VCAA Academic Administrative Council Meeting
Wednesday, March 14, 2007
1:30 – 3:00 p.m.
Minutes
Present:
Hora, Steve: Int. Vice Chancellor, Acad AffairsBrown, Dan: Graduate Programs
Castberg, Rick: CAS Social Sciences Division
Hallacher, Leon: CAS Natural Sciences Div.
Hirokawa, Randy: Dean, CAS
Leonard, Barbara: Faculty Congress Chair
Malenfant, Chuck: Library (for L.Golian-Lui) / Miser, Ann B.: AVCAA
Miller, David: CAS Humanities Division
O’Donnell, Mike: Dean, CCECS
Pezzuto, John: Dean, Pharmacy
Sakai, Marcia: Dean, CoBE
Silva, Kalena: Director, CHL
Simmons, Kenith: Asst VC Academic Affairs
Zenz, Cathy: University Registrar
Agenda Items:
1. Review Minutes from 2/21/07 VCAA meeting.
2. Conflict and Resolution Policy and Process
3. Campus Security and Revisions of Emergency Operations Plan
4. Campus Search Engines
5. Legislative/Budgetary Update
6. General Education
7. WASC
Next Meeting: MONDAY, April 9, 1:30 – 3:30 p.m. in Chancellor’s Conference Room
Item 1. Review Minutes from 2/21/07 VCAA meeting.
Item 3 in 2/21/07 minutes will be revised to read: “Some UH Hilo faculty in CAS, CHL, CAFNRM, and the Congress APPLIED TO ATTEND a week-long….”
Item 2. Conflict and Resolution Policy and Process
Rick Castberg proposed and distributed for consideration a new Conflict and Resolution Policy and Process (based on a model at Evergreen College). The process would be a voluntary process that fits somewhere between “doing nothing” and filing an “official complaint” or utilizing the “formal grievance process.” Implementation would require a Conflict Resolution Officer appointment and a panel of people who would be willing to serve to hear issues brought forward. Steve Hora volunteered to discuss with his counterpart at Manoa their plan and their willingness to offer their services.
Item 3. Campus Security and Revisions of Emergency Operations Plan
Rick Castberg presented suggested revisions and additions to the current Emergency Operations Plan.
Item 4. Campus Search Engines
Ann Miser presented some of the technical difficulties illuminated by the work of the ad hoc committee reviewing Congress recommendations for interdisciplinary programs and cross-listing of courses, among other issues. Mostly these difficulties occur because of the absence of needed technology to share information with the University Registrar, the catalog editor, administrators of academic programs, curriculum committees, advisors, Advising Center, and others who depend on prompt, reliable, accurate, and up-to-date information. Steve Hora agreed to look into ways to solve these issues by summer of 2007.
Item 5. Legislative/Budgetary Update
The current House budget was distributed by Steve Hora. Questions arose about the budget that appeared in the local newspaper and discrepancies between what was reported there and what had been given to UH Hilo. The budget process is on-going, and, as usual, until it is completed, we will not know what our monies will be. Advocates for UH Hilo are working diligently to gain or keep support for all of our requests.
Item 6. General Education
An update from Kenny Simmons: No team from UH Hilo was selected to attend the General Education conference at Salve Regina College in May, 2007. Regina Titunik will be heading the General Education Committee of the Congress next year. The new committee will attempt to get widespread feedback on committee proposals.
Item 7. WASC Accreditation Visit.
A task force headed by April Komenaka has been appointed to address the WASC accreditation visit scheduled for Spring, 2008. April also will be drafting UH Hilo’s report for the visit, a report which will highlight our progress in the following five areas:
· Faculty Governance
· Assessment
· Budgeting (as it relates to enrollment growth)
· General Education (45 hours and university-wide)
· College of Pharmacy
Miscellaneous Items
The Board of Regents will be considering two academic items this week in their meeting: change of status of HPE Department from provisional to established and the re-organization of the Pacific Aquaculture Center.
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