Academic Council Meeting

20 February 2003

212 MU, Oregon State University

1. Three OUS Board meeting agenda and issues were discussed. Agenda and docket are located at http://www.ous.edu/board/dockets/ddoc030221.pdf

The 2004-05 undergraduate admission policy for freshmen and transfer students for each of the institutions were reviewed. Policies were similar among institutions varying primarily in high school GPA requirements, and for transfer students, the minimum number of college credits required. Quality/Resources/Enrollments/Performance continues to be an issue for OUS as the Higher Education Efficiency act is discussed in the legislature. Quality issues and access will be discussed by the System Strategic Planning Committee (SSP) in the afternoon. OUS received a D+ on the state-by-state report card for affordability. Campus Reorganization Decisions will be discussed at the board meeting from the standpoint of what the policies are for each of the institutions. All institutions were requested to submit policies for program elimination/reduction/ reorganization. These institution-specific policies are very similar because they are all derived from the same Oregon Statute. Institutions with unions have an additional step requiring notification of the union.

2. Quality/Productivity Information: Student Faculty Ratios

A table of OUS student-faculty ratios from 1992 to 2002 was distributed. Only full-time faculty were included in the headcount. Current ratios range from 19.6 at OIT to 28.6 at EOU. In most cases, the ratios have increased by 1.5 to 2.0 over the past 10 years, but most institutions have gone both up and down during the period.

3. Several academic programs that are in various state of review were discussed.

M.S. in Statistics at PSU. The results of an external review report were discussed and the program was forwarded to the board with council recommendation for approval.

M.B.A at EOU. Provost Miller requested additional comments regarding the proposal, but requested that it be shelved at this time because of budgetary uncertainty. Proposal will be revisited next year once biennial budget decisions are made.

M.S. in Material Sciences and Engineering at PSU. Minor suggestions regarding the proposal from UO and OSU and proposal was approved for external review.

B.A./B.S. in Multimedia Design at UO. This enhancement of an existing program was forwarded to the board with council recommendation for approval.

Undergraduate Certificate in Interactive Marketing and e-Commerce at SOU. There was some friendly banter regarding the fact that SOU is already offering the certificate and was told to cease and desist until approval. The proposal was forwarded to the board with council recommendation for approval.

Graduate Certificate in Geographic Information Systems at PSU. There was a brief discussion about the need for the program and where the certificate holders might get jobs. Most folks responded with examples. The proposal was forwarded to the board with council recommendation for approval.

4. Joint Boards Update: The First Look at Comparing Students’ Performance.

This OUS/State Board of Education report is available at http://www.ous.edu/news/press/021103.htm

The report details success in OUS institutions of the first cohort of students to take the 10^th grade state assessment tests. Data are not surprising--students that did better on the 10^th grade tests consistently had higher SAT scores and first year GPAs in college. The real value in these tests are in the guidance that high school students may receive for their last two years based on their test scores in order to better prepare them for success in college. Furthermore, individual high schools will receive feedback on the success of their graduates in different subject areas, which may result in program improvements.

5. Orbis Library Consortium: Present and Future

A report on the growth, programs and success of Orbis Library Consortium was presented. Future initiatives include merging with the Cascades Alliance, as similar program in western Washington. Details on this merger are available at http://libweb.uoregon.edu/orbis/news-02nov4.html Orbis is currently planning for regional library service centers following the Harvard High-Density Depository Model, where little-used volumes will be removed from libraries and stored in the depository until requested. This provides a better long-term storage facility for these volumes, but more importantly, frees-up badly needed shelf space in consortium libraries.

6. Legislative Update by Gratten Kerans

There is currently an assault on the CIM and CAM in the legislature but it is not getting much traction. The assault was aimed at reducing costs in the system but two independent studies both indicate that the costs of the program is much lower than the folks pushing the reform said it was. Furthermore, the federal education reform bill from last year is going to require something along these lines anyway.

Deferred maintenance bond program is likely to be introduced soon. It is likely to encounter little resistance because it will not cost much and addresses a serious need in the system.

The Higher Education Efficiency Act will be discussed on March 4 by the Education Committee in the senate where it has strong support. It is likely that it will move forward relatively quickly by may encounter additional resistance on some components of the bill.

Revenue estimate due the end of the month will project additional shortfall as was discussed at the last IFS meeting. The shortfall, depending on whom you believe, will be between $0 and $340 million. These funds will be covered by borrowing or by bonds because no one wants to require additional cuts with 120 days left in the fiscal year. However, these actions will result in a deep hole beginning 1 July. Because of a final forecast in May, the budget for the next biennium will most likely not be out until after 1 June.

Respectfully submitted

W. Daniel Edge

Daniel.edge@orst.edu