Provost's Office: 1998-1999 Annual Report
The Provost's office has seen changes in 1998-99. Provost Phillip J. Stiles resigned December 31, 1998 returning to research and teaching in the Physics Department at NC State University. Charles G. Moreland was named Interim Provost effective January 1, 1999. A national search for Provost was conducted and Kermit L. Hall was hired as Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs effective July 6, 1999. Charles Kneifel resigned as Interim Vice Provost for Information Technology to accept a position with Interpath. Sam Averitt was named Interim Vice Provost in March. Sondra Kirsch, Vice Provost for Continuing Studies, announced her retirement effective July 31, 1999. John Cudd was named Interim Vice Provost.
This summary describes the activities and achievements of the office of the Provost for 1998-99. The units included in this report are Academic Affairs, Administration and Academic Personnel Services, African-American Affairs and Special Projects, Continuing Studies, Enrollment Management and Services, Equal Opportunity, Faculty Center for Teaching and Learning, Gender Equity, and Information Technology.
Academic Affairs
During 1998-99, the Office of the Senior Associate Provost for Academic Affairs shared responsibility with the Vice Provost for Continuing Studies for the management of the extension instruction funding activities (distance education). The mechanics of the publication operation for the Undergraduate Catalog were transferred to Registration and Records. This office handled 210 course and curriculum establishment/revision/review/deletion items and coordinated the appointment of the 25 university standing committees and maintained low-faculty effort procedures for compliance with the GA interpretation of the Open Meetings Law with respect to university committees. We also coordinated with NC State colleges and departments on conversion from Academic Program Inventory (API) to the national taxonomy of Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP).
The establishment of B.A. in Physics, B.S. in Marine Sciences, and the development of requests to establish a degree track in science, technology and society and for permission to plan new baccalaureate degree programs in biomedical engineering and in anthropology was facilitated. This office reviewed, caused needed revisions to, and approved the comprehensive review of tenured faculty (post tenure review) procedures and criteria for the 66 academic units. With the assistance of the Vice Provost and Director of the Libraries and the Vice Provost for Information Technology, the further development of the Learning Technology Services in support of online course development was facilitated. Working with the Vice Provost for Continuing Studies, the transition to state funding for extension degree creditable courses was guided.
The Senior Associate Provost also continued the development of an undergraduate course and curriculum review based on periodic comprehensive program review. Two pilot reviews were conducted: History (completed spring 1998), and Business Management (in process-to be completed fall 1999). The development on an electronic faculty activity report was continued, with an expected working prototype in the fall 1999.
Academic Personnel Services and Administration
During 1998-99, Research Associates (Post Docs) were implemented as temporary employees and provided a health insurance benefit that removed the necessity to contribute to retirement. OAPS created a series of forums with departmental/division-level staff to facilitate awareness/understanding of the implementation of PeopleSoft payroll/personnel. The policy on payment for unused vacation leave to fiscal-year EPA employees at the time of a change to an academic-year appointment was clarified. The employment policy regarding research faculty as non-tenure track employment was clarified. Phase I of the BOG's expansion of its definition of 'senior academic and administrative officers' was implemented. Team OAPS participated in the university's Employee Appreciation Day for the first time and hosted a Customer Teams' fall reception. Year #1 of the Phased Retirement Program (PRP) was implemented and Year #2 is underway. The Educational & Technology Fee Advisory Team continued to evolve allocation procedures.
African-American Affairs
The Leadership Education for Academic Departments Series (LEADS) program featured seven professional development workshops for department heads on topics including budgets, personnel matters, diversity initiatives, leadership training, retirement issues, information technology, and the recently-instituted Faculty Center for Teaching and Learning.
Our office coordinated a Non-cognitive Variables (NCV) Research Project to ascertain the relationship of eight non-cognitive variables to the success of all students. The study includes three dependent variables as indicators of student performance: (1) grade point average, (2) retention, and (3) number of semesters completed.
The goal of the Quality Education for Minorities (QEM) Network and its associated North Carolina Technical Assistance Project (NC-TAP) is to increase the participation of underrepresented minorities in mathematics, science, and engineering teaching and research careers. Dr. William Grant is a member of the QEM Network Statewide Steering Committee.
The African-American Cultural Center (AACC) sponsored several efforts during the academic year, including the Martin Luther King, Jr. Cultural Festival and several gallery exhibitions. The Saturday Program for Academic and Cultural Education (SPACE), an AACC program, provided supplemental instruction for fifty-four middle school students.
The Professional Development Grant Program for Faculty Diversity program focused on the combination of scholarly activity and cultivation of potential faculty who could increase the diversity of our faculty. Support is provided for scholarly activities that culminate in publications or in presentations at professional meetings where recruitment opportunities might exist. Eight proposals were received and funded during 1998-99 for a total of $17,834.
Continuing Studies
Historically, the Division's programs have been self-supporting, which limits the kinds of activities that can be offered and only serves those who can afford to pay the full costs of the programs. New legislation passed by the General Assembly now supports degree-related, off-campus instruction in the UNC system. This infusion of $3.4 million in new funds enables NC State University to (a) integrate distance learning into the mainstream of academic instruction, and (b) to create new opportunities to expand the volume, scope, and accessibility of courses and degree programs. Division leaders are planning new marketing and communication services, expanded central registration and student services, program evaluation and cost analysis, and faculty support services for the design, development and delivery of distance learning programs via learning technologies. To more effectively implement many of these initiatives, the departments of Instructional Telecommunications and Adult Credit Programs and Summer Sessions were merged, a new distance learning planning unit was created, and a pilot partnership was forged with the Learning and Technology Services, whereby two division distance education specialists were transferred to DH Hill Library on a one year trial basis.
NC State delivered 8,162 semester credit hours to distance learners in FY '98'99, representing 437 courses to 4,077 students in 1,591 locations. The number of distance courses increased 19% over the previous year and registrations increased 17%. Fifty-five percent of the courses were taught through videocassette and 31% face-to-face, but interactive video and Internet courses are becoming increasingly popular modes of teaching adult distance learners. Enrollment in the on-campus Lifelong Education Program for non-degree students declined slightly to 5,180. The average annual FTE from this segment of the student body was approximately 1,000, providing support for almost 70 faculty positions. Approximately 134,000 participants attended nearly 2,000 McKimmon Conference and Training Center programs and professional development programs numbered another 200. The latter programs generated more than $447,000 in revenue for NC State academic departments. Computer technology courses offered by the Computer Training Unit grew 17% this past year to number 607. The Encore Center for Lifelong Enrichment sponsored six regional, national and international, instructor-led, study-travel programs for its growing membership; and Environmental Programs led 36 undergraduate honor students in study trips to the Peruvian Amazon and the rain forests in Southern Belize.
Instructional Telecommunications received a second US International Agency grant in partnership with the College of Management, Triangle International Visitor's Bureau, and Ural State and Perm State Universities in Russia to produce upper-level business courses for distance delivery to 15 other Ural Mountain universities. The Center for Urban Affairs and Community Services completed a major evaluation project with its new client, the NC Department of Corrections, and finished another study with the NC Department of Environment and Natural Resources (NCDENR) Division of Air Quality. The Emerging Issues Forum also worked with NCDENR on the 1999 Governor's Summit on Sustainability and Smart Growth, and conducted the Year 2000 Education Summit for the NC Department of Public Instruction. The Forum also sponsored its 14th event with the Governor's office, Global Economic Storms, which brought together 800 business, education and government leaders.
Enrollment Management and Services
The Division of Enrollment Management and Services is functioning as envisioned as a more cohesive unit providing improved and expanded services through technology to students. The mission of the Division is to enhance the quality and level of service to new and continuing students, thereby having a positive impact on the retention and graduation of continuing students and the recruitment and enrollment of new students.
Admissions met all enrollment targets for fall '98 enrolling 3641 freshmen and 1007 transfer students. Demand for admission for fall '99 is at an all time high with a record 12,500 freshmen applicants seeking 3500 available spaces and 2950 transfer applicants applying for 1100 spaces. The quality of the '99 class is impressive showing gains to record levels in SAT scores (1180) and grade point average (3.87) and class rank (avg. top 15%). The enrollment of underrepresented students will represent between 10-12% of our new freshmen class. A slight drop from previous years.
Registration and Records continues to "exceed customer expectations" through innovative technology. Its web-based applications include a new automated degree audit system, on-line course registration, grade checking, class roster information, academic progress reporting, and electronic grade reporting.
Financial Aid continues to experience significant increases in the demand for aid (a 108% increase since 1991), awarding over $86 million annually, (a 238% increase in just eight years). A new fully automated financial aid processing system called "PowerFaids" was brought on line for fall 1999.
Lifelong Education served over 5600 students during the fall and spring semesters, a slight decrease over previous years. Our part-time student pricing structure is simply no longer competitive causing some drop in demand. Over 800 Lifelong Education students were admitted to undergraduate and graduate degree programs in 1998-99, having a significant impact on the University's overall enrollment. Over 13,400 students enrolled in summer school in '98 with similar enrollments expected for 1999.
The biggest news in Enrollment Management is the University's commitment to the PeopleSoft Student Administration system. This new integrated technology will address and change the fundamental way the university collects and uses data and student information.
Equal Opportunity (OEO)
NC State completed the second year of its five-year Affirmative Action Plan. The SPA Equal Opportunity Plan was submitted to the Office of State Personnel in March 1999 and included the new workplace harassment policy and prevention plan. The Office for Equal Opportunity collected information from approximately 55 exit interview questionnaires for EPA personnel at NC State for the reporting year ending September 30, 1998. Notable among OEO's continuing efforts to promote diversity at NC State were the following activities: (1) the Chancellor's University-Community Brotherhood Dinner in December 1998, (2) co-sponsorship of the "Racial Legacies and Learning" video conference for the NC State community, and (3) coordination of a race awareness seminar for June 14-15, 1999 with 25 faculty and staff scheduled to be in attendance. OEO conducted a successful national search for a new full-time ADA Coordinator and this new EPA Professional began employment in February 1999. Workshops were conducted in several academic and administrative departments on providing accommodations to students and staff with disabilities. Also, due to administrative reorganization, Disability Services for Students was moved from Student Affairs to the Office for Equal Opportunity with oversight of this unit to be provided by the ADA Coordinator. OEO has taken the lead in coordinating the implementation of NC State's new Mediation Policy and Procedure. OEO continues revising policies, handbooks, and employment information to make processes more efficient. OEO has been successful in eliminating much of the "paper" we handle by placing "fillable" recruitment forms on the web. The Sexual Harassment Prevention Officer conducted several workshops on campus for students, staff, and faculty and provided case management for 50 reported cases of sexual harassment. The Coordinator of Employment Programs provided orientation to search committees in their recruitment activities for academic personnel. OEO presented at a session of Leadership Education for Academic Departments Series (LEADS) in February 1999.
Faculty Center for Teaching and Learning
In its first full year of operation, the Faculty Center for Teaching and Learning (FCTL) continued to build a foundation for sustained and positive contributions to teaching and learning at NC State, while simultaneously delivering the following programs: Emphasis: Teaching and Learning newsletter (new design, 4 issues); Instructional Grants Program (9 grants @ $3,000 per grant); Fall Teaching Effectiveness Workshop (320 attendees); Display to honor award-winning teachers and student learners; Core resource collection (books, articles, videos on teaching); FCTL web site; Two summer workshops on "Linking Technology and Pedagogy"; New Faculty Workshop (max. attendance over 40); Four PBS teaching workshops (max. attendance 80); Graduate student discussion group; Campus visit by distance education leader (3 separate events); and Individual consultation for 11 faculty members.
Gender Equity
The Office of the Assistant Provost and Facilitator of Gender Equity assisted the Provost in Teaching Effectiveness and Evaluation, Gender Equity, and Special Projects. Activities included supporting the University Standing Committee on Evaluation of Teaching, the Board of Governors' Award for Excellence in Teaching, the Alumni Distinguished Undergraduate Professors, the Academy of Outstanding Teachers, the Council on the Status of Women, The Coalition of Women in Mathematics, Science and Engineering, the annual Salary Equity Study, Bridges, the Steering Team for the Expanding Your Horizons conference, the Harrelson Fund Committee, the Association of Retired Faculty Board of Directors, the Academic Affairs and Personnel Committee of the Board of Trustees, and the Internal (Programmatic) Committee of the Board of Visitors, and the Campus Climate Team of the Chancellor's Diversity Initiative. The Assistant Provost also served as co-principal investigator for the Alcoa Project, organized and hosted the annual conference of Women Administrators in North Carolina Higher Education (WANCHE), edited former Provost Nash Winstead's Narrative History of the Provost's Office, and served on the Chancellor's Installation Committee.
Information Technology
During the 1998-1999 academic year, Information Technology (IT) continued to expand and improve its support of academic computing and its development of next-generation networking capabilities for the university. Beyond the campus, IT continues to maintain its leadership role in the UNC system and the nation in developing information technology infrastructures and resources. NCState.Net, the networking group of Information Technology, continued its development of the next generation network backbone for the campus. The number of logins to our public labs continues to increase, and the number of faculty, staff, and students who use our services is now about 28,000. E-mail traffic is greater than 300,000 messages per day. Our ResNet service group doubled their customer base again this year, increasing the subscription rate to 2,500 connections. All available rooms will be wired and provisioned this fall. The Learning Technology Service, established last year, and other IT teaching and learning and distance education activities have greatly progressed this year. File services have been expanded for course content, web, command line, and ftp servers. Information Technology continues to contribute significant staff resources and expertise to the networking infrastructure build-out activities of the General Administration and the rest of the UNC system through the Networking Baseline Study funded by the Legislature last year.