The Citadel Faculty Council Meeting Minutes

I. Call To Order

Chair Mailloux called the meeting of the Faculty Council to order at 11:07 am.

II. Attendees (substitutes shown in parentheses)

III. Introduction of LTGEN Rosa

Chair Mailloux asked that Faculty Council members discuss and approve the minutes after LTGEN Rosa finished speaking.

LTGEN Rosa said that his purpose was to share some thoughts and update the faculty on what the college is doing and explain some of the tough challenges ahead. Some of this information is the same as what was presented at the Town Hall meeting on Tuesday. LTGEN Rosa said that The Citadel is a much different college than just five years ago. Financial challenges have forced us to be better, more efficient and more effective. The academic piece has to stay strong in these tough economic times. The college has had a good first year of the new strategic plan. The strategic plan has been lean and as we continue to move forward, we need more Foundation funding because of state budget cuts anticipated for the next three to five years.

LTGEN Rosa said that last semester was the best academically during his tenure with an average incoming GPA of 3.34 and average GPAs for freshmen (2.7), sophomores (2.8) and juniors (3.0). Offenses brought before the Commandant's Board are down 50%. Alcohol-related incidents are down 26%. Across the board, LTGEN Rosa is pleased with what he sees in the Corps, and has heard positive comments about the graduate college, too. LTGEN Rosa is pleased with academics, athletics and discipline.

According to LTGEN Rosa, presidents of the state-supported four-year colleges recently met with Governor Nikki Haley. Governor Haley said that baccalaureate degrees drive the economic health of the state. The Governor wants to use CHE data to measure accountability. These measures include graduation rates, in-state/out-of-state student mix, job placement rates, and the college's economic impact on the community. The Governor will allow each college's governing board to determine the in-state/out-of-state mix.

LTGEN Rosa talked about the four-year graduation rate versus the six-year graduation rate; the usefulness of the e-portfolio, strong alumni network, leadership minor, and relationships with Boeing, SCANA, SCIC, Google and SPAWAR for job placement efforts and growth of the 2+2 programs.

LTGEN Rosa said that homeland security, health and information technology are future growth areas for jobs. LTGEN Rosa will meet with the Governor again in three weeks' time, and wants the freedom to set tuition, determine the in-state/out-of-state student ratio, and float a bond bill to rebuild Capers.

The college is looking at a $1.3 million shortfall that will require belt tightening and the possibility of a 15% cut. The memorandum of understanding with The Citadel Foundation will support The Citadel in addition to the academic grant. There are 23 endowed scholarships in Foundation funds.

LTGEN Rosa said that the next three to five years will be intense and challenging. LTGEN Rosa said he worries about the college's ability to attract and retain quality faculty. Two critical dean searches are underway. The college needs to develop programs that attract graduate students and 2+2 students.

There was a question about how job placement can be measured as a number of the college's academic programs don't translate into jobs. LTGEN Rosa said that some majors are more employable than others but that there are not enough STEM majors, for example. There is no intention to guide students into other majors but principled leaders are employable. The Citadel's tight alumni network is a big advantage but students need to be taught how to interview better. COL Bebensee said that employers care more about how well you did in your major that what major you chose. One of the faculty council members said that the Civil Engineering department has strong ties to the industry and their students have a 100% job offer rate prior to graduation. LTGEN Rosa stressed the importance of internships, and the need to grow career development programs, especially in the sophomore year. LTGEN Rosa said the sophomore seminar was a step in the right direction.

A faculty member said that if increasing the number of online courses is a goal, the college has a capacity issue in terms of technical support. LTGEN Rosa said that the college has asked the Foundation for seed money for online programs, and hopefully the new memorandum of understanding with them will help with this.

A faculty member said that the residency requirement for a Clemson PhD can be satisfied by taking Citadel courses. Another faculty member said that the national security field needs graduates who have studied STEM subjects. LTGEN Rosa said that our STEM coordinator, Carolyn Kelley, has been getting young kids interested in science and preparing area teachers. The Citadel has asked for $1.5 million in funding from SCANA. Raytheon has given The Citadel $100,000 to fund gender/minority scholarships.

A faculty member said that when attending professional conferences to recruit prospective students, these prospects say they don't want the military experience. LTGEN Rosa said that every few years, the notion of combining MUSC, The Citadel and the College of Charleston is discussed. LTGEN Rosa also said that the 150 2+2 students (mostly engineering majors) is a way to get a Citadel undergraduate degree without the military rigor. Ideally, the 2+2 programs could be grown to include 500 students. A question was asked about whether the 2+2 graduates had a different ring and/or a different diploma; the answer was yes. LTGEN Rosa said that 2+2 programs will expand beyond engineering to include Criminal Justice, and maybe Homeland Security. LTGEN Rosa said that the Governor wants centers of excellence. For example, Clemson focuses on automotive and wind turbines. LTGEN Rosa also mentioned that Harvard holds certificate programs nearly every week of the year.

LTGEN Rosa and COL Perez said that the college will do a better job of inclement weather notification in the future.

IV. Approval of Minutes

The minutes incorrectly listed the location of last month's meeting. The minutes were approved as amended to reflect the correct location.

V. Concluding Remarks and Adjournment

Chair Mailloux said that Faculty Council has some substantive issues to discuss in February, March and April including the curriculum, uniforms, faculty governance and the apportionment of research funds by schools. Chair Mailloux adjourned the meeting at 12:10 pm.

Respectfully submitted,

Elizabeth Connor, Secretary