College Council Meeting: January 2016

Committee Meetings
February 8, 2016

The first College Council meeting of 2016 met on January 29.  Minutes from the previous meeting were approved.

Committee and Task Force Updates

  • Transportation: Nic Anderson presented the new Active Transportation Plan.  This is a living document, subject to yearly change.  It can be viewed on this Google site.
  • By-Law and College Calendar: Further action is coming on the updated College Calendar; Laurie Quinn is planning further conversations and timelines are being worked out.
  • Sustain Champlain: Eco-Reps kick off the Kill-A-Watt Challenge.
  • Ad-Hoc Committee for Google:  After receiving recommendations from the executive cabinet, the Committee wants to gather broader recommendations from the faculty and staff at large.  A new survey will soon be sent out.

Department Updates

  • Student Government: SGA archives are going up.  The first batch is already up, the second will be up sometime in Feb.
    • Leadership Dinner is on Feb 13, with 3 alumni scheduled to speak.
    • Elections will kickoff on Feb 13, with the official start on the 22nd.
    • SGA recognizes almost 40 clubs and organizations.  There is a lot happening this semester!
  • Staff Council: The last Staff Council meeting was in December.
    • The Wellbeing Team were the mystery guests.
    • The conversation was a rich discussion on Staff’s role in the recruitment & retention of students who identify as female – with Chris Perlongo (Admissions), Lynne Ballard (Retention)
    • Mary Lee provided a People and Technology update
    • Committee Updates:
      • Staff Welfare – upward feedback pilot program is moving forward; revised Staff Council awards (language, criteria, timing, etc.);  evaluating peer to peer High Five award pilot; continued collecting feedback on staff Performance Management tools & process and working with People Center on how to best utilize this feedback
      • Professional Development – working together with People Center on DareU offerings
      • Networking & Recreation –  planning a Winter gathering
      • Executive Board – had an Appreciative Inquiry training on January 28
    • The next Staff Council meeting will be on Wednesday, Feb 10 at 9:00a.m. in Alumni Auditorium.
  • Faculty Senate: There are ongoing discussions about a pilot program for a new faculty evaluation system.
    • Brief updates from Laurie, Don, Roshawn and Cheryl, including about the new curriculum process.
    • Changes to the faculty handbook are incoming.

Deans

  • EHS: Signature Courses data is being analyzed, and the results should be exciting.
  • Grad: Switching calendars, trying to align more with Grad Studies and CPS calendars.
    • Developing two new campus-wide residencies starting in early 2017.
  • Stiller: ITNS search continues, there’s a good pool.
    • 24 pre-Mandarin speakers ready to go to Shanghai.
    • Working on making the curriculum leaner, simpler, and easier to understand.  Exploring other directions as well.
    • Continuing toward national summit on education, partnering with EHS.
    • Cooperrider Center Advisory Board will converge in May.

Administration

  • Developing a staff/faculty policy on hoverboards.
  • Don Laackman: At the Board of Trustees dinner, there was a presentation on signature courses.
    • Reporting out on NEASC, going to Boston on March 4 for more feedback.
    • Eagles’ Landing process continues, in the process of hiring an advisory firm.  Watch for more details.  There are issues with soil composition.
    • CPS students had lunch with trustees, and it was a very fruitful meeting.
  • Enrollment: Admissions teams are busy.  High school recruitment activities are underway, including Student Search.
  • Core: Study Abroad groups going to many various places around the world.  Emphasizing financial planning for trips like the Ireland trip.

Meeting adjourned.