Spring 2012
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Minutes of the Campus Faculty Meeting |
Tim Kral, Chair |
Call to Oder – Tim Kral, Campus Faculty Chair
Tim Kral called the meeting to order at 3:30
Approval of the Agenda
Without objection, the agenda was approved.
Minutes of the Meeting
Minutes were approved
Program
Don Bobbitt, President of the University of Arkansas System focused on the following during his campus presentation today:
Overview
Have we changed the way we teach? Do we have the most appropriate structure for Higher Education today?
The current model - old, 11th century, based on planting and harvesting...fall and spring. The current funding model, not sustainable. We simply haven't changed. Can we remain viable like this?
Face to face contact is important, yes. But let's work with students who can't be with us face to face. If we don't, For-Profit institutions will attract them and these programs won't do as good of a job educating these students as we can.
Governor Beebe has challenged us to double the number of degreed Arkansans in our state. We can't do this in a single, face to face approach in teaching.
What is the role of the Flagship Campus? - Maintain most of the graduate programs on our campus. Receive funding for these programs. While duplicate undergraduate degrees are acceptable in several locations, duplicate Masters and Doctoral programs are not preferred around the state and should be primarily housed on our campus.
Issues
Associate Degreed students cannot easily travel to a university campus to receive a bachelors. Faculty can't travel easily either. A solution, distance education.
Traditionally, we take off in the summer -is this now the best way to operate?
A number of students have a hard time going to Higher Education institutions. Semester system does not work well for them for varied personal reasons.
The Legislature looks at the number of students going into Higher Education and is concerned about seeing fewer graduating than enter Higher Ed. The University of Arkansas is doing the best in the state but we could still improve.
Students are not graduating from For-Profit institutions; they make up 13% of Higher Education Enrollment. We need to attract these students to our institution. Drop out rates are high at these institutions. 50% of loan defaults come from for-profits! Our veterans are choosing for-profits. We can do better!
Challenges
Financial aid
Modifying the lottery scholarship
Tuition increases cannot be huge
Economy
Online Teaching
A solution and a real possibility if we embrace it.
Distance Education can support many students who otherwise would never be able to attend college.
Adapting to new technologies and opportunities can further our institution.
Teaching courses online is a good economic venture.
Not everyone can teach online but those who can, should!
Let's support those who want to teach at-a-distance and not impede their efforts.
Old business
None
New business
None
Adjourn
The meeting adjourned at 4:40 pm