April 18, 2001

ACADEMIC BOARD MEETING

APRIL 17, 2001

BG Carter called the meeting to order at 1515 hours.

AGENDA ITEM # 1: APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF MARCH MEETING

The minutes of the March 20, 2001 meeting were unanimously approved as written.

AGENDA ITEM # 2: CURRICULUM AND INSTRUCTION COMMITTEE REPORT BG Carter recognized CPT Maria Lynn Kessler, Chair of the Curriculum and Instruction Committee, who, on behalf of the Committee, recommended curricular changes in three areas:

1) programmatic changes in the chemistry degrees, including changing the number of hours for the BA degree from 122 to 123 and replacing CHEM 408 and 412 (currently required courses) with general electives in the BS degree.

2) chemistry course alterations including changing the 1 hour CHEM 308, Chemical Literature, to a 2 hour course titled Introduction to Chemical Research and increasing the credit hours from 2 to 3 for CHEM 419 and 420.

3) programmatic change in civil and environmental engineering that involves deleting Geology as a required course and adding CIVL 330, Measurement, Analysis and Modeling for CEE Systems.

All recommended changes were unanimously approved by the Board

AGENDA ITEM # 3: EVENING FORMATION

LTC LeClercq expressed continuing concern about the implications for academics of having two mandatory evening formations within a two-hour period. The Library is very busy after 8:00 each evening but has very little business between the hours of 6:00 and 8:00, suggesting that students are not using the time between dinner and the 7:50 formation for studying. LTC LeClercq moved and COL Finch seconded the motion that the Academic Board ask the President to reconsider the advisibility of having two formations so close together at a time when students need to be settling down for uninterrupted study.

COL Shealy suggested that Board members remind themselves of what the Board of Visitor’s concerns were when they reinstated the 6:00 formation, namely their conviction that a retreat formation and an evening family style meal were important for the Corps. The Commandant’s Office chose to retain the 7:50 formation for accountability purposes since in-season athletes are not present for the 6:00 formation.

CDR Jones noted that it may be difficult to argue that academics are suffering since final grades for the fall 2000 term showed improvement over fall terms in recent years; however, BG Carter pointed out that the most significant gains were in freshman grades and that one factor contributing to that was most likely Citadel 101, the first year seminar, offered for the first time in the fall of 2000.

COL Staley, speaking from the perspective of a faculty member who serves as an OC, spoke in favor of the optional evening buffet meal for upperclassmen that was available last year and shared his opinion that the 7:50 formation is the more disruptive of the two mandatory evening formations.

The Academic Board voted unanimously to ask the President to revisit this issue.

AGENDA ITEM # 4: FACULTY PROMOTIONS AND RESULTING SALARY ADJUSTMENTS

COL Moreland noted that the increase in faculty salaries that accompanies a promotion has been set at the same amount for many years (for those whose salaries are above the "floor" for their rank, $1000 for promotion to associate professor and $1500 for promotion to full professor). COL Moreland recommended that the College study the possibility of increasing the amounts to $2000 and $2500, at a minimum. COL Metts indicated that the floors for each faculty rank have also been at the same level for many years ($31,619 for assistant professors; $40,603 for associate professors; and $51,361 for full professors). These levels are out of line with the salaries we are currently offering new faculty.

BG Carter said he would examine the issues of salary floors and salary increases for promotions with the deans and would report back to the Academic Board at a future meeting.

COL Moreland emphasized that it would be good to implement changes in time for those who were promoted this year to reap the benefit.

AGENDA ITEM # 5: TESTING OUT OF COURSES

COL Metts distributed a memo outlining all the ways students can presently test out of courses (AP, IB, CLEP, DANTES, etc.). The memo includes four recommendations:

1. Retain current policy about acceptance of IB and AP credits;
2. Restrict to 30 credit hours the total number that may be earned through any combination of CLEP, DANTES, and any "testing out" processes developed by academic departments at The Citadel;
3. Each academic department may present a process for awarding by-pass credit, and the College will develop and publish a schedule for the administration of by-pass credit tests each semester.
4. Retain current policy about criteria for transferring courses regardless of mode of delivery (traditional, online, distance, etc.).

COL Cleaver asked about this compares to the policy on placement in foreign language classes. COL Metts explained that placement leading to bypass credit is different from credit awarded based on a standardized test score.

BG Carter suggested that as departments work to develop a "testing out" procedure and instrument that they set deadlines to prevent students from making last-minute attempts to earn their rings or meet requirements for participating in Commencement by testing out of a course or courses. He asked Board members to review the memo carefully and come to the next meeting prepared to take action on it.

AGENDA ITEM # 6: STUDENT DRESS

BG Carter reminded department heads that the appearance of graduate assistants is addressed in the Graduate Student Policy and Procedures Manual and asked department heads to enforce adherence to the guidelines. At present, there is no published dress code for CGPS students attending classes.

AGENDA ITEM # 7: ACADEMIC REORGANIZATION

BG Carter stated that he does not plan to make any recommendations about further changes to the academic organization of the College until after the Legislature has announced a decision about budget issues. He informed the Board that three new administrators have been hired for next year: a new head of the Department of Biology, a Dean of Education, and a Dean of Business Administration.

AGENDA ITEM # 8: SUMMER SCHOOL POLICIES

BG Carter distributed another copy of the policies governing compensation for summer and semester overload teaching and asked department heads to inform faculty that budgetary constraints may necessitate a stricter adherence this summer to the policy on reduced pay.

OTHER

BG Carter announced that there will be an event held in honor of retiring faculty on Thursday, April 26. Department heads who have faculty who are retiring should be prepared to make a few remarks about the retiree.

COL Metts informed the Board that The Citadel’s most recent score on performance funding criteria is a 2.05, only slightly above the standard.

LTC DeMille told Board members that grade sheets will be distributed to faculty on Monday, April 23^rd and emphasized the importance of grades being submitted for graduating seniors no later than May 9^th at 10:00 a.m. COL Metts asked department heads to remind faculty to submit grades for individual classes as soon as they are determined rather than waiting until they have finished compiling grades for all courses taught.

The meeting was adjourned at 1630 hours.

Submitted by

Suzanne Ozment