North Georgia College & State University
Senators present: S. Ayres, S. Batchelder, T. Bellon, K. Biddy, E. Combier, F. Corotto, E. Dickens, B. Friedman, R. Fuller, A. Ghafarian, M. Gilbert, W. Gordon, E. Hummel, S. Irwin, C. Jespersen, E. Lewis, K. Mace. M. Minambres, D. Morris, G. Olsen, J. O’Neal, M. Stone, D. Potter, L. Roberts-Betsch, A. Schaffer, S. Smith, A. Sumners, J. Woods.
Senators absent: C. Chastain.
Senators excused: B. Reiselt, D. Suranie.
Visitors: K. Hislope, K. Sisk, T.McLeod.
CEO Fuller called the meeting to order at 12:35 and rearranged the items so that his brief report preceded President Potter’s address to the Senate.
A motion was made by S. Batchelder to accept the minutes for November, 2004, D. Morris seconded it and the motion carried.
CEO’s report: Ad hoc bylaws committee is working to complete its review, but it is not yet completed. Chair Greta Olsen’s will allow Senators to bring any burning issues to that committee before the report is given in February.
CEO reminds Senate that the election of senators is coming up. Senators with terms expiring this spring are indicated on the attendance sheet. Senators were requested to speak to their respective chairs to ensure that a good election occurs in each department.
President’s report:
Dr. Potter’s addresses the Faculty Senate for the first time. He thanked the faculty for their service in the governance of the Senate to advance the development of this college.
He stated that faculty here are proud of their students and he is cognizant of the talent here and capacity for academic success. He recognizes our commitment to teaching and learning. He stated that this is an important era in the history of education as we head through the process of SACS, develop institutional and self-learning to think more deeply and richly how we do what we do. He notes that workload is an issue to be considered as a whole community. As with teaching and learning, the role of faculty is changing and--as is often the case--expectations multiply rather than substitute. We need to work this out and to provide career development opportunities to improve teaching, services, etc. He pointed out that the Faculty Senate is crucial in the process of this development.
We need to sort out our relationship with the outer community. The reputation of NGC in our region and state is secure in its quality, dedication, commitment and missions of our school.
For our future development we need to seek potential partners outside of the institution. NGC is the leading institution in this region for the development of this region. The issue of growth is facing us; metropolitanization of this region is a challenging issue. One of our key features is our human scale and our capacity to provide a personal educational experience; so we must sort that out with what we wish to preserve for the future.
Resources are also an issue, particularly with public institutions. There are signs in the governor’s budget that the situation will improve next year. Salary increases require diversifying sources of revenue, such as private resources and a capital campaign. Also, federal relations program need to be explored as well. In order to do these revenue development processes, we need to focus on what support is for specifically, prioritizing scholarly work. To develop a grants office is a great first step.
Those are the agendas that he sees as he looks ahead. He asks for our participation fully in this future with these issues. He thanked the Senate for its willingness and for allowing him to offer a tentative perspective today.
Questions followed.
J. Woods inquired as to the status of the Vice President’s position and asked if Dr. Linda Roberts-Betsch could simply be named for the post. President Potter suggested that a national search with an internal candidate chosen would serve to validate that choice if she stood against national competition. He emphasized the commitment to launch a national search for the VPAA and expects a date will be set for that process by the end of spring. He noted that the BOR proscribes a temporary term to last beyond one year. He also pointed out that the national search would have faculty representatives on that committee.
Marc Gilbert commented that past presidents have been transparent with their thoughts and the Faculty Senate counts on the president to keep us updated, making us feel like we are supported by president. He also pointed out that we have been lucky and have not had an acrimonious relationship with any President in the last 10 years.
Chris Jespersen asked about President Potter’s prior role in a state system and what that past experience offers in his perspective of us.
President Potter explained that he feels like he is back home here after 18 months of board meetings and thinks that incorporating community colleges into a university-wide system is remarkable. Delta State was a strong, positive community having had a 24-year tenure predecessor; much like NGC, it was a school that appreciated traditions and heritage but was ready to change. The President’s job with time is external by necessity: to protect this university within the system and to build relationships and a political base. With schools of this scale, there is the expectation that the president be part of the college, part of its vision and be in tune with the college. Potter stated that he has discovered that to be effective externally is to really know the college internally--the people and its programs. He realized that he does not have to be a salesman; but since he is shy, he just needs to be excited about what this school represents.
T. Bellon asked about his view on schools since there are struggles with decisions made for schools and the whole university. Expectations are different from school to school. Our organization does not clearly set what we have control over and not. We have started revamping p/t issues but we need to continue.
President Potter pointed out that interdisciplinarity and practice are also honorable forms of scholarship.
Fuller noted that Dan Papp looked at this issue (approved by President Hansford) and sent it to the BOR in February along with statutes and mission statement.
S. Smith’s dominant concern is that faculty are taxed by enrollment. President Potter stated that a workload study would help quantify this issue. The physical plant is a different issue and we will need to be imaginative to strengthen our physical campus. The state is not kicking in money, so we must turn to private resources. He noted that a better student union needed as well as modernization of classrooms for a variety of teaching and learning environments. Some place to convene as a community needed also physically. He noted some future potential for partnerships; the town is interested in a convention center. This is a unique region culturally, so a cultural center is worth exploring with the larger community: a performing arts center, for example. In lieu of Atlanta, the affluent population along 400 and the lakes may be interested in developing the arts in North Georgia.
M. Gilbert asked about a possible name change, such as North Georgia University since the current name puts us in an odd position. He maintained that the name came from legislature; a Democrat who graduated from here.
S. Batchelder noted that the Leadership Roundtable discussed the presidential legacy and noted that what drives it is student growth.
President Potter stated no concern with having a non-growth institution. He stated that the Chancellor has a matrix of 34 variables to sort through with president. He said that more important is the internal dialogue; discuss the impact of growth on what we are and what we want to be.
Corrotto noted student growth in quantity, not quality. Numbers show retention of freshmen is 45%, but UGA is 70%. This is hard on faculty with freshman core curriculum courses and is also hard on students since they don’t finish.
President Potter said the consequences for the caliber of students in college directly reflects on K-12 education. Otherwise, college curriculum erodes and will have to reevaluate the students. We need to connect more effectively with the schools. There are new Georgia performance standards. The wheels are moving, but slowly. Standards for language arts are higher now.
A. Schaffer asked for comments addressing growth versus rigor and about the President’s vision of where we are and where we are going. Schaffer wondered about whether our future would hold bridge programs and made a plea to know more about the college’s plans: for example, what are the 200 acres across street for? More dorms or do we need more classrooms?
President Potter acknowledged that conversations were needed and that the processes for these conversations should be as a community dialogue, set up by the senior level. The SACS process can be designed to focus on our strategic plan (low on strategy so far).
Leadership designation provides opportunity as to our larger identification. We must identify what we want to be and then articulate what steps we will take to get there. He suggested we need one year for all this to be tackled.
M. Gilbert asked about the NCAA issue. The classrooms are in horrible condition, but what is the cost to the institution?
President Potter said he is just learning about it. We need to analyze cost, but he doesn’t believe it will cost a lot. A position may need to be allocated to handle that. Long term it is a good move from what he knows. The NAIA is declining and has no academic standards. NCAA affiliation enhances our reputation.
He thanked the Faculty Senate.
CEO Fuller adjourned the meeting at 1:30 pm.
Respectfully submitted by E. Combier