President’s Cabinet & Deans’ Council March 18, 2009 Wilkes University President’s Cabinet & Deans’ Council (UCOM 231) March 18, 2009 In attendance: Leader – Reynold Verret (via phone), Tim Gilmour, Petra Carver, Jack Chielli, Paul Adams, Mike Wood, Maria Suarez, John Stachacz, Chip Prescott, Melanie Mickelson, Dale Bruns, Tom Baldino, Paul Browne AGENDA ITEM APPROVAL OF MINUTES UPDATE – MELANIE MICKELSON DISCUSSION The minutes of March 11, 2009 were approved as modified Action Items Bolded Ms Mickelson provided an update on enrollment She stated that financial aid packages were mailed a little over a week ago Recent reports indicate that we are in mid-range of our peers Freshman deposits are at 183, up from 166 a year ago However, this is an unfair comparison since last year’s packages were mailed at a later date The accept rate is down by 60 students as compared to last year Ms Mickelson stated that we need to work on the yield through retention and that one of the best ways to this is through personal contact Dr Adams explained that the primer will assist in raising awareness and will help direct people on ways to make personal contact Dr Adams will assume a leadership role, with assistance from Ms Carver and Ms Mickelson, in passing along the primer to the deans and other key people, including Ms Janine Becker and Mr Jerry Palmaioli The deans will forward the primer to the chairs for distribution to advisors It was suggested that a global communication be crafted that provides information to faculty, staff, and administration outlining various ways they can help with recruitment and retention by interacting with both current and prospective students Dr Adams reported that a similar message has been crafted to advisors in the primer He added that the list of advisees currently sent to advisors does not indicate whether or not a student has a financial hold It was agreed that these holds can be reported to the advisors, as long as specific information and/or balances are not revealed This will give the advisors a better opportunity to reach out to all students regardless of a hold on their account that Dr Adams will take a leadership role, with assistance from Ms Carver and Ms Mickelson, in passing along the primer to the deans and other key people, including Ms Janine Becker and Mr Jerry Palmaioli UPDATE – JOHN STACHACZ Mr Stachacz provided an update on the CIO search He stated that schedules are being prepared for the committee’s top candidates who have agreed to interview on campus UPDATE – JACK CHIELLI Mr Chielli announced that a press conference is scheduled for the announcement of the pipeline agreement that we have with LCCC and The Commonwealth Medical College on March 25, 2009 at noon in the Henry Student Center, Savitz Lounge President’s Cabinet & Deans’ Council UPDATE – TOM BALDINO March 18, 2009 Dr Baldino provided a report for the following Departments: Communications Dr Andrea Frantz nominated student Andrew Seaman as a National Collegiate Journalists of the Year, and he received this award Another student nominated by Prof Frantz, Gino Troiani, also received recognition for his work as a student journalist Professors Frantz and Stine took six students to the College Media Advisors Conference in New York where they attended panels on the First Amendment The department’s faculty is attending the Eastern Communications Conference in Philadelphia in late April Faculty members are making presentations on panels with students as co-authors of papers/research Humanities Several members of the English department traveled to Pittsburgh with a group of English majors for a national conference earlier this month Both faculty and students presented papers Behavioral and Social Sciences Criminology: Andrew Feldman, a major and a wrestler, was named an Academic All American Dr Merryman will take his Model UN class to the UN to participate in the Model UN program with universities from across the country later this month Political Science: Sigma Pi, the Wilkes chapter of Pi Sigma Alpha, the national political science honor society, presented a lecture by Prof Rogers Smith of the University of Pennsylvania on Thursday, March 19 The lecture was funded by a grant from Pi Sigma, the seventh straight year that the chapter received a grant through a competitive review process Department faculty and three of its majors will travel to Elizabethtown College later in March to attend the PA Political Science Association meeting, where several of the faculty are participating on panels and hold leadership positions in the Association Psychology: Eleven psychology majors attended the Eastern Psychological Association meeting in early March Four students presented their research Two psych majors recently were notified that their research papers were accepted for the Undergraduate Research Symposium at Lebanon Valley College Anna McFadden, a junior, was selected to complete a research fellowship funded by the NSF at Clemson University this summer Four psych club students made a presentation to a group of Step-by-Step consumers in the Vocational program on March Sociology: Students in Dr Stringer’s women and crime course completed survey work in the Lackawanna County prison that they will present at the Women’s Studies conference later in March Students in Dr Stringer’s Juvenile Delinquency course participated in Black History Month activities at the PA Child Care Center and served as volunteers to assist in preparing for the day Finally, Dr Stringer was accepted to the National Women’s Studies Association Spellman Summer Institute for junior faculty in Atlanta (It includes a grant that covers all her expenses.) President’s Cabinet & Deans’ Council March 18, 2009 UPDATE – DALE BRUNS Dr Bruns announced that it was reported by the Times Leader on March 12, 2009 that Wilkes University’s Institute for Environmental Science and Sustainability will be receiving a $1.2 million for electronic mapping systems used to capture, analyze and present data for agricultural purposes from the federal government These funds will be shared with other research universities and will help to keep our GIS Center current in technology and data to support faculty and student research and projects BUDGET ISSUES – PETRA CARVER Ms Carver announced that the 2010 budget consisting of models has been drafted and was presented to the Finance Committee for approval It will be presented to the full Board on April rd She explained that various models are necessary in preparation for potential enrollment and revenue shortfalls to enable the University to act as quickly as possible if necessary She added that many questions and uncertainties have been surfacing and that she has scheduled two open forums for faculty and staff on March 20th and 24th to address these concerns and answer questions Additional budget information meetings will be scheduled to communicate detailed plans for the contingency models In June when preliminary enrollment numbers are available potential next steps will be communicated to the University community Dr Gilmour added that the President’s letter, scheduled to go out to the campus community following the April Board meeting, will also address concerns regarding the 2010 budget and outline what lies ahead Ms Carver will schedule a meeting with Dr Verret and Dr Bruns to review capital equipment needs and track priority items for Science and Engineering that Ms Carver schedule a meeting with Dr Verret and Dr Bruns to review capital equipment needs and track priority items for Science and Engineering COMMENCEMENT ISSUES – PAUL ADAMS Dr Adams discussed the issue of graduates leaving the commencement ceremony early, particularly those receiving master and doctorate degrees It was decided to reverse the order in which diplomas are presented and for Dr Verret to make a statement at the beginning of the ceremony requesting everyone to stay for the entire ceremony Dr Adams will relay this information to Dr Speziale and Dr Graham that Dr Adams inform Dr Graham and Dr Speziale that the order in which diplomas are presented will be reversed at this year’s commencement ceremony DATE OF NEXT MEETING ADJOURNMENT The next Cabinet meeting is scheduled for March 25, 2009 at 10:00 a.m in UCOM, room 223 There being no further business the meeting was adjourned at 11:50 a.m Respectfully submitted, Susan DiBonifazio ...President’s Cabinet & Deans? ?? Council UPDATE – TOM BALDINO March 18, 2009 Dr Baldino provided a report for the following Departments: Communications Dr Andrea Frantz nominated student Andrew Seaman... Board meeting, will also address concerns regarding the 2010 budget and outline what lies ahead Ms Carver will schedule a meeting with Dr Verret and Dr Bruns to review capital equipment needs and. .. priority items for Science and Engineering that Ms Carver schedule a meeting with Dr Verret and Dr Bruns to review capital equipment needs and track priority items for Science and Engineering COMMENCEMENT