Institutional Planning Committee

October 20, 2004

Present: Linda Bennett Elder, Joan Futch, Jeff Grant, Michael Holland, Chuck Hudson, Marsha Krotseng, Blake Pearce, Karen Shepard, and Fred Ware.

Meeting was called to order at 4:05 P.M.

The IPC met for the second time in the academic year 2004-2005. Michael Noll reported on the Executive Committee Meeting from October 7, and Marsha Krotseng reported on the UPAC meeting from October 13.

As its first point of discussion, the committee explored the formation of a new task force which, under the leadership of the IPC, will replace the task force that was responsible for the creation of the Concise Mission Statement. The charge of this new task force will be to find ways to improve the communication (and marketing) of VSU’s Strategic Planning Process/Progress, including the dissemination of the Concise Mission Statement, the creation of a web-based, interactive Master Plan, and any other initiatives that will ultimately help to outline both our challenges and successes, and to bring the VSU community together. Ideally this task force should be made up of representatives from COSA, SGA, the administration, and the faculty, plus the Chair of the IPC. The committee herewith would like to ask for help in identifying any individuals who are willing to serve on this task force, and to submit their names to the IPC.

As a second point of discussion, inspired by the IPC’s desire to become more involved in initiating ideas in the light of VSU’s current budget crisis, was the question of the 2005 Summer School. In the face of the 15% budget cut for summer teaching, the IPC discussed a number of proposals to optimize the Summer School program. The ideas currently being discussed range from using BANNER to generate waiting lists (which could identify the true demand for certain courses) to the identification of students on BANNER who have successfully applied for graduation and therefore need special attention. The underlying rationale of this discussion was to create the best "menu" of courses possible for Summer Schools within current (or future) budget constraints, to meet demand with supply, and to attract enrollment in the summer, rather than to discourage it. In the light of these discussions, the IPC welcomes any input from members of the VSU community that might help us in the identification of the best design for future summer school programs, which will meet both the demands of our students as well as the faculty.

Meeting was adjourned at 5:25 P.M.

Respectfully submitted,

Michael G. Noll, Chair.