Academic Affairs Committee Meeting February 15, 2019 - Christopher Newport University

Board of Visitors

Academic Affairs Committee Meeting February 15, 2019

Present from the Board

  • Brad Hunter, Chair
  • Steve Kast
  • Lindsey Carney
  • Ella Ward
  • Maria Herbert

Present from the University

  • David C. Doughty, Jr., University Provost
  • Jim Hanchett, Chief Communications Officer
  • Sean Connable, Faculty Senate Representative and Department of Communication Lecturer

Absent from the Board

  • Junius Ward
  • Judy Wason

The regular meeting of the BOV Academic Affairs Committee of Christopher Newport University was called to order at 9:05 AM on February 15, 2019 by Brad Hunter, Committee Chair. There were no previous minutes to be read.

Topics for discussion:

  1. Faculty Searches
    1. 281 faculty with 282 funded (one new hire decided not to come at the last minute).
    2. 20 searches either completed or in process, currently 8 are closed, two offers are out and 2 will be made by COB.
    3. Two Professorships completed: Bertram and Gladys Aaron Professorship in Jewish Studies — Richard Freund; Lawrence J. Sacks Professorship in Chemistry — Tarek Abdel-Fattah (internal candidate)
    4. Plan to use $470,000 of the $667,000 given last year by the state to increase STEM graduates for searches for four professors in Computer Science, Computer Engineering and Cybersecurity.
    5. Resolution 3, Plan of Compensation — The only change is the rank of Distinguished Professor from $179,000 to $180,000.
  2. CS/CE, Amazon and the Tech Talent Pipeline
    1. $667,000 from the state divided into Data Science Related, Science and Engineering
    2. Projections — Discussed projections for Data Science and other Science Degree Awards.
    3. Teach Talent Pipeline — Due to promise by the state for a ready workforce for Amazon, $25 mil has been set aside for increased degree production in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, etc.
    4. New major, New Minor — Major in Cybersecurity under Computer Science and minor in Data Science. The minor will be accessible to all majors. Doesn't require SCHEV approval so should be in the Fall 2019 catalog as an offering.
    5. VCCS (and other transfers) — Using part of the $667K to pull transfer students from community colleges studying in Data Science disciplines. This is an effort to bump the number of STEM graduates.
    6. Space in Luter — using space in the library for some of the new hires.
    7. Steve Kast mentioned a group formed by the Newport News Shipbuilding and some large employers along with local secondary schools systems and convened by United Way. The group has been formed to help promote STEM initiatives. He asked for Christopher Newport to have a presence at these meetings and the Provost agreed to either attend himself or send a representative.
  3. Master of Financial Analysis (MFA)
    1. Master of Financial Analysis degree program developed at the urging of SCHEV.
    2. Proposal approved by the BOV October of last year.
    3. Received approval from SCHEV on February 14th (letter dated February 6, 2019)
  4. NNPS — Community Captains
    1. Initiative made public as of November 28, 2018.
    2. Lead by Curtis Davidson, Director of Admission Operations at CNU and Claudia Hines, Supervisor of Counseling at NNPS.
    3. Working initially with Achievable Dream, Warwick and Heritage High School.
    4. Requirements are 3.4 GA or 1150 PSAT, 1st generation college student and free/reduced lunch.
    5. Admitted students brought to CNU for welcome visit in March, then in April there will be an evening event with the parents.
    6. President Trible and Bill Brauer agreed to provide free meal plans for commuter students.
    7. Steve Kast discussed the interest in funding for this program within the community. Endowment committee agreed to scholarship 5 to 7 commuter students out of the proposed 25. There is also a proposal for $10,000 per student for those with a need to live on campus. Some community businesses have offered sponsorships.
  5. Study Abroad
    1. University of Glasgow — Second year we have sent students both semesters. Currently 21 students with Dr. Tatiana Rizova, Professor of English. Dr. Mark Padilla, Former Provost and Distinguished Professor of Classical Studies will be leading a trip in the fall and Dr. Lisa Webb, Associate Professor of Molecular Biology and Chemistry next spring.
    2. Summer — Faculty will be leading about 17 trips with almost 200 students. New trips include Fiji and India.
    3. University of West Indies (UWI), Cave Hill, Barbados — Agreement signed and students are being recruited for this fall semester. Anticipated 10 to 16 students and one faculty member (Dr. Liz Moran, Department of Fine Art and Art History) this fall with more in the spring. Dr. Moran will be teaching Caribbean Art.
    4. Over 400 students participating in Study Abroad this year, with more anticipated for next year with the addition of Cave Hill.
  6. CNU Summer Scholars Program and the RAP (Research Apprentice Program)
    1. Last Summer we received 72 proposals fro student/faculty teams with 51 funded.
    2. Growth in program attributed to our new Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity department which is promoting our Research Lens initiative.
    3. Funded through a component of tuition entitled Funds for Excellence.
    4. Anticipating 100 applications this year with the ability to fund 55.
  7. Resolutions (Closed session not needed)
    1. Resolution 1 — Promotions
    2. Resolution 2 — Tenured Appointments
    3. Resolution 3 — Sabbaticals

The next meeting will be held at 9:00 AM on April 26, 2019 in the Harrison Room of the David Student Union unless otherwise announced.

With no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 10:25 AM by Brad Hunter.

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