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ILG Notes 4.3.19

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Student Council Report

Erin and Chelsea covered the following topics:

  • Student concerns about the 100% plant based food decision for graduation.
  • Discussion with JDJ re: feedback forum on languages. There will be a way to comment on the proposals online (open to all).  For now, we will not plan an additional student forum on this topic, but would be happy to organize smaller focus groups on specific proposals as needed.
  • Student Council elections: worked closely with diversity office on new approach to fielding  President/Vice President tickets, promoting a strategic approach to partnering that reaches out to groups that have been under-represented, encourages more diffident students to run as part of a team, and hopefully leads to a Council that is more representative of the student body.

Faculty Senate Report

Thor reported on the following topics:

  • WFP has dominated the semester. We are now in waiting mode until the next round of news comes out on 30th. In the meantime, the Senate is trying to use this time to move some other things forward:
  • Rubric for new faculty evaluation process
  • Clarity on transition of faculty elected positions from two year terms to three year terms.
  • Re-institution of a regular process for collecting performance feedback on program chairs and deans (mandates by handbook, but need refinement.)
  • Faculty Handbook revisions

A brief discussion of the Friday (3/29) meeting about language guidelines ensued.There were various perceptions of the meeting: “the fullest possible range of reactions — from gratitude to train wreck.” A point of tension:  Enrollment management wants greater uniformity so that it is easier to explain our programs, but at the same time, the new guidelines enable the programs to differ based on curricular and career needs. We have to make a distinction between what is good for enrollment, and what is convenient for the people who have to manage it, and find the right balance. Jason Warburg has been asked to  help craft a broader communications plan.

Report on UPCEA Conference (Patricia)

  • This is an organization at the forefront of higher ed and online learning.
  • We have split a 10-person membership with DLINQ.
  • Patricia shared three sample sessions that she found especially useful (see slides).

VPAA Update

  • JDJ provided a 1st quarter report on Objectives and Key Results (OKRs) established in January. Here is where we stand on our 4 objectives:
  • Add 3rd section & increase net tuition revenue of Chinese T&I by %50
    • Work completed on lab design
    • Funding request submitted – multiyear request totalling $1mil
    • Recruitment of faculty underway – making offers this week
  • Reduce faculty salary expense by 1.3 million by fall 2020
    • We determine which programs have capacity for reduction, based on the working group’s recommendations.
    • We defined and communicated the separation package and process, but not as we had planned, due to circumstances beyond our control.  
    • We determined a process for resolving the timeline conflicts between contract renewal and work force planning
  • Institute new guidelines for language and ICC requirements
    • We finalized the policy in January
    • We communicated the policy to Faculty Senate, ILG, Language faculty, and the entire community, and sponsored numerous meetings to encourage consultation and collaboration.
    • We developed a timeline for changes to be considered this semester.
  • Create a new model for enrollment management, in terms of organizational structure, recruitment strategy, and business processes.
    • A strategic plan for recruitment will be addressed this summer with help from consultant David Finney.
    • A new structure with Council for oversight and support has been created — JDJ now meets with enrollment team weekly, Council has a 90 minute monthly meeting with the team.
    • We defined and met March 30 enrollment targets and are ahead of where we expected to be in terms of applications and deposits.
  • Between now and next ILG, Council will talk about and plan to communicate the KRs for 2nd quarter.
  • Many of the key results for this quarter took more time and energy than anticipated, or were subject to things beyond our control. We are operating in a high friction environment.