April 14, 2008
President Wilson convened the final SPBC meeting of 2007-08 at 11:40 a.m. He asked if there were any questions or comments on the notes from the March 10, 2008 SPBC meeting. The notes were accepted as distributed. He then welcomed Jenny Hand, who substituted as notetaker for Mary Beth Phillips.
*Report on Goal III: Human Resources* (see Appendix A)
Beth Cunningham and Dan Klotzbach reported jointly on progress made on the Human Resources goal, Beth for the academic (faculty) side and Dan for the non-academic side.
In regards to Strategy B: Allocating Human Resources, Beth noted that her bullet point in Appendix A for this strategy should actually be under Strategy D. She also reported that several years ago the faculty approved converting long-term visiting positions to tenure-track positions, and she has been working this year to hire faculty members for some of those openings.
President Wilson added that the University has not been in an expansion mode due to fiscal restraints, but once we move beyond this situation, we need to identify where the most important priorities lie in terms of increasing the size of the faculty.
He then asked for comments on the reports. One Committee member indicated that she felt obligated to say that, in her opinion, increasing the number of staff was more important than a merit pay program.
Another Committee member noted that the faculty had done away with the idea of merit raises and wondered whether there was really support for it among the staff. Dan indicated that the Merit Pay Task Force had received a really good response, mostly favorable, and that the devil is in the details. On the Merit Pay Task Force blog they have addressed several issues and the pros and cons of each. One overall concern seems to be with the compensation budget. There needs to be enough resources behind it to make a difference.
A question was asked regarding consideration for a merit system for faculty. Beth indicated that she had heard mixed feelings about such a notion although she has not collected data on this topic. One member noted that the previous merit system for faculty was so uniformly applied that it was worthless, while another commented that the Social Science division had tried to make it rigorous, but other divisions had not necessarily done so.
President Wilson noted that the faculty has a merit system of sorts with promotion increases and equity adjustments and that to institute any other type of system would require further study and a vote by the faculty. However, on the staff side, there is no comparable system, thus the reason for the MPTF's work. He indicated, of course, that we have to be sensitive to the issue of resources. It will need to be a modest system because we have modest resources. He further noted that he had spoken with two trustees, both of them responsible for programs in their respective fields, and both had advised him to be very deliberate about the process, take it one step at a time and plan for it to be a multi-year effort.
Concerning the topic of professional development, one member wondered if there had been any programs to groom faculty for leadership roles on campus. Beth responded that the program that she is developing for new chairs partially addresses that concern, and that her office has also provided money for new chairs to attend off-campus programs. programs to groom faculty for leadership roles on campus. Beth responded that the program that she is developing for new chairs partially addresses that concern, and that her office has also provided money for new chairs to attend off-campus programs.
Other comments from Committee members included the following:
1) The Post-tenure Review process should be more closely tied to professional development.
2) The Wellness Programs on campus are mostly accessible by staff only, given the limited programming hours.
3) The speed in which faculty members were being promoted to full professor had increased.
4) The acceleration to full professor was less about professional development and more about the salary bump.
President Wilson noted that having only two defined points in a faculty member's career is one of the reasons why endowed professorships will be helpful. It creates a third opportunity in a career to award meritorious service.
President Wilson then turned the floor to Kathy Cavins for a progress update on Student Development
*Report on Goal II: Student Development* (see Appendix B)
In response to a query from a Committee member, Kathy Cavins explained that the leadership series being developed is in parallel with academic programs and that value-based leadership translated to behaviors intended to complement other activities. Another member asked if they were working with the Action Research Center, to which Kathy indicated they were, specifically through the Career Center.
One member noted that she is very excited about the alumni-student programs, both IWU Women's Council and the Greek network and offered kudos to those responsible for the program.
It was also announced that the Alumni Career Network will be disbanded, but will be folded into these new groups.
*Peer Similarity Study*
President Wilson then moved to the next agenda item, the Peer Similarity Study. He noted that Michael Thompson had done a fair amount of work and that everyone should have received several documents from him in preparation for this discussion.
Michael presented qualitative data on three institutions, Lawrence University, Centre College, and DePauw University, which were identified as potential peer institutions at the SPBC meeting of March 10th. In an attempt to further assess their similarity or lack thereof to Illinois Wesleyan, Michael specifically examined their emphases concerning professional and fine arts programs, as well as commitment to the liberal arts. After much discussion, the Committee felt that Centre College looked less favorably as a peer candidate, while Lawrence and DePauw were looked upon more positively. Dan Klotzbach and Beth Cunningham indicated that they would like to see a similar breakout for Augustana. Kalamazoo College was also identified for further examination. Wesleyan, Michael specifically examined their emphases concerning professional and fine arts programs, as well as commitment to the liberal arts. After much discussion, the Committee felt that Centre College looked less favorably as a peer candidate, while Lawrence and DePauw were looked upon more positively. Dan Klotzbach and Beth Cunningham indicated that they would like to see a similar breakout for Augustana. Kalamazoo College was also identified for further examination.
Discussion continued about the pros and cons of selecting institutions to be in our peer comparison group. Susie asked about the total number that we were seeking and President Wilson responded that 10 to 12 would be a good number. He added that he was hopeful that by early fall the committee could come to agreement on a list of institutions so that we could begin using this group for benchmarking purposes.
With special thanks to the individuals for whom this was their last meeting, President Wilson adjourned the meeting at 1:00 p.m.
Appendix A
Human Resource Goal
April 2008 update
*III. Human Resources Goal:*
Strengthen support for faculty and staff in their respective roles and create a community in which all are valued and encouraged to reach their potential.
*Strategy A: Conducting Ongoing Workload Analyses.* After first conducting careful analyses of individual faculty and staff workloads, develop and implement an equitable and efficient distribution of their workloads, consistent with the vision and mission of the University, then devise and implement an on-going program to review and adjust the workload distribution in order to match the evolving needs of the University.
-- Provost is consulting with CUPP about the faculty committee structure and ways to make committee work more efficient and effective.
*Strategy B: Allocating Human Resources.* Adjust the allocation of human resources to both address the needs of critical campus functions that are understaffed and accommodate the staffing needs of new IWU mission priorities, such as diversifying and internationalizing the campus and creating a sustainable campus.
-- Positions related to the Capital Campaign have been added to the University.
-- Provost has developed a workshop for the professional development of department chairs, school directors, and program directors of academic programs. In addition, Provost has provided funding for chairs/directors to attend off-campus programs on chairing academic departments.
-- Business Office and HR Office successfully moved payroll processing to Banner which when fully functioning will allow for more direct access to payroll and benefits by employees Strategy C: Structuring Compensation Systems. Structure the compensation system for all IWU employees to achieve the dual goal of rewarding them fairly and providing incentives to be productive members of the University community; as part of this effort, work to ensure that the benefit system remains a priority and is competitive.
-- Appointed by President Wilson, the Merit Program Task Force has been gathering and processing information related to staff merit programs. A report from the Task Force is due to the President by the end of the academic year.
-- The University has implemented a comprehensive Employee Assistance Program.
-- Human Resource staff is reviewing most non-exempt starting salary rates to ensure a competitive pay schedule.
-- Effective August 1, 2007, all new faculty and staff hires are provided an enhanced retiree health insurance program called Emeriti. The retiree health insurance funding provided by the University is portable with a vesting schedule upon termination allowing for a competitive advantage.
*Strategy D: Emphasizing Professional Development.* Devise and implement comprehensive professional development, orientation, and training programs for all segments of the University.
-- HR Office is developing an expanded new employee orientation program.
-- HR Office offered supervisors training for conducting performance reviews.
-- Through our insurance program offered supervisors training on the Employment Law Essentials for Supervisors.
-- Provost has developed an orientation for new faculty outlining the expectations for scholarship/artistic achievement, teaching, and service. Strategy E: Achieving Faculty and Staff Wellness. Strengthen proactive wellness programs and identify and respond to evolving wellness needs of faculty and staff across campus.
-- Working to expand the Illinois Sustainable Living & Wellness Expo scheduled to take place April 11 and 12. This expansion is due in part to a request for more information on being green and local food awareness. Strategy F: Enhancing Internal Communication. Continue to develop transparent communication channels among all members of the IWU community in a way that increases operational efficiency and encourages respectful interactions among all University constituencies.
-- Faculty Visitors to the Board of Trustees reports are being sent to staff, as well as faculty.
-- Administration members have drafted language concerning childrearing / childbearing leave options and search committee procedures in order to ensure clear, equitable policies.
-- HR Office held training sessions for staff regarding the annual performance review.
-- Several open forums have been held to inform staff and faculty (Staff Council, Budget presentation by President and VP for Business and Finance, Merit Program Task Force, Provost forums on faculty salaries, etc.).
-- Provost initiated "lunch with the Provost" program
-- Provost has initiated once-a-semester open forums for faculty.
-- Provost has developed an Academic Affairs blog giving the opportunity for faculty to provide feedback to new policies, new programs, etc
-- President reinstituted a "staff lunch with the President" program this year.
-- Campus Weekly, an electronic newsletter from Illinois Wesleyan's Office of University Communications, was initiated in the fall
*IV. Diversity Goal:*
Increase and sustain diversity among students, faculty, staff, administrators, and trustees; with a special focus on attaining "critical masses" from underrepresented racial and ethnic groups, create a welcoming, inclusive, multicultural campus where all community members appreciate and respect the diversity of the nation and the world.
*Strategy C: Recruiting and retaining a diverse faculty and staff.* Recruit and retain a diverse faculty, Cabinet, and staff, with emphasis on racial and ethnic diversity.
-- The Human Resource Office has developed a local minority network. All external staff position recruitments are posted/sent to this network. The network is comprised of local churches, community center, the Urban League and the Illinois Department of Employment Security. This network promotes and enhances our relationship with Bloomington-Normal's diverse communities and provides us with recruitment sources in order to gather applications from a more diverse applicant pool.
-- Provost is developing a set of resources for chairs of faculty search committees to expand the pool of qualified applicants. Provost met with chairs of search committees early fall to discuss the search process including ways to attract minority candidates.
Appendix B
Student Development Goal
Strategic Plan
Illinois Wesleyan University
Progress from April 2007 - April 2008
*II. Student Development Goal:*
Enhance the campus environment so as to foster students' intellectual, social, ethical, and personal development.
*Strategy A: Developing a Seamless Learning Environment.* Create a student affairs cocurricular sequence based on developmental outcomes that coordinates with the academic program and addresses student development issues (including, but not limited to leadership development, presentation skills, resume and other professional writing skills, and personal finance) from matriculation to graduation.
Progress:*Focus on Leadership Development*
-- We developed a proposal for funding leadership development through the undergraduate experience for the capital campaign.
-- We hosted leadership retreats for emerging leaders and newly elected Greek leaders this year.
-- We piloted a May term value-based leadership course in May 2007, which was received well by students.
*Strategy B: Achieving Holistic Student Wellness.* Establish a comprehensive program that provides opportunities for students to learn about and practice physical, emotional, vocational, spiritual, intellectual, and social wellness.
Progress:
-- Adopted a Wellness model for programming and adopted sustainability as the programming theme this year. This spring, all Chapel hours had a sustainability theme and a wellness focus (Believe Green, Think Green, Achieve Green, Live Green, etc.).
-- With the leadership of the Wellness program, fitness offerings were expanded to include at least two group fitness classes per day for students.
-- Dining Services worked with student to offer greater organic foods and expanded the menu options for vegetarian and vegan foods.
-- Our new Chaplain organized groups around social justice, created a multifaith council for student groups, organized and provided a meditation space and a space for daily prayer for Muslim students.
-- In an effort to expand student recycling, a group of IWU students proposed starting its own business on campus, run by students, for students. The business is called "PreShrunk" and it is soon to open in the basement of Adams hall. The students wrote and presented a business plan, established a board of directors, went to seminars at the Small Business Development Center, met with attorneys and accountants in order to establish their plan. The students will allow IWU students to bring unwanted clothing and small objects to PreShrunk. They will be sold and the money will be donated to a local charity (still to be named).
*Strategy C: Supporting Student Development throughout College.* Enhance the undergraduate experience by bringing together academic and co-curricular experiences that address new student orientation, transitions, and the ongoing advisement of students in all spheres of their growth and development.
Progress:
-- Experienced a much more collaborative orientation program with a combined committee of faculty and staff members.
-- Sophomore year experience -- attempted a career exploration retreat for undecided sophomores, but got little interest. Attempted four nights of career exploration and strength-based advising and got little interest. We plan to use the month of May to do some planning for undecided Sophomores.
-- Advising -- Arthur Vining Davis Foundation Grant -- Jo Porter and her committee, under the advisement of Provost Cunningham and Jeff Frick, Registrar, were successful in achieving a grant to assist with our advising process. Planning and implementation will be a collaboration between Academic and Student Affairs.
*Strategy D: Encouraging Community Involvement.* Infuse the values of citizenship, social responsibility, environmental sustainability, and globalization into our community at Illinois Wesleyan University. Create environments that encourage students to step out of their comfort zones, gain appreciation for difference, and become active in their communities.
Progress:
-- Community Service as part of the orientation process. Nearly 40% of the first year class participated in community service during orientation week in August. One special program that will be expanded in 2008 is Titan-to-Titan, where our students are connected with local elderly alumni for a couple hours of service and an early connection with the university community.
-- IWU sent 50 students and 10 members of the faculty and staff to New Orleans to assist with Katrina rebuilding, health screenings and community support. This program grew from 6 students in 2007 to 50 in 2008.
-- GAP project with Bent School -- The pilot program from 2007 has been expanded and we have 34 students at Bent school acting as mentors and homework helpers after school two days a week. This program is in addition to the university's commitment to Bloomington Junior High School Promise and Potential program.
*Strategy E: Strengthening Student-Alumni Relationships.* Establish and develop a program that brings students and alumni together in cooperative projects, tutoring relationships, and personal and professional networking, increasing the effectiveness and successes of current students while engaging alumni to maintain a participatory role in the University.
Progress:
-- Alumni affinity groups have been established using the Minority Alumni Network as the model.
- IWU Council for Women has had two successful years of making connections between alumni and current students. The group has hosted two "summits" or conferences held Friday and Saturday in March.
- A group that will connect IWU Greek Alumni with current students has been established and will have its first meeting April 12.
Distributed to all faculty and staff: May 27, 2008