Meeting Minutes: Regents Advisory Committee on Student Life (RACSL)
Spring Meeting
Monday, May 15, 2006
Historic Banning Mills
9:00 AM Breakfast and Check In
9:30 AM Welcome, Introductions & Agenda Review
9:45 AM University System Office
The Regents are meeting today and tomorrow. An important topic of discussion
will be residency rules. The current residency rules require students to
live in Georgia for one calendar year. Several students missed the residency
window by days or months. The proposal will include extending the rule to
residents who moved to Georgia as a result of the hurricane during the fall
term 2005. The Vice President of Technology is retiring and an interim candidate
will be on staff immediately. The Senior Vice President, Dan Pap, will be
leaving the system office for the President position at Kennesaw.
10:15 AM New Student Insurance
The insurance contract was signed in February. This is the first time we have
a system wide contract for health insurance for the first time. All campuses
that have students in the mandatory group will be required to participate.
The mandatory group includes all graduate assistants on a tuition waiver,
graduate and undergraduate students on J or F Visas, all graduate or undergraduate
students in programs that require health insurance (i.e., nursing), and all
students on fellowship. The policy is not just major medical. The program
includes medications. Students who purchase the insurance can also purchase
insurance for their dependants and family members. Optional plans are available
for all students directly from company, Pierce Pierce. The negotiated costs
is $830/year. The costs will be applied to the student bill for students
in the mandatory group. Insured students can obtain waivers. There is an
option for students to purchase supplemental insurance. Some student had
insurance coverage through their home institutions that may have been less
expensive than the current plan. Students in the mandatory group will be
required to use the approved provider for campus based insurance coverage.
The BOR has signed a one year contract with the option to renew the policy
after four years. Pierce and Pierce will provide free brochures and update
the website to each campus. Each campus has the discretion of adding an administrative
fee to the base cost. The policy covers student throughout the state provided
students find a provider that will use the company. Students pay a deductible
for services.
10:30 AM Six Sigma
The project management theory is rooted in manufacturing and applied to higher
education. Consult "What is Six Sigma" by Pete Pande and Larry
Holpp (McGraw-Hill publishers, 2002) for more information. The translation
process of Six Sigma into the higher education arena is unclear at this point.
The program focuses on customer service, accountability and responsibility
of the project. Risk taking, active and 'rapid' change are valued by the
chancellor.
10:45 AM Communication for programming
The question, "Can we develop a forum to exchange information about artists
and agencies?" was posed. The group seems receptive to some type of avenue
and we can use the listserv to share information about successes and challenges.
Please send your programming schedule monthly to take advantage of block booking
opportunities.
11:00 AM Travel Expenses
Student travel waivers protect the advisors and students. Students who travel
with the advisor should return with the advisor. Georgia College pays for
the first night of lodging and the fees when students participate in tournaments
or conferences. The second night of lodging is the responsibility of the
students who will be reimbursed when they return to campus. Other schools
pay registration and the students are responsible for lodging and transportation
expenses.
11:15 AM Club Sports
Georgia Highlands College students are interested in starting a club sports
teams to compete against other college students. These types of clubs can
get the same rights and privileges as any other student organization. Each
club needs an on campus advisor who may or may not be their coach. The intramural
coordinator sets the on-campus schedule and coordinates off campus competitions.
Some students play in the local (city) sports clubs. Georgia Tech sports
club students pay $50 a year for membership. The advisor or Student Life
representative can be responsible for equipment purchased by the organization.
11:30 AM Student Purchases and State Tax Reimbursement and Food Purchases
Some business offices are not paying back the sales tax. Eddie suggested we
open accounts for direct billing with specific venders who charge the student
life office. It is important to provide officer and advisor training about
campus policies. New BOR and state policy states that taxes cannot be reimbursed
to students or advisors.
Clayton State does not fund food for general meetings and Campus Dining has
the right of first refusal. All catering services must go through the campus
provider.
11:45 AM Liability Issues for Students Under Age 18
Students under the age of 18 must have parental permission to participate in
campus activities, especially travel, and the parent or guardian's contact
information must be listed on the form. International students are considered
minors until the age of 24. Joint enrollment students cannot be involved
in co-curricular activities. Tonya will send the exact policies to the group.
RESPONSE FROM TONYA LAM : US laws that apply to domestic students also apply
to international students. An international student 18 or older should be treated
the same as a domestic student who is 18 years of age or older. A student,
domestic or international is considered a minor at 17 or younger.
12:00 PM Lunch
Thanks to Jay's Aquamassage, our Sponsor
423-785-7957
1:00 PM Faculty Notification of Student Travel
Most colleges with representatives present send a letter stating the students
are traveling on official institutional business. The memo does not excuse
the students from class or responsibility for their work. Other institutions
have support from the Vice President who endorses letters sent to faculty.
Some directors document travel with employers as well.
1:15 PM Facilities Reservation Process/Responsibilities/Charges
Most institutions charge student clubs for the expenses incurred by other areas
such as security and custodians. Other student organizations are required
to secure outside vendors for certain services such as av. There is a central
reservations center with some segmentation with classrooms, gymnasiums and
auditoriums.
1:30 PM Gospel Choir Funding
Gospel choirs are governed like any other student organization. They are allocated
a budget and can use the funds according to student activity fee guidelines.
1:45 PM GA Rising Leadership Program
Students are selected to attend the leadership program sponsored by the Fanning
Leadership Institute at UGA. Program goals include community leadership,
making a difference and the needs of the state and community. There are three
sessions in Spring, December and Spring. The attendance fee is $250 and does
not cover transportation. Each session is a weekend retreat including research
and follow up.
2:00 PM Retention
Some members of the group have been asked to prepare retention reports and
gathering documentation to support research. Each unit at some institutions
are expected to justify how it supports the overall retention effort. West
Georgia uses the swipe card system to collect data and link it through BANNER.
Suggested resources include "The Freshman Year Experience", "The
Senior Year Experience" and Goal Quest computer program.
2:15 PM Tuition Cap
The tuition cap policy will begin in fall 2006. Each year a new rate would
be set for the guaranteed for a year. There has been discussion on the guaranteed
versus continuing rate. Students at four-year institutions will be granted
12 consecutive semesters at the guaranteed rate. Students at two-year institutions
will be granted 9 consecutive terms at the guaranteed rate. Transfer students
(earned college credit after high school) get an additional six terms. The
rate is not based on hours but academic years. The following questions were
asked during our discussion: "Who will be accountable and what appeal
process will be available for students who cannot take the required classes
and graduate in two or four years?" and "What happens at the end
of three or four years?" Appeals will stay at the campus level: The
BOR will not hear cases. The tuition cap is just tuition, not fees or housing.
Summer 2006 rates will be determined at the discretion of the USG institutions.
2:30 PM Stipends and Financial Aid
Some student leaders are awarded grant program through financial aid. Other
students receive a stipend through student accounts. The institutions (GA
Tech, Clayton, and Kennasaw) write contracts for the students and amount
earned is paid with a per diem at the end of each term. In this case the
students are reimbursed at the end of the semester for their work, the payment
is claimed on the next year tax returns and FAFSA forms and doesn't interfere
with students' current year financial aid. This process is similar to how
students are awarded essay contest prizes.
2:45 PM Reserve Accounts
State auditor asked Georgia Highlands College to drain student activity fee
reserve. No one else present received a similar request.
3:00 PM Alcohol
A group of Georgia Tech graduate students is petitioning to have free alcohol
at campus events (on-campus happy hour) sponsored by the institution. Drink
tickets of one drink per hour for the duration of the event would be provided.
Other schools haven't discussed this type of programming.
3:15 PM Use of Equipment Purchased with Student Activity Fees for
Different Purposes
Outside areas are using equipment purchased with student activity fees. It
is a common practice for musicians to use instruments. The artists are being
paid for the talent, not the equipment. Others considered the act a violation
of BOR policy in the area of personal gain.
3:30 PM Elections
Incoming Chair: John Spranza Incoming Secretary: Janea Johnson
3:45 PM Upcoming dates; meetings, conference, etc...
November 13, 2006 at University of West Georgia May 14, 2007 at Augusta State
College
4:00 PM Adjourn
Prepared by Janea Johnson
Special thanks to our hosts and sponsor!
The Spring 2006 RASCL participants thank Jay's Aquamassage, our sponsor.
Attendants
Kathy Alday, Kennesaw State University
Garrett Burgner, Dalton State College
Alicia Caudill, Gainesville State College
Eddie Howard, Augusta State University
Jeff Jacobs, Clayton State University
Janea Johnson, Georgia Perimeter College
Robin Jones, Armstrong Atlantic State University
Tonya Lam, Board of Regents
Dave Leenhouts, Coastal Georgia Community College
Sharon Lloyd, Gordon College
Ron Lunk, Georgia College and State University
Danielle McDonald, Georgia Institute of Technology
Tom Miles, Georgia College and State University
Eric O'Cain, Darton College
Linda Picklesimer, University of West Georgia
Heath Rogers, Georgia Highlands College (host)
Iris Shanklin, Atlanta Metropolitan College
Cara Skeat, Gainesville College
Rich Steele, Georgia Institute of Technology
Charlie Strong, Macon State College
Wesley Thomas, North Georgia College and State University
Guest Presenters/Speakers:
Tonya Lam, Associate Vice Chancellor for Student Services, University System
of Georgia
Jay Dukes, Auquamassage, Sponsor