Sept 14, 2005 Minutes

Chair Stone, Senators Brennan, Conroy, Davidson, Hazlewood, Hindson, Homeyer, James, McCall, McKinney, Montondon, Rao, Shah, Sorensen, Warms, Winek

Guests:

President Trauth, Provost Moore, AVPAA Cassidy, AVPAA Bourgeois, AVPEM Heintz, Clayton Medford, Univ Star, Jude Prather, student, George Restivo, student

Meeting called to order at 4:00.

PAAG  Agenda:

1. In examining the early enrollment data for this semester the Senate has observed two concerning trends. First, graduate enrollment seems to be declining overall. Second, and of greater concern, is the significant undergraduate and graduate enrollment drop at the RRHEC. Are these trends expected to continue and is the university making some specific response to these trends?

2. In light of our legislators' inability to pass the TRB bill during the regular and special sessions the university will obviously have to make adjustments in our building construction, renovation and maintenance plans. While we are aware that modifying these plans will take a significant amount of time we are interested in your vision of the general directions these changes will take. Specifically we are interested in the future of the Undergraduate Classroom Building, the Performing Arts Center and the second RRHEC academic building.

3. Over the past several years it has been the goal of the university to change its Carnegie classification. Could you please update the Senate on what progress has been made in this area?

Responses:

1. Enrollment Trends: Provost Moore circulated a handout and gave an overview of enrollment, indicating there were good times and bad times.  Undergraduate enrollment at 23,022 represents a 2.8% growth and graduate enrollment at 4,149 declined 5.3%.  The undergraduate growth stems from a 5.9% increase in freshmen while the graduate decline's major contributor is post baccalaureate enrollment at 20.6% while the master's decline was only 1.8%.  The bright spots here are an 18.8% increase in doctoral enrollment and the fact that post baccalaureate instruction is being deemphasized:

1. Program growth:  He cited a need for a common application process, and better marketing efforts program by program. He noted that greater efforts to attract our own students into graduate programs were necessary.  More departments should implement course work in teaching for graduate students, indicating the Mathematics Department's program as an example.  Along with adding more TA's, mentioned that all TA s should be encouraged to take a full course load.  To improve retention, TA s might be used in advising and a better program of follow-up on students who drop out be instituted.  Citing Business as a program that has a series of graduate courses that provide their students with an opportunity to make up for undergraduate deficiencies with graduate credit, the Provost suggested other programs should create such courses to generate graduate SCH.  He noted that Liberal Arts enrollment was generally up; Education was down in some programs, particularly Elementary Education.  In Science, Computer Science was down.  These figures have a significantly affected Round Rock figures. The enrollment ups and downs will have impact on departmental resources, but must be studied on a department-by-department basis. He noted that there has been a dramatic increase in graduate enrollment over the past five years and then started to use statistical jargon. 
2. Freshmen Enrollment:  In answer to the question, "Have entrance requirements been reduced for freshmen?" the Provost responded no.  Undergraduate recruitment has a variety of goals.  Texas State is not necessarily looking for the best students, but is looking for the best students who can succeed at Texas State, indicating that attracting students who can graduate is a goal. HIS status is a definite goal and Hispanic enrollment is up 8.5% overall and 27.4% for freshmen. Freshmen enrollment is up 9.8%.
3. Round Rock: Round Rock enrollment is down.  The drop in enrollment in Computer Science, Business, and Education may account for the decline, however, the cause needs to be studied.  The fact that the Avery Building was completed on schedule, a rarity these days, may not have been advertised enough.  There is a need to let appropriate groups know the new campus is available.
4. Local Campus: President Trauth discussed projections.  She sees the local campus growth leveling off with new growth being at the graduate level.  Texas State is unusual in the sense that it is a large university due to its large undergraduate enrollment. She indicated that we need to continue to feed the local residential culture.  30,000 seems to be a reasonable enrollment goal for the local campus.
5. Round Rock:  The potential for growth at Round Rock is phenomenal. A needs analysis will probably indicate more programs for the Round Rock campus.  There may be some shift of the undergraduate program to Round Rock citing that Round Rock would serve north Austin, Round Rock, etc. while the local campus would serve south Austin together with its region mission.  She again mentioned the need to let people know that the Round Rock campus exists.

2. Buildings: President Trauth indicated that this issue is not over until it's over:

a.       Tuition/ Revenue Bonds: T/R Bonds are not over since the money for the proposals is available but was not expended.  The Undergraduate Building, a second building at Round Rock, and deferred maintenance have a good chance to be funded in the next special session of the legislature, but that will probably not happen until the Supreme Court makes a decision on public school finance.  The President is optimistic that these projects will be funded.

b.      HEAF:  While HEAF funds are down for the next two years, they are significantly up over the next year so that all HEAF projects are go.

c.       Derrick Hall Wing:  The Provost added we need the Undergraduate Building.  Not having it may mean that we use the Derrick Hall Wing longer than anticipated.  There are planned improvements to Lampasas and Psychology. 

d.      Deferred Maintenance:  The University is moving on a preferred list of deferred maintenance.  The highest priorities will probably be funded from HEAF funds.

3. Carnegie Classification Plans: President Trauth circulated the 2000 Carnegie Classification Code definitions indicating the code was designated to change soon. The current code indicates Doctoral/Research Universities-Intensive designation requires a wide range of baccalaureate programs, a commitment to graduate education through the doctorate with at least 10 doctoral degrees awarded per year across three or more disciplines or at least 20 doctoral degrees awarded per year overall.  With the new programs in 2002-3 and 2003-4, together with the projected programs in Computer Science, Criminal Justice, Mathematics and Mathematics Education over the next five years, Texas State should be on track for the Doctoral/Research Universities-Intensive designation if the Carnegie Classification Code definitions do not change significantly.  The plan is to continue to pursue the four new doctoral programs over the next five years, although due to decreased enrollment, some programs will have decreased funding available for their doctoral programs.
4. Nursing School: Senator Sorensen asked that since three hospitals are locating near the Round Rock site, what about the pursuit of a nursing school at Round Rock?  President Trauth indicated that such opportunities should be explored and that Texas State will do what it can do without overextending.  The Provost said we're two years into a five year plan for new programs, so we have more areas to explore at the doctoral and masters level.  Also, we already have planning authority for nursing at both the bachelor and masters level.   The idea will certainly get consideration.

Break:

Announcements:

1. The Senate has received a letter of appreciation from Dr. Beck.
2. Consideration of a workload audit is premature at this time. The item will be reconsidered after the date the workload reports are actually due.
3. Academic Program Reviews will need appointments of faculty to review several programs this year.  Be thinking of who needs something to do.
4. CAD is considering changes to the requirements for graduation with honors.  Specifics will come later.
5. Electronic files for the new Faculty Handbook will soon be available.

 Administrators and Chairs Evaluations: With respect to evaluative comments on Administrators and Chairs evaluations being posted on the web with evaluations, the statement: "Comments are presented here in their entirety (complete with any grammatical or spelling errors) with one category of exception: names and identifying references to persons other than the author or the relevant administrator have been removed in the interest of protecting third party privacy. (Any such deletions are indicated by ellipses contained within square brackets.)" was considered by the Senate.  The motion was amended to indicate that the edited comments were approved by the entire Senate.  The Senate then went into closed session in order to consider how to apply the above statement to the evaluative comments.  Deletions were approved and the edited comments will be made available on the web.

Texas Council of Faculty Senates:

The annual meeting of the Texas Council of Faculty Senates is coming October 21-22. Chair Stone and a to-be-named senator will attend,

Mace Bearers:

Mace bearers for the December 16 graduation ceremonies were named Senators Montodon, Hindson, Davidson, and Homeyer agreed to serve as mace bearers for the various ceremonies.

New Business:

1. Constitutional Amendment:  The amendments to the Constitution of the Faculty considered at the beginning of the semester were passed by the faculty and will appear soon on the Senate web page.
2. Progress on Electronic Voting:  The issue of electronic voting is back on the Senate to-do list to be considered for the next Senate election.
3. New Faculty Complaint:  A complaint from a new faculty member was heard regarding the required attendance to a number of meetings for new faculty.  Supposedly there was some misunderstanding about the required attendance.  It was indicated that plans for next year will be altered to remove the required attendance mandate.

Minutes:

Minutes for 8/31/05 were approved.