Deans’ Council Minutes
6/18/98
 
 
R. Rodrigues (presiding), V. Fuhro, D. Ferrier, P. Kavanaugh, J. Holt, M. Dyer, C.  Lerma, M. Stephenson, E. Pena, A. Zavaleta, P. McGehee (Guest).
 
 
 1) TASP
 
 P. McGehee, the director of the Office of Testing informed the Deans that any student that receives a failing score on the writing section of TASP or Mathematics will be retested using the ASSET. This retesting is required so that the student can be assessed into the appropriate level of Developmental Writing and Math.
 
 Students that fail the reading section of TASP will automatically be assessed into Reading 0300 where J. Ayala will do second tier testing and assign students to the appropriate level.
 
 P. McGehee informed the Deans that this protocol is necessary because TASP is simply a basic skills test. It cannot be used to place students. ASSET on the other hand is a placement instrument.
 
 McGehee also informed the Deans that he anticipates administering the ASSET test to 500 students in July and 700 students in August. He said that he has worked diligently to test and register students as early as possible. He said that the disadvantage of the new law which requires a student to possess a TASP score before registration is that students will not be able to take the TASP test up to the 11th class day and still be eligible for registration as was the case in the pasty.
 
 E. Pena informed the Deans Council that students will not be advised until they have taken the TASP test.
 
 Students with enough ACT or SAT test scores will be exempted from taking the TASP test.
 
 BISD will cover the cost for one administration of either the ACT, ACT or TASP test for its students.
 
 McGehee also informed the Deans that a high enough TASS score will exempt students from taking the TASP. R. Rodrigues noted that we should obtain a copy of the TASS scores from Ms. Mary Jo Monfils.
 
 2) COMP Since P. McGehee was already present at the Deans’ Council Meeting R. Rodrigues asked him to talk to the Deans about what was happening with the administration of the COMP test.
 
 P. McGehee informed the Deans that only students who accumulated 52-75 college level credit hours are post tested with the COMP.
 
 P. McGehee said that it was very difficult to get post test scores on the people who have accumulated that number of credits. On those occasions when they are post-tested 50% of examinees report that they put little effort into doing well on the test.
 
 McGehee said that he has taken Joe Steele’s (an ACT representative) recommendations for improving the experience of the students taking the COMP but this has not improved the results.

 
 The Deans agreed that, thus far, the results of the COMP tests have been less than satisfying.
 
 Suggestions for improving the use of the COMP test were:
  1) Test students who are out of developmental.
  2) Test students who are in freshman level Math and English Composition classes.
  3) Test students who are TASP exempt.
  4) Deans should encourage faculty to allow freshman students to take the COMP test during regularly scheduled classes (e.g. University Experience).
 
 A. Zavaleta said that the group that attended the Conference in North Carolina on General Education would have some recommendations regarding assessment in their report of conference activities. One thing that he learned that he shared with the group was that each institution has to develop its own criteria for success and then develop measures that are appropriate to the institution.
 
 3) Guest Speaker - Deans’/ Chairs’ Workshop
  Kevin Pennington, from Western Carolina University will speak to the Deans, Chairs, and other faculty and staff on Friday, July 24th from 1-4:00 pm.
 
  Flyers regarding the work and presentation of Kevin will be forthcoming.
 
 All two weeks of the Deans’/Chairs’ workshop (except the July 24th presentation) will be held in the 3rd floor conference room in SETB. Kevin Pennington’s presentation is scheduled for SETB 1336.
 
 4) 12 Graduate Credits in Contact Areas
 
 M. Stephenson reported to the Deans that BISD will be giving an additional stipend to those BISD teachers that have taken 12 graduate hours in their teaching area.
 
 S. Pena is working with the Curriculum and Instruction Department so that students can get a M.Ed. in C & I with 12 graduate hours in a student’s teaching area.
 
 The Mathematics Department is working to develop 4 three credit graduate Mathematics classes in anticipation of the demand from the local school districts.
 
 The Deans talked about the importance of developing an interdisciplinary graduate Math-Science program in anticipation of the demand from the local school districts.
 
 R. Rodrigues suggested that V. Kirk search for grants for the possible establishment of a future Summer Math-Science Institute for students and teachers.
 
 
 
 5) Graduate Scholarships
 
 M. Stephenson informed the Deans that the remaining money for graduate scholarships would be distributed according to the numbers of students in each graduate program. She will calculate what those percentages are and inform the Deans of the amount of money each graduate program will have to distribute to its graduate students.
 
 6) Other
 W. Lewis informed the Deans that HETS is in the process of searching for an Executive Director.
 
 J. Holt informed the Deans that The Career Opportunity Retraining Program has requested a six month extension for the teaching of only ESL to the displaced workers.