Meeting Minutes: Regents Advisory Committee on Student Life (RACSL)
Monday, November 11, 2002
Georgia College & State University, Milledgeville, GA
Call to order at 9:07 AM
Welcome and introductions were made. In attendance were:
| Michael Sanseviro | Georgia Perimeter College – Lawrenceville Campus, Chair |
| Brad Lord | Middle Georgia College, Secretary |
| Al Harris | Armstrong Atlantic State University |
| Alicia Caudill | Gainesville College |
| Angela Avery | Gordon College |
| Bengie Cravey | Darton College |
| Bree Salyards | Dalton State College |
| Dave Leenhouts | Coastal Georgia Community College |
| Eddie Howard | Georgia College and State University |
| Iris R. Shanklin | Atlanta Metropolitan College |
| J. Michael Stewart | Macon State College |
| Jeff Jacobs | Clayton College and State University |
| John Colson | Waycross College |
| Jowanda Durham | Middle Georgia College |
| Kay Phillips-Crabb | Augusta State University |
| Michael K. Aoa | Brewton Parker College |
| Phillip Rollins | South Georgia College |
| Rich Steele | Georgia Tech |
| Robert DeVries | Student Advisory Council Chair |
| Ruth Ann Middleton | Kennesaw State University |
| Sheena Glover | Georgia Southern University |
| Suzette Zompetti | Georgia College and State University |
| Terrance D. Smith | Fort Valley State University |
| Wesley Thomas | North Georgia College and State University |
| Robin Vickery | Valdosta State University |
Update on SAC - Robert DeVries, Chair:
Meetings scaled back from 5 to 3 times a year. It has been recommended that
schools bring fewer delegates and the board is seeking to change the constitution.
Committee meetings will occur simultaneously allowing delegates to attending
multiple committees. SGA's are encouraged to research issues at respective
institutions prior to conferences. SAC in process of downsizing the executive
board to conform more closely with the BOR policy manual. Candidate packets
for elections will be sent out to SGA's for advance consideration and review.
A ZERO TOLERANCE policy is being enacted concerning lewd and disruptive behavior
at conferences. SGA advisors are strongly encouraged to attend. Fee modifications
are being offered for advisors in attendance. SAC will be scrutinizing and
reconsidering current constitution at the fall conference. Scaling down of
SAC is current vision. Advisors voiced concern over opening of SAC meetings
and banquets with prayer. Concern also voiced over possible politicization
of SAC. Advisors will work closely with SAC during this transitory year,
with hopes of gradually tapering off. SAC will not make resolutions at the
conference from which the resolution stems. It will be visited at subsequent
meeting. Considerable amount of discussion about SAC's relationship with
BOR and the necessity for SAC to re-establish itself as a legitimate advisory
body to the BOR. Meeting packet also included overview of planning retreat
in September with new SAC mission, vision, and objectives.
Updates and information on BOR University System Office – Michael
Sanseviro
Michael reviewed items included in USO reports to RACSA, specifically focusing
on reports from Tonya Lam discussing Pipeline/Luminis web portal product, student
privacy and shift away from SSNs by 2005, GABest and GAEasy. Included in meeting
packet was overview of USO student services department, USG vision, mission,
goals, guiding principles for strategic action, and selected BOR policy manual
selections. Michael also shared that Dan Papp is leaving and Bill Bowes and
Frank Butler will head areas previously under Dan's control.
Update on RACSA – Al Harris representing Joe Buck as RACSA liaison
to RACSL:
Al, on behalf of RACSA, asked RACSL about the type of relationship desired
between the groups. Should RACSL funnel concerns through RACSA, or seek more
direct route to USO/BOR? Points made for both alternatives. After discussion,
motion by Wesley Thomas, seconded by Iris Shanklin: RACSL will maintain direct
link to RACSA while maintaining communication with USO student services department.
Approved unanimously.
Salvia Divinorum:
Michael gave heads up to threat of a new drug gaining popularity on college
campuses.
RACSL Mission Statement:
Motion made by Al Harris, seconded by Dave Leenhouts to retain current mission
statement. Carried unanimously.
Review of Goals and Objectives for 2002-2003:
New goal (#7): Foster a collaborative effort and supportive base with all areas
of student service. Goal #6 modification(#6E): Share information about policies,
practices, and programs and their application on the campuses. Goal #1 modification
(#1D): USG site to be used as a resource for RACSL. Useful websites will
be posted. Motion by Jeff Jacobs and seconded to approve goals and objectives
as amended. Approved unanimously.
Discussion of Titles within USG:
It seems appropriate to begin a move forward to affiliate our positions and
realms of activity with the phraseology "student life."
Handbooks:
SACS has repealed requirement for printed handbook. Handbooks may be made available
online. Requests made for RACSL members to e-mail links to their student
handbooks to be made readily available online.
General Requests/Information Items:
Free Speech on Campus policy – Dave Leenhouts shared Coastal Georgia's
information.
Harassment policies dealing with both sexual harassment and discriminatory
harassment – some felt all aspects of harassment were not adequately
covered in their handbooks, others felts the code of conduct adequately covered
these concerns.
Staff /Student intimate relationships policies (or lack there of) was discussed.
Disability services concerns, particularly for students with dyslexia, were
discussed.
Posting policies were discussed and vary across the system.
Spring recognition events for student organizations were discussed, ranging
from banquets to outings.
Challenged with smoking on campus were discussed, and various approaches shared.
At least one school, North Georgia College, has gone "smoke free."
Travel Policies:
Reimbursement only? One school provides money up front for students, but student
must sign a waiver beforehand. Some schools provide all money up front for
students. Staff is often required to pay all costs up front. Some schools
use state purchasing card for student travel. Concern about inconsistency
and how requiring students and advisors to fund their own travel upfront
diminishes the ability for many to participate. Discussion about how athletics
often has greater flexibility. On-going concern about institutional vehicle
usage, and who can drive and who cannot. Policies vary greatly.
Lunch Break:
GCSU President Dr. Rosemary DePaolo addressed committee. MarSan Graphics, Inc.
of Milledgeville provided lunch, and "Mark the Magic Man" Hulett
provided entertainment.
Alternate Governance:
Bree Salyards discussed the Dalton College disbanding of SGA. A Presidents'
Council is now made up of the presidents of campus clubs and organizations.
Questions were raised as to the conformity of this body with USG standards – representation
on fee committees, etc. Apparently all bases are covered and this governing
body is working well. Bree noted this format might not be well implemented
at a large residential school and foresees the possibility of growth at her
own institute requiring modification of the Presidents' Council. Dalton's
council was modeled after the student governance approach used at Lee University
in Cleveland, TN.
Online Voting and Revised Election Codes for Online Elections:
Colleges using online voting continue to report decreases in voter turnout,
as appears to be the trend nationally, but increased accuracy. A few colleges
report increased turnout as a result of using online voting. J.B. Clairborne,
professor at Georgia Southern University, has created an online voting product
called campus vote and has offered the use of the product to all USG schools
for free for one year. A few schools have already used campus vote and reported
that it worked well.
Retail on Campus:
Georgia Tech reports great success with on campus retailing and is looking
for other ways to capitalize in this area. Rich Steele asked for ideas from
others as Georgia Tech is preparing to expand retail services to new areas
of campus. Concerns were raised about the type of retail services offered
on campus, and a number of schools noted that they no longer allowed any
credit card vendors on campus.
Activity Fees/Effects of Budget Cuts:
Colleges are wary of the seeming trend to pay staff positions out of student
funds. Some colleges report student governments as having little control
over student activity fees. This source of funding is attributed by some
to a mismanagement or poor allocation in HOPE monies. Fees use and compliance
with the spirit of BOR policy changes concerning student input is a growing
concern for many.
Construction Update:
GCSU is in the midst of a growth explosion, but interest was expressed in the
various visions for use of the new properties as concern student needs versus
staff wants, etc.
NPHC participation:
Eddie Howard updated committee on representation at last regional conference.
Made note of not many Georgia representatives in attendance.
Assessment updates:
As part of an on-going sharing of ideas with assessment, different approaches
and tools were discussed along with the need to link funding and retention.
Student satisfaction was also discussed and the new Nessie and Cessie surveys
being developed.
Upcoming Conference Information:
Information about upcoming concerns for SAC, APCA, GPCA/GNTI, ACUI and SROW
was shared.
Next RACSL meeting will be Monday, May 19, 2003 at Ocean Plaza Resort on Tybee
Island. Al Harris from Armstrong Atlantic will be serving as host. Hotel information
was listed on agenda.
Meeting Adjourned 3:30 PM.
Minutes respectfully submitted by Brad Lord, RACSL secretary.