Present: Julie Miller, Duane Elms, Christie Miller, Barbara James, Chris Casey, Jerry Harmon, Gwen Cassel, Donna Rees, Julie Morales, Chris Farren, Carmen Maynes, John Counts, Faye Vowell
· Tom Brown made a presentation to Cabinet on the topic "Pathways to Persistence" See Faye Vowell if you would like a copy of his PowerPoint slides.
· Cabinet welcomed Duane Elms, the new IT director.
· A brief orientation for new chairs was held on Monday. This orientation will continue on Wednesday with the group going to talk with Rene Saenz in purchasing.
· Academic Affairs has sent out its operational plan to Academic Council members for comments.
· There will be monthly opportunities for advisor training this year.
· The revisions to the faculty handbook are available; secretaries have been asked to pick them up and give them to faculty in their departments.
· Degree plans and academic forms are available on the Web page. Please use the new forms rather than old forms.
· Western is looking for a way to collaborate with the Gila Regional's First Born program providing ABE services to parents and families of new borns.
· A big thank you to Julie Miller for her service as interim IT Director
· OT is busting at the seams. 29 in its student success seminar.
· Nursing has 24 in its incoming class.
· Wellness has a visiting professor.
· Education 311, the gateway to the education major, has around 40 students; this is the first time we have had this strong an enrollment in a long time.
· September 23 is the vote on the creation of the Secretary of Education as a Cabinet position and the 3 tiered licensure. program. Please vote. The State Board public hearing on the three tiered licensure program last Thursday in the GRC was well attended.
· The Kennedy Center Arts program brochure is out.
· Inventory sheets need to be returned asap; they are past due.
· Year end stuff is being wrapped up.
· CHE met last Thursday and Friday; our three capital projects were approved.
· Athletic season starts this weekend in away games for both volleyball and football.
· The Mimbres Valley Learning Center in Deming was recognized by CHE; this enables them to go out for a mill levy. President Counts and Donna Rees both spoke in support of the action.
· Ballots for staff senators will be going out next week.
· Staff recognitions are being discussed.
· The Alumni Bulletin is out; Homecoming is highlighted. Betsy Miller is profiled.
· The first meeting of the Tucson alumni chapter was held last week. Mike Alecksen and Scott Woodard attended with Christie Miller.
· Scott Woodard and Christie Miller are working on a tailgate party before the game with NMSU. Please attend and support our players.
· Mustang Express is back up.
· The virus and worm problem is taking a lot of time; IT is trying to identify work stations that are still vulnerable because they do not have the Corporate Edition of the Norton Antivirus.
· The Information Station ably staffed by Virginia Manzano did a wonderful job at registration.
· The videoconference bridge was affected by a power surge caused by a lightening strike. Some classes were affected yesterday. Garth Gerstein and Craig Holme are working on this problem.
· Library is very busy but continues to be understaffed as we search for two empty positions.
· Patt Leonard busted all stereotypes of librarians on Saturday as she helped the students paint the W.
· The week of Jan 26 is the date for the legislative reception in Santa Fe.
· The NAFTA reception to kick off the NAFTA conference will be on September 23 in the evening.
· December 5 will be the date of the annual awards banquet.
· Oct 17 is the beginning date of the HACU conference this year.
· Carmen Maynes will attend an Affirmative Action Seminar the end of October.
· A Spanish instructor in TorC is teaching a course to Magdalena, Quemado and Reserve high school students using the ITV .
· Chris Farren presented the enrollment figures as they stand today. We are ahead in enrollment compared year to date, but are still down when compared to census date last year. The prediction is that we will be down slightly on the Silver City campus and in TorC and up in Deming and Gallup.
· We had a wonderful week of student activities last week with a pool party, outside lunches, an ice cream social, and culminating with 270 students painting the W on Saturday. Thanks to the peer leaders, to maintenance for their hard work, to the coaches for their support, and to food services for feeding us well.
· Admissions will be having a retreat on Wednesday.
· We have had a lower number of complaints regarding Financial Aid this year compared to the last three years.
· Student government met last night for the first time this year.
· Cissy McAndrew has left the Foundation for the Chamber of Commerce; she will remain on the Foundation Board.
· Maria Rolfe is doing better. She will probably be back in October.
· The campus directory is at the printer. It may be ready on Friday.
· The WestWind is being worked on.
· Dr. Fischer is hosting a star party on Wednesday at 8:00 pm in the New James Stadium.
· Yoga is back on campus.
· The Gallup staff was here last week for training on Banner.
· 42 BIA teachers enrolled this summer in Gallup courtesy of our BIA grant.
· Donna Rees is working on the Deming processing problem to see how it can be prevented in the future.
· Sherri Bays is doing well; she will be back part time in mid September.
· The next cabinet will be in two weeks.