Academic Affairs Committee Meeting September 16, 2022

Present from the board

Steven S. Kast, Chair
The Honorable Richard S. Bray
John R. Lawson, II
LTC (R) Boris G. Robinson

Present from the University

Quentin Kidd, University Provost and Lead Staff for Committee
Rachel Holland, Associate Professor of Performing Arts and Faculty Senate President/Liaison
Nannette Washington, Executive Administrative Assistant to the Provost

The regular meeting of the BOV Academic Affairs Committee of Christopher Newport University was called to order at 10:21 AM on September 16, 2022 by Steven S. Kast, Committee Chair.

With the change of Board Members, the current chair, Steven Kast, was the only one in the meeting that was present at the committee meeting on June 8, 2022. Because of this, he read a statement to the current committee members to assure them that he was present at the June meeting and could attest to the fact that the minutes were accurate. With that being said, a vote was held to approve the previous minutes. Chairman Kast called for a motion, which was made by LTC Boris G. Robinson and seconded by The Honorable Richard S. Bray and John R. Lawson simultaneously. The minutes were unanimously approved.

At this point, Chairman Kast turned the meeting over to Quentin Kidd, University Provost.

Topics that were discussed by the Provost are as follows:

Rankings - Accolades
1. Princeton Review – Survey of Students (August 2022)
2. Chronicle of Higher Education Almanac (August 2022)
3. U.S. News and World Report (September 2022)
4. MAT Program among the best in the country…National Council on Teacher Quality (NCTQ)
5. Leadership students won first place at 2021 International Student Case Competition & first/second place in Case Poster Competition at the 2021 Virginia Military Institute Leadership and Ethics Conference.
Southern Association on Colleges and Schools Commission On Colleges (SACSCOC) - Accreditation
1. We must submit our 5th year report this year
2. We have 22 out of 74 standards to respond to.
3. The deadline for submission is March 2023.
4. The Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP) Impact Report is included in the 5th Year Interim Report. Goal of 30% students engaging in Undergraduate Research; we are at 27%.
Academic Areas:
1. The Luter School of Business is due for its Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) reaccreditation review in 2024. They are fully engaged in preparation for that.
2. Notification received from the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) that our Electrical and Computer Engineering programs are in full compliance with ABET criteria. Both programs received a perfect score with no deficiencies, weaknesses or concerns found and strengths were listed from being part of a liberal arts university. It is rare that strength statements are made.
3. Our recent National Association of Schools of Theatre (NAST) visit led us to pursue the separation of the current Bachelor of Arts in Fine and Performing Arts due to confusion of students wishing to pursue degrees in art and art history, theater or music. Steps are as follows:
  1. BA in Art and Art History (Step 1)
  2. BA in Music (Step 2)
  3. BA in Theater (Step 3)
4. New Academic Programs
  1. Global Commerce and Culture (Modern and Classical Languages and Literatures)
  2. Criminology (Sociology, Social Work and Anthropology)
  3. Anthropology (Sociology, Social Work and Anthropology)
  4. Journalism minor (English and Communication)
  5. Health, Medical and Wellness Studies minor (Interdisciplinary)
  6. Geography minor (Sociology, Social Work and Anthropology)
Grant Activity:
1. $2 million in new award
2. $2.6 million in expenditures
3. $8 million in total active awards
Challenges
1. The Dean of Natural and Behavioral Sciences (NBS) has been working with the department chairs and our finance administrator to create a manageable replacement cycle for lab equipment. Hopefully this will lead to greater support through Higher Education Equipment Trust Fund (HEETF).
2. Faculty hiring, particularly in Luter, Computer Science, Computer Engineering and Electrical Engineering

Chairman Kast asked Provost Kidd to challenge the committee because of their strong academic base. He said the committee is the strongest it has ever been academically.

John Lawson suggested that CNU reach out to the business community for research grant funding. This could be used to help with any budget issues that may come up.

Boris Robinson asked the question that with all the growing programs that are being implemented, are we looking to grow the student body to support the programs. It was concluded that we want to continue to get students but, at the same time, we want to maintain the levels.

The next Board of Visitors meeting will be held at 10:00 AM on November 18, 2022 in the Madison Room of the David Student Union unless otherwise announced.

With no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 11:24 AM by Chairman Steven Kast.