Present:
Len Frey
Gauri Guha
Gail Hudson
Jeff Pittman
Tina Quinn
John Seydel
Jim Washam

Others:
Chris Collins
Paulette Ratliff

Absent:
Sandra Bevill
Charles Ford
Carleen Marburger
Steve Replogle
Mark Young

Meeting was called to order by Dean Frey at 3:30 p.m.

CLASSROOMS & PROJECTORS
Dr. Frey asked the chairs to please reiterate to all faculty that we need to lock the classrooms and turn off the projectors. The bulbs cost $500 apiece, so please make sure that the projectors are turned off.

CLASS FEE DISTRIBUTION
We are receiving a class distribution fee of $32,000/year. Dr. McDaniel asked that we come up with a more equitable distribution of those fees. We’ve been called on to identify consumables in each class and to try to put a cost on them. For example, the bulbs in projectors, put this on there, white board markers, toilet paper, copies. Dr. Frey will forward Dr. McDaniel’s e-mail to everyone. Dr. Frey thinks the deadline is February 24th or may be the 21st. If you will forward this information, Lorerinda will put it in a spreadsheet. Department Chairs need to do this.

SUMMER 2005 NEW STUDENT ORIENTATION
The list of dates for the NSO’s were distributed to the committee members.

Planning Committee Meeting Minutes
February 14, 2005
Page 2

KEY PROVISIONS OF THE H-1B VISA REFORM ACT OF 2004
Effective March 8, 2005 there will be a new $500 “fraud protection and detection fee” to be paid by all employers – including institutions of higher education – who file an H-1B petition: 1) to grant initial status to an alien or 2) to allow an H-1B non-immigrant to change employers. This fee is not required for H-1B extensions. Dr. Frey asked that the chairs work with Sue Marlay on this.

Employers have to pay non-immigrants in H-1B status at 100% of the prevailing wage as determined by the Arkansas Employment Security Department.

STRATEGIC BUDGET PRIORITIES
Four forms were distributed to the committee members. Need to list the lowest priorities for the Department and for the College and highest priorities for the Department and the College. Due date is March 7th.

First we would be looking for state priorities:
Nursing
Teacher Ed
Diversity

University Priorities:
Retention (student)
Scholarships (student)
Marketing and Communication

Effective today, travel is no longer being reviewed by Jennus Burton.

Non-academic personnel were going to attend a conference in Hawaii but cancelled. Some faculty presented papers in Hawaii and AA contributed to their expenses. One of the faculty members who went discovered that someone’s daughter was married while he was in Hawaii. In researching, they found that the daughter moved the date since she knew her family was going to be there. So this is an indication that people are looking very closely at travel so make sure that if there are relatives in the location, be sure you can justify it. Can still stay over on Saturdays but have to justify the cost savings.
Jeff Pittman backed off all travel because he thought we didn’t have any. It is a departmental issue now.

Any non-12 month person who teaches at one of our various sites that regional programs picks up, they pay $1,000 to the department, not the person teaching.

Planning Committee Meeting Minutes
February 14, 2005
Page 3

COB HONORS BANQUET
The committee members were asked if they approved of having a harpist at the Honors Banquet this year rather than a Saxophone and it was agreed to have a harpist. Dr. Roe felt that the harpist gave the banquet a little more class.

COB EXCELLENCE AWARDS
Undergraduate & Graduate Teaching Awards this year
Service
Research
Citizenship
Applications are due by the end of March – 3/25

COB FALL FACULTY/STAFF PICNIC
Chris asked the committee members if September 16 is a good date for the Faculty/Staff Picnic and the date was agreed upon and Chris was asked to book it. Chris asked the committee if we want to book a band for this picnic. This is to be brought up at the next Planning Committee

EMERALD GALA
The Emerald Gala was discussed and the committee was asked their opinion on having it held at the Bo Adams Estate. Everyone seemed to be in agreement, however; there was concern regarding people drinking and driving to the event. Therefore; it was suggested that we rent buses to carry people there and back.

JONESBORO SUN ARTICLES
SS Article – Jeff Pittman asked if we are advancing the cause of the college or not. If not, then let’s not do it. Personal opinions should not be in this.

The meeting adjourned at 4:35 p.m.

Next meeting scheduled for February 28, 2005.

Submitted by

Chris Collins