Report to the Faculty Senate

Institutional Planning Committee

February 23, 2005

Present: Linda Bennett Elder, Alan Bernstein, Mike Holland, Joan Futch, Kurt Keppler, Marsha Krotseng, Michael G. Noll, A. Blake Pearce , Ruth Salter, Richard Schmertzing, Fred Ware.

Meeting was called to order at 2:30 pm.

The IPC met for the fourth time in the academic year 2004-2005.

At the meeting, Michael Noll gave a brief summary of the Executive Committee meeting held on February 3, 2005. Items discussed included:

  • developing a university-wide policy regarding the sale of textbooks by faculty
  • the university records retention policy concerning personnel records in connection with faculty grievances
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    Next, Marsha Krotseng reported on the UPAC meeting held on January 28, 2005. Topics covered included:

  • her work with the American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU) to help identify best practices related to maximizing student retention and graduation rates. Discussion focused on identifying Valdosta State's efforts to keep students in school in general and through graduation specifically
  • Dr. Zaccari’s work on the charter of a Diversity Council based on the recommendations of the UPAC Diversity Task Force
  • Recommendations regarding Goal 3 of VSU’s Masterplan
  • Graduation and retention studies are underway. The first of these studies will examine retention patterns among Freshman Year Experience Students
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    Subsequently, Michael Noll distributed a report summarizing discussion items from the meeting of the Communication Task Force from February 16, 2005. Following this report, the following ideas related to campus communications were discussed:

  • Development of a web-based directory with pictures ("Face Book") which also might lists interests (professional and personal) and hobbies of all members of the VSU community
  • Review and redesigning of the current VSU phone book for easier use (e.g. add the page number location of expanded departmental directories to the brief alphabetical listing in the front of the current phone book)
  • Launch of a searchable VSU phone book on the web, replacing the currently used pdf file that simply duplicates the printed VSU phone directory.
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    Toward the end of the meeting, Kurt Keppler announced that Student Affairs is working on a fee proposal to generate funding for the construction of a new student center. The SGA voted unanimously in support of the $80 fee. Efforts are underway to identify student priorities regarding the options available for center content.

    Finally, Marsha Krotseng announced that the university is working with the National Survey of Student Engagement to survey randomly selected freshmen and seniors. The survey is designed to gather student perceptions related to both academic and non-academic issues. The Associate Director of the national survey will be on campus in early April to talk to stakeholders about how NSSE results can inform action to improve the university.

    Meeting adjourned at 4:00 p.m.

    Respectfully submitted,

    Michael G. Noll, Chair.