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Faculty Senate Agenda – October 10, 2017
Attendance:
Present: Brice Noonan, Jeff Pickerd, Patrick Alexander, Nancy Wicker, Brad Jones, Zia Shariat-Madar, Brenda Prager, Randy Watkins, Chris Mullen, Tossi Ikuta, Byung Jang, Lei Cao, Ethel Scurlock, Andrew Lynch, Jennifer Gifford, KoFan Lee, Zachary Kagan Guthrie, April Holm, Evangeline Robinson, Antonia Eliason, Stacy Lantagne, Kimberly Kaiser, Cecelia Parks, Alternate for Amy Gibson, John Berns, Sumali Conlon, Allyn White, Martial Longla, Tejas Pandya, Sara Wellman, Stephen Fafulas, Mary Roseman, Megan Rosenthal, Gary Theilman, Deborah Mower, Tim Nordstrom, Marilyn Mendolia, Christian Sellar, Younghee Lim, Ana Velitchkova, Roy Thurston, Mark Ortwein, Jessica Essary
• Call Meeting to Order
o 6:00 called to order
o Quorum present
• Approval of September 12 2017 Minutes
o Motion to approve – Christian Sellar
o Approved unanimous
• Approval of May 9 2017 Minutes
o Motion to approve – unanimous approval
• Dr. Jeffrey Vitter – Chancellor & Distinguished Professor
o Hope you all take part in tomorrow’s town hall
 Packed agenda
 David McGee is moderating
 Will be discussing some university initiatives
 Noel Wilkins will be unveiling strategic plan
• The strategic plan does come from the first town hall from last year, and it is organized around the 4 main pillars that came out from the listening tours
o Academic excellence, building healthy and vibrant communities, people places and resources, and athletics excellence –
 Each pillar also has four goals
 There will be some interactive participation
• Themes “imagining the future”
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o Where will we be in 2-5 years?
o Status of confederate statue and contextualization
 Committed from the beginning to the 2014 action plan when taking the position
 As a community, it is important that we neither erase, nor hide from the problems of the past
 Contextualization is focused on learning
• 15-month process that was announced in July to contextualize 9 spaces on campus
 The work of the committee received great acclaim from Atlantic article (https://www.theatlantic.com/education/archive/2017/09/what-ole-miss-can-teach-universities-about-grappling-with-their-pasts/540324/)
 Repairs to the statue will be going on over the next few weeks. No public funds are being used for the work.
 Designs of plaques are done, and we will be able to see them soon
• Working with archives and history to figure out how to attach the signs to the buildings safely
• No public funds will be used, may seek funds from donors
o Mascot
 Met with several groups on campus (Faculty senate, Graduate student counsel, Staff counsel, Athletics department, and Alumni) to discuss making them change to the new mascot – broad support
 Student vote over 81%
 Looking to find a mascot that people can have fun with and not be offended by
o Vice chancellor for Development hired
 This position is a new position, but it was needed to be on par with other institutions around the country
 Charlotte Parks – came from University of South Carolina (https://www.olemiss.edu/people/cpparks)
• Her experience brings exactly what we need to be successful in the capital campaign
 This is really important as UM is about to launch a capital campaign
• Which is particularly important given the funding cuts from the state
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 Philanthropy is crucial for our institution to continue to advance
 Have also moved to be more effective internally to connect with UMMC and Athletics
 Position entirely supported by private funds
o Questions:
 Q: Are there any legal conflicts with the mascot change?
 A: We do have licensing rights to “land-shark” and “fins-up”, and have had them for roughly a year. We have a slightly hirer fee, so that the extra monies can be used to support of military and veteran students. The most exciting part about the mascot change is that it was an organic development from the students.
 Q: Does the university have a plan to handle events such as those in Charlottesville?
 A: We hope that how we have handled the contextualization process and how the community has come together that these groups understand they are not welcome here. We have no tolerance for racism and hatred. We reject violence in our community. We have a taskforce with a number of law enforcement groups around the state to discuss the issue and we will protect our community. Charlottesville was not handled adequately; we will not be repeating those mistakes. We will keep violent people off of our campus. What I am gratified in is that we have done the contextualization process in a positive way to bring the community along. Rather than remove parts of history, how can we add to our campus environment to better represent all aspects of our history. I hope, for the good of the community, that we can keep all of the positives that have come from the contextualization committee.
• Dr. Noel Wilkin –Provost & Executive Chancellor
o Please interrupt with questions
o Searches:
 The following searches will be completed using a search firm:
• Vice Chancellor Research
• Graduate School Dean
• Dean of Applied Sciences
o International partners to help us to recruit international students
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 We looked at four partners and made a recommendation – Chose to work with Shorelight (https://shorelight.com)
• Currently working on contract
• Shorelight will work to recruit direct entry (72), IAP, ESL (40) and graduate students
o Q: Shorelight will offer courses for ESL or will we?
o A: It will be both and our faculty will be offered the opportunity to teach in those courses and we will be offering courses as well. The other concern was that we would bring in this group of international partners and in other institutions have used that as a chance to get rid of Office of Global Engagement (OGE) staff. We are not doing that here. The idea is that it will generate additional revenue to offset the costs of getting those students up to speed.
 Enrollment preview
• We have an average yield rate of 28%
• We are doing a great job of bringing students here, we are admitting many of these students, but they are not coming here.
• As our ACT scores go up, these students have more options. Most students apply to 7 institutions.
• We believe that in order to get these students to enroll is going to take a hirer level of engagement from faculty
 Accreditation
• Due Sept 10, 2018
• Jan 2019
o QEP due
• March 2019
o On site review
• QEP topic
o Critical thinking
 Aimed at the 1st and 2nd year grad students
 Experiential learning, curriculum opportunities
 Accomplish objective by investing in faculty
 Welcomeness of the grove
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• 4theREBS to educate the Olemiss community about the values of our institution
• Q: What are the concerns?
• A: Distribution of the state flags and state flag stickers and people were feeling unwelcome if they opt not to take the flag or sticker.
 Enrollment trends and data
• PRELIMINARY:
o We have been steadily growing since 2009
 2-4% growth rate
o As this growth rate occurred we have been increasing our requirements for out of state students for automatic approval for enrollment
o 2016 was the first class for whom we implemented a 21 ACT
 This became the largest group of applicants
o Have had a slight decrease in enrollment because of decreases in regional enrollment and community college enrollments (because students want online learning)
o Q: What is the rate of student retention?
o A: We will get to those numbers in one minute.
 We need to focus on place bound students and how to reach them
 The money that flows from regional campuses is not solid money
 Grad and professional enrollment has slightly decreased
o Q: Do we have a study of why students are shifting to online?
o A: Not currently. The growth in online courses has been triple digits. Some of that it because these students have jobs. Should universities offer a master’s program to students remotely? That is a question that we will have to struggle with.
o Q: We know that nationally that we are going towards a smaller demographic of students, what are our long-term plans?
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o A: If we don’t turn around the enrollment trends over the long term we will have to examine which departments are struggling and potentially reallocate resources accordingly. Offering as much help as possible to help them to be successful.
o Our student population is currently made up of 59% resident students
 We believe that our cost to educate students who are from within the state is not covered by state appropriations
o Only two schools (accountancy and journalism) had increases in enrollment
o Compared to SEC and SUG, all schools are growing. We are third smallest (23271 vs 21622 – MS state) – but the other institutions are growing faster than we are
 Q: Do those other schools have similar filters?
 A: Yes, they do, and they are also trying to increase ACT scores
o Graduate enrollment
 Education largest enrollment
• Has many online programs
 Applications have been steady over time
 Chairs can track applications year over year and see how that compares across campus
o Professional schools have taken a hit
 Law and pharmacy school decreases
o Freshmen trends
 When we moved to 22 we saw a decrease in the number of applications
 Number of non-resident applications in 2017 was 12404
• The number of people asked to complete the supplement is decreasing
• There is an incredible competition to get even waitlisted students to come to campus
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 Q: If the review process had gone as it normally did and we admitted (ACT 21) what would have happened to enrollment?
 A: 2246 would have increased by 450
• We have changed the review threshold for people above 22 or 2.75 you get auto admittance
 Why students come?
• This year good incoming students noted that program for my major was ranked over social climate – academic reputation was third
• Transfer students were similar – and social climate much lower
• Only 28% of students reported a family connection for coming here
• Freshmen #s decrease to 3697 this year
• A firm will be evaluating enrollment policies to get a better sense of what is driving student decisions for possibly not coming here
• ACT scores dropped slightly this year
• GPA did not drop this year
o More predictive of student success
 Retention
• Trending above 85%
• 6 yr. graduation rate mirrors the retention rate
• Compared to other SUG universities
o Top of bottom 3rd
o Bottom 3rd of 6 yr. grad rates
 59.9% UM rate
 Diversity
• Overall minority enrollment is driven by in-state students
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• Non-residents make a contribution, but not the same
• #2 in SEC (13.4% 2015), only eclipsed by MS state
• 20.6% in SEC – middle of pack
• Some decline in African American enrollments this year
• Overall retention rates in SUG is 85.1% – but we can see that our institution does well in retaining these students (esp. African American students)
 Faculty
• Trend is growing
o Tenure track 582
 Non-tenure track – 296
• Slight decrease in assistant and full professor salaries
 Finances
• Tuition and fees 48.7%
• State appropriations 13.2%
• Auxiliary – 18.9%
o Athletics 58.8%
o Student housing 19.5%
o Inn at Ole Miss 2.3%
o Parking 3.7%
• Total operating
o 45.7% salary, wages, fringes etc.
• E & G
o 75.9% tuition and fees
o 18.5% state appropriations
o Q: Is this the money that goes into faculty salaries?
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o A: Yes, but this is not research dollars. We operate our own water, road, electrical, and phone company
o Q: I understand that increased enrollment would make the finances better, but given our space restrictions, how many students could we actually handle?
o A: I would, ask the deans that question, and we ask them that question every year. We then ask them to tell us what they would need to meet those goals.
o Q: Are we ever going to move away from the 3% growth rate given the constraints?
o A: We may have to move away from that going forward. But it all depends on how good our projections are.
o Q: Do we still have permission from IHL to raise tuition?
o A: IHL has not put a stop to that, but there has been some political maneuvering to get us to commit to not raising tuition on the promise of getting more state funding. But nothing has been officially decided yet.
 Q: Do you anticipate mid-year cuts again?
 A: It is based on projections from “ELBOW”, but we have not gotten any information to that effect yet
o We have to make sure that as an academy that we demonstrate the value of higher education
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 We also have to make sure that people are educated for their career not their first job
• Campus changes
o Most campus construction to be completed 2018
o STEM pushed back to 2020
o 1700 new parking spaces added
o Q: I have yet to see a lot of green infrastructure/appliances integrated into the construction yet, is it there?
o A: Yes, our contractors have been given direction to build LEED (energy efficient building) buildings. There are many other things that are going on, and I can get more information to everyone.
o Jackson Avenue Center – everything to the right of the MALCO has been renovated.
o Acquired the old Baptist memorial hospital with 489000 sq. ft.
 Q: Is that also possible swing space for people to move to during other renovations?
 A: Yes
o Ridership for OUT continues to increase
• Committee Reports
o Academic Instructional Affairs
 nothing
o Academic Conduct
 nothing
o Finance & Benefits
 Nothing
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o Development & Planning
 Met and are steps to develop draft proposals for the next meeting regarding ongoing contextualization recommendations.
 Brice – my reading of the 2014 report is that contextualization ought to continue. Katrina Caldwell will be coming to senate next semester.
o Governance
 Nothing
o Research & Creative Achievement
 We had a conversation about the database ICCPR (data archive) use for library
• What is the best way for the faculty to interact with the library?
• Will continue to brain-storm ideas
 Report from ORSP has been sent re: resolution from last year
• Committee will review and report
• Brice to circulate
o University Services
 Nothing
• Old Business
o NONE
• New Business
o University of Mississippi Institutional Repository – Comments/suggestions for additional archival needs requested (Michelle Emanuel: memanuel@olemiss.edu)
 Folks from library will be at our next meeting
 Is a place where things can be deposited and it will be searchable
 They want to know what this service will be used for
o Donna West-Strum
 Going to update the catalogue once per year rather than twice per year (i.e. one time snap shot)
o Non-tenure track faculty
 They continue to meet
 So far, the taskforce is comprised entirely of instructional faculty
 The effort continues to make progress
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 Their request of us is currently to get an understanding of what reservations faculty have about the inclusion of non-tenure track faculty within the senate
• Any changes need to be voted on by ALL faculty on campus
• C: If there are any departments that have a strong contingent of research faculty please encourage them to participate in these meetings (bnoonan@olemiss.edu, csellar@olemiss.edu)
• C: There may be many reservations, but many of them would depend on what their proposal is and the implementation
o C: They are looking for any specific non-starters (ex. inclusion in currently faculty senate)
o C: Polled non-tenure track in chemistry and the question was, is there any compensation for participation? And I didn’t know the answer.
 C: Some departments have services requirements, but that is not ubiquitous
• Adjournment – 8:00