Faculty Development Committee

Minutes – 4/28/2006

10:15 pm

Committee Members Present:

Shannon Smith Calitri, Humanities Department (advisory)

Holly Boomer, Humanities Department (Term: 2005-6; filling in for Marty)

Anthony Fresquez, Humanities Department (advisory)

Martin Red Bear, Humanities Department (Term: 2004-6; on med leave)

Susie White Thunder, Instructional Technology Department (Term: 2004-6)

Doug Noyes, Applied Sciences Department (Term: 2005-7)

I. Jean Reeves, Humanities Department (Term: 2005-7)

Kim He Crow, Humanities Department (Term: 2005-7)

Ex-officio members:

Dan Koopman

Jean gave a blessing.

Holly moves to approve the agenda.

Jean seconded.

Motion passed unanimous

Minutes–

Minutes of 3/03/06 were reviewed. Holly will attach the transcript of the 4/7/06 online chat.

Motion:

Kim – Motion to approve

Jean – Second

Motion passed unanimous

Susie reported that the current BER shows a balance of $13,814.58 in FD account.

Old Business: Agenda Item #4

a) The grant was discussed. Dan Koopman addressed four components of the Foundational Studies Department: assessment, best practices, administration, and advisement. There was discussion about how funds are used for requests from the new department.

Shannon remarked about the goals of the grants and how the new department ties into grant goals. The focus of the grant is transitional not developmental. Otherwise, how do we as faculty make a smooth transition between students finishing developmental courses and move onto the core classes.

Dan remarked that the linkage between the new department which focuses on developmental courses and established departments is an institutional responsibility and needs to be addressed so students do not fall into a chaism. Dan is concerned about enrollment numbers so the need to get prepared is urgent. Dan understands the role of center staff and their importance in life-line building with students.

Shannon remarked that a committee of volunteers needs to be formed which addresses this transitional period. FDC cannot be the only people working on the goals of the grant. The goals affect the whole institution.

Dan addressed issues of testing and advising during registration. The goal of administration is to have the IA committee create a policy on common test dates, testing procedures, and advising. Dan remarked that center directors were concerned that advising would be taken away from the center personnel. Dan assured the directors that the institution which includes faculty wants to partner with center staff to assist in advising.

Doug remarked is that the FDC committee can help support committee work that addresses the transitional period which should include advising, mentoring and assisting students.

Doug remarked that the committee needs to define some of the committee work. Shannon says now is the time to ask faculty people to serve on identified committees: academic advising, retention committee and core competencies. Shannon remarked that in the first year of the grant that maybe one committee should be the focus until there is more data from the institution about retention rates, core competencies and testing procedures/policies.

Shannon remarked that the FDC committee should define what the committee should do and define the criteria that committee would work on. Doug remarked that maybe one FDC member, 1 counselor, 1 director and 2 other faculty should make up the Student Advisement committee. Jean recommends that a Best Practices committee focus on how to find out what students are learning in the classroom and that it should be a separate committee from an advising committee. Shannon said maybe a best practices focus could bring in a presenter. Tony remarked that the Student Advisement Committee needs outcomes and objectives.

c) Discussion about an off-contract retreat so that policies, procedures, mission statement and a faculty retreat in the fall. There was a suggestion to have a retreat in Rapid City on May 31 & June 1. The two objectives will be FDC bylaws and structure and the FDC faculty retreat to be held in September. Holly will do a PO for hotel and Doug will do a PO for stipends. Shannon said we should have a working document that addresses the actual proposal on what goes into the P&P manual for Institutional Developmental committee in the fall.

Motion: To have a FDC retreat in Rapid City and that members be paid a $150/day stipend.

Jean moved

Kim seconded

Motion passed unanimous

d) The structure of the Student Advisement Committee (SAC) will include a member of FDC, 2 faculty members, 1 counselor, and 1 director. Doug asked Kim to chair the committee. Kim and Jean agreed to co-chair. Doug suggested Brenda McGlynn as the counselor rep, Holly recommended Georgia as the director rep and Jeff Olson as one of the faculty reps with Jean representing the other faculty member. The objectives of the SAC are:

1. With administrative support, coordinate a new approach to student orientation and advising.

- Too many times students simply take classes that are available without regard to their support of a degree program or life plan. This proposal will enable OLC to incorporate both personal and academic advising during course registration.

- This proposal requests stipends and financial support for an Academic Advising Committee (AAC) of faculty leaders who will research methodologies available to enhance individual student motivation and visualization of success in a degree programs and then implement a pilot academic advising and mentorship program.

- The AAC will also work with OLC Registrars Office and Administration to research opportunities to implement continuous enrollment. Current research suggests adult student continuous enrollment is a decision that results from a complex, non-linear interaction among multiple influences. Findings suggest that institutional efforts to promote continuous enrollment should focus on the decision process and not the outcome. We need to find ways to intervene and support the student during this decision process.

Shannon recommends that the SAC have a proposal/presentation of advisement ideas/strategies ready for the fall faculty retreat. There was a discussion about having a faculty survey for the retreat. Doug will process the stipends for the committee.

New Business: Agenda Item #5

a) Funding Request

Dan Koopman: Dan presented his proposal for requested funds. He explained how the requested funds would be used. He realizes that he is requesting the funds as an institutional request rather than individual request. There was spirited discussion about the lack of institutional support in funding Dan and Jamie Lee’s request for national certification. Tony mentioned that if we do fund this request then we should allocate the funds from the grant rather than the other Faculty Development funds. As a committee, we should address the administration’s “in kind” contribution to Faculty Development.

Shannon remarked that the financial line items for Faculty Development should be determined by the committee rather than administrative directives.

Motion: The FDC will pay Dan’s request [$7167.50] out of the Bush grant contingent upon the participants conducting a workshop at the fall faculty retreat.

Susie moved

Holly seconded

Motion passed unanimous

Agenda Item #6

a) Doug mentioned that the annual Collaboration Faculty Development retreat will be May 19. Doug mentioned that the Collaboration November conference will be Nov 18. Shannon suggested that the fall conference would be great for everyone on the committee to go.

b) Shannon has decided that the institution will ultimately decide titles and rank for faculty. The FDC would recommend the same title and rank schema (faculty with the same title and rank at other institutions) as other relevant institutions. Shannon will produce a chart of rank and title for the May FDC retreat.

Motion: to adjourn (meeting concluded at 3 pm)

Kim moved

Susie seconded