WVU Parkersburg Board of Advisors

August 14. 2006

8:30 a.m.

The meeting was called to order by Board of Advisors Chairperson, Linda Dickirson. Those present were: Linda Dickirson, Jackson County Representative, Joe Campbell, Senior Vice President Wes Banco; Tony Playtis, Environmental Health Coordinator E.I. Dupont; Curtis Miller, President Curtis Miller Insurance Agency, Inc.; Robert D’Avria, Consultant YMCA of the USA; William Niday, Superintendent Wood County Schools; Trudy Seita, Consultant/Trainer, Motivation & Volunteerism; Ed Crisp, Faculty Representative; Joyce Okes, Program Coordinator Workforce Investment; Jim Mylott, Executive Director Mid Ohio Valley Regional Council; and George Kellenberger, Chamber of Commerce President; Violet Mosser, Staff Representative; David Cumberledge, Student Representative; Marie Foster Gnage, President WVU Parkersburg, and Patsy Bee Executive Secretary to the President. 

Absent were: Gregory Smith, President Blue Cross/Blue Shield and James Hayhurst, Jr. Executive Vice President United National Bank;

Call to Order

Mrs. Dickirson called the meeting to order and presented the agenda.

Approval of Minutes

The minutes of the Board meeting held on May 5, 2006  was approved upon a motion by Mr. Mylott and second by Mr. Campbell.

Chairman’s Report

Mrs. Dickirson reported on the June 8, 2006 WVU Board of Governors meeting.  She noted that she was sworn in as a new member of the Board, and Joe Campbell was awarded a presentation for his past service.

On behalf of the WVU Parkersburg and WVU at Parkersburg Board of Advisors, Mrs. Dickirson presented Mr. Campbell with a certificate of recognition for his service as Chair on the WVUP Board of Advisors.  Mrs. Dickirson also presented a certificate of appreciation to Ms. Cyhthia Kelley, for her years of service as faculty representative on the WVUP Board of Advisors.

President’s Report

President Gnage summarized progress with the following report on the Strategic Plan and the plan for this academic year:

President’s Report to the

West Virginia University at Parkersburg Board of Advisors

August 14, 2006

Academic Year 2006-2007 is upon us and excitement and anticipation are evident among faculty, staff, administrators and the student leaders.  Preparations for the fall semester began before the end of the Spring 2006 semester with the development of the class schedule focused on access and flexibility for our students.  We have developed strategies for student engagement and are quite anxious to see the outcome.  Corporate and Community Education has developed its first ever schedule of non-credit courses and  credit fast track programs.   Faculty are returning today for in-service activities including our all college program on Thursday, which we invite you to attend.

As I begin my third year as president of this very fine institution, the college continues to implement our Strategic Plan, which we “rolled out” in January 2004.   And while we have made a great deal of progress, we know that we must continue to address the objectives—adding to them as institutional assessment indicates necessary—and we must continue to evaluate our progress using our key indicators.

I will briefly summarize our progress with the Strategic Plan since our last meeting with you and the plan for this academic year.

Recruitment and Retention of Faculty and Staff

• We welcome five new faculty to begin their first year with us in Journalism, English, Education—the result of national searches.  Don Carlson joined us as Dean of Corporate and Community Education and will now also chair the Business Division.  Linda Novak, who is presently director of the childcare center at Washington State Community College, will be coming to WVUP as Director of the Children’s Room and adjunct faculty to the Education Division.  Rose Beebe has been named Interim Division Chair for Health Sciences.
• A number of faculty received promotions and/or tenure, effective this academic year.
• Faculty and staff will benefit from the allocation of 3% pool of dollars for salary increases.
• Faculty and Staff have had opportunity to engage in professional development activities both on and off campus.
• We held a recognition event in May to celebrate 5 – 35 years of service at the college and to honor faculty and staff for special contributions to the college.  Among the honorees were two faculty members who provided leadership for WVUP’s chapter of Phi Theta Kappa, the community college honors society, for many years:  Dotty and Paul Bibbee.
• The remainder of faculty offices in the “banana wing” were given facelifts this summer.  Nursing and Education offices were relocated to renovated spaces.

Enrollment Management

• Presently, we are running approximately 4% above enrollment this time last year.  We are cautious.
• The academic faculty and staff continue to review and revise the class schedule to address access.  This means an increase both in course type and in delivery mode.
• Stepped up efforts in recruitment in Ohio and in high schools in our service areas are being made to net increases in enrollment.
• The Honors College is established.  Now it has to register continuous growth.  Professor Gregg Busch is the coordinator for this effort.
• Dean Badgley and faculty continue to look at program expansion and new programs:  AAS and BAS in Business, BS in Early Childhood Education, BA in Multi-Disciplinary Studies, an AAS in energy-related areas….
• Corporate and Community Education offered career exploration workshops to junior and high school students this summer. 
• The Wood County Licensed Practical Nursing program is now on campus.
• The Cabinet and I spent time during our retreat honing the components of the Enrollment Management Plan that will address strategies for enrolling and retaining students.

Technology

• Online registration is now implemented.  We are indeed past the “beta” stage.
• Online support services are a goal.  However, already most of the services offered by the college have some online access.
• Student e-mail is a goal that we expect to be reality this fall.  Then we will need continuous updates for improvements to the email services.
• We now have three functioning smart classrooms.
• We are close to being able to say that the campus is wireless.
• We will need to be more aggressive in training faculty and staff to use technology.  More faculty will need to be able to teach online and effectively use smart classroom technology.
• The college’s technology plan has been completed.  As with the only plans, we will need to continue to review and hone the plan.
• Telecommunications continues to be an area that needs attention.  Regardless of what system we use, we will need to improve our use of the phone system.

Environment

• While we are behind schedule on production of the document, the Master Plan is well on the way to being completed.  We hope to unveil both the Master Plan and the accompanying Landscape Master Plan during the week of celebration of the college’s 45^th year in operation.
• Development of the college’s Safety Plan has been a major effort.  We should complete the plan this fall.  However, it should be noted that we are not waiting for the completion of the plan to implement some of the recommended procedures or to install recommended systems.  I want to recognize a staff member who contributed greatly to work being done on the Plan, Mary Lott.  Mary passed away in early July.
• I invite you to walk around the college each time you come.  Facilities and Grounds staff continue to make improvements that contribute to look and feel of the campus and college.  You will find this to be so both at the Parkersburg campus and at the Jackson County Center.  Take a look at the Library, the new office spaces, the smart classrooms, the grounds, classrooms renovated to replace classrooms affected by the stabilization project, the display cases, the President’s Conference Room….
• The stabilization project stalled a bit due to delays in the delivery of glass for the project.

Resource Development

·        The new Executive Director for the Foundation/Director for Development, Jenny Keup, and I have been meeting with donors and prospective donors as a team.

·        Two Department of Labor grant proposals are in the process of being developed: one for energy-related programs and another for a health care career ladder. 

·        We will be seeking HB3009 funding, which will match contributions received from partners for applied technology programs.

·        West Virginia colleges and universities are in the process of choosing peers   for peer equity purposes.   Use of peer equity as a means of determining increases in state appropriations has worked to WVUP’s advantage in the past.

WVUP is indeed focused on its vision—to be the regional college of choice, and its mission—to meet the higher education and training needs of the region it serves. 

The college is almost 45!!!  We invite your full participation in the planning and execution of events to celebrate our 45^th anniversary as a higher education institution.  The week long celebration begins with Mountain Stage on Sunday, October 1^st, and concludes with the President’s Gala on October 7^th.  President Hardesty will keynote a Founders’ Luncheon the October 2^nd.  There will be many other events. 

Thank you for your service to West Virginia University at Parkersburg.  Please come to visit with us often, “talk us up” in the community, and provide us with suggestions and recommendations that will make us even better. 

Other announcements included:

• Faculty/Staff In-Service scheduled for Thursday, August 17, at 8:30 a.m.  President Gnage invited Board members to attend.
• New Phi Theta Kappa advisors for this year are Lisa Flowers-Clements - & Diane Davis
• Peer Equity will be shared when the project get closer to completion. There will be a Breakfast meeting on Wednesday, September 27 with Legislators and Board members are invited to participate.

Committee Reports

Education Programs and Services

Dr. Badgley reported on the following:

• Four faculty members were recognized by NISOD this year for Excellence in teaching.  The awards went to Linda Meyers, Debbie Murphy, Les Bennett, Ed Crisp
• Ed Crisp was invited to participate in the Oxford Roundtable.
• New programs under consideration include: Power Generation and Transmission Program.  Allegheny Power expects to hire 322 positions over the next three years.
• The Bachelors of Applied Science in Business Administration that was approved at the February by the Board of Advisors has been submitted to the Higher Learning Commission as a staff recommended change and they won’t need to send a team to the college to review the program.  It should be approved by the end of August.
•  The Bachelors Degree in Multidisciplinary Studies has been developed and is being recommended for approval.  This program will allow students to complete 15 hours in three separate areas – capstone experience to pull all three programs together
• Around half of our increase in enrollment is due to online programs.  Enrollment is expected to reach 4,000 by 2007.

Resource Development

• No report at this time.

Campus Improvement and Development

Dave White provided a report on renovation projects and other campus improvements including:

• Faculty  wing
• Nursing area including new nursing offices and LPN area
• Music Room
• Business classroom
• Welding office
• Tech wing
• Landscaping
• Signs/blacktop
• Air conditioning
• ADA moved to the banana wing
• Education office moved
• Library
• Overhead paging system will be installed.

Wayne Riley provided an update on the Campus Renovation project noting that the project is 88% complete and within budget.  There has been a delay in the glass being delivered but they have been assured that part of the project will be completed by the end of August.  The Brick cladding on the south brace will be completed soon and then work will begin on the brace at the front of the building.  The project should be completed by mid October.  In addition, renovation will begin soon on the Bookstore which is owned by Barnes and Noble.  That project will be paid for by Barnes and Noble.

Jenny Keup, the new Executive Director of the WVU at Parkersburg Foundation provided the following report to the Board:

• McDonough Foundation will contribute $20,000 to provide architectural rendering of a new Child Development Center.
• State Electronic will be one of the business partners providing support for a State of the Art Classrooms.
• Discussions are continuing with Madame Sheng regarding the Sheng Center.
• $50,000 in tax credits is available this year for those interested.

Action Items:

Approval of the Multidisciplinary Studies Bachelor of Arts Degree Program: Mr. Mylott made a motion to pursue the the program at WVU Parkersburg,  Mr. Kellenberger seconded the motion.  The motion passed.

Other Business

President Gnage announced that the West Virginia Community College Association/West Virginia Association of Developmental Education Conference will be held in Parkersburg at the Blennerhassett Hotel on October 25-27 and invited Board members to participate if their schedules would allow.

Connie Dziagwa reported that the 45^th Anniversary for the college noting that it is a milestone celebration because the citizens of Wood County were the ones who initiated a campaign in the late 1950s to establish a public-supported higher education institution in the Parkersburg area.  The first center opened in 1961 with 104 students and has grown to over 3,800.  The theme for this event is “Celebrating the Community’s Commitment.” 

President Gnage reminded Board members that the college is looking for funding of buildings for a child care center, technology building and library.  She encouraged Board members to talk with legislators, and potential donors that may be interested in supporting a room, wing or building.  Some suggestions were discussed.  Dr. Gnage reported that there would be an opportunity to talk with Legislators at a dinner at the Jackson County Center on August 28, and at the Breakfast meeting on September 27.  Mr. Mylott recommended that a Legislative Committee be appointed to discuss issues to bring to the Legislators.  Mrs. Dickirson appointed Mr. Mylott and Mr. Campbell to serve with her on the committee.

Dr. Dotty Muir, Dean of Students announced the college’s first Convocation will be held on Monday, August 28 at 11:00 a.m. and Susan Hardesty will be the guest speaker, and Board members are invited to attend.

Next Meeting

The next meeting of the WVU at Parkersburg Board of Advisors will be held on Monday, November 13.

Adjournment

With no further business to be discussed, Mr. Mylott made a motion to adjourn, Mr. Campbell seconded the motion.  The motion passed.

                                                                        Respectfully submitted,

                                                                        Patsy J. Bee

                                                                        Executive Secretary to the President

________________________________

Linda Dickirson, Chair