Note: At times, issues of confidentiality may require that some items discussed in these meetings be excluded from these minutes.

Members: Bill Barnes, Dave Caudill, Tom Currin, Alan Gabrielli, Steve Hamrick, Ruston Hunt, Joyce Mills, Jeff Orr, Nikki Palamiotis, Jeffrey Ray, Han Reichgelt, Zvi Szafran

Members Absent: Steve Hamrick, Joyce Mills

Guests:

Item 1. Updates

Dr. Szafran updated the Council on the following:

100^th Graduation Ceremony - Spring 2011 graduation will be our 100^th. Szafran told the Deans they will be asked to serve on a committee to plan something special to commemorate this special occasion.
ETC Building - The new ETC building has issues especially with the labs. Jeff Ray has contracted with an outside vendor to move equipment because Facilities is short-staffed. Ray commended Amanda Canup for going above and beyond to get the new building’s faculty and lab computers up and running. Jeff Ray and Tom Currin have been working with faculty and students to get the building ready for the start of classes and stated that everything may not be ready but they are doing the best they can under the circumstances and with the resources available.
Campus Event – on Saturday, January 8^th, SPSU will host the second annual regional Super Lego Competition.
Building I – progressing well according to Dean Barnes.
Enrollment – Szafran asked the deans to watch sections closely to see if additional seats/sections need to be added.
New CFO – a new Chief Financial Officer has been hired and will begin soon.
System Office News – Chancellor Davis and Susan Herbst are both leaving the System Office at the end of spring semester.
SPARC Research Corporation – will be on next Tuesday’s BoR agenda.
Masters in Architecture – may possibly be on the February BoR agenda.
BoR – has asked for input on a performance funding model, i.e. tying formula funding to graduation rates, etc. to include 5% of funding being dependent on graduation rates for first-time, full-time freshmen and the remaining 95% based on enrollment. Szafran reiterated the urgent need to increase graduation rates for first-time, full-time freshmen.
HOPE – legislators are proposing to lower the HOPE eligibility G.P.A. to 2.5 for high school students planning to major in STEM areas. Concerns should be brought to the legislators.
Extra Compensation – Russ Hunt is working to incorporate the necessary changes to the extra compensation form recently adopted by the System Office as well as reducing the current paperwork required to process extra compensation. Russ Hunt will send out the new form to the deans for review.
Academic Integrity Forum – will be held on Friday, January 8^th
Compensation Issues – the Faculty Senate agreed to put compensation issues (equity adjustments) on the agenda.
Vista – still trying to resolve Vista issues
Website – mid-April is the estimated delivery date for the new website.
ETC Ribbon Cutting – will be next Tuesday, January 11^th at 4:30 P.M.
K1 Sod Issue – Zvi will talk to Jerry Turner about the sod on the driveway of K1.
Academic Council on Graduate Studies – Nikki announced that this committee has been reconstituted and will strive to be more active. All USG institutions have representatives. Additionally, the Graduate Studies office will be open Mondays and Wednesday until 6:00 P.M. during late registration.
SACS – follow-up from SACS was positive for SPSU.
New Core – our core curriculum information has been submitted for review.

Meeting adjourned at 4:10 P.M.