Bennion
Student Union Multipurpose Room -
Attendees: Jim McFadden (Chair), Lew Rodriguez, Robert
Pack, Kipp Hicks, Robb Chiles, Dave Radford, Jerry Brady, Jerry Wixom, Scott
Hinschberger, Mark Young, John Hansen, Marge Foster, Mike Lineberry, Richard
Bowen, Jonathan Lawson, Brian Pitcher, Gary Michael, Bill Robertson, Carol
Lowe, Phil Packer, Bob Stiger, Ann Howell, Van Christman, Peter Vik, Douglas
Nilson, Libby Howe, Carol Baldwin, Susan Morris, Walt Sato, Carol Spain
Introduction
of Attendees - Attendees briefly introduced themselves.
Welcome and
Approval of the January 16, 2002, Meeting Minutes - Chair Jim McFadden welcomed everyone and
requested a motion to approve the minutes of the last meeting. Jerry
Wixom moved approval of the August 13, 2003, minutes. Dave Radford seconded. Motion carried.
Research and
Future of the INEEL - Walt Sato, Assistant Manager of Technology Programs
and Operations and Acting Asst Manager for Research and Development, at
DOE-Idaho, spoke on the research and future of the INEEL. He provided a handout showing academic and
workforce profiles anticipated for the Idaho National Laboratory (INL) and
press releases regarding the Request for Proposals (RFP) for the contracts for
the INL and the Idaho Cleanup Project (ICP).
The INL will support nuclear energy and science and technology under
Bill Magwood. Although the research
emphasis will be on nuclear energy and national security, they will continue
work on earth and biological sciences and materials. Areas of nuclear related work will include
the Generation IV reactor, hydrogen generation and advanced fuel cycles. The INL will work with universities. The role of higher education will be
determined by the final RFP and bids.
Strategies for workforce retraining will rely on the RFP and the new
contract. The Subsurface Geo Science initiative
is on going although the lab complex is dependent on the new ICP contract.
Advisory
Council Committee Changes - Jim McFadden reported the committees have been
changed to reflect current needs. Based
on comments from the August meeting, the Executive Committee determined the
Facilities Committee is not needed on a continuing basis and there is interest
in becoming more involved with protecting what we have at University Place
through an Advocacy Committee. He
presented a review of committee accomplishments and the proposed changes to the
University Presidents Oversight Committee.
The Public Relations and Community Awareness Committee (Marge Foster,
Chair) will work with the staff of the institutions on the marketing
campaign. They will work to improve
community involvement as well as find new members for the Advisory Council. The Community and Business Education Needs
(Harold Blackman, Chair) will work with the institutions on the Diversity and
Human Rights Plan, develop a method to assess the performance of the
institutions and provide feedback, and
identify the educational needs of businesses in eastern Idaho and how
the institutions can meet those needs.
The Advocacy Committee (Mark Young, Chair) is chartered to monitor the
activities of the Governor, the legislature and the SBOE particularly regarding
the operations at University Place, to make University Place well known to all
the bidders on the DOE contracts, and work with other advisory councils in the
state to further higher education. John Hansen moved approval of the new
committees. Marge Foster seconded. Motion carried.
University
Presidents Oversight Council: Jim McFadden
commended the presidents, provosts and academic vice presidents for the type of
conversations he observed at the last meeting of the UPOC. He was encouraged by the free and open discussion
and they worked together to improve University Place.
Institutional
Reports - Idaho State University: President Richard Bowen reflected that much
is still the same as he reported at the August meeting. There is little willingness on the part of
the legislature for the state to provide
more than the current 33% of the
institution’s budget. This is a national
trend that leads to public higher education relying more on private
dollars. Institutions find themselves
catering to corporations who provide the funding needed for specific
programs. As a result, public higher
education is moving away from the fundamental of providing broad access to a
broad population. With the opposition to
student fees in Idaho and lack of funding from the state, higher education will
have to find money from other sources.
ISU has the potential to grow rapidly to an enrollment of 20,000 due to
its mission but it needs investments to
do so. One source of funding is research
grants. Although ISU is not fundamentally
a research institution, it is expanding rapidly within it’s role and mission in
that direction. The SBOE has instructed
higher education in the state to cooperate with their sister institutions to
make better use of resources. Dave
Radford asked what challenges were faced in cooperative agreements. President Bowen responded that the challenge
was to bring two institutions with a
long history of separation and competition to a sense of togetherness and with
an obligation to carry out a cooperative effort while contributing equally with
neither gaining greater benefit.
University of Idaho: Interim President Gary Michael said there are
tremendous opportunities but he shares the concerns of how to continue to stand
for excellence while encountering multi year budget cuts. He wasn’t sure what the resolution would be
on salaries. Athletics moving into the
WAC would mean a huge financial boost.
It would allow athletics to balance their budget and get back to
surpluses which would help with scholarships.
Higher education is still sorting through the SBOE policy from August on
delivery of post secondary education in the state. Cooperation among institutions in the state
has never been better and collaboration has never been more fragile. Everyone needs to show statesmanship and
cooperate to keep excellent graduates and not let the entire system get bogged
down and produce mediocre graduates.
State funds make up 34% of the total UI budget of $310 million. It will be important to stay on the “diet”
for the next 2-3 years. Student fees
help keep access to programs but are unpopular.
Another source of funding is endowments but it takes $400-$500 million
to generate $31 million in interest. As
an outsider, his job is made worthwhile due to the dedicated people and the
terrific job they are doing with the resources available. The people that work in Idaho Falls and the
citizens are some of the best and brightest in the state and they can count on
UI’s commitment. What has been done here
with ISU and UI is important. We need to
work together to make sure this part of the state gets what it needs.
Mark Young referred to Interim President Michael’s
experience in the private sector and asked for his observations regarding the
administration and the governance system we have in the state. Interim President Michael responded that the
system is just another way of doing things.
He didn’t see anything wrong with it.
We have an obligation to make the system effective. We need to ask the Governor to select SBOE members
on criteria and orientation. Fairness
and balance are tough but necessary.
Board members need to represent all Idaho institutions, attend a
governing school and learn how to be Board members. People need to make that kind of commitment
to move forward. If higher education
isn’t getting where we want to be, we need to look at ourselves. We have to do a better job of providing
information.
Jerry Brady commented on the three distinct areas of
the state and asked if we are doing all we can in terms of distance learning
and uniting regional institutions.
Interim President Michael said he probably isn’t the expert and the old
rules may have been worse than the new passed by the SBOE. We should be at the forefront of distance
learning and that takes cooperation. The
state needs to think about how it offers courses. Some of the basic classes will have to be as
large as 200-300 people. Then as
students specialize, classes become smaller.
Vulnerability in this state is not from other state institutions but
others like the University of Phoenix.
We have to decide who to compete with and how to compete. The new SBOE rules were discussed. President Bowen said problems can be worked
out in the rest of the state but Boise could be a problem. For two decades higher education institutions
have been working under a system to bring their specialties statewide. Now we are negotiating who is doing
what. Brian Pitcher said that the historical
role and mission of specialization by institution and looking at ways to
deliver those programs statewide is still a good business but that it is at
risk now.
Eastern Idaho Technical College: Interim President Bill Robertson said that
over the last six months they have been reaffirming their commitment to
professional technical education. It is
what they are and what they want to be.
They are focusing their resources on training: i.e., preparatory training, Adult Basic
Education, English as a Second Language, and workforce training. They are helping business and industry
improve their workforce at the campus in Idaho Falls and through an extensive
outreach program. The nursing programs
in Salmon and Arco are presented 100% in those communities. There is a strong connection with area high
schools and students can receive professional technical education and receive
advanced standing credits. He suggested
a member of the EITC Advisory Council would be a good addition to this Council
as a way to improve collaboration The
byword these days is connection and collaboration. He is working with President Bowen on the
Health Building. There are articulation
agreements between institutions so students can have a seamless transfer. The funding issues go on and on and the
burden is falling more on students.
EITC’s enrollment continues to increase but he is concerned they are
losing people on the margin who can’t afford the increased fees. It is a tough dilemma. Another problem is the lack of employee
raises over the last 3 years. It creates
a morale issue. There are anecdotal
instances where they are losing faculty to other places and states over
salary.
Mark Young asked what the status was on the
permanent replacement for the EITC President.
Interim President Robertson said the SBOE indicated their priority was
to fill the UI Presidency. He thought it
would be summer before the search is started.
BYU Idaho: Phil Packer
reported that BYU Idaho is in the midst of accreditation. The team visit is scheduled for April
14-16. Their enrollment is at
11,000. They should reach 11,600 by 2005
and will cap it at that number. 36% of
their students come from Idaho. The 3
track program is running smoother. Internships
provide links to employment and about 60% of the students need
internships. They have about 150 married
student housing units being built. The
last classroom building, the Thomas E. Ricks Building, is underway. There are opportunities for cooperation with
other institutions in the graduate and undergraduate level. They aren’t trying to be everything for everybody. He recognized the doctoral programs through
the UI and ISU that have provided opportunities for the BYU-I faculty. They will have 20 new faculty positions this
year and another 20 next year but that will end the new hires.
John Hansen asked about the cash incentive
program. Dr. Packer explained that
students who graduate in 8 semesters will receive a $500 bonus.
Faculty Senate
Representatives -
Doug Nilson, Chair of the ISU Faculty Senate, said
the ISU faculty support a strong ISU presence in Idaho Falls. The higher education communities in Idaho
include more than Pocatello, Moscow and Boise. Issues surrounding the resources shortfall
include greener pastures, larger course
sizes, less availability of courses, and sagging morale. There are immediate short- term adjustments
that can be made. This year the Faculty
Senate worked to improve the quality and
quantity of internal and external communications. Everyone on campus is in the same boat. They are also trying to work with other faculty
groups across the state. He introduced
next year’s chair, Peter Vik.
Van Christman, Chair of the BYU-I Faculty
Association, said they have a different orientation than many faculty
groups. Their focus is how to help the
faculty become better at what they do in the classroom. Another aspect of their mission is to develop
effective communication with the administration. They have a teacher summit twice a year to
discuss techniques and classroom challenges.
They have a heavy teaching load of 15 credit hours/semester and are
allowed a 3 hour professional development leave each semester. They can also apply for a sabbatical leave
every 5 years. Issues they are working
on include communication, work load, advising and helping part time students
feel more a part of campus. In response
to a question by Dave Radford, he said they have part-time faculty who come on
campus to teach as well as continuing education across all areas. It is an ongoing need determined within each
department
Membership
Changes - Marge Foster reviewed the returning and new members
of the Advisory Council. They are trying
to balance the membership of the Council with representatives from different
interests in the community. Her
committee is also working with high schools to get information out to the
students. They also have the Region 6
Career Fair at University Place.
Mike Lineberry has accepted responsibilities with
the ISU Nuclear Engineering program and has stepped down as Vice Chair of the
Advisory Council. Jim McFadden offered
Linda Milam’s name for consideration for Vice Chair of the Advisory
Council. Lew Rodriguez moved approval of Linda Milam as Vice Chair of the
Advisory Council. John Hansen
seconded. Motion carried.
Jim noted the departure of Jeff Krantz of the Idaho
Innovation Center from the Council and recognized his service to the Council
for the last 3 years.
Announcements - The Orientation for New
Members is on January 21 at 8:30 a.m.
Any new or current member is welcome to attend. The next Advisory Council meeting is April
14, 2004.
Meeting adjourned.