Deans’ Council Meeting Minutes
August 20, 1998
 
R. Rodrigues (presiding), B. Boze, J. Holt, D. Ferrier, J. Martin, V. Fuhro, M. Dyer, P. Kavanaugh.
 
NEW BUSINESS
 
1. Distance Education Proposals:

• Vice Chancellor Mario Diaz, from the UT system, has requested proposals for distance education courses.
• BEFORE the system requested programs and not courses. NOW they are requesting courses and not programs.
• Faculty should send proposals concerning distance education courses to Wayne Lewis as soon as possible so that he can submit them to the system by September 15, 1998.
• These proposals for courses can be for concurrent enrollment as well as for classes to be transmitted to Mexico. The proposals for courses are welcome as long as they are delivered through distance education. 

2. Graduate Admissions:

• P. Kavanaugh presented the two proposals for revisions in the Graduate Admissions criteria to the Deans’ Council. There was discussion and further revisions.
• R. Rodrigues suggested that P. Kavanaugh investigate what is in the UT-Austin catalogue regarding Graduate Admissions criteria.
• The new proposal for Graduate Admissions criteria needs to be sent to the UT system by September 1.

3. Hispanic Week Calendar:

• P. Kavanaugh spoke to the Deans’ Council about the calendar of events for Hispanic Heritage Month, September 12 -October 12, 1998.
• R. Rodrigues requested that Deans encourage their faculty to incorporate events from Hispanic Heritage Month into their syllabi.  

4. HOOP Policy - Staff Teaching Academic and Technical Courses

• B. Boze informed the Deans that the policy to allow staff to be compensated for teaching is ready for a second read in the Faculty Senate.
• B.Boze said that, in practice, the policy will only apply to salaried staff as the cost of compensating hourly staff at time-and-a-half would be prohibitively expensive.
• B. Boze feels that, after the policy goes through the Faculty senate, it will go to the UT system.
• At the present time, B. Boze feels that this policy will be approved by the System and that it will become a policy for the other components in the UT-system as well.

5. Discussion on opening the school year

• R. Rodrigues asked the Deans for suggestions on what he should include in his address to the faculty during his session with them during the first week of school.
• R. Rodrigues informed the Deans that he will speak to the entire faculty about the issues that were addressed in the Deans’/Chairs’ workshop this summer. R. Rodrigues reiterated his concern that assessments continue to be done and that the evaluation of faculty needs to be done in a serious manner.
• R. Rodrigues also told the Deans that the President will speak to the faculty about the Mission of the institution.
• Several participants in the Deans’ Council commented on the apparent continuing difficulties that students have in registration.
• The various departments in the Division of Student Affairs have been engaged in a process of Continuous Program Improvement in the past year to address student concerns.
• R. Rodrigues informed the Deans that V. Fuhro is working to develop a model for funding by which UTB/TSC’s programs and those of other "emerging institutions" will be supported adequately. 

6. CASE Teaching Awards action calendar

• V. Fuhro distributed the calendar by which UTB/TSC faculty will be nominated for the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) Professor of the Year Award.
• Each educational institution may nominate up to three faculty members for this award. 

7. Reports due on increased section sizes

•   R. Rodrigues reminded the Deans that he would like them to send him their reports on sections which have increased in size.

8. Other

• P. Kavanaugh informed the Deans that the External Reviewers of program reviews are performing this work in an enthusiastic and serious manner.
• M. Dyer informed the Deans that the BSN program received a recommendation for a full five year accreditation from the National League of Nursing.
• All departments doing ExCET training should communicate what they are doing re: ExCET to Zelma Mata and the ExCET committee.