ACADEMIC COUNCIL MINUTES

September 22, 2005

Rick Wolf was invited to come and speak to Academic Council about women students who have problems with harassment and stalking on campus.  In 1994, there were 26 incidents and the next year (1995) there were 30.  However, we are currently averaging 8-9 harassment cases per year.  Although our security assists them, some of these women withdraw from school.  Questions raised included the following: 

• What can we do to offer more help or assistance to these women? 
• What kinds of services are other campuses offering? 
• What are the goals and objectives of these services? 
• Who manages these services? 
• Can we make this a part of “Take Back the Night”? 

Aimee will check resources on other campuses and Stuart will touch base with legal counsel regarding liability issues. 

Gerry Stroman talked about early warning forms that alert students if there is a problem with their grades.  The forms are expensive and she only sent out three forms last year.   It was decided we should continue using the forms to monitor and manage our students’ success.   Let faculty know there will be forms available in their departments.  Faculty are doing through Oncourse, but grades should be communicated in more than one way to get through to students and let them know if they are doing well.  Now is a good time to let students know they are not doing well.  Stuart will send out an e-mail to faculty.

Regarding the problem of students enrolling for class, not attending, and then being billed for the class, the Registrar is going to issue a statement to enrolling students that registration is a contract.  We will look into additional ways to inform students regarding the consequences of failing to cancel a registration. This is a matter also under review at the Cabinet level. 

Stuart Green announced that we have been awarded a $1,500,000 over 5 years CAPE grant to create a center for Early Childhood Education.  $300,000 will be set aside at the Howard County Community Foundation as an endowment to sustain the Center.

Sharon Calhoon talked about CTLA Assessment.  We need to put in place a process for applying for funds.  We need to know how to plan what we need in budget, what we need the funds for, what we will be doing with them.  Distribute funds fairly when planning budget.  Each year let Sharon know what you need.

Strategic Planning Process – Stuart.    As the next step in the process, Chancellor Person will present the new mission statement and a draft of strategic priorities at the convocation tomorrow. 

Chancellor Person is planning a joint meeting with a group of campus leaders based on the new book From Good to Great.  She will use this book to discuss how we can move the campus from being a good campus to being a great campus.

Revised on 10/20/05