9:00 a.m.  Tuesday, July 15, 2008

Multipurpose Room/Ellender Memorial Library

I. Emergency Planning, Siren System and Hurricane Season Update – Davis/Clausen

Introduction of new Director of Environmental Safety and Health:  Brian Clausen

Clausen Goals:

Increase visibility of department on campus

Review/revise current/existing Policies & Procedures

Take over chairmanship of Emergency Planning & Crisis Management Committees

Safety vehicle:  easily detectable by anyone on campus – high visibility

Develop Safety Advisor Committee – if asked please serve

Updated NSU Hurricane Plan:

Pre-position team to travel with family to McNeese –first to return to campus

Lafourche Parish adopted new rules of return to a three tier system: tier 1-Emergency response personnel, tier 2 – Pre authorized personnel, tier 3 – remainder of population – for tier 1 and tier 2 returns photo ID will be required.

Emergency Siren System:

Up and running – tested once a month (on weekends to reduce campus interruptions)

Student Affairs: working on an Emergency Procedure flip-chart to be placed in every classroom.  These charts will be available for staff/faculty offices upon request (availability time table TBD).

II. Manning Camp Wrap-up – Davis

Camp was a success – Manning’s very please with Nicholls’ performance and customer service – plan to return in 2009.

Mike Davis thanked everyone involved.

III. Budget Planning 2008-09 – Hulbert/L. Naquin

Budget Meeting Schedule has been set for this budget year.

Louisiana Universities are rated on a 5 tier system (5 lowest to 1 highest).  Nicholls State University is a 4 year-4 status University (a more comprehensive status). 

At this time (2008-2009 budget year) NSU has eliminated its flexibility, monetarily speaking, and we have just reached the Southern Average for funding from the State.

08-09 operating budget is approximately 50 thousand dollars less than last year and the proposed student tuition increase of 5% will be used to absorb increase costs of University utilities, gas, and facility insurances. 

President Hulbert discussed no pay increases would be considered until the 14th day of class in the spring of 2009.  At this time there is talk of a 4% faculty and unclassified staff pay increase.

This is the reason why:  Louisiana has been given 3 years to pay back the Federal Government all monies borrowed for Katrina relief.  Historically this time period has been 30 years and currently our Senators are trying to pass legislation to extend the State’s repayment schedule in Washington.  If they are unsuccessful, then the State will be in a serious state of financial hardship.  Higher Education and Health are the only 2 areas not protected by Statute Law and the State can make cuts to those budgets at will, and will most likely do so. 

This means that recruitment and retention of EVERY student is vitally important to YOU!  The goal is to increase admissions by 100 students each semester (fall and spring).  The possibility of future pay increase depends on our University meeting this 100 student/semester goal.  (More information under Fall Enrollment Projections).

IV. Residence Hall Project Status Report – Davis

Names & Locations: (as of 7/15/08)

Scholars’ Hall – New hall on Madewood Drive (across the street from Galliano cafeteria)

Residence Hall #1 – New hall off Bouie Road — closest to the Pupil Appraisal Center

Residence Hall #2 – New Hall off Bouie Road — closest to the La Maison du Bayou office building

Scholars’ Hall: construction on schedule for August 1st opening (including landscaping), electricity connected

Residence Hall #1 & #2:  construction on schedule for August 8th opening, finishing interior projects (e.g. drywall, electrical, plumbing, flooring, etc.).  Landscaping may not be completed by time of opening but there will be parking and sidewalks for students to move in.

Mike Davis mentioned that his office is working on setting up a schedule for campus employees to tour the new building(s) upon completion.  Time availability is the most pressing issue.

Due to the increase of in-house construction projects (University Police’s move to Calecas & La Maison du Bayou take over and flooring project) maintenance is way behind on work-orders.  Mike Davis asks that the campus community be patient and try to work with Maintenance on their current work order requests.

Meade, Millet/Zeringue and Long Hall’s demolition will be completed before the Board of Trustees arrives on campus in early December 2008.

Currently there are no plans for use of the green space that will remain after demolition.

V. Fall Enrollment Projections – Howell/Dial

Goals:

Increase enrollment by 100 students for fall 2008 and spring 2009.

How:  Recruit better prepared students along with implementing and creating better scholarships for those students.  Better prepared students will be academically successful and will remain enrolled at Nicholls State University.

Currently we have:  increase in 1st time freshmen students, increase in dual enrollment students, and improvement in retention numbers.

08-09 will see a decrease in the number of junior students due to the poor retention rate of the freshman class of 2006.  09-10 academic year will then see a decrease in the number of seniors.

Print Charge Back program:

This is a computer tallying system that will track student’s printer usage. 

Each student will be allowed 250 free pages for the fall 2008 semester and then 100 pages for each semester after.  The 250 number is a grace period for adjustment purposes.

Sherry Rodrigue is the contact person for this system.

The program will go “live” starting this fall (2008).

Currently our students are charged a Student Printing Fee of $5.00 for every credit hour with a $60.00 cap – there may be discussion about removing this cap in the future.

Highest cost factor for student printing is the toner/ink; paper is the least cost factor. 

This program will also support the Nicholls State University “Going Green” program by reducing paper waste.   

Future Agenda Items:

Going Green – Campus wide initiative

Ethics Law Changes – how these changes will affect Nicholls State University

Student Recreation Center — Status

If you have any questions please use the comment form located on our web page at www.nicholls.edu/uca