Academic Affairs Committee Meeting November 8, 2024 DRAFT

TThe Committee on Academic Affairs of Christopher Newport University met on September 9, 2024 in Meeting Room 201 of the Freeman Center with Chair Brentley K. Archer, presiding.

Present from the Committee

Brentley K. Archer, Chair
Jennifer Dunn
Christy T. Morton
Sean D. Miller
C. Larry Pope
The Honorable Ronald L. Tillett

Absent from the Committee

Daniel M. Gade, Ph.D.

Present from the University

Quentin Kidd, University Provost/Chief Academic Office and Lead Staff for Committee
William G. Kelly, University President
Kevin Hughes, Vice President of Student Affairs
Lisa Duncan Raines, Vice President for Enrollment, Student Success and Institutional Effectiveness
Rob Lange, Dean of Admissions
Nicole Guajardo, Dean of the College of Natural and Behavioral Sciences and Professor of Psychology
Rachel Holland, Professor of Performing Arts
Lynn Lambert, Associate Provost for Research and Dean of Graduate Studies
Roberto Flores, Associate Professor, School of Engineering and Computing
Nannette Washington, Executive Administrative Assistant to the Provost
And other faculty and staff members of the University

At 9:01 AM Chair Archer called the meeting to order and welcomed all present.

Chair Archer called for a motion to approve the minutes of the Committee on Academic Affairs from September 9, 2024. The motion was provided by C. Larry Pope and seconded by Christy Morton. The minutes were approved by a unanimous vote of the Committee.

The Committee guests were introduced by Chair Archer. First was Dr. Roberto Flores and his student, Conner Wells.

Dr. Flores talked about his background and the progression that led him to CNU. He earned his bachelors from Monterrey Institute of Technology (Instituto Technologico y de Estdios Superiores de Monterrey (Mexico)). He earned both his masters and Ph.D. from the University of Calgary in Canada. He teaches Software Engineering and Programming Systems.

Dr. Flores introduced his student, Conner Wells, a double major in Computer Science and Theater. He briefly discussed the work they are doing with Multi-Agent Systems.

Dr. Flores talked about a project he is working on that is funded by the National Science Foundation. The goal of the project is to be the creator of knowledge along with the community. They want to reach out to industry, government and non-profit organizations, establish the needs they have, and match them with faculty that can meet those needs. Partners in this effort are Dr. Lynn Lambert, Associate Vice Provost and Dean of Graduate Studies, Anton Riedl, Associate Professor and Head of the new School of Engineering and Computing and Ryan Fisher, Associate Professor of the School of Engineering and Computing.

Conner hopes to intern with Jefferson Lab and then find a company that can utilize both his degrees.

He further explained the practical aspects of Multi-Agent Systems. He compared it to the internet. Several different systems are working at the same time to reach their individual goals.

In reference to the community project, Dr. Flores listed the City of Newport News, the Department of Engineering and Jefferson Lab as entities they are working with presently. The second guest was Dr. Anton Riedl, Associate Professor and Head of the School of Engineering and Computing. He gave a presentation on the creation of the new school (see attached) that would answer three questions/statements:

We didn’t make it up!
Why change to a school?
Where are we going from here?

Dr. Riedl talked about what the typical transfer student looks like and their path to completion of the program. He said the program works very well for transfer students and they are more easily able to work with part-time students as well.

Rob Lange, Dean of Admissions, mentioned that the recruitment partnership with the faculty of SEC is working very well. When the students come on campus, they see and hear the legacy. They know our programs are established.

He said that as a group they have discussed engineering camps. Dr. Lambert mentioned that They have hosted STEM Community Day and other programs the university has done.

Provost Kidd updated the Committee on the recent approval by SCHEV of the new School of Arts within the College of Arts and Humanities.

He revisited a discussion from the last Committee meeting about degree programs vs. majors and the Liberal Arts Core Curriculum. He brought several handouts to help show the differences and relevance.

President Kelly made the comment that it is said of Liberal Arts Institutions that they produce better engineers because of the Liberal Arts foundation. He said he is very proud of what we are doing.

Chair Archer called for a motion to adjourn the meeting which was moved by The Honorable Ronald L. Tillett and seconded by Christy T. Morton. It passed unanimously.

There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 9:58 AM.