UWC-Budget, Finance, and Strategic Planning Committee Meeting
 May 1, 2009

Location: President's Conference Room

Members Present: Carl Hilgarth, Kitty Linde, Co-Chairs, Dave Todt, Elinda Boyles, Darrell Rudmann, Ann Marie Short, Joe VanDeusen, Robert Mendris, Brooke Miller, Ed Kehres, Barbara Kunkle, Mark Mirabello

Call to Order: Co-Chair Carl Hilgarth opened the meeting.
Approval of Minutes from April 3, 2009:
Motion: Joe VanDeusen
Second: Elinda Boyles
Vote: Unanimous to approve

Action Project #1 Student Advising: (Report by Ed Kehres)
Although Ed represents UFS and the Student Affairs Committee, he has also met with other advising groups, such as ones on Enrollment Management, the AQIP Project on Advising & Retention, and the Student Success Center. One of the main problems is that advising is handled by too many people, with too many different approaches. There's no single advising "process." Every subset group is trying to address problems in its own way.

He suggests forming a smaller group to find out what is actually being done and how – to identify problem areas and duplicate services, as where the University College fits in. Dave will try to find a group of individuals who could review the final project report once it comes in and continue to refine it.

Carl suggested that advising needs a Process Owner to map out the multiple paths available to students and outcomes expected – to form an overview of the whole process. There are inconsistencies across campus and "processes" that don't work.

Other points of discussion:
· Possibility of hiring professional advisors in each college, although “advising” is more than academic advising.
· Advising should be more structured.
· Advising should be defined – everyone involved in advising needs to understand exactly what steps should be taken and the reasons for them.
· We've offered an Advising Handbook, but people often ask others rather than follow those recommendations.
· Once the process is refined, training is needed.
· Faculty involvement is necessary.
· Different majors, different processes?

Action Project #2 Scheduling:
Dave gave a short summary for Jonica, who is leading the group. Although they haven’t come to a complete consensus on how to address the issues, they do plan to tweak the scheduling blocks before the next semester to avoid empty times. We'll discuss it more in the fall.

Action Project #5 One Card System: (Elinda)
· The infrastructure is there and the system will go forward even with the budget crisis, although each proposed module will be carefully examined for its return on investment (ROI).
· Sodexo will be partially funding the food service component.
· The Vending module will also be a cost-sharing venture.
· Printing will be at our own expense, but the new card system should save us money there.

Old Business:

Update on Campus-Wide Open Forums on Strategic Planning:
Dave reported there were 25-40 people in each Open Forum. Brian videotaped the sessions, and Dave is working with Liz Blevins to get it all collated and put it into a draft.

Budget: (Elinda)
Budgets are still not finalized, but we are trying to anticipate our future revenue & needs. We’re still not sure how the state’s budget decisions will affect us in the next biennium.

New Business:

AQIP Systems Portfolio
Dave reported on the AQIP team's review of our Systems Portfolio. The next step will be an onsite quality checkup visit in fall of 2010, which will be 18 months after our review. We still need to write a response to their feedback (Dave & Cathy). Our own review of it was similar to theirs, so we felt good that we were honest with ourselves. Dave is more convinced than ever that it's a good system and much more beneficial to the institution. We have a lot to learn about "continuous improvement" and how to incorporate it throughout the university.

Other notes:
· Carl thanked all those involved, especially Cathy, Michael, and Liz.
· The role of this committee is to oversee the system so issues aren't forgotten or ignored, and to make sure the implementation isn't flawed.
· Monitoring is part of our AQIP continuous improvement plan.
· We must also view it from the perspective of the "users" – the students.

*************************
Dave congratulated Kitty Linde on her retirement and the committee thanked her for her years of dedicated service to SSU.

The future meeting schedule will have to be addressed in Fall, 2009, once membership is finalized and faculty members have their schedules.

Minutes submitted by Susan Montavon

UWC-Budget, Finance, and Strategic Planning Committee Minutes
April 3, 2009

Location: Kricker Hall Conference Room

Time: 1:00 p.m.

Members Present:  Kitty Linde, Co-Chair, Dave Todt, Elinda Boyles, Brian Saul, Ann Marie Short, Joe Van Deusen, Mark Mirabello, Chuck Warner, Brooke Miller, Barb Kunkle

Call to Order:  Co-Chair Kitty Linde opened the meeting. 

Approval of Minutes from the March 6, 2009 Meeting:

Motion:  Joe Van Deusen

Second:  Ann Marie Short

The vote was unanimous to approve.

 Action Project #1 Student Advising: 

Brian made a few comments about the advising notes he compiled from various campus sources and e-mailed to the committee in March.  He pointed out that the original Action Team hoped that any issues pertaining to faculty advising would be addressed in the 2009 collective bargaining agreement, or else they will have to wait until 2012.

Action Project # 2 Scheduling: 

No report.

Action Project #5 One Card System:

Elinda noted that there is a meeting scheduled soon and she will have more to report later.

Shawnee 20/20 Open Forums/Strategic Plan:

Dave distributed the agenda for the upcoming campus-wide open forums that will help us bring the strategic plan to closure.  Each of the three meetings will focus on one of the Futures Teams reports, but all will include an overview of the Shawnee 20/20 process and our efforts to determine our Centers of Excellence.  All committee members who planned to attend were encouraged to assist as facilitators at the forums, and there was an extended discussion of what to expect.

Budget: 

Elinda distributed summary sheets of the budget reduction scenarios that were put together for constructive discussion and pointed out some of the challenges.

Points of Discussion:

• It’s important to note that these efforts are to mitigate the negative impact of any budget cuts on our core mission. 
• The budget must also address our obligations to comply with laws and to carry out essential functions.
• State funding hinges on fulfilling mandates, so we will need the resources to respond and fit within the revenue sources.
• This is an attempt to think creatively to reach our budget goals without elimination of jobs.
• Although we have had an enrollment increase and a slight funding increase, there are concerns about the next biennium.
• It was decided that some planned projects should be completed even though interest rates have dropped.

Elinda then led the group in identifying a list of budget Savings Areas and Guidance that she can take to upcoming budget hearings.

4-3-09 – Budget, Finance, & Strategic Planning Committee Discussion

 SAVINGS AREAS

 Software Solutions

            - explore open source software, etc.  

Unpaid/Unforced Administrative Leaves

            - keep benefits

Limited/Targeted Closures

            - Ex/ 2 weeks at Christmas

Voluntary Retirement Incentives

Computer Efficiency

            - Ex/ "sleep mode" that still allows after hours updates

Computer Replacement Schedules

Building Schedule Efficiency

            - use of most efficient buildings during off hours

            - institutionalize the concept of efficiency

            - flagging and notification of personnel about problems

"Evaluate" the One Card System Implementation Plans

            - for cost effectiveness in light of budget issues

            - for return on investment

            - for student satisfaction

Examine Contract Services

            - quality and efficiency of vendors

Academic Dismissal

            -  possible intervention

            - critical for retention, course completion, degree attainment

Evaluate Retention Programs

            -  look at what others are doing

            - is there a better way of communicating with students outside of e-mail?

Use Online (SKYPE) Conference Meetings

Travel Budget - Evaluate

Increase Online and/or Hybrid Courses

            - composition and GEP

            - certifications and job retraining

            - full degrees

Intermingle Residence Halls with Other Businesses

GUIDANCE (or TRENDS)

Local Spending

            - Ex/cooperation with Main St. Portsmouth

Building Efficiencies

Scheduling Efficiencies

            - address the problem of over scheduling courses during 10:00 – 2:00

Protect Employees - Offer Options

Maximize Computer/Space Utilization

            - classrooms, labs

            - improve 6% rate

Consider Offering More Offsite Options

            - and more efficient scheduling of them

Rethink Travel

            - cultivate different mindset:  phone calls, e-mail, audioconferences

Consider Budget by Program Need

- avoid across-the-board cuts when some departments are leaner than others
 

Minutes submitted by Susan Montavon, Administrative Secretary, Office of the Provost.

UWC-Budget, Finance, and Strategic Planning Committee Minutes
March 6, 2009

Members Present: Kitty Linde & Carl Hilgarth, Co-Chairs, Dave Todt, Darrell Rudmann, Ann Marie Short, Robert Mendris, Joe VanDeusen, Mark Mirabello, Cathy Mullins, Chuck Warner, Ed Kehres, Jonica Burke, guest

Call to Order and Announcements: Co-Chair Kitty Linde opened the meeting. She reported that she has sent a memo to the President about the rotation.

Approval of Minutes from the February 6, 2009 Meeting:
Motion: Mark Mirabello
Second: Robert Mendris
After a short discussion, the vote was unanimous to approve, pending Elinda’s review of her part in the February meeting.

Action Project #1 Student Advising:
Jonica gave an update of this committee’s work since Bob Trusz was unable to attend. The group has met twice and is trying to narrow down the issues to 4 action plans. They are considering surveys of students and faculty to determine what works and what doesn’t, and are reviewing the Advising Handbook. Although it’s a good “one stop shop” for advising information, it needs to be updated. They hope to have a draft by May.

Action Project #2 Scheduling:
Jonica said that a survey of students shows that opinions vary widely on the success of semester scheduling. The committee would also like to do a brief survey of program leaders and department chairs to solicit more feedback and tweak the scheduling blocks.

Points of Discussion:
· The previous incarnation of this team suggested investing in scheduling optimization software, but the ones that are available don’t necessarily integrate with ours.
· Chuck will keep us posted on some other services that look promising and could work with Jenzabar.
· There is a need to do advance audits for students, but the problem is that so many change their majors and don’t follow their original 4- or 5-year plans.
· Parental expectations are that the student will be done in 4 years.
· A better scheduling system would assist students to plan ahead and help with retention.
· The full schedule of the 10-2 block is still a problem for both students and faculty.

Action Project #5 One Card System:
Chuck reported that they attended the Blackboard conference, which reinforced the number of integration issues they face, and the challenges. They need a plan by April 30th. They also hope to add a student to the committee.
· One key issue will be formatting the card.
· Another strategic question is how to handle the meal plan system.
· An important issue is coordinating the card with Sodexo, Barnes & Noble, the library, Rhodes Center, etc. It has to start working as soon as it’s set.
· It’s important to work with our vendors for marketing and to provide a return on our investment.
· The committee members expressed many concerns about the expense of the system that must be addressed in light of the current budget constraints.
· Kitty asked that the committee have input on the budget issues, although she knows Elinda and the project team have reviewed them.

Shawnee 20/20, USO Strategic Plan:
Dave reported that the next step is to get input about the strategic planning process from the university community, although some items, such as the M.Ed., have been moving forward. We also need to review the Centers of Excellence ideas, although we’re still not sure how SSU fits into the state’s model and the discussion should go beyond this group. The consensus was to set up 3 separate campus meetings to allow the different constituency groups to share their ideas by focusing on their individual areas.

Centers of Excellence:
Darrell gave a short overview of what may be expected for our Center of Excellence and led a discussion. There seems to be a focus on research, and it may help if the program pulls in federal funds. It was suggested that there be another call for proposals.

Budget:
Although Elinda was absent due to illness, Dave reported that SSU is in better shape financially than many other schools. We hope that any funding cuts will be low. Elinda will address the results of the budget reduction scenarios in a future meeting.

Minutes submitted by Susan Montavon, Administrative Secretary, Office of the Provost.
 

UWC-Budget, Finance, and Strategic Planning Committee Minutes
February 6, 2009
(Revised 3-9-09)

Members Present: Kitty Linde & Carl Hilgarth, Co-Chairs, Darrell Rudmann, Elinda Boyles, Ann Marie Short, Brooke Miller, Brian Saul, Robert Mendris, Joe VanDeusen, Mark Mirabello, Barb Kunkle

Call to Order and Announcements: Co-Chair Kitty Linde opened the meeting. She reported that she has discussed the UFS committee membership with other UFS members, but not Chip.

Approval of Minutes from the December 5, 2008 Meeting:
Motion: Ann Marie Short
Second: Brian Saul
Vote was unanimous to approve.

Shawnee 20/20 - Strategic Plan Draft – Centers of Excellence
There was a discussion of the draft report of the Shawnee 20/20 Strategic Plan and wrap up reports of the Futures Teams that Dave had distributed by e-mail.

Points of Discussion:
· Dave hopes the committee will be able to assist in giving campus-wide feedback before the Chancellor comes to campus later.
· We should give special attention to the Center of Excellence.
· It’s unclear whether SSU has what they’re looking for yet, but we may be able to partner with another university.
· We need a more concrete definition, and whether they expect something already in place or something unique.
· They may expect a C of E that’s more research oriented than our tentative proposals, although hard core research would require funding.
· Few, if any, Centers have been approved yet, so there isn’t a model to guide us.
· This committee should provide suggestions on how best to present it to the university and take the leadership in defining our own C of E.
· There may be logistical problems with running the C of E, including release time.
· The characteristics of a Center of Excellence are in the appendix.
· We may need another call for proposals.
· We may call an extra meeting before the Chancellor comes to campus.

Action Projects Update:

One Card System:
· The one-card AQIP Action Team will be convened soon. A small team of Business and UIT people attended a BlackBoard Transaction Conference for the purpose of gaining in depth information about the implementation of a one-card system.

· The goal is to issue new cards by fall 2009.
· The one-card project has multiple components and will impact most aspects of student business services.
· We are working toward greater efficiency in these areas.
· There are a number of challenges – it is much more than a card swiping system.
· Return on investment will be a factor in the implementation of these services.
· Businesses are also interested in working with us for the community module.

USO Strategic Plan Accountability Measures

Points of Discussion:
· Rita has asked us to monitor it ourselves and intervene before problems develop.
· It may help to have a monitoring committee, or assign individuals to review only certain sections rather than the whole.
· We should try to gather our own information, even unofficial data, and not just the part that comes to us.
· We need to see how we’re meeting benchmarks for future goals.
· Darrell will work or these issues before the next meeting.

New Business:

Elinda distributed a draft of the FY-10 Budget Planning Work Paper that will go out this week.
· Budget managers will be asked to come up with draft scenarios in case they are presented with a reduction of 7% or 15% in funding, even in the case of an unexpected reduction in personnel.
· It’s a planning exercise.
· Once they are returned and reviewed by her office and the VPs, she will bring them to the committee to review and give feedback to the President.
· We may need extra meetings to finish by the deadline.
· It should help the managers to project their own upcoming budgets.

Next Meeting: Friday, March 6th and April 3

Minutes (revised 3-9-09) submitted by Susan Montavon, Administrative Secretary, Office of the Provost.
 

UWC-Budget, Finance, and Strategic Planning Committee Minutes
December 5, 2008

Members Present: Kitty Linde, Co-Chair, Dave Todt, Darrell Rudmann, Elinda Boyles, Ann Marie Short, Brooke Miller, Brian Saul, Ed Kehres, Cathy Mullins, Steve O’Rourke, Robert Mendris, Joe VanDeusen

Call to Order and Announcements: Co-Chair Kitty Linde opened the meeting.

Approval of Minutes from the November 7, 2008 Meeting:
Motion: Steve O’Rourke
Second: Joe VanDeusen
Vote was unanimous to approve.

AQIP Systems Portfolio Update: Cathy reported that we have just sent in the last part of the document and we should hear from them in 4-5 months. Dave noted he doesn't expect our review until late March or early April.

Shawnee 20/20 - USO Strategic Plan:
There was an extensive discussion about the committee's role in monitoring the USO measures. Dave will e-mail the committee with a 20/20 update.

Points of Discussion:
· We will need to review and make recommendations, see if we need to adjust the goals.
· The goals are for 5 years out, but this group should review in 2 years.
· Although this committee will monitor it, the Office of Institutional Research will handle the reports.
Hiring:
· We expect more budget cuts from the state, which may affect hiring.
· Although there isn't a freeze, our ads state that the positions are dependent on funding.
· We're in a much healthier position than many other universities.
· In a way, it's an opportunity – we're a great value to Ohio students. Growth could provide a cushion.

Action Projects Update: Kitty reported that a memo has been sent to the President, and Dave is also working on the revised charges and committee appointments/chairs for the 2 continuing projects (Action Project #1, Student Advising and Action Project #2, Scheduling), and the new Action Project – One Card System.

Points of Discussion about the One Card System:
· Blackboard representatives have been working with us to show us the capabilities of the system and get an overview of our campus needs.
· Although the technical infrastructure is beginning to be set in place, it will be a long process.
· We've already incurred the base cost, but the direction and timing of its implementation will be up to the Action Project Team. The AP Team will decide which modules will be first.
· Every module/service has an ongoing fee, so we have to consider whether the need balances with the cost.
· There is a module for commerce that may help student retention and satisfaction.
· The print module will be expensive initially, but may control waste.

Membership and Rotation: The original membership rotation wasn't communicated to the President last fall, so the 3 & 4-year schedule hasn't been precisely followed this year. Kitty passed out a handout of the updated original rotation schedule and explained that the staff appointments were set up not to limit terms, but for the sake of continuity. Ex officio members are appointed due to their positions, and are not included. She asked if the committee would prefer the original rotation. If so, we would then notify the President each year of the current openings, and members could be reappointed. It was also noted that the UFS positions should be open to all faculty and not just UFS members, but that faculty member should report back to UFS. Dave and Kitty will contact Chip to clarify the issue of UFS appointments.

Motion to return to the original membership rotation: Ed Kehres
Second: Ann Marie Short
Vote: unanimous

Next Meeting: Friday, February 6th, 2009

Minutes submitted by Susan Montavon, Administrative Secretary, Office of the Provost.
 

UWC-Budget, Finance, and Strategic Planning Committee Minutes
and Blackboard One Card Demonstration
November 7, 2008

Members Present: Kitty Linde & Carl Hilgarth, Co-Chairs, Dave Todt, Elinda Boyles, Chuck Warner, Ann Marie Short, Brooke Miller, Brian Saul, Ed Kehres, Cathy Mullins, Steve O’Rourke, Mark Mirabello, Robert Mendris

Guests (for segments of the meetings): Rita Rice Morris, President, Jim Settle, VP Student Affairs, Greg Martin, Blackboard Representative, Rich Hawk, UIS, Pete Duncan, OIT

NOTE: The November 7th committee meeting was preceded by an hour long presentation of the One Card system (the newest AQIP Action Project) by a representative from Blackboard, showing all the service possibilities of the system we have chosen and begun to purchase. It will be installed in stages, and this committee will ultimately be involved in its planning and review. There were discussions of various elements, some strictly ‘service’ oriented and some ‘revenue generating,’ some definite, some only potential options for the future.

One Card Discussions included:
Point of Sale (POS) Solutions
Wireless POS
Events/Security Management
Self Service Kiosks
Vending (revenue generating)
Print/Copy
Bookstore
Parking/Security
Digital Signage
Online Account Management
Advanced Reporting
Alert/Messaging System
Polling

*******************************************************************
Meeting:
Call to Order and Announcements: Co-Chair Carl Hilgarth opened the committee meeting by thanking Greg for the presentation. It was agreed that ex officio members of this committee are allowed to vote.

Approval of Minutes for the October 3, 2008 Meeting:
Motion: Kitty Linde
Second: Ann Marie Short
Vote was unanimous to approve.

USO Accountability Measures: President Morris presented a handout of the University System of Ohio Accountability Measures and a draft of SSU’s own targets and strategies for meeting them by the end of FY 2014. In her review of the documents, she pointed out that they are conservative estimates and not out of our reach. It will be important for this committee to identify ways to monitor our progress and provide feedback. She expects the Chancellor to visit SSU again later as we continue to refine these goals. She assumes that the USO Accountability Measures will be revisited at some future time, and has proposed that it should be within 2 years.

*********************************
The additional presentations (One Card, USO) shortened the time for addressing agenda items, but quick updates were offered:

AQIP Systems Portfolio Update: Dave distributed printed copies of our recently submitted Systems Portfolio. He also passed out self evaluation forms for each member to review the work of the group to which they were assigned. He pointed out that the portfolio is a “living document” that can be revised as things change. Carl thanked everyone for their work and noted that it’s a multiple step process. We can expect a visit within 1-½ years and will submit another portfolio in 4.

Shawnee 20/20 - USO Strategic Plan: All 3 teams have been meeting this fall, and a campus-wide discussion is planned. One new element that all should address is what will be our Center(s) of Excellence. Our plan is due in SP 09, but the discussion should be well underway, with a priority list developed. As expected, the Chancellor’s USO has provided new direction for us.

Action Projects Update: We hope to reinvigorate 2 of the original projects -- Action Project #1, Student Advising and Action Project #2, Scheduling, with new team members and a revised focus. The new Action Project – One Card System, is underway, but the final team hasn’t been appointed.

Membership and Rotation: This discussion was deferred to the December meeting, since it will not take effect until next year.

Meeting Schedule: The final meeting of the semester will be held on December 5th, with lunch at 1:30 and the meeting at 2:00. Meetings for the Spring 2009 semester will continue on the first Friday of each month, but won’t start until February 6th due to the January 12th start of classes. Future meeting times will be discussed on December 5th, when all faculty should have their teaching assignments finalized.

Minutes submitted by Susan Montavon, Administrative Secretary, Office of the Provost.
 

UWC- Budget, Finance & Strategic Planning Committee Minutes
October 3, 2008

Members Present: Kitty Linde, Co-Chair, Darrell Rudmann, Elinda Boyles, Chuck Warner, Barb Kunkle, Ann Marie Short, Brooke Miller, Brian Saul

Call to Order and Announcements: Co-Chair Kitty Linde opened the meeting, while Co-Chair Carl Hilgarth has been called for jury duty this month. She asked the group to consider moving future meetings this semester back another half hour to accommodate Robert Mendris, who has class at 1:00. That would mean lunch would be served at 1:00, with the meeting itself beginning at 1:30, allowing Robert to attend most of the meeting. Susan will send an e-mail to the entire committee to see if this will work.

Approval of Minutes for September 19, 2008 Meeting:
Motion: Barb
Second: Brian
Vote was unanimous to approve.

Charge for Budget, Finance, and Strategic Planning Committee:
Kitty reviewed the President’s Charge with the group. The BFSPC will work to conclude the Shawnee 20/20 process and coordinate with the USO’s (University System of Ohio) Strategic Plan. She reminded the committee to review that section in the notebook of Shawnee 20/20 data that was handed out at the last meeting.

AQIP Systems Portfolio Update:
Although Cathy was out of town and unable to attend the meeting, Kitty went over a short e-mail update on the Systems Portfolio that Cathy had sent. She encouraged the SPC members to review the draft that will be posted from Oct 13-17 for review by the campus, because it’s our first report to AQIP. The final draft is on track to be submitted on November 1st. It was noted that Cathy is the current AQIP Coordinator, with Dave as the ultimate authority.

Membership and Rotation:
There was a discussion about this year’s appointed committee members, whether we are still following the previous rotation schedule, and how the appointments are made through UFS. This issue will require further discussion, so Kitty will review the issue before it’s addressed at a future meeting.

Action Projects Update: Two of the APs have not been retired, and Dave has suggested possible chairs who could lead them to completion. Suggested names to chair the Action Teams:
Action Project #1, Student Advising – Bob Trusz, Director of Enrollment and Retention
Action Project #2, Scheduling – Jonica Burke, Registrar

There was motion by Barb and a second by Elinda to send the 2 names to the President. Motion carried.

New Action Project – One Card System: As reported at the last meeting, the One Card project is underway, although the Action Team hasn’t been appointed yet. Chuck has scheduled a date for our Blackboard representative to give a presentation to this Committee - October 17 (Note: The demo was canceled and rescheduled for November 7th). We need a conceptual picture of the integration of the entire system, so we will be informed for any future decisions. Kitty pointed out that although BFSPC members won’t make up the entire Action Team, this Committee is ultimately responsible for making sure the project is carried out. She expects the team will be organized soon. Chuck also reported on some of the complex issues that are being worked out and he led much of the discussion.

Points of Discussion:
· Although the volume of use at larger universities may help to offset the cost there, there’s less potential for a “return on investment” here at SSU. We should look at it more as something that needs to be done. The initial investment is the same whether the school is large or small.
· One area that has the potential to give us that “return” is in vending. Some vendors should be willing to upgrade their own equipment.
· We will have to rewire the entire infrastructure.
· The Registrar’s Office produces the student ID cards, so they will have to replace the current cards.
· Keep in mind that this is on an extremely large scale and very costly, $30,000 for software, for example. The budget needs to be centrally funded.
· We need to define the areas where the cards will be used right away. Since there are major external issues to be resolved that will affect these areas, the Action Team needs to be as diverse as possible, with each area represented.
· The system has the potential to be used as an assessment tool.
· There are a number of off campus services that could be tied to the system, and eventually it could be expanded to area merchants. Student Activities is very interested in this.

Meeting Schedule: The dates for the rest of the FA 08 meetings are November 7th and December 5th.

Minutes submitted by Susan Montavon, Administrative Secretary, Office of the Provost.
 

UWC Strategic Planning Committee Minutes
September 19, 2008

Members Present: Kitty Linde, Co-Chair, Dave Todt, Darrell Rudmann, Elinda Boyles, Robert Mendris, Chuck Warner, Barb Kunkle, Mark Mirabello, Joe VanDeusen, Steve O’Rourke, Cathy Mullins

Co-Chair Kitty Linde opened the meeting, while Co-Chair Carl Hilgarth has been called for jury duty this month.

Approval of Minutes: Barb made a motion, second by Joe, to accept the minutes of the April 4, 2008 meeting. They were unanimously approved.

Charge for Strategic Planning Committee: Dave pointed out that there’s no formal charge for the committee yet, but we will continue with the planning and accreditation work we’ve already begun, such as AQIP and 20/20.

Distribution of Shawnee 20/20 Notebook and Handouts: Dave reviewed the notebooks of information about future planning, as Phase 2 of the 20/20 Planning Process resumes this fall. The notebooks will provide SPC members with all the source data from last year’s 20/20 initiative, including the reports of the Futures Teams. It also shows the Charge, the letter from the Chancellor that we received after his campus visit last spring, the results of the first planning meeting including the outcomes, and sections that capture the ideas of the three Futures Teams.

He explained that the SPC will synthesize and implement the work of the Teams and bring 20/20 to a conclusion, as well as address Ohio’s Strategic Plan as set forth by the Chancellor. It was noted that this committee is pivotal to the direction of the institution and will be instrumental in deciding how we spend our resources and our time.

Other Handouts:
· Planning Recommendations Template -- designed to move the strategic planning process forward. These should be submitted for every proposed project.
· Centers of Excellence handout – from the IUC Provosts. The SPC will have a role in determining SSU’s Center(s) of Excellence. Dave gave examples of what is being done at other universities. Although some already had Centers of Excellence, those are not automatically accepted by the chancellor. We hope to have potential areas identified by the end of the FA 08 semester.
· Peer Institutions: Dave passed out the mandated list of peer institutions produced by the USO (University System of Ohio), with some input from SSU. The discussion centered on the difficulties in comparing our unique university to other institutions. Although the list has been assigned to us, there are other types of lists that we can use for comparisons.

Points of Discussion:
· There’s an emphasis on economic development.
· There’s now a green light for more master’s programs.
· Although we won’t abandon our associate degrees, it will be necessary to rethink them and try to migrate them into baccalaureate programs.
· Development of online courses will help to keep Ohio competitive.

Action Projects: Dave just retired the two APs that have been completed, AP #3 Student Life and AP #4 Teaching & Learning Center. He also submitted reports on the two that we still list on the AQIP site, AP #1 Student Advising and AP #2 Scheduling. Although they have stalled, they are not retired. We expect to revive them with new input and focus before bringing them to completion. He also added our new Action Project, the One Card System. He may have feedback about our reports soon.

The One Card System: Although a committee hasn’t been appointed yet, Elinda and Chuck reported that preliminary work has been done through their offices to begin the process. We have a good plan that includes the cards themselves and the cameras to produce them. The transaction module infrastructure is ready for installation, although the transition itself will be a long process.

Points of Discussion:
· A separate Action Team isn’t actually necessary, but this project will definitely need a comprehensive and diverse oversight group to coordinate the complex issues involved.
· Chuck reports that UIS is working on setting up a test system as a “proof of concept.”
· The Blackboard group has already given a presentation about how each element can work together, and agreed to do another demonstration at a future SPC meeting.
· A meal card system should be installed first, but will require Sodexo to make their changes at the same time.
· Additional money still has to be allocated, as well as time and other resources.
· Print management campus-wide also will be a direct service priority. It’s an immense undertaking that will require many decisions, such as which areas need the readers. We’ve found that when one area is monitored for print activity, students move to another. Other print questions concern whether operational areas can decide on their own individual control issues or if the rules should be made campus-wide.
· Cards could be loaded ahead or at the end of the term. Students should be able to check balances online and even receive refunds. The system will require fiscal responsibility on their part, however.
· We need to prioritize all the potential transaction areas, such as vending machines, access to the Athletic Center, and even offsite activities. A parking garage is not part of our current plans and will only be considered if future growth demands it.
· Many buildings must be retrofitted.

AQIP Systems Portfolio Update: Cathy Mullins and Michael Field have pulled together the information gathered by the groups that worked on it last spring and they are preparing the initial draft of the entire document to share with the campus. Cathy reported that there are still a few gaps since some answers hinged on other categories, but it should be completed by next week.

Meeting Schedule: Dave will be stepping back some from his role with strategic planning, and Darrell Rudmann (Interim Associate Provost for Institutional Planning) will be taking his place in that capacity on the committee.

Chuck will contact Blackboard to see if they can give a demonstration of the One Card System at our next meeting on October 3rd.

The schedule for the rest of the FA 08 meetings is:
October 3
November 7
December 5

Minutes submitted by Susan Montavon, Administrative Secretary, Office of the Provost.
 

UWC-Strategic Planning Committee Minutes
April 4, 2008

Members Present: Dave Todt, Elinda Boyles, Robert Mendris, Brooke Miller, Chuck Warner, Barb Kunkle, Mark Mirabello, Joe VanDeusen, Steve O’Rourke, Ed Kehres

Dave opened the meeting in the absence of the co-chairs, since Kitty was in Africa and Carl in Columbus.

Approval of Minutes: Joe made a motion, second by Ed, to accept the minutes of the February 8, 2008 meeting. They were unanimously approved.

AQIP Systems Portfolio: Dave gave a short explanation of the AQIP training that Cathy and Carl attended in order to prepare for our Systems Portfolio. They returned from the workshop in Illinois reporting that they’re confident we can be successful with it. The plan is to prepare the bulk of the project through engaging the whole campus to work alongside our Committee. He distributed a handout designating the faculty, staff, and Committee members who will assist in the gathering of information for each AQIP category. Cathy’s role will then be to pull all the information together into a consistent document. The hope is that there will be a draft by August, about six weeks for the campus to review it, and then a presentation to the BOT in September. Our first portfolio is due in November of 2008.

There was a discussion about communicating to the campus that AQIP is now our “accreditation” process, and that it’s a much superior system than before. We need to stress its importance for our future. In answer to a question about how 20/20 fits into the document, Dave pointed out that there is a limit on pages, so we’re not sure yet how it will plug into our questions. The role of our Committee is as advisors to AQIP, and to planning and accreditation that’s beyond the Action Projects. Dave pointed out that we haven’t quite mastered the Action Project process yet.

Update on the Chancellor's Master Plan: The final plan was distributed in March and included two reports -- a ten-year plan and a companion report -- that give the status of higher education in Ohio. They hope that the plans will carry Ohio forward through the next ten years. Dave will work with Darrell Rudmann, interim Director of Institutional Planning, to form a Learning Community that will review them in preparation for the Chancellor’s upcoming campus visit in April of 2008. In Fall, 2008, we plan to resume our 20/20 program with the knowledge gained from the Chancellor’s report. We need to respond quickly. There was a discussion about whether the community college concept will adversely affect SSU’s undergraduate programs, but the door is now open for us to do more graduate degrees.

Action Projects: The newly approved One Card System will replace either one or two of our previous Action Projects and is now part of the current budget discussions. It’s definitely important enough to move it forward. Projects 1 (Advising) and 2 (Scheduling) still need to be brought to closure by resolving any remaining issues. There was a discussion about how we can accomplish that closure, focusing on the complex advising issues that still need to be addressed. It was decided that we need to review the Advising Project report, and possibly solicit input from the SSC and other committees to further the discussion. Projects 3 (Student Life) & 4 (Teaching & Learning Center) are complete and should be removed from the list.

The next meeting is pending, due to many end-of-year scheduling conflicts.

Minutes submitted by Susan Montavon, Administrative Secretary, Office of the Provost.
 

UWC-Strategic Planning Committee Minutes
February 8, 2008

Members Present: Carl Hilgarth & Kitty Linde, Co-Chairs, Dave Todt, Elinda Boyles, Robert Mendris, Brooke Miller, Chuck Warner, Barb Kunkle, Jared Shoemaker, Brian Saul, Mark Mirabello, Joe VanDeusen, Cathy Mullins, and guest, Jeff Perez

Approval of Minutes: Kitty made a motion, second by Elinda, to accept the minutes of the December 17, 2007 meeting. They were unanimously approved.

AQIP Systems Portfolio: Cathy Mullins and Carl Hilgarth will be attending the AQIP Systems Portfolio Workshop in Lisle, Illinois, on Feb. 28-29 and asked if any other members would like to attend and serve as part of our portfolio writing team. They will be making that commitment for the rest of the year. Barb Kunkle volunteered. Our first Portfolio Review will be in November of 2008.

Dave explained the current accreditation process, which now leads up to our writing a Systems Portfolio every four years to track and measure the results of our efforts. It is now the key to our accreditation. Our first portfolio is due in November of 2008 and will be our biggest job in the AQIP process. We will need everyone's assistance.

Update on Chancellor's Master Plan: Although we are only hearing a little at a time, the issue that is bringing the most discussion is the Seniors to Sophomores idea that is being proposed. The final Plan should be going to the legislature by March 31st. There was a general discussion of how this may affect SSU and how it has put our own 20/20 plan on hold. Funding and housing will be major issues, as well as the effect on the high school students' sports and extra-curricular activities. The Chancellor should be coming to SSU in April to explain how it will affect our university.

One Card System Proposal: It was agreed that this is an exciting proposal and that making it an Action Project will help to finally make it happen. It should be activated as an AP knowing that is open-ended.

Motion to make the One Card System the #5 Action Project: Jared Shoemaker
Vote: Unanimous

Although many miscellaneous concerns were raised, Rita Morris will appoint a Process Owner for this AP from the Cabinet, then appoint the project team. They will be charged with evaluating the issues of timeframe, equipment, software, installation, funding, etc.

Action Project 2: Scheduling (and Resource 25): Carl has talked to Jeff Perez, and was told that the calendar system is being addressed now. There was a discussion of whether this should be a continuation of the previous Action Project #2 or become a brand new project. Although semester conversion has relieved some of the problems with classroom space, there are still scheduling issues to resolve. Carl would like to meet with all those involved in AP #2 before deciding whether to keep it active, completely modify it, or close it and develop a new project altogether.

Jeff Perez reported on the development of a new calendar that will better reflect our resources than the current system with Resource 25. He and Leigh Gerlach hope that it will better inform the campus and be more visually pleasing and useful. The discussion centered on the way that many of our systems were set up separately, so they are not integrated now and are unable to 'communicate.' It was decided to encourage Jeff to move ahead, but keep it an open issue.

Video: The Customer is Always Dwight

Committee Participation: Carl encouraged the committee members to be advocates for AQIP and think about the 'processes' involved. We can become mini process managers on our own.

(The March 7th meeting was canceled due to scheduling problems.)

Minutes submitted by Susan Montavon, Administrative Secretary, Office of the Provost.