Deans’ Council Minutes
March 28, 2006

Procedure 12.20 - Weaknesses - Deans' Council Members were asked to identify weaknesses in the procedure so that it may be referred to Senate for review.

Procedure A11.20 - Undergraduate Student Load - (PDF Document) - Deans' Council discussed a draft and will react online to revisions to the procedure based on their input. Klein moved and Headley seconded a motion to accept the intent and to work on refinements. Deans agreed unanimously.

Evaluation of Teaching - Joyce Scott noted the unevenness of files presented for tenure review, especially with reference to documentation of teaching performance. The Provost proposed to the Deans that they consult with Department Heads about introducing on a pilot basis one of the nationally-normed evaluation tools sponsored by Kansas State . The pilot project to be proposed to the Faculty Senate which would be asked to set up an ad hoc committee to monitor. Dr. Scott noted that the Senate established new guidelines last year, which are being ignored, with the result that evaluation of teaching is very uneven.

Advising Problems - Mary Hendrix presented a revised draft procedure dealing with the advising process on campus. Following discussion, Deans agreed to review online another version when it is ready.

International Friendly Campus Project - Yvette Murph--deferred

CBT Reorganization - Hal Langford --deferred

HB1172 - Total Hours to Degree— Dr. Sherion Jackson joined the group for discussion of THECB directive to reduce bachelor's degree hours to 120. Deans noted that A&M-Commerce has one excess hour in its general education program—this needs to be deleted before departments start on major programs. Members agreed to ask the Faculty Senate Curriculum Committee joined by Dr. Jim Hardy, Chair of University Studies Council, and Rebecca Anderson, director of Transfer Admissions, to address the issue and to provide guidelines about issues to be taken into consideration as departments look to reducing total hours toward degree.

CBT - M/R and T/F Survey - (PDF Document) - Hal Langford was not in attendance but Deans reviewed the survey findings about the experimental schedule and concluded that there was not a strongly positive response to the optional schedule and that it caused many difficulties for students needing courses in Arts and Sciences. Council agreed that the regular scheduling should be reintroduced.

Program Review: What, if anything, is going on since SACS? - Deans' Council agreed to check with departments but had the impression that there was no activity in undergraduate program review.

Procedure A12.14 - Appointment, Reappointment, and Promotion of NTT and Clinical Faculty - (PDF Document) - Joyce Scott noted that Deans did not have the most recent version so she will send it along for review and comment.

Coordinating Board Request - Statutory Four Year Review of Degree Programs, Mission Statement & Table of Programs – Jim Klein reviewed the mission statement and received comments from the Deans. Recommended in the last sentence was to change the text as follows: We challenge one another to nurture partnerships and promote service for the intellectual, cultural, social and economic vitality of the Northeast Texas regions . Ashley moved, Webber seconded and Deans approved unanimously the revised mission statement.

Deans reviewed all new programs that might affect the Table of Programs—2 in Health and Human Performance, the BA/BS in Liberal Studies, the BS in Construction Engineering, the MS in Science Education, the MFA in Communication Arts and distance education proposals.

The list of programs identified for 4-Year review is attached, and plans of action will need to be ready for the Regents staff review by April 10, prior to Coordinating Board Review in July.

Mini Course Enrollment 2001-2006 - (PDF Document) - Joyce Scott & Yvette Murph--deferred

1256 students on mid-term grade report who received D's and F's – Mary Hendrix reviewed with Deans a list of students who had two courses with grades of D or F at midterm and asked them to contact the students and lend assistance so they can improve their work before finals.

Summer Course Count – (PDF Document) - Mary Hendrix shared an analysis of number of course sections offered in summer school between this count period and the last. Fewer sections are offered this year than in 2004. Deans noted that, in some cases, they had improved efficiency of scheduling and had dropped duplicate sections in favor of larger ones.