September 6, 2011

September 6, 2011

Academic Council (approved October 4, 2011)

Present:  Aide (for SPS), Aguinaga, Barrios, Eddleman, Gathman, Hinkle, Lilly, McDougall, McGowan, McMillan, Prater, Randolph, Roeder, Rosati, Timlin, and Ustinova  

Guests:  Janice Ward (for Don Jung)   Rosati welcomed the new members of the Council, and everyone introduced themselves.  

A.  MINUTES:
Upon a motion by McGowan; seconded by Gathman, the minutes of May 3, 2011 were unanimously approved.  

B.  ACTION ITEMS:  

None  

C.  DISCUSSION ITEMS  

1.   Higher Learning Commission’s Credit Hour Policies      
Rosati explained that the U.S. Department of Education has adopted new regulations regarding the definition of a credit hour, and accreditation agencies’ requirements to verify institutions’ compliance with the federal definition. Rosati reviewed the Higher Learning Commission’s “Proposed Policies on First Reading: Credit Hour” handout, explaining that a final reading will take place in November 2011, and will be adopted and implemented in January 2012. Southeast will be required to address the requirement for the next AQIP checkup visit. Due to this, a Quality Improvement Project (QIP) committee is being formed to review the policies and procedures for defining credit hours for courses at Southeast and how those policies and procedures are applied in practice, and to suggest any needed changes in policies, procedures, or practices in order to bring them into compliance with federal regulations and NCA accreditation requirements. The committee will be chaired by Allen Gathman. The committee will begin meeting this Fall, make recommendations by the end of the Fall 2011 semester, and monitor results during Spring 2012 in order to make any needed revisions in its recommendations. A final report on the policies, procedures, and practices as revised should be prepared during Fall 2012 to be ready before the AQIP checkup visit in early 2013.  

2.  Student Learning Outcomes      
Rosati explained that there is a need to document learning in online courses. He reviewed the “Student Learning Outcomes Q2 Proposal” handout, which proposes to establish a Quick QIP project to develop a system for identifying, developing, implementing, and assessing SLO’s in all courses taught at Southeast. The goal is to have the system in place by the time of the next HLC visit. Some programs are already doing this based on their accreditation requirements. The committee will be chaired by David Starrett. The committee will begin meeting in Fall 2011, have curriculum mapping specific to learning outcomes done by the end of the Fall semester, course level SLO’s identified by the end Spring 2012, and SLO’s incorporated into class syllabi with initial assessment in place by the end of the Fall 2012 semester. Rosati addressed questions about how outcomes will be identified, and stated that ideally there will be 3-4 program SLO’s and faculty will add 2-4 course SLO’s with some form of measurement of assessment.  

3.  AQIP Project – Planning & Assessment      
Rosati explained that the AQIP Steering Committee has proposed a Planning& Assessment Action Project, which will focus on improving the planning and assessment processes at Southeast. The Assessment Development and Planning Team (ADAPT) will develop a system for assessment of planning processes and completing the Plan Do Check Act (PDCA) cycle. The Action Project will be a year-long project that will produce a plan for developing the process. The implementation of the plan may be a three-year project and could be considered as a subsequent Action Project.  

4.  Online Development Q2      
Rosati explained that we’re looking for aggressive online growth. He reviewed the “Online     Growth QIP Proposal” handout, which proposes to increase marketing for selected programs during the Fall 2011 semester. These programs are tentatively the RN->BSN, MS in Criminal Justice, MBA, and the Alternative Certification program. The increase marketing is expected to increase demand for online courses in Spring 2012. An Online Growth QIP Committee will carry out a QIP project to expedite the marketing of programs and to plan for issues that will arise as online course demand increases. Such issues could include staffing needs necessitating expanded training for online faculty, possible provision for hiring new faculty and authorizing overload pay for existing faculty, and an increase in technical demands. The QIP project will begin immediately and continue through Fall 2012, when data from Spring 2012 will be analyzed and recommendations for future implementation will be made.  

5.  Missouri Alliance for Collaborative Education (MACE)      
Rosati explained that we went through a significant state mandated Program Review process last year, and as a result, entered into several statewide collaborations. Currently, we have collaborations at various stages in Economics, Education, Agriculture, Foreign Languages, Family and Consumer Sciences Education, and Physics. Courses are being taught during the Fall 2011 semester in Economics, Foreign Languages, and Physics, and seem to be going well. These collaborations give students access to a broader range of courses. Rosati explained that the system for offering these collaborative courses is very complex (from registration to calendar differences at each institution, etc), but is working very well.  

*Discussed out of order

6.  Restructuring      
a. Polytechnic Studies      
Rosati explained that there is a proposal for restructuring the School of Polytechnic Studies. The proposal includes moving the Department of Computer Science from the College of Science and Mathematics to the School of Polytechnic Studies; changing the unit from a School to a College; and renaming the unit to the College of Integrated Technology and Agriculture. Following the Faculty Handbook process, the proposal has been posted on the Provost website for a 30 day review and comment period. McGowan asked if the comments made will be posted online; there was concern expressed for publicly posting the comments. Rosati will look into whether the comments can/should be posted.      

b. Extended Learning      
c. Online      
Rosati explained that he would not elaborate on the restructuring of Extended Learning or Online until the President’s Dear Colleague letter was sent to the campus.     

7.  Program Review – Update      
Rosati explained that there is a revised process for Program Review, approved by Faculty Senate, the President, and the Board of Regents. The revised process is on the Faculty Senate website as an approved bill. Eddleman will chair the newly restructured Faculty Advisory Committee for Academic Program Review, as the Provost Office representative. Eddleman explained that membership elections will take place after Faculty Senate            passes a resolution to suspend the April election rule; he will notify the deans when that resolution has passed and the election process can start. He noted that the revised process gives very specific dates in the timeline. During the 2011-12 year, there will be a general review of all academic programs using updated data, and a review of new programs initially implemented between 2005-2008.     

8.  Graduate Studies - Update      
Eddleman explained that there have been a few changes in the Graduate Studies. All questions regarding admissions should be directed to Alisa McFerron, while all those regarding graduation should be directed to Julie Grueneberg. Hinkle stated that she had met with all the Graduate Coordinators to set up Degree Works. Eddleman explained that for most programs, candidacy is no longer needed, and for those where it is, it will be handled within the departments. The first Graduate Council meeting is scheduled for Thursday, September 15th.  

D.  OTHER  

1.  Pending Program Submissions
a.  BS Technology Management: Facilities Management
b.  Doctor of Nurse Practice
c.  Industrial & Engineering Technology Entrepreneurship Minor  
Rosati explained that there are a few pending program submissions that will be coming to Academic Council in the near future. Those include the BS Technology Management: Facilities Management option; Doctor of Nurse Practice; and the Industrial & Engineering Technology Entrepreneurship minor. The Doctor of Nurse Practice will be the first full doctorate at Southeast. J. Ward questioned whether Southeast would be allowed to offer a full doctorate; Rosati explained that we will be allowed an exception to offer the degree.  

Meeting adjourned.