
S. Buhman reported that the fall constituency luncheon on October 19 went well. Attendance was better than last year, with 116 people confirming; however, there were 6 cancellations before the event, and 12 people who did not show. There were also 2 people who showed up that did not reserve. Last year's attendance was in the low 70s.

5.5d Operating Paper - No report.

5.5e Staff Benefits - No report.

5.5f Staff Welfare 
A. Jackson reported that the Judicial Review Board is scheduled for training on November 15. Training will be conducted by JP Dunn. In other business, the committee will attempt to re- initiate what has been an ongoing project of the Council's to get more information out to constituents. The committee is not doing this on its own, but is attempting to take the lead to get something started. They reviewed the minutes from last year, and there was apparently discussion [about doing a newsletter], but that has not yet happened. Whether it is an article each committee submits about what they are doing or whether it is a spotlight on someone each month, the committee's goal is to give more consideration to informing constituents about what it is the Council does.

6. Old Business - None.

7. New Business - None.

8. Announcements - None.

9. Adjournment