Campus Cabinet Minutes
September 27,
2000
Present: Tom Hallman, Blanche Premo-Hopkins, Mike Hosang, Jim Kauffman (for Dr. Riedell), Ginger Steel, Jane Schumacher, Deb Kladivko, Ahmed Samaha, Misty Johnson, Deidre Martin, Kim Wood, Mary Anne Cavanaugh, WaynonFallow, Jeff Jenik, Randy Warrick, Bill Pirkle, Laurence Fausett, Jane Tuten, Mike May, Jack Benjaman, Tome Mack, Charmaine Wilson, Paula Stribling, Maria Chandler, Marshall Davis, Mike Lemons, Randy Duckett, Vivian Grice, Val Lumans, Katya Terry, Sally McClellan, Trudy Groves, Corey Feraldi, Kris Gustafuson Helou, Karen Morris, Jean Haynes, Julie Bush, Maureen Bergstrom, Kevin Wickes
Dr.
Hallman opened the meeting at 2:00 p.m., made a few comments about the SACS
visit and turned the meeting to Dr. Mack who reported on the progress of the
Self-Study. The SACS visit is scheduled
for the April 16-19, 2001 and everyone is requested to on campus during that
time. He stated that no one should plan
vacations or be off campus during this time.
Since
the emphasis of today’s meeting is on the USCA’s Fall 2000 orientation and
enrollment issues, Dr. Hallman asked Randy Duckett to discuss the Fall incoming
class.
Randy
stated that the purpose was to present an overview or summary of some of the
programs, activities, relating to summer or early semester registration
activities, and to receive feedback from the broader campus community. This being the first Campus Cabinet meeting,
it would be a good time to present this information, while it’s still fresh in
our minds.
Randy went over some of the enrollment figures for the Fall 2000. The graduate head count as of 9/12/00 was 125, compared to 83 last year. The Undergraduate headcount as of 9/12/00 was 3,151 compared to 2,949 as of last year. The average high school GPA of the entering freshman was 3.1. He also indicated that official enrollment count takes place the last week in October, so figures will not be final until that time.
Katya
Terry told the group that 11 new international students enrolled this
year compared to 2 last year.
The
Admissions Staff has identified the following issues as those which need
additional discussion and action:
1.
Explore
ways to increase summer school enrollment
2.
Transient
students who attend our campus during the summer. Are there simpler and easier ways to deal with transients from
other colleges.
3.
Housing
4.
Several
issues regarding new transfer students.
Especially the challenges the late transfer applicants present for the
campus. What expectations should we
have from them and what expectations should they have from us if they register
at the last minute.
·
Is
Orientation for transfer students effective?
·
Issue
of evaluation of transfer credit summaries?
·
The
possibility of establishing an admissions deadline for transfers
Dr. Deb Kladivko next discussed Orientation 2000. This year the Orientation Committee reviewed the purpose of Orientation, created a Mission and set goals, using the CAS standards. (Council for the Advancement of Standards in the Student Services Programs.) They looked at the Orientation program and tried to analyze each part of orientation and determined where each component fit into their goals and mission. Due to the large response from freshman, for the first time, 15-20 students who wanted to come to the July orientation were requested to attend the August orientation instead. She expressed thanks to everyone connected with orientation.
Maureen
Bergstrom discussed the administration of CAAP. A total of 556 students took part in some form of this general
education testing. Twenty-eight
students took the faculty-prepared test and 528 students took the CAAP (ACT’s
Collegiate Assessment of Academic Proficiency). These tests were administered to the students during the July and
August orientation.
Deb
Kladivko reported that a questionnaire was given to the students at the end of
orientation and that the overall results rated orientation worthwhile. Some concerns noted by Deb were that some
staff did not get the orientation schedule and were therefore not aware of when
or where they would be working.
Difficulty
with the advising process for transfer students was discussed.
·
Since
some transfer students did not apply to USCA until very late (possibly the day
of registration), their transcripts were not available or, if available, had
not been evaluated.
·
Although
the evaluations of orientation and assessment were very positive, a few
students had difficulty locating their advisor, or a coverage person for the
department. This was not the case in
all departments, but there were a few instances.
The
major concern raised from a faculty facilitator’s perspective was:
·
Orientation
may present too much of a “party atmosphere.”
The suggestion was made by several participants that all the candy,
balloons, signs, etc., do not give a true feeling of what lies ahead for the
students in their academic life here at USCA.
·
Faculty
facilitators are often embarrassed to be talking to parents in a room littered
with balloons, candy, and signs (especially signs with incorrect
spelling). It is felt by some of the
facilitators that Orientation is giving students a wrong impression of what to
expect.
There
was also discussion that there was a big difference from the July to August
orientation. There seemed to be a “less
respectful attitude” from some students in August.
These discussions and
concerns will be taken up by the Orientation Committee.
Dr. Hallman reminded everyone present that the Orientation Committee meetings are open to anyone who would like to contribute. He further noted that the current agenda for the Orientation Program is quite comprehensive in its efforts to both provide information and encourage individual reflection about college.
Marshall Davis discussed advising. He expressed his thanks to the great group of people who volunteered their time and energy to come to the initial training for the Freshman Advisement Program. Marshall plans on subsequent training on advising in November and December and will notify all concerned with the dates and times.
There
was a discussion that a problem arose for some students who were assigned to be
advised on Wednesday, but got advised instead on Tuesday. They wee not informed that they would have
to pay by the end of Tuesday and therefore they were dropped from the
rolls. Ginger Steel mentioned that if
her department is told about these students, they can hold the student’s name
and the student will be able to pay later.
More
discussion took place concerning transfer students. There is a great deal of work involved to admit a transfer
student, especially when they walk in the last day of advisement and request
admission to USCA. Advisors are then
faced with a problem. When the transfer
students goes to be advised, the advisor must take extra time to fins out if
some of their course are transferable.
This causes long lines in the advisor’s office.
Solutions
discussed:
·
Have
an admission deadline for transfer students? (Although a deadline may assist in
the last minute applicants, this issue is more complicated than establishing a
deadline.) It they are not prepared to
apply before July 1, have the student sign a statement acknowledging they may
problems-advising, not enough classed, etc.
Tom Hallman reminded everyone this problem will be aided in 2-3 years
when DARS (the new Degree Audit Recording System) comes into effect. (This system has a built in
articulation/transfer evaluation component.)
But, it is something that needs to be dealt with in the near term.
·
If
unit heads knew of the projected number of students, they could prepare and
have more faculty available to teach the classes.
Vivian Grice discussed the four different ways to register. Biggest advantage, enhancement on VIP. The Registration office benefited from the First Year Experience. Vivian and her staff will train anyone who wants to on IMS. She notes that one-on-one training is usually more effective than a workshop.
Paula
Stribling gave the members some figures from the Financial Aid office: AS of
9/23/00, they have received 3,576 total applications. They offered $14.9 million in various aid programs and $1,319,000
in the LIFE Scholarship Program. The
Academic Scholarship submission deadline will change this year from February 15
to February 1st.
Dr.
Charmaine Wilson discusssed the First Year Program. The First Year Program is doing an experiment this semester
linking classed to English 101. The
difficulty with this was it was hard to get some students into both
classes. They may try this with English
102 next semester. New additions from
the First Year Program- 1st year advisors. 55 people were recruited and then volunteered their time for one
day training beginning at 10:00a.m. with Marshall. The afternoon consisted of information from various offices, such
as Fiancial Aid, Finance, etc. Drs.
Lumans, Gratch, Henson, Rhodes, and Wilson worked very hard this summer getting
this First Year Program prepared.
The
third component of the First Year Program is ASUP 101. All four seasond of ASUP 101 were at
capacity after the July orientation. 3
additional sections were added for freshman who registered in August.
Randy Duckett distributed the dates for the 2000-2001 Campus Visitation Programs and USCA Scholar Receptions from the Admissions Office.
Ginger
Steel: There are two candidates for the position of Operation Director who will
be on campus, 9/28 and 10/4/00. Ginger
askes that everyone please try to attend these presentations. There will be forms available for everyone
to fill out about the two candidates.
Although the presentations are scheduled one for staff, one for faculty,
anyone can attend either session.
Jack
Benjamin: Falculty and Friends Recital, Thursday, September 28 at 7:00p.m. in
the Etherredge Center. Inherit the
Wind, University Theater, November 9, 2000.
Tom
Mack: John Jakes, Oswald Distinguished Writers Series, Tuesday, October 24,
2000, 8:00 p.m., in the Etherredge Center.
Jane
Schumacher: the Cultural Series begins on Friday, October 6, 2000.
Mike
Hosang: The Family Fund Luncheon is scheduled for Thursday, October 12, 2000.
Bill
Pirkle: Fall 2000 Seminar Series, Dr. Pradeep Talwani, “the Charleston
Earthquake of 1886, a Curretn View,” September 29, 1:00 p.m., Sciences
Building, Room 327.
Promotion
and Tenure Committee workshops, Wednesday, October 4, 12:00 noon to 1:30 p.m.,
Nursing Building, Room 114. This will
be repeated on Thursday, October 5 from 12:15 to 1:45 p.m., same place.
The
meeting was adjourned at 4:00 p.m.