Inter-Institutional Faculty Senate

February Board Meeting, 2008

Good Morning Madam President Dyess, Vice President Blair, Chancellor Pernsteiner, Directors, University Presidents, students, staff, and guests:

Thank you for this opportunity to address you today. IFS has not meet since the last board meeting; however, I’d like to take this time to update you on what IFS doing and to give you a look at our current projects. Here is a “SNAPSHOT”

At our December meeting IFS continued to hear from our local legislators and Senators. Senator Devlin updated the IFS with a strong reminder that out of one hundred 9th graders Oregon will graduate 15 of them with an AA/AS or BA/BS degree. Our population over 35 has a higher education level than our population under 35. Questions and issues of access and quality were discussed with the suggestion that the continuum to bring students up to “college/university” levels are needed and more funding to do this appropriately is necessary. When we asked, “What should we as faculty be doing for the next session?” The response was, “Focus on outcomes & methods of accomplishing them.” That is what we want to see and what we are dedicated to right now. He closed with saying Higher Education is an investment and we need to stress this to his colleagues!

PK-20 update:

Karren Sprague, Theresa Levy, and Bob Turner asked IFS for assistance and input for the “New High School Diploma” We are asking for more math, and science tied to essential skills and standards with assessment as the indicator of achievement. This group is moving forward. A discussion on “How to measure the essential skills and what assessment would be useful” was started and is still on going. Things like talking to faculty who teach incoming freshmen are underway and feedback is coming to the groups from each institution to be used appropriately. There is a commitment to assist with the support for this challenge and change.

Mike Burton, PSU Vice Provost, discussed the National Abraham Lincoln Day (02/11/09). Celebrations will take place from 2008 – 2010. The goal is to link the OUS Campuses to the events. Faculty (IFS) will take the information back to each campus.

Later today IFS will hold the February meeting. We will continue to hear updates from the campus Provosts and our chancellor. Of importance on our agenda is the High School Diploma and more discussion on the progress for the 2009 implementation to include changes and process.

Bob Turner will lead a discussion on compotators and not only is this a “hot” topic it is timely as well.

John Nicols will open a discussion on new course proposals at UO which are being done through an online venue.

Each campus will discuss issues around campus security and what is working at their institution. Is an OUS law enforcement needed? Are there other models in place that are working? What is your campus thinking and doing around this issue?

Our regular tradition is to close with comments and updates from our chancellor. We are very fortunate to have him as a regular on our agenda and we hope to keep the lines of communication 2-way in our planning processes.

Thank you-

Lee Ayers, EdD, PhD

Associate Professor,

Southern Oregon University

IFS President 2008