15 January, 2001 Dean’s Advisory Council Meeting Minutes
Dean Nelms welcomed committee members to the Dean’s Advisory Committee (DAC) meeting.
Dean Nelms shared the following information:
1. Dr. David Lawrence has been appointed University Scholar in the College of Education. Dr. Lawrence’s office will remain in Miami at the Early Childhood Initiative Foundation.
1. Dr. Larry Tyree has been appointed Professor in the Department of Educational Leadership, Policy and Foundation. His appointment will begin in fall, 2002.
3. Dr. Sandy Witt reported that as of January 15, 2002, 54 students have been admitted to the Unified Elementary program for the spring, 2002 semester.
4. The Gainesville Sun carries a story quoting President Young as suggesting that students in the College of Education should take more courses in their subject matter area. Dean Nelms distributed a draft of a letter to President Young responding to the Gainesville Sun Article. He asked Committee members to provide their feedback on the letter by 5:00 p.m. on January 15, 2002.
Report of Associate Dean for Academic Affairs
Dean Webb discussed several College projects:
1. International Media Union: Ben Nelms recognized early in his tenure as Dean that “Our information technology (IT) capacity, opportunities, and imagination have outstripped our space, staff, and infrastructure.” To address our IT needs, he appointed a planning committee to study what it might take to design and build an integrated space to house all IT activities. In keeping with the University’s emphasis on international work, cross-college collaboration, and distance learning, he called the group the International Media Union (IMU) Planning Team. He appointed the following faculty to the IMU Planning Team: Rod Webb, Chair; Fedro Zazueta, Office of Academic Technology; Stephen Shorb, University Libraries; Sue Legg, Partnership in Global Learning; Rick Ferdig, COE; and Mickie Miller, COE.
He asked the Planning Team to identify and rank the IMU features and functions; identify, hire, and oversee the work of an IMU architect; divide IMU work into phases and plan each phase; begin the first phase of the IMU project; plan and monitor the IMU fundraising effort; and involve faculty and business partners in the planning process. IMU planning is funded by the Office of Academic Technology.
The IMU Planning Committee has been meeting since October and has listed the following tentative IMU features and functions.
i. A/V Production Area: An area for video production including cameras, studio, and control room.
ii. Audio Production Area: An area for the production of sound projects including tape and CD production and dubbing activities.
iii. Multimedia Production: A lab for computers with A/V inputs for digital editing, recording, and producing software and other technologies. Technology will include such things as CD & DVD burners, digital input devices (digital 8, sound boards, video capturing, etc.), and output devices such as VCRs, digital cameras, and video streaming production tools. This area should be contiguous to and incorporate parts of the A/V Production and Audio Production areas.)
iv. General Work Space: An area (or areas) wired for technology and assigned to faculty for the duration of particular grants, special projects, or outreach activities. Spaces must be flexible, modular, and support collaboration.
v. Video Conference Center (G-520): An area with large-scale video conferencing capability.
vi. Video Conference Lab: A smaller lab area used for teaching smaller groups via distance. Each machine will be fitted with video conferencing capabilities so that instructors can teach with, about, or through video conferencing.
vii. Distance Learning Production Lab: An area where faculty and students develop distance-education courses and course material. Should probably be contiguous to the Multimedia lab.
viii. Media Cafe: An area where students and faculty meet, drink coffee, share ideas, access e-mail, and access the web.
ix. Computer Classrooms: Classrooms with computers at workstations that seat two or three students. The instructor’s computer must connect to a projector and all workstation computers.
x. Showcase Area: A space where vendors can showcase new products, faculty and students can use those products, and where students and faculty can display their latest media-related work.
xi. Open Labs: Areas for student computer use. We envision an IBM lab, an Apple Lab, and perhaps a mixed lab that includes Unix/Lynix and other products.
xii. Content Area Labs: Either a separate lab or a part of the main open lab, this area would feature sets of computers with banners over them differentiating various content areas (math, science, etc.). Workstations would have software and necessary hardware related to each area.
xiii. IT Consulting/Library/Research Reference: An area with personnel available for technology support (hardware and software checkout), research support (quantitative and qualitative consultants), and library referencing. The area might include space and facilities for technology outreach consulting offering schools and school districts technology audits, IT consulting, and professional development activities. The IT Consulting/Library/Research Reference area would include a welcome counter, desks for the consulting staff, and areas for one-on-one assistance.
xiv. Faculty Book Display Area: A display case where the College can display the books of faculty and COE graduates.
xv. Seminar Rooms for small classes.
xvi. Writing Carrels for Professors.
Dean Webb asked Chairs to nominate two people from their departments to serve on an IMU advisory Committee. Dean Nelms will probably select only one nominee from each Department.
2. Old Norman Classroom Renovation Project: The Office of Instructional Resources is funding a summer renovation of old-Norman classrooms. (No classes will be scheduled for old Norman this summer.) The renovation will not do everything we would like, but it will include new ceilings, new lights and switches, rugs, level-three technology in every room, wall repair and paint, and woodwork lacquer. In room 250 we will raise the ceiling and restore the room, as much as possible with our limited funds, to its old grandeur.
3. NCATE Documentation Work: The NCATE Planning Team is meeting weekly, cutting NCATE work into manageable chunks, and planning how the work will get done. Project Coordinators are doing outstanding work and deserve our praise and appreciation. Faculty can view the NCATE work on our College’s NCATE website: https://education.ufl.edu/ncate/index.htm.
The Program Coordinators, Buffy Bondy, and the NCATE Planning Team wrote and approved a conceptual framework for the unit. That framework states:
The College of Education and affiliated programs prepare reflective professionals who organize, disseminate, and create knowledge; promote democratic values; and serve diverse communities.
Webb asked chairs to discuss the framework with faculty, explain its purpose and how it was developed, and alert faculty to its importance in the NCATE process.
4. OS 9 Web Server Emergency: Rod Webb updated the DAC on the COE Web Server emergency. All faculty, staff and graduate students who have material on the web should be:
A. backing up your web material,
B. cleaning up your site and eliminating or archiving outdated material,
C. preparing your site for movement to the new server, and
D. backing up your Apache-ready material.
Gail Ring will offer short web server help sessions. Faculty needing further assistance will get one-on-one assistance.
5. Department Web Pages: Department web templates are ready and Webb asked that every department assign a staff person to be the their web master. A graduate student can assist the web master but, Webb explained, but “we need to educate permanent staff people to administer our web pages and keep them up to date.” Gail Ring is offering web classes for department web masters.
6. Terrace-Level Addition and Dean’s Office renovations are still on target. The Dean’s Office renovations will begin soon and will be funded with Carry Forward money. Dean Nelms said he wanted the office renovated before the new dean comes into the College and assured faculty that he was using funds that could not be used for salary, travel, or academic projects. The terrace-level addition plans will be finished in February and construction will begin this summer.
7. Arthur Levine, President of Teachers College, has an Annenberg grant to study colleges of education. He would like to bring a team from TC to interview our faculty on February 13 and 14, 2002. Webb asked if chairs were willing to help schedule focus-group sessions with faculty and students for the TC team. Arthur Levine has agreed to give a talk to faculty and students on Monday February 11, 2002.
FPC Report
Stephen Smith, Chair of the Faculty Policy Council gave the following update on FPC activities:
1. Standing Committees are functioning.
2. FPC is on schedule.
3. No decision-making procedures have been established at this time.
4. Spring elections will be held according to the Constitution.
5. A Constitutional convention will be held to amend the Constitution.
Report of the Interim Associate Dean for Graduate Studies and Research
Dean Kranzler reported the following:
1. An upcoming meeting will be held with the MDTP Director to discuss future collaboration.
2. Fellowship announcement has been sent out. One Presidential and 13 Alumni will be awarded. Minority fellowships have been eliminated due to race no longer being an admissions factor. He will plan to meet with Chairs in the near future to discuss other Graduate Studies issues.
3. The Dissertation Mentor Advising nominations will be submitted this week. Dr. Linda Behar-Horenstein, Dr. Larry Loesch and Dr. Cecil Mercer are the three nominees.
4. A Research Infrastructure survey will be sent to all faculty in order to address their needs.
5. A few changes in the proposal submission form for research in Alachua County will be made this semester. All changes will be shared with the faculty after they are formally announced by the county.
6. Dr. Kranzler asked Chairs for their feedback on the possibility of grant submissions to be submitted through the Center for School Improvement. Chairs agreed that it would be logical to process grants through the Center. He will discuss this issue with the Chairs who were not present.
Report of Assistant Dean for Educational Outreach and Communications
Dean Vernetson made the following announcements:
1. Reminded Chairs that IPEP reports are due today.
2. Jimmy Ebersole has been appointed as the College’s full-time Public Functions and Alumni Relations Coordinator. He replaces Barzella Papa who was employed on a part-time basis.
Report of the Dean
Dean Nelms reported the following:
1. The Provost was scheduled to visit with the Faculty Policy Council and Dean’s Advisory Committee members on January 23, 2002, at 1:30 to discuss the College’s future priorities.
2. Dean Nelms distributed a list of major goals that were outlined at the Dean’s Goal-Setting Retreat on December 5, 2001. He asked committee members to review the list prior to the Provost’s visit. Members of the College’s Long Range Planning Committee will also receive a copy of the goals.
3. Budget cuts include a 10% in departmental budgets, 20% cut in summer school; and 30% assessed in Dean’s area and college-wide support offices. The cut assessed against the College was 4% this year and is projected as 4.5% next year.
4. Dean Nelmsdistributed the SUS Deans Agenda for the January 16, 2002, meeting in Orlando.
5. Ms. Mary Driscoll has been appointed as the new Director of Development.
6. Dr. Jamie Algina has been nominated to serve on the Presidential Fact Finding Committee.
7. P. K. Yonge has received word that funding is assured for their new auditorium.
