SRESFS Summer 2010 Advisory Board Meeting Minutes Spelman College, Atlanta, GA July 29, 2010 Opening: Attendees:

Transcription

1 SRESFS Summer 2010 Advisory Board Meeting Minutes Spelman College, Atlanta, GA July 29, 2010 Opening: The regular meeting of the SRSESFS Advisory Board was called to order at on July 29, 2010 at 8:37 a.m. in Aiken, SC, (University of South Carolina - Aiken) by Dr. Denise Grant. Attendees: K Carvalho-Knighton - USF T Johnson TN State J Fail JC Smith W Boyd USDA M Morris Benedict A Eijofor FAMU B Rood Mercer M Harmon USC-A E Echols USF M Daniels SC State S Ruffin (via conference call) SCANA D Grant Director, SC State M Crawford-(via conference call) - Elizabeth City State University D Lanham Clemson University H Hanlin USC-A Welcome: Dr. Grant welcomed the board members to the Summer 2010 meeting. Introduction of Board Members: Dr. Grant introduced the SRESFS Advisory Board Members. Board Introductions Board members introduced themselves to the group. Review Fall 2010 Meeting Minutes: Dr. Grant recapped the minutes from the previous board meeting. Brian Rood made a request to discuss increasing the pathway K-12 from Spring 2010 meeting. Adoption of Agenda: The agenda was unanimously approved. Discussion Topics/New Business Open Issues: P a g e 1

2 Dr. Grant opened the floor for topics members would like to discuss. The consensus topic was how to stabilize the management of the Field Station. Travel to Board Meetings (reimbursement): a check box will be added to an upcoming form. Program Restructuring identifying individuals who not only have skills sets but right temperament for the job. Restructuring was initiated by SC State in an attempt to stabilize the management of the Field Station. Two organizational delineations have been made for the Program: Academic & Business Functions. Academic Functions (Academic Coordinator: Erica Echols- recruitment, campus responsibilities for the Field Station) Reporting to the Academic Coordinator: 2 Part-time employees: Dr. Gidgit Leonard - Organization & Chris Glover-SRS Liaison and Experiential Learning. Business Functions (Mildred Daniels - Business Analyst & Tiffany Glenn- Human Resources) A discussion of the funding source for the new positions was held. Funded grant or the university? The positions are grant funded. The interim status of the director was inquired about. The director s status will be considered for change once she returns from sabbatical. Generic Address: fieldstation@scsu.edu This is a medium to communicate with Field Station employees. Request for Research Proposals (Research Internship/Call for Proposal Submission) Research Interns must have completed a Summer Internship at the Field Station prior to applying as a Research Intern. Research proposals must be submitted by September 15, Research Internships: Discussion was held on the following: Stipend funds should be sent to the Mentor, not to the Research Intern, to recoup for expenses for posters, trips, and papers (Monies are generated from the Foundation, not grants.) Can research internships be funded through the Department of Energy? Help to build camaraderie among Research Interns at host research institutions: team building exercises & trips. P a g e 2

3 Research Interns should join institutions that already have funded research established to assist with costs/absorption of Research Interns presence and participation at the host research site Course Offerings Send course proposals for 399 Special Topics are due by August 31, Discussed how to support courses that may plan two day trips. Several solutions were discussed: o Sat/Sun or Sun/Mon travel days. o Professors can plan joint class trips to accommodate travel. o Students can register for 1 class only instead of having 2 courses. o A professor could teach two courses (MWF & TTHSAT) and have those courses be co-requisites. Instructor would be encouraged to provide a descriptive advertisement to facilitate recruitment of students into such courses. o Extended trips (1 week) could be planned for first week or last week of course and students could move out of housing at USC-Aiken The Board was advised that the established/non-special topics courses cannot have a variable credit hour. Only the special topics course carries such a provision. Further discussion yielded the following statements: TAs could be brought from professor s home institutions and could be compensated through Field Station funding. SRS grid parameters were really restrictive and was more beneficial to take students to other national parks or areas. Using doctoral students to assist with sharing GSI teaching and Land Use to address the deficit in not having an instructor to teach both courses. Barriers resulting from change in personnel and priorities at SRS exist which make enhancing course/student experiences more difficult than in the past. Must utilize SRS to keep the spirit and identity of the Field Station. Discussion of computer resources to support the GIS & Land Use course was held: Discussed the potential use of laptops or netbooks loaded with GIS software available with a specified textbook. Purchasing GIS software or getting USC-Aiken to purchase a site license for the software or find out if SC State has a site license. A discussion of the need for subject matter expects (SME) was held. A SME was identified for each course. The SMEs will advise the development of field experiences, a syllabus and JHA for each Field Station course. P a g e 3

4 Action Items: Chris Glover will be the liaison at SRS to help summer faculty at the Field Station. Chris will provide 3-4 unique field experiences for each class. The following Board Members have agreed to serve as SMEs. ENV 300 (Intro to Env. Science) -Dr. Anouro (what we would want to see and any experiences in Environmental Sciences) Dr. CK will teach. Env 305 (Env. Health) - Dr. Harmon Env 310 (Intro to Soil Science) - Dr. Rood (w/instructor assistance) Env 420 (Env. Chemsitry) - Dr. CK Env 492 (Wildlife Ecology)- Dr. Lanham & Hanlin- Lanham will teach in Session 1. ENV 306 (GSI & Land Use) Dr. Rood (w/instructor assistance) ENV 410 (Agronomy) Dr. Lanham (Curtis White as a contact) ENV 490 (Principles of Pollution Control) Dr. Morris ENV 495 (Wetlands & Aquatic Ecology)- Dr. Hanlin ENV 399 Special Topics JHAs and syllabi will be submitted by Dec. 31, 2010 by Dr. Gidgit Leonard. Recommendations for Recruitment to the Field Station Interns applications must be recommended and authorized (signed) by advisor prior to being accepted as a student into the Program. Prepare students for what the Field Station is and what it is not. Include survey questions on the application that would indicate true level of interest and preparedness for Field Station coursework and field experiences. Interns will be At-will Employees to understand that provisions exist for termination, possible failure for course, refund stipends to the Program, and sign a document indicating their understanding of these consequences. Collect success stories from Alumni Interns and share. Deemphasize stipend reward as an enticement to gain and sign potential Interns. Have current Field Station faculty to do a video of what it is like to teach at the Field Station for potential faculty members. Have Field Station Alumni speak to potential Interns about their experiences. Discussion (Need/Rationale for Field Station Faculty Salary) SC State administrators have requested a rationale for the pay of field station faculty. The following points were made: o Extensive instruction time is far beyond the scope and sequence of a normal university class. P a g e 4

5 P a g e 5 o The actual contact hours in each course far exceeds the required hours. For instance, it is typical that in a four credit hour Field Station course, a faculty member is actually making a time commitment equivalent to that of a 6 credit hour course. o Opportunities lost: personnel could have been employed as summer faculty at their own institutions and lost time for research and writing. o Competition for faculty time and the other options competing for time may require less time and effort.. o Consultant title should be considered instead of Adjunct title to negate issues with Field Station faculty pay at SCSU. o Working conditions are outside or in the field, not in the classroom. o Expectations are well beyond typical, technical classroom instruction o Expect instability if faculty are not able to be paid based on academic rank and the number of years with the Program. o Uniqueness of Field Station courses require a certain kind of faculty. Reside in residential housing with students Students have day and evening access to faculty (frankly nearly 24 hour access) Developing and executing field-based experiences in support of class activities. Coordinating travel to and from field locations Faculty are away from their home and familiar surroundings. Negotiating hostile outdoor climate such as bugs, both flying and crawling, hiking through treacherous terrain and encountering the summer heat and sporadic weather conditions. Faculty facilitate experiences that students would not receive at their home institutions o Teaching at a remote site such as the Field Station requires significant sacrifice. Instructor must travel to site and relocate there for 1 or 2 months when no relocation costs are provided. o If pay based on rank and number of years with the Program are not considered, there is a risk of losing high caliber, field-oriented faculty and diminished course offerings may result. Action Items for Recruitment Member institutions must print recruitment PDF posters/information from the Board page instead of being mailed to institutions. Please fill in your name and contact information after printing. If you desire recruitment support on your campus, contact the program office by September 1 with dates for potential recruitment visit. Place Field Station Internship opportunities on home institutions job/career opening pages.

6 TAs must be 25 years old or older and will be Science teachers. Graduate students can be considered. Discussion (Board Participation) Members of the Board and their institutions are not participating in Field Station recruitment and Internship activities. Send someone from your home institution who will attend Board meetings if the Board member is unable to attend. We need a prompt and serious response from the institution/faculty representative when the Board is called to address issues and concerns. Jr. Faculty members at member institutions must choose between obtaining tenure or service, i.e. the Field Station. One member institution sees itself and its summer programs as competition to the Field Station and is reluctant to participate in Field Station activities/recruitment/retention. Refresh the conversation about being a part of the Field Station Board. The Board members need to develop methods to encourage participation from all members and their institutions. Recommendations: Need a glossy item/poster that highlights and promotes the Field Station that will be placed in Board members institutions. Appeal to tenure-track seeking individuals for Field Station. Accentuate the opportunity for diversity with the Field Station. Reconnect with member institutions (provide something tangible, get administration to support). Old Business Need a letter from a Board member for the Annual Report. Undergrad peer-reviewed journal will be placed on the Spring 2011 meeting agenda. Action Item: Dr. Terrance Johnson will write a letter for the Annual Report (academic letter) by August 15 th. William Boyd will write a letter for the Annual Report (sponsor letter) by August 15 th Spring Meeting for Further Review Support at-risk K-12, homeless children programs currently being piloted at one institution. o Provide an opportunity for these resourceful, self-reliant students. o Further discussion will be held at a future Board meeting. P a g e 6

7 Sponsors Forum Shirley Ruffin SCANA no comment at this time. William Boyd Impressed with the Board s commitment to help Interns and students. Negatively impressed with students who don t appreciate Field Station opportunities and lack of motivation for Field Station activities. Thoughts for Spring 2011 Meeting Objectives for next 3 years: To sustain funding for course-driven and research internships and the one-day field visits. To plan for a return of the one-day field visits To sustain faculty and TA recruitment To encourage multi-institutional support of the Field Station. Reactivate institutions or determine where interest is/is not in continuing as members. Develop a plan for inviting new members. Accomplishments & Challenges/Opportunities Director reviewed grants under management Intern Expectations Management stability & retention Smart growth Next Teleconference Meeting on November 17, 2010 at 3pm. Topics: Course/Faculty interest in courses Student/Faculty Recruitment Upcoming Advisory Board Meetings: November 17, 2010 Teleconference at 3pm. Teleconference instructions may be found on the private Board s site. Spring 2011: March 24-25, 2011 o Option A- Benedict College (undergoing SACS Accreditation and will confirm ability to be host site at a later date.) o Option B-Albany State Summer 2011: July 27 and 28, 2011 Aiken, SC Dr. Grant thanked all Board members in attendance and adjourned the meeting at 12:15pm. Submitted by: Dr. Gidgit Leonard P a g e 7