Cabinet Meeting Minutes

Cabinet Meeting Minutes

September 6, 2005

Present: Duane Elms, Marcia Bourdette, Donna Rees, Kathie Gilbert, Faye Vowell, John Counts, T.J. Betenbough, Julie Morales, Mary Camarena-Hittle, Randy Jones, Chris Farren, Tony Macias, Julie Miller.

Enrollment Strategy Discussion

· Duane Elms' presented a PowerPoint entitled "The Reevaluation Game or You Bet Your Life Style." This model for WNMU's budget focuses on an increase in dollars per credit hour rather than placing the entire focus an increase in student credit hours.

· Faye Vowell stated in following this strategy we need to work on retaining sophomores to juniors, enhancing Master's programs, and bringing the doctorate on-line.

· Julie Morales brought up the point that it is difficult for staff/faculty to enroll in graduate courses because of the requirements of the Admissions Office. Faye Vowell has been discussing with Dan Tressler a special student category for graduates much the same as the undergraduate special student category. Faye Vowell will follow-up on this process.

· Chris Farren suggested that we might want to focus some scholarship money on juniors to maintain higher level student credit hours.

· John Counts suggested a PMT to implement strategies to cause some of these processes to happen. He suggested Chris Farren and Faye Vowell as co-owners of this PMT.

· Both the Master's in Information Security and NeTL are great possibilities for obtaining greater number of graduate credit hours.

· Mary Camarena-Hittle suggested that we must look at our enrollment process for both undergraduate and graduate students. The complaints center on face-to-face encounters in the admission and enrollment process.

· Faye Vowell stated that she sent out reminders to Chairs re electronic syllabi due date, urged Chairs to urge faculty to turn in validation rosters to target finalization, need to get back the reports of calls made to students eligible to return but did not return this fall.

· She is starting MBOs for Chairs.

· There will be an Advising Training Seminar on Advising Basics this Friday.

Donna Rees, Ernie Noack, and TJ Betenbough are working on discussions in Socorro re Master's degree and educational assistant.
Faculty Senate meets today.
We will do a videoconference with ENMU Education faculty and SOE faculty on September 15 .
Donna Rees stated that Mary Billings has worked on creating an on-line orientation for new on-line students which covers regular student orientation and also introduces students to technology and navigate through an on-line class and get help. Did not make this course mandatory. Faye Vowell suggested an on-line student advisory group.
Discussion between Humanities and Extended University regarding an on-line writing lab continues.
Tomorrow afternoon the new PMT for on-line registration will meet. Mary Billings has looked at barriers for on-line registration.
This fall we have almost twice the online enrollment that we had in the spring.
Ft. Bliss is interested in a bachelor's of management and criminal justice. Donna Rees has met with CJ faculty and will explore more fully what Ft. Bliss is looking for.
One of our new faculty in Gallup resigned but we have all courses covered with adjuncts.
One model we are looking at for CJ degree on-line is partnering with Clovis for general education courses and we create upper level courses on-line.
Randy Jones stated that he appreciates the way the Cabinet has been working together.
Randy Jones asked if we have an LSAT prep course. He was thinking about other prep courses that would aid students in getting into other programs and collaboration efforts with NM Tech.
The Capital projects presentation is scheduled for September 21 in Las Cruces. Miguel Hidalgo will be leading this panel. Our top two projects are infrastructure and renovation and expansion of Juan Chacon Building.
Renovation of Harlan Hall will be discussed on September 15 with the architect. Renovation of MEChA/Native American building will also be discussed on September 15.
In regard to current projects, some of the galvanized piping has been on campus for many years and has begun leaking and must be replaced. The project in the Hunter Hall parking lot is one of these projects. This project is almost finished and the soil will be replaced and paving will be replaced.
T. J. Betenbough stated that two weeks ago Terry Anderson, Christine Webster, and Gail Gruber met to map out the bachelor's for early childhood education. We will be using classes already available and will be going through the appropriate committees this fall. We will want to take this to Regents at December meeting.
Ernie Noack and T. J. Betenbough are going to Socorro next Friday to meet and show what WNMU can offer even beginning in the spring.
The state School of Education Deans meeting went well; they will meet again next week. The agenda dealt with the articulation agreement with two-year institutions and specifically educational psychology. The agenda for the next meeting will be to continue this discussion and compare degree plans and identify contacts at each institution for transfer students.
Julie Miller stated that the month of September we are celebrating the First Amendment called "The September Project." This program allows libraries to commemorate 9/11. On Sunday, September 11, Bei Dao will be hosted and involved in the democracy movement in China.
The library has a display on the Constitution in conjunction with the American Democracy Project.
The campus will be celebrating banned book week the last week in September and Julie Miller hopes to have a reading of excerpts from your favorite banned book.
Library is very busy with library instruction in the fall semester. They have many requests for instruction and are offering 3-4 instruction sections per day including heavy requests from Deming and T or C. Instruction on Silver City campus is going very well thanks to Duane Elms and the student technology fee that purchased new computers. Old computers will be evaluated for further use on campus.
The Library has interviewed for two positions--Reference Librarian and Multi-Media Tech position. They hope to make an offer on both of these positions either today or tomorrow.
Library Staff meetings have looked at goals and objectives for the coming year in light of retention and recruitment and have identified goals and objectives that will contribute to these two areas.
Kathie Gilbert will be special guest at Library Staff meeting today.
Tomorrow the Library will host lunch for new faculty in the Library conference room..
Library's new home page has been updated and parallels the University's website.
Cliff High School has installed ITV equipment in anticipation of joining Gila RUS Consortium and we hope to pilot class this fall.
Socorro School District is interested in joining Gila RUS Consortium.
Kathie Gilbert stated that AQIP reports are due the middle of next week. She will get forms out to everyone.
The Ombuds office has a phone number: 313-7793. Kathie Gilbert will be getting a flier out on campus.
SOE Dean Search Committee met last week and hopes to move forward quickly.
Kathie Gilbert is very pleased to see Cabinet doing strategic thinking rather than operational.
Kathie Gilbert does not have all commitments to recruitment and retention from Cabinet. She will send out flip chart information and another reminder.
Kathie Gilbert has heard back from Rio Salada and they are willing for us to come there to look at their operations at no charge. Rio Salada is the electronic campus for the Maricopa Community College system. They now have 57,000 students and are growing at a rate of about 10% per year.
The Leadership Academy starts next week--after census date. Kathie Gilbert has had about 25 people who have responded including some department chairs. She has not heard from directors in Student Affairs and Business Affairs. This course will meet on Friday afternoons. She wants to mass register this group. She will also be asking members of Cabinet to teach some of the Leadership modules.
Julie Miller asked if this would be appropriate for people who supervise work study students. The answer was yes.
Faye Vowell urged Cabinet members to register for courses.
In October, the Assessment course will begin.
Duane Elms stated that IT has an opening in the tech position. Our target is for this person to work the swing shift and have the Help Desk at least open on the phone until 8:00 or 9:00 p.m.
The GRC Lab is also open until 1:00 a.m. Sunday through Thursday. We have a temporary person working this shift from 5:00 p.m. to 1:00 a.m. To publicize these new hours, students will be notified on Mustang Express, fliers on campus, hours will be posted in Library, etc.
IT will create an e-mail newsletter for the Silver City region or wherever we have a presence. They will develop a mailing list and then once a week send out an e-mail that tells what new courses, sporting events, other activities, etc. are being offered at WNMU. This was mainly inspired by looking at Mustang Express but having no idea how this could be presented to the community. Faye Vowell asked if prospective students could also be included. IT will work together with Julie Morales. Announcements will be limited to upcoming events and hopefully generate a further presence for WNMU. John Counts stated that this would also be a good communication device for on-campus e-mail subscribers.
Duane Elms shared with Cabinet a copy of his report to the Board of Regents on the state of IT at WNMU.
Mary Camarena-Hittle thanked the new employee committee, Amy Baca, Mary Billings, Jody Alderman, and Deb Martinez, who put on new employee orientation last week.
The Staff Senate has developed goals for the upcoming year. They have focused on communications, understanding policies and procedures and obtaining clarification for staff as needs arise, and working issues that staff bring to Staff Senate.
Faye Vowell asked Staff Senate to consider the same issues with part-time staff that we are considering with adjunct faculty--they have no voice on campus, etc. We need to do some things that make sure this group is treated well.
Kathie Gilbert will be coming to Staff Senate tomorrow to talk about the Ombuds office. Mary Hittle will be setting up others to speak to Staff Senate on other important topics.
Chris Farren gave the application report and the enrollment report.
Faye Vowell suggested that employees could enroll on-line, send their tuition waiver to HR, then HR could send the info to Business Affairs, and Business Affairs send the employee the bill. We need to get the word out on this abbreviated process.
Monday Student Affairs will have an Admissions Retreat and start laying out the recruiting plan for the fall.
Housing renovations are set. Muir Heights will be mostly rebuilt.
As soon as census data is received, we will go in and look at segmentation to see where we did well, etc.
Within the next week or so, the Assistant to the VP who does CHE reporting, etc. will be chosen.
We are interviewing for a new recruiter.
The W has been painted in record time this year.
Homecoming is October 8.
On Wednesday night, a training session on parliamentary procedure for Student Government will be held.
Student Success Seminar training includes Mustang Express, all students taking Discover program, and library training.
Housing is in the process of doing residence hall assistant training.
Chris Farren asked Duane Elms to check on kiosk installation.
Faye Vowell stated that on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday of last week peer leaders began calling all new students to touch base and ask how they are doing. We were interested more in feelings in such areas as are teachers approachable, are your classes challenging, and do you have any concerns. We had 700 names on the list and Faye Vowell asked the peer leaders to finish last week. Their work is greatly appreciated.
Julie Morales stated that the next issue of the Westwind deadline is September 21.
Julie Morales received a phone call from Phil Parotti who reported that there is no sign on the Cornali WNMU field.
The Apolonio "Polo" Sierra Conference Room Dedication will be held at Thomas B. McDonald Student Memorial Center on Friday, September 16, at 3:30 p.m.
Julie Morales is working on Business Week cover wrap with Irene Meares. We have offered the inside page to the Chamber of Commerce. This issue will come out in late December.
Julie Morales said that Campus directory was lost when her computer malfunctioned and she has started work on this again.
Julie Morales has sent out a letter to dignitaries to ask if they would participate in homecoming parade. Sen. Altamirano, Donna Irwin, Sen. Bingaman, a maybe, and a couple of mayors in the area will be participating on October 8.
On December 3, we will have the basketball court dedicated to Dick Drangmeister.
Tomorrow Admissions and MEChA will be having coffee for victims of Hurricane Katrina. They are also having a stuffed animal drive.
Julie Morales received call from Linda McArthur stating that WNMU MBA program was not listed in the New Mexico magazine but will be placed on the list next time around.
The Chamber of Commerce hosted the ACI meeting which lobbies heavily during the legislature in Santa Fe. The topics discussed included infrastructure at Ft. Bayard, four-lane highway between Silver City and Deming, and more degrees at WNMU. Faye Vowell asked if we could get a list of attendees and survey them regarding more new degrees at WNMU.
Senior citizens will pay $5 per credit hour, others will pay regular University tuition for the one-hour classes offered by Extended University.
Tony Macias reported that ABE had a successful program review in August. He is waiting for final review by Pam Pettis.
In New Mexico Works, TANF has been in turmoil, but for next year, WIA will pick this up. We have been asked to be the contractor for TANF in our area instead of going through Las Cruces. We have accepted this responsibility.
Applied Technology is offering electrical continuing education program for electrical journeymen next week; this will be offered periodically through the year.
Tony Macias sent out a survey for an electrical program in Deming. Applied Technology will go through the Dept.. of Labor, high schools, and contractors to establish the program.
Thanks to Faye Vowell and Randy Jones, concurrent student fees which will only be charged a $20 registration fee if their concurrent classes are taught at the high school.
The digital media program will be started under the Perkins Grant. Tony Macias has an interview with a person out of Las Cruces to set up curriculum.
John Counts received an e-mail from Gulf Coast university presidents outlining the difficulties they are facing as a result of the devastation of Hurricane Katrina. Last week Governor Richardson declared that New Mexico would be assisting displaced students. WNMU will do everything it can to assist these students.
Faye Vowell announced that we are encouraging students to use WNMU e-mail address as official means of communication and to check it once a week.
The next Cabinet meeting will be on Tuesday, September 20.