Deans’ Council Minutes
January 25, 2006

Advising and Orientation Issues - Mary Hendrix reviewed for deans some of the observations submitted by advisors about problems with current procedures including advising holds, customizing services to type of student (transfer, freshman, international, graduate, etc.), and procedural glitches. Deans endorsed several steps: getting a flow chart analysis of processes, an advisor handbook, advisor training and further discussion of how to ensure good faculty advising.

Proposed Changes to the College of Business and Technology – Jerry Parish outlined proposed organizational changes: to combine accounting, economics and finance in to one department bearing the name of all three disciplines; and to create a new department to house the BAAS degree and faculty who work with these students. After discussion, the Deans supported the changes unanimously.

Winter Mini -- Joyce Scott asked deans about the effectiveness of this instructional period, noting that enrollments continue to decline and instructional costs therefore increase. Deans raised the issue of mini terms generally, indicating that it is too expensive to use summer school rate for May and August minis and recommending a return to 6.25% up to a maximum of $3,000 per course.

Standardized Teaching Evaluation Form and Procedures – Discussion focused on the need to adopt some standard evaluation form for teaching that is adaptable to various disciplines and easily digested. For some time Kansas State University has offered a teaching evaluation form that can be adapted to the institution, administered across the disciplines and processed electronically with reports returned to the institution. Deans asked staff to look into this option and to discuss with Faculty Senate as a possible adoption for use across campus.

Follow-up on UCD discussion – Deans were invited to submit further program ideas that might be attractive to students at the UCD site. For counseling, the group noted that we would need better data than that provided by UCD staff to get approval for off-campus delivery of the Master's degree.

Bickham Florist facility use – in general discussion, Dean Ashley mentioned the Counseling/Psychology clinic and that he had heard the Athletic Department might have an interest. Jerry Parish reminded the group of the long-standing interest in a faculty club.

Instructional Distance Education Plan for FY 07 - Mary Hendrix reminded deans that we must submit a list of courses planned for off-campus delivery to the Coordinating Board.

Advancement - Sylvia Kelley and Mike Hutchinson met with deans to discuss the $3 million fundraising goal for 2006, f und raising priorities for this fiscal year as they relate to each college, grant proposals coordinated between Advancement/Graduate School, and the Deans' role in fund raising. Frank Ashley reported he would be attending a CASE conference for deans in February.