Minutes of the
Faculty Senate
I. The meeting was called to order by
Senate President David Wyld at
II. Sen. Ramsey moved that the
III. Elections
A. Senate Election Results: Sen. Ply did not have the results of the Senate elections with her, but she has been in contact with all departments who need elections. The Visual Arts Department still has no representative on Faculty Senate.
B. Senate Executive Council Elections: Sen. Corbello had paper ballots prepared for each office of the Senate Executive Committee with a nominated candidate and spaces for additional candidates nominated from the floor. The results are as follows:
1. Senate President: David Wyld nominated for re-election; no new nominations. He was reelected unanimously.
2. Senate Vice-President: Nominees were David Ramsey and Laverne Simoneaux; no additional nominations. Each candidate was allowed to speak for 2 minutes.
a. Simoneaux recounted her service in Senate for 6 of her 8 years on campus and said she has enjoyed her experiences. She jokingly reminded senators of the many Senate Presidents who have come from the College of Business, so it might be time for a change.
b. Ramsey collegially countered in his remarks that, although he teaches in the College of Business and Technology, his degrees are in English and Communications. He recalled that this is his second stint in the Senate, having served 10 years ago. At that time, he was up for Senate Vice-President but was called away to the National Guard so could not serve. Ramsey offered his services as Vice-President, but said if he were not elected, he would participate in other ways.
c. Results of the secret ballot: Simoneaux re-elected. Wyld thanked Sen. Ramsey for running.
C. Recording Secretary: Joan Faust nominated; no additional nominations from the floor. She was unanimously re-elected.
D. Membership Secretary: Mary Sue Ply nominated; no nominations from the floor. She was unanimously re-elected.
E. Parliamentarian: John Yeargain nominated; no additional nominations. He was unanimously elected.
F. Member-at-Large: Margaret Gonzalez-Perez, Joe Mirando, and Terri Root were nominated for the two positions; no nominations from the floor. Each was allowed to address the Senate.
1. Gonzalez-Perez said she had been on Faculty Senate since 1998, and from 2000-2003 was chair of the Constitution and Bylaws Committee. Now, as chair of the Facilities and Planning Committee, she is coordinating the study of the feasibility of a faculty childcare facility, a study which has included conducting a faculty survey. She feels she has served the Senate well and has enjoyed it.
2. Mirando has been on the Senate Executive Council for 1 year as Member-at-Large and would like to get more involved in Senate. He hopes to move up to Vice-President and President, so he thinks it is important to start in the Member-at-Large position.
3. Root has previously served as Faculty Senate President and wants to continue to serve, either as a committee chair or Member-at-Large.
4. Because 2 of the 3 candidates were to be elected, the results were not announced until the end of the meeting. Gonzalez-Perez and Mirando were elected as Members-at-Large.
IV. Invited Guests
A. Dr. John Crain, Provost, addressed the Senate on two main issues:
1. Budget: because the Appropriations Committee will meet next week, Crain deferred his comments until the May meeting, which President Moffett might attend.
2. General Studies Reorganization: Crain gave the Senate an overview of the reorganization of the College of General Studies as well as of the related proposals coming out of the Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP) Team. Assistant Vice-President for Academic Affairs Dr. Bea Baldwin assisted.
a. Crain filled in the background of the changes in General Studies. Originally, the administration explored ways to address the Master Plan 2005 with a recruiting and marketing plan to attract students better prepared for university work, in particular those with ACT scores of 24 and higher. In tightening admission standards, Southeastern has succeeded in this effort.
b. Even before these efforts, fewer Developmental Education classes had been needed. When admission standards were implemented in 2000 and our focus shifted to recruitment of better-prepared students, the need for Developmental Education declined even further. With the Master Plan of 2005 requiring unprepared students to attend community colleges, the need for Developmental Education at Southeastern will be reduced even further.
c. Another factor is our graduation rate, which is the lowest in the Louisiana System. The Deans Council has addressed certain issues that hinder graduation. For one thing, about 50% of students enter Southeastern as “Undeclared Majors.” These tend to flounder around, changing majors and having a negative impact on our graduation rate. Many just go into General Studies since they have no hours specialized in a major. Southeastern does not want these students just to “end up” in General Studies.
d. It was decided to enroll these uncertain students into a General Studies curriculum and to be advised in the General Studies program, where they would receive help and guidance. They would be encouraged to choose another major, but if they did not, at least they would be able to graduate in a viable degree program.
e. In addition, it was decided that it was no longer feasible to have a separate unit providing Developmental Education, so these classes in math and English will go back to the departments.
f. It was also decided that the General Studies program could better serve students by not being located in a particular college but in its own academic unit, a system which has worked well at other institutions. Thus, all the pieces made sense together: move Developmental Education to the departments, change the College of Basic Studies to the College of General Studies, and have a program located there.
g. In addition, the QEP team has decided to focus on advising, which might play into all this. This summer, we will have a College of General Studies housing the General Studies program and will have services for advising, but probably this will not be the final picture: future decisions will be based on the QEP conclusions. Perhaps advising will be centrally located on campus, or perhaps will be located in the College of General Studies. Whatever the final plan, we will fit it in to our marketing and recruiting plans to increase our graduation rate.
3. Crain opened the floor to questions.
a. Sen. Neuerburg noted that the new General Studies Curriculum was in the 2004-2005 catalogue though it was not definite. He asked if it would be pulled from the catalogue. Crain responded that the curriculum was a suggestion but had been put in the catalogue draft so that it would be easier to change within the time schedule of printing, but now it has been removed from the draft.
b. Yeargain asked if there were a correlation between higher ACT scores and students who declare a major. Crain and Bea Baldwin confirmed that students with higher ACT scores tend to declare majors, but a full 1/3 of our students do not.
c. FAC Representative Bostic offered that though undecided students might look to this General Studies degree as a way to pass, but this degree would also offer students with many talents and a diversity of interests to choose a degree that would not “lock” them into a specialized major. She hopes, however, that the students are challenged with the curriculum. Crain responded that the General Studies degree has gotten a “bum rap”; it actually offers unique opportunities for students to create majors and put diverse fields of study together.
B. Dr. Bea Baldwin then addressed the senate on the QEP and what is involved in that effort. She encouraged senators to participate in the study and give the team some feedback. They have been meeting every Tuesday morning from 8:00-10:00. Baldwin passed out a packet of handouts (see attachments)
1. The graduation rate graph on Baldwin’s handout shows Southeastern’s rate as the lowest of all the Louisiana University System schools—23.6%. However, these are 1996 figures, before the implementation of admission standards. After the 4th year this year, the figures should improve.
2. Baldwin explained that the QEP is undertaking university-wide problem-solving to show we have a process to address problems in a data-driven plan. Six topics were discussed by 45 faculty, staff, and students, issues such as why students are not staying at Southeastern and why they are not progressing to graduation. The top topic tended to be academic advising—not that departments are not doing a good job, but data shows that many students still have a difficult time navigating through their academic programs; they need a “face” they can turn to. The University Planning Council had a workshop and chose advising was the problem to tackle. Other faculty participated in a one-week institute to study academic advising; then Dr. Moffett and Dr. Crain put together the QEP team. She directed any who would like to see what the team has done these past 2 semesters to their website--www.selu\sacs--and look under “QEP Workroom.”
3. Also, added Baldwin, the Center for Faculty Excellence has focused academic advising, sponsoring a Brown Bag Series in the fall and spring. One is coming up on Friday, April 23, at noon, Tinsley 103. Baldwin requested she be allowed to bring members of the QEP team to the May Senate meeting to explain their task.
4. Baldwin asked for any questions.
a. Sen. Burns asked what type of advising the QEP is seeking. Baldwin explained this is not just course scheduling but a larger picture. Burns queried whether students want to “hook on” someone to guide them. Baldwin responded that she could not specify until the QEP finishes their task.
b. Sen. Ply commented that she has been unable to make the Brown Bag programs because she has been advising. She added that our dismal graduation rates will be even worse when our admission standards tighten even more and students come to Southeastern from community colleges—if they do not enter as freshmen, they will not be counted in our graduation rate.
c. Sen. Lew asked if students are expected to take responsibility in advising. Her students come at the last minute to get advised so cannot receive “quality” time.
d. Sen. Ramsey suggested one uncontrollable factor is students thinking of Southeastern as a junior college and enter, planning to leave in 2 years. Shouldn’t we measure where the students are in 6 years—did they finish somewhere else in the La. System? Baldwin responded that the state does look at students who graduated anywhere in Louisiana, but that is a state rate, not Southeastern’s. Unfortunately, the individual university’s statistics are the ones external agencies look at, not the state rate. So our focus is how to make students more successful at Southeastern.
e. Sen. Bonnette queried whether undeclared majors have a lower graduation rate. Baldwin answered yes, but not substantially. Mostly they come, flounder, and get frustrated.
f. Sen. Nelson inquired how many declare a major upon entering and do not change their major. Baldwin said less than 10% accomplish this. Nelson reasoned that perhaps it is not good to push these students into a major. If the QEP plan proposes early help for these students, it may help them to select a major that is right for them. Sen. Titard agreed.
g. Sen. Bancroft asked if Dr. Baldwin found a relationship between the number of hours students scheduled per semester and retention rate. Baldwin responded that the stats consider only full time freshmen.
h. Sen. Boulahanis inquired if the statistics were an across-the-board sample; Baldwin said the statistics were not a sample but taken from the entire students population.
i. Crain added that the picture is not all doom and gloom—we have the highest percentage of non-traditional students in the Louisiana System, and they tend to take longer to graduate. Also, there is an issue of how these rates are calculated: lots of our students work full time so progress at a slower rate. There are things we can’t change but some we can; that’s what the QEP is all about. Sen. Wyld added that the Board of Regents’ system of not counting transfer students toward our graduation rate is not helping us at all.
C. Chris Eleser of Junior Division was added to the agenda as invited guest. She came to the Senate to announce the winners of the Rock and Roar department displays and presented the winners with a check. First Place: the Math Dept., Second: the English Dept., and Most Interactive Display: Communication Sciences and Disorders.
VI. New Business: Sen. Ply asked to suspend the order of the agenda to skip to New Business in order to take up the issue of General Studies before she had to leave for a conference. The motion passed unanimously.
A. Ply explained the proposed General Studies curriculum raised consternation in departments because of the proposed number of free electives. Though the curriculum has been withdrawn for now, another action still being considered is the automatic designation of undeclared majors as General Studies majors. Inertia being what it is, students might tend to remain in that curriculum and not move to a more specified curriculum. Basic College did not have a degree program before, so students had no incentive to remain there, but things might change with the General Studies College. Ply therefore presented an emergency resolution (see attachments) which encourages departments to become more proactive in talking to undecided students. She moved adoption of the resolution; Burns seconded. Discussion:
1. Sen. Mirando had a problem with the third “Whereas” using the term “forcing”; the QEP totally rejects forcing students. Ply accepted his rewording as a friendly amendment.
2. Sen. Burns commented that he likes deadlines; after 45 hours of credit, students need to choose a definite major.
3. An unidentified senator asked if this resolution was coming from any Senate committee; Ply responded no, but that the Senate Constitution allows for emergency resolutions if time is an issue.
4. Another unidentified senator suggested changing “After completing” to “by the time they complete,” since students can choose before then. Ply agreed.
5. The resolution passed by a voice vote though not unanimously.
D. [Back to III. Invited Guests] Steve Soutullo, Dean of Enrollment Management, passed out handouts on withdrawal statistics (see attachments).
1. Soutullo related the handout for number of withdrawals to the recent Senate Resolution requesting a restriction on student withdrawals. Withdrawals especially affect Financial Aid—a W is as bad as an F.
2. The study found that 32% of our students withdrew from at least one class each semester, wasting 5,700 seats each semester. The phone survey they conducted gave a good profile of our entire student population—Soutullo reviewed the information on the handouts from the survey.
3. Soutullo reviewed past efforts Southeastern has made to reduce the number of withdrawals, including charging per drop and add. During the fall drop and add period, 5,700 students changed their schedules, making 17,000 changes in the class rolls during the first 4 days of the semester. During late registration period this spring, 3,400 students changed schedules, causing 10,400 changes in rolls. Problems arise with beginning class meetings with students coming and going so much. We have tried an earlier payment schedule so those who do not pay can be cancelled and students waiting for spots to open can get in before the classes begin; this has helped a bit.
4. Soutullo opened the floor for questions.
a. Unidentified senator asked why we allow registration to continue after classes start. Soutullo replied that it is to allow students to get the classes they were not able to get at pre-registration; because students like to sit in a class before they decide to keep it, we try to give them as much flexibility as they need.
b. Sen. Wyld added that he and Soutullo spoke about the astonishing numbers, and he proposed sending the issue to the Academics Committee. There are policy options open to us, like determining the length of drop and add period, charging additional fees for drops, etc. We might need Board approval, but any actions we can take, we should try. Sen. Simoneaux moved to send the issue to the Academics Committee; the motion was seconded and unanimously approved (except for one good-natured dissenting vote—Sen. Ramsey, the Chair of the Academics Committee).
V. Old Business: Because the time was nearing 5:00 p.m., Senate President Wyld deferred all other issues on the agenda. Because the Senate Constitution has provisions for calling a special Senate meeting if needed, Wyld proposed meeting again before the May meeting to take care of the many issues on the agenda not addressed today. He will email senators on their availability on Wed., April 28, and will determine if an additional meeting is feasible.
VI. Announcements
A. Sen. Corbello reminded everyone of the upcoming elections for the Grievance Committee, University Planning Council, and Tenure and Promotion Committee and asked senators to consult with their departments and encourage colleagues to submit their names if interested. (See requirements attached).
B. Sen. Lew requested that, on the announcement (attached), the College of Nursing and Allied Health be corrected to Nursing and Health Sciences.
C. BOS/FAC Report: Sen. Bostic referred senators to the Program Discontinuance Policy draft (see attachments).
VII. The meeting adjourned at 5:00 p.m. Possible special meeting: April 28, 3:00 p.m.; next regular meeting: Wed., May 5, 2004.
Respectfully submitted,
Joan Faust, Recording Secretary
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Progression and
Retention Rates |
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Fall 2002
Beginning Freshmen Cohort |
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Original Cohort |
Retained Spring 2003 |
Progressed Fall 2003 |
Retained Fall 2003 |
Total Retention Fall 2003 |
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Total |
2,391 |
2,059 |
(86.1%) |
588 |
(24.6%) |
1006 |
(42.1%) |
1,594 |
(66.7%) |
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Gender |
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Male |
1,025 |
852 |
(83.1%) |
147 |
(14.3%) |
474 |
(46.2%) |
621 |
(60.6%) |
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Female |
1,366 |
1,207 |
(88.4%) |
441 |
(32.3%) |
532 |
(38.9%) |
973 |
(71.2%) |
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