Strategic Planning Committee Meeting
Sisler Conference Room
August 9, 2001 - 3 p.m.
Present:
James Roark, Betty Jo Armagost, Mike Bohnhoff, Roger Davis, Kent Estes, Randal Haack, Marilyn Hadley, Kathy Livingston, John Oseth, James Rundstrom, Debbie Schroeder, Denise Schlake, Kenya Taylor, William Wozniak, and Annabell Zikmund
Absent:
Barbara Audley, Charles Bicak, Bruce Elder, Ben Homan, Roger Jones, Peter Longo, Ryan Samuelson, James Scott, and Mike Sumpter
Staff:
Karin Covalt
Chairman Roark extended greetings to the new members attending the meeting: Kenya Taylor (Chair of the Council of Chairs) and William Wozniak (Faculty Senate President).
VC Haack shared a Power Point presentation on the UNK construction projects. The College of Education building is on target to be completed in April 2002; West Center was completed in May 2001; Otto Olsen, Phase I will be completed in August 2002; Bruner Hall of Science has a December 2003 target completion date; and the Nebraskan Union should be finished in October 2002. The Spillway Park Gazebo will be completed by Homecoming this year. VC Haack invited the Strategic Planning Committee to tour campus projects. He reviewed recent miscellaneous improvements, including residence hall improvements totaling $1.6 million this summer. Future construction plans at UNK include Otto Olsen, Phase II; Bruner Hall of Science, Phase II; Fine Arts Building; Foster Field; and further residence hall improvements.
Oseth distributed an Admissions update. The positive outlook reflected in this update is encouraging. Some of the success must be attributed to the increased recruiting efforts of many administrators, faculty and staff spreading UNK's story. The retention rate has also improved significantly. We have a cutting-edge, top of the line product at UNK, and as more people learn about the quality we offer, we should be able to attract more high-quality students.
Zikmund asked if we had enrollment numbers for Hastings and Doane. Those schools were able to entice several top music students that UNK was recruiting. She further questioned if the Lied Foundation might be a prospect for funding scholarships as they have done at other universities. The other three NU campuses have received Lied grants, but UNK has not. Although that might be a prospect for funds, it was advised that the University of Nebraska Foundation controls contact with the Lied Foundation.
VC Schlake reported that residence halls have been deep cleaned and painted this summer. New furniture has been or will be placed in the halls this academic year. Major repairs have concentrated on the infrastructure. Schlake has held meetings with all her current staff. As a part of the recent reorganization of Student Affairs, Admissions and Financial Aid now report to the Chancellor through John Oseth. Public Safety, the Learning Center, and Intramurals are newcomers to the Student Affairs Division.
Roark reported for Academic Affairs. Last year twenty-two searches for tenure track positions were conducted; twenty-one of the searches were successfully completed. We have hired a total of sixty new faculty. Of that number, approximately 50% are female and four new faculty are minority. For the last four years, data on tenure and promotion reflect about the same percentages. We are keeping up with our reference groups in our attempts to diversify faculty. The primary reasons given by faculty that are leaving UNK are "personal reasons."
Last year UNK went through the process of prioritizing programs. This year, we will be looking at UNK's current strategic plan with the idea of updating and revising it. The goal will be to create a shorter version much like the Information Technology Strategic Plan. The new Plan should be appropriate to guide short-term budgeting plans for UNK. It should define where we would like to be a couple years from now and what we could achieve if we received a large sum of money. To this end, Bohnhoff distributed an overview chapter for members to review. Schroeder advised that page 39 was missing, and that will be supplied to members in the near future. Roark would also like the plan to incorporate a series of objectives regarding assessment.
Meeting was adjourned.
The next meeting will be held in the Sisler Room, Student Affairs Building on Friday, September 21, at 3 p.m.