Present: Faye Vowell, Mary Billings, Cynthia Bettison, Chris Casey, Mary Baumhover, Jerry Harmon, Barbara Taylor, Gloria Maya, Julie Miller, Junius Logan, Tony Macias, Lloyd Cowling, Linda Baldwin, Magdaleno Manzanarez, Julia Biglin, Roland Shook, and Gwen Cassel.

1. New Funding Formula—Chris Casey—The Blue Ribbon Task Force (handout) was established to present a new funding formula for higher education. The basic changes are that the new formula takes the current data and will use it as a base. Our formula/base does not change until our student credit hours go up 3% or go down 5%. If we stay within that band, funding remains constant. If we fall outside of that band for the upcoming year, the new formula will be implemented. There are 40 clusters for which we are funded. We have gone down from 40 to 9. The new formula will use the previous year and apply new the factors. Compensation in the old formula was funded by formula factors. The new formula will award compensation increases based on actual expenditures. CHE for next year has recommended a 4% compensation increase to the legislature. In the old formula, summer session was funded at a reduced rate. Summer will be funded the same as the fall and spring. Extended service courses will be funded the same as on-campus fall and spring courses. Tuition credit—they used to take a credit for the tuition at an assumed level not at what we actually collected. They are now using the actual tuition collected so there is no incentive to raise tuition. Also included in the handout was an explanation of three funds: Program Development—new program for startup money; Performance—the measures that we submit to the state; Economic Development—apply for funds for efforts to spark economic development. The institution can apply for these additional funds. Depending on the type of special projects funds—some may not be funded. IT will probably be funded because of long-term investment, but research may not be. Chris Casey referred everyone to the Blue Ribbon Task Force Subcommittee’s Report for further information. Retention becomes even more crucial under the new formula. Fees can be raised for students since there is no incentive to raise tuition. Dr. Vowell stated that we may be looking at fees for on-line courses or even program fees for Spring 2003. It will be more advantageous now to offer summer courses even at the lower level. Compensation money—under the old formula the dollars sent were never enough to fund the salaries actually paying. Now all areas are included into the formula and are figured based on what it would actually take to fund an increase. How will this impact strategy in hiring: We have to look very carefully at enrollments because having the same number of faculty with fewer students being taught will hit us harder because there will be no three-year cushion. Although the Commissions recommendation is for increases, Chris Casey would expect the formula to be shaved at the base level because there is very little money appropriated to the State. Dr. Vowell asked that this information be shared with all faculty.

2. Follow up on campus-wide Convocation on Assessment idea from last Academic Council—Follow up on exercise done with Dr. Gilbert. This group was in favor of an assessment day/convocation. Dr. Vowell asked the group if it would be willing to endorse a recommendation to do this and designate such a date. Assessment needs to be a university-wide activity. If we could have a day that we set aside from other normal university activities and bring people together, hopefully this would result in an action plan for all areas. Dr. Baldwin suggested that this be discussed at the Assessment Committee meeting. Dr. Manzanarez stated that the President is going to reserve a day in which faculty will be free to meet. Dr. Miller suggested that part of the convocation be providing the tools for adding assessment. People need to implement assessment. Dr. Bettison suggested that each group should be instructed in their area of specialty. Dr. Vowell stated that we have not connected assessment to the larger strategic plan level. This would be an opportunity for the entire institution to talk about institution priorities and discuss measures for addressing the concerns. Gwen Cassel stated that this would be a huge project and needs to come from the Assessment Committee with assistance from faculty and staff. Dr. Baldwin suggested that this could be done even if it is just a day to let everybody know that they’re involved. Gloria Maya suggested that each person come to the convocation with one statement regarding assessment in their areas. The consensus of the group is that the Assessment Committee be asked to move forward with this effort.

3. Changes in HR—Charlene Ashburn and Sherry Bays—Human Resources and the payroll office have been converted to a fully automated system. The new system will not allow us to do certain things. One of the issues that has come up is the W-4 withholding. If you are paid monthly, the deduction is taken out once a month. The new system will take this deduction out every time checks are issued. Deductions may be adjusted to equal the full deduction that employees want. Chair stipends will not be a problem because they are paid along with base pay. How will summer school be affecte: These issues are currently being dealt with but should be resolved by February. Sherri Bays stated that HR/Payroll can report back to Academic Council during March. Dr. Vowell suggested that this be done during Chairs Council rather than Academic Council which is the 3rd Thursday. Annual Leave/Sick leave will be reflected on paychecks. The last paycheck of the month will reflect this leave. Non-Exempt will earn as they go. Attendance sheets need to be turned in by the 25th day of the month that the attendance dates sheets are for. Virginia Manzano will be relocating to the Human Resources area in Juan Chacon. Paychecks will still be picked up at payroll. Student work study checks will be handed out through the business office and GA checks will be handed out through payroll. Direct deposit data will be sent through university e-mail. Employees can print these out if they choose. The issue of imputed fringe was also brought up. Employees will have to pay taxes on benefits the get from the institute. This will affect people that have additional voluntary life insurance. The older an employee is, the more he or she makes, the more likely it is that he or she will have imputed fringe.

Meeting adjourned at 3:30 p.m.