University Executive Committee Meeting Notes

September 14, 2006

  • Rollin Richmond
  • Rick Vrem
  • Steve Butler
  • Carl Coffey
  • Anna Kircher
  • Carol Terry
  • Denice Helwig
  • Saeed Mortazavi
  • Rob Gunsalus
  • Patty Lindley, Staff Support

Guests:

  • Roberta Duggan
  • Mary Fischer
  • Scott Hagg
  • Burt Nordstrom
  • Michael Reilly
  • Linda Thompson

President’s Report

President Richmond reported:

  • a meeting was held on September 14 with HSU, Humboldt County Office of Education and Eureka City Schools representatives to discuss the creation of a P-16 Council.
  • in addition to attending the September 19/20 CSU Board of Trustees’ meeting, he will also be attending a California and the Ocean World Conference in Long Beach on September 18.
  • he met with HSU and City of Arcata leaders recently to discuss the “healthy plaza initiatives” with an encouraging outcome. He recommends that HSU be represented at City of Arcata events, particularly their Council meetings.
  • there appears to be progress in the community’s effort toward redundant internet access on the north coast.

Other reports

Saeed Mortazavi reported:

  • the Academic Senate Executive Committee will be discussing many items at their September 19 meeting, including priority registration for athletes.

Vice President Gunsalus reported:

  • his area is busy meeting with donors and that a notable gift has been received from Emeritus Professor, Dennis Walker.
  • the Alumni Board is meeting on September 16 under the leadership of incoming President, Steve Smith.

Vice President Coffey reported:

  • HSU will become owners of the Maikai Apartments located on campus, with agreements being finalized near the first of the year.

Denice Helwig reported:

  • the Ford Foundation has requested information regarding the CCRP (California Center for Rural Policy), as they may wish to provide additional funding to the Center.
  • state officials may be visiting areas on the Klamath on October 12, which could include a meeting at HSU hosted by the HSU/Klamath Watershed Institute.

Vice President Vrem reported:

  • space issues related to the new Behavioral and Social Sciences building are being discussed.

Vice President Butler reported:

  • a Wellness Fair and Sports Clubs Showcase was held on September 13.
  • Talent Search is hosting area principals at a luncheon on September 14.
  • Homecoming is scheduled for the weekend of September 29 http://www.humboldt.edu/~studaff/homecoming/events_schedule.php
  • Car Free Day is scheduled on September 21
  • Dialogue on Race is scheduled from November 1-9
  • the MultiCultural Convocation was held on September 8

Anna Kircher reported:

  • HSU will be the alpha site for a firewall that the Chancellor’s Office is implementing system-wide, which will greatly enhance security. This is expected to be in place by the end of October.

2007 Spring Enrollment

Michael Reilly and Scott Hagg discussed Spring 2007 enrollments, noting applications are down significantly. This may be attributable to the lower enrollments at the community college. Various measures are being taken to address this issue, including a new brochure targeting transfer students, expanded Transfer Admission Guarantee agreements with community colleges, and an instant admission process at community college sites. The importance of focusing on yield was also expressed.

Textbooks

Burt Nordstrom, Roberta Duggan, and Linda Thompson shared information relating to textbooks and their increasing expense. They noted that the following actions would help to lower the cost of textbooks for students:

  • long-term adoptions (a commitment to use the same edition for at least six semesters)
  • use of old editions
  • department-submitted text orders for those new faculty who are to be hired after the Bookstore due date

Customer Expectations of Human Resources

Mary Fischer requested input which was provided:

Services where Human Resources is excelling:

  • accessibility
  • responsiveness, good turnaround
  • balanced advice
  • expertise, knowledgeable group

Suggested areas for improvement:

  • training, including performing evaluations and successfully handling performance issues
  • informing the campus community about resources available in Human Resources (Employee Assistance Program, book/video library)
  • a resource for obtaining expert information/advice related to the various union contracts
  • clarity in grievance/complaint process
  • clarity in benefits
  • a more sophisticated, consistent recruitment process, representing an appropriate image of HSU, including “family friendly” considerations