Board of Visitors

Academic Affairs Committee Meeting June 11, 2021

Present from the Board

• C. Bradford Hunter, Chair
• Regina P. Brayboy
• Steven S. Kast
• Junius H. Williams, Jr.

Present from the University

• David C. Doughty, Jr., University Provost and Lead Staff for Committee
• Rachel J. Holland, Associate Professor of Music and Faculty Senate Liaison

The regular meeting of the BOV Academic Affairs Committee of Christopher Newport University was called to order at 10:04 AM on June 11, 2021 by Bradford Hunter, Committee Chair. He then turned the meeting over to David Doughty, University Provost.

Topics that were discussed by the Provost are as follows:

1. Bragging Points for Academic Affairs
   1. Sociology, Communication and Biology degree programs all ranked in top 35 programs in nation (Study.com)
   2. Two students received awards from the Alpha Chi national honor society
      1. Kara Ferner ’21 received the Robert W. Sledge Fellowship for $4,000
      2. Kayla Buchanan ’22 received the Alfred H. Nolle Scholarship for $2,000
2. Faculty Searches for Fall 2021
   1. Will have 283 instructional faculty this fall
   2. Working to fill 5 open positions
3. Faculty Salaries for AY 2021-2022
4. TTIP (Amazon Initiative)
   1. This year we have 80 graduates in Computer Science or Computer Engineering (15 over the last two years)
   2. That puts us well ahead of the commitment made.
5. Visiting Leadership Scholar
   1. Dr. Barbara Kellerman will be joining us for the Spring 2022 term as a Visiting Leadership Scholar.
   2. She comes to us as a Harvard retiree with a very impressive CV.
   3. Steven Kast pointed out the fact that she had heard of CNU, showing the reach that CNU is gaining.
6. International Study
   1. Study Abroad is rebounding.
   2. We currently have 19 trips that have been fully approved.
7. Summer Scholars
   1. We have 60 this summer, all in person.
   2. We have 6 Hampton Roads Academy (HRA) students working with our Summer Scholars this summer.
8. Summer Courses
   1. Although enrollment isn’t as high as last year when options were few, it is much higher than 2019, pre-pandemic.
9. Community Captains
   1. The project has now come to fruition after 6-7 years.
   2. This fall – 18 committed to CNU with another two “on the bubble.”
   3. Held a graduation celebration for the first cohort on June 5, 2021.
   4. Achievable Dream participating with 4 students.
   5. Steven Kast mentioned that, after meeting with AD, he learned that they had never been approached by CNU for student enrollment.
   6. Dr. Rachel Holland stated that the students in the program will have a positive affect on the CNU student population.

Because of a question asked about mandates for faculty and staff vaccinations by Junius Williams, Provost Doughty spent time discussing the status of vaccinations for faculty, staff and students. He concluded with the statement that the CNU community came together to make everything work and hopefully we will be back to normal by fall semester.

A vote was held to approve the previous minutes. A motion to approve the minutes was made by Steven S. Kast and seconded by Junius H. Williams, Jr. The minutes were unanimously approved by the committee.

The next meeting will be held at 10:00 AM on September 24, 2021 in the Madison Room of the David Student Union unless otherwise announced.

With no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 11:10 AM by Chairman Bradford Hunter.