January 2024 Meeting Notes

EHE Staff Advisory Council

 Meeting Notes

1/18/24

 

Attendees: Ryan Provost, Julie Miller, Heather Long, Brandon Hines, Samantha Peterson, Carlotta Penn, Melanie Qualls, Jessica Woodruff, Jackie Von Speigel, Nancy Dugan

Welcome

Julie welcomed the group and shared Dean Pope Davis will be attending our meeting

Ryan shared about a professional development opportunity with LinkedIn Learning and how to use it to its fullest.  It is scheduled for 2/21 from noon – 1 pm via Zoom more information coming.

Welcomed Dean Pope Davis:

Dean Pope Davis shared:

Good news:

  • Advancement/Funding:
    • Record pace to raise money
    • Cameron Mitchell gave a major gift
    • 70 million has been raised during his tenure which is a record for the college, and it connects with our mission and student engagement
    • Collaborating with the Attorney General to change donor arrangements where we no longer have programs or students in programs so that we can use the funds for other students’ needs
  • Opportunity to grow enrollment
    • College working with James Orr with our recruitment of students to increase our enrollment
    • Currently we are trying to recover from Covid, and enrollment decreasing
  • Growing online presence with more courses and programs
  • Growing international education with partnerships
  • EHE Brand is growing through LinkedIn (moved from X) and Podcasts

Challenges:

  • Budget
    • 3 pockets of the budget include
      • Advancement with 25 million in reserve
      • Revenue from credit hours generated with a 3-year average (OSU budget model)
      • Campbell Hall Renovation – going well, still raising funds, one of the contractors was terminated
    • Currently cuts have been asked for and there is a hiring freeze (there is an exemption process)
    • Limiting events – no MLK event this year
  • Appreciates staff with all the stress and demands – “take care of yourselves”

Questions from Staff:

  • Q: Will work from home and flexible schedules continue?
    • Answer
    • It is to be determined. The president when in Nebraska brought everyone back to campus.  However, it is not a priority. Status quo now.
    • Dean feels important to be on campus so that you can interact and drop by people’s offices for a quick meeting. Plus, there is not an issue with Covid.  The Dean’s Council will advocate for us to the President.
  • Q: Can you clarify the online courses?  Will the students come to campus to increase enrollment or to reach others?
    • Answer
    • Online courses and programs are to increase enrollment. OSU is late to the game with online courses and programs and starting to move forward
    • The intent is to give an alternative way to get a degree or certificate for non-traditional students
    • This will create a new revenue stream for the college.
    • Working on new EdD will be online
  • Q: There seems to be a discrepancy in your online/work-from-home statement.  If we get rid of working from home, it limits our interaction online and the innovation that came/comes from it.  Plus, it will retain staff by offering flexibility.  Would you advocate for staff with the president?
    • Answer: The dean would advocate for work-from-home flexibility for staff.  Unfortunately, he has no control.  It is the president’s decision, but the dean would share our perspective with the Dean’s council when asked.
    • Follow-up question – would the work-from-home policy be based on the type of work done? (IT vs customer service?) or would it be a blanket policy?
    • Answer: OSU tends not to be prescriptive – each unit currently sets expectations with remote vs. in-person work
    • Follow-up questions – who makes the decision?
    • Answer: The President recommends, and the Board of Trustees makes the final decision.
    • Follow-up question: Our EHE SAC is advocating for winter recess with USAC and other units across campus.  What is your perspective?  Any momentum on the issue?
    • Answer: Make to share with the university staff group and Katie Hall (HR), act, your voice makes a difference, the university must calculate the cost of the winter break.
    • Follow-up statement from staff: Working with USAC with 80 emails in support from faculty and staff.
    • Answer: Nothing else has been mentioned related to the transition of the new President and provost. And I support the winter break and will keep it on my radar
  • Q: Can you share updates on the academic review and strategic plan?
    • Answer: the academic review committee is meeting for the first time.  We will look at data about the programs and discuss those are robust and others that are barely alive.  Look at how to sustain programs.  Also, we must decide what we are not doing well and sunset those programs.
    • Answer: Once we review all data and will make recommendations from the students, faculty’ views, costs, and ROI, and what is sustainable and then make the recommendation.
    • Answer: This will take time.  We sunset PE and it took 3-4 years.
    • Answer: Will be transparent

Final words from the dean:

EHE SAC needs to plan what we are doing and think about morale and engagement.

EHE SAC shared we have planned a week of wellness in December and looking at spring; Workshop on LinkedIn Learning for professional development for staff (no cost), sharing other sources of funding for professional development, and working on improving morale within units and engaging with staff.