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President's Cabinet Minutes

April 20, 2009

Present: President Chapman, Craig Schnell, Prakash Mathew, Phil Boudjouk, Evie Myers, DC Coston, Bonnie Neas, Keith Bjerke, Jim Miller, Rick Johnson, Gene Taylor, Cathy Backer

  • President Chapman reviewed issues discussed during the legislative session.
  • President Chapman was the speaker at the Fargo South High National Honor Society Awards Program on Sunday. There were 111 merit scholars and their parents at this event.
  • Mathew gave an update on enrollment.
  • Mathew mentioned Discover NDSU was held last week on campus and the turnout was larger than expected.
  • Student Government had their budget meeting on Sunday.
  • The State of the Student Address will be tonight in Century Theater. Mathew mentioned it would be good if the Cabinet attended.
  • Student Government elections were held. Amber Alstad and Andy Schilcksup are the new student body president and vice president.
  • Bjerke gave an update on legislative issues.
  • Coston gave an update on SB 2020. He also discussed the grape and wine bill.
  • Coston discussed the print and copy survey that the campus took and discussed future plans for copy machines.
  • Coston discussed flood issues that the Extension staff are dealing with throughout the state. Many animals have been lost during the flood and now they are dealing with disposal issues.
  • Miller mentioned that the faculty/staff campaign is underway.
  • Miller gave an update on the upcoming Development Foundation Board of Trustees and Alumni Association Board of Directors meetings. These meetings will be held in Fargo on April 30, May 1 & 2.
  • The Celebration of Faculty Excellence will be held on May 6 at the Alumni Center.
  • Taylor mentioned that they will have the Bison Academy Awards on April 29 in Festival Concert Hall. He invited the Cabinet to attend.
  • Taylor gave an update on spring practices for football.
  • Schnell gave an update on how things are going with finalizing classes for this year.
  • Myers gave an update on enrollment of international students. There is still a need to see if we can find jobs on campus for international students.
  • Myers discussed the summer research program. There will be students from Mississippi, Arizona and other locations.
  • Myers mentioned that the Pow Wow took place at the BSA on Saturday. Mathew was honored for his many years of participation in the Pow Wow.
  • Neas gave an update on Northern Tier Network issues.
  • Neas visited the United Tribes last week. She has been discussing ITS issues with them.
  • Neas mentioned that they are helping Valley City State with their technology issues during the flood.
  • Johnson gave an update on legal issues he is dealing with.
  • Boudjouk gave an update on animal care issues and animal rights issues that they are dealing with.
  • Boudjouk mentioned his division is in the process of restructuring.
  • Boudjouk gave an update on the search for the Director of CNSE.
  • Boudjouk gave an update on some of the issues he has been working with the federal agencies on research and technology at NDSU.

March 16, 2009

Present: President Chapman, Craig Schnell, Prakash Mathew, John Adams, Bonnie Neas, Keith Bjerke, Jim Miller, Gene Taylor, Rick Johnson, Cathy Backer

  • President discussed the events that have gone on for NDSU Basketball. Taylor mentioned that the NDSU game will be held on Friday at 11:30 a.m. in Minneapolis. Taylor asked the Cabinet to coordinate their plans to attend the events with Backer. Miller explained that the Alumni Association is planning a pre-game event at the Depot in Minneapolis. He said you could find out more details on-line.
  • Bjerke mentioned it would be good to have Bison Pride Week. It would be fun to have the campus wear Bison wear during this week. President Chapman will send a message to the campus concerning this.
  • Bjerke discussed legislative issues and what bills will be discussed this week.
  • Neas mentioned that ITS is requiring all departments to register any IT service they are receiving with the NDSU ITS department.
  • Miller gave an update on Development Foundation and Alumni Association issues.
  • Adams distributed a copy of the proposed directories for inside of Old Main. He asked the Cabinet for input on how the directories look. Old Main will be the trial area for the campus. President Chapman reminded Adams that all signage for the NDSU campus, both on the main campus and downtown, should be the same.
  • Schnell and Neas discussed issues with people traveling overseas. Neas mentioned that people need to be careful taking their computers with them when they are traveling out of the country. Neas and Schnell will get together to create guidelines for our faculty and staff that are traveling overseas.
  • Schnell mentioned he has been working on promotion and tenure. He also mentioned the faculty that will receive the Odney, Peltier, and Waldron Awards.
  • Johnson gave an update on legal issues.
  • Mathew attended the NASPA Conference in Seattle last week. He also hosted an Alumni event in Seattle.
  • Schnell distributed information concerning student characteristics, undergraduate success and progress rate, transfer students, geographic distribution, etc.


February 2, 2009

Present: President Chapman, Craig Schnell, Prakash Mathew, Bonnie Neas, Evie Myers, DC Coston, Keith Bjerke, John Adams, Gene Taylor, Rick Johnson, Jim Miller, Cathy Backer

  • President Chapman discussed issues dealing with the legislative session. Various Cabinet members gave updates on bills.
  • Gene Taylor and Laura Oster-Aaland gave a presentation on the President's Council on Alcohol and Other Drugs Strategic Plan. They will present this plan at the next President's Council meeting.
  • Neas mentioned that students do not use their e-mail accounts as their prime source of communication. She suggested that we need to start looking into additional ways to keep students informed on issues.
  • Neas discussed video surveillance system issues on campus.
  • Neas mentioned there are concerns about the printers used on campus that might be storing personal information and that someone could access that information without individuals realizing it. Her division is looking into this privacy issue.
  • Mathew gave an update on enrollment.
  • Mathew mentioned that he had Najla Amundson give a presentation to his division concerning protocol for media contacts. Mathew suggested that other Cabinet members might want Najla to come and visit with their divisions.
  • Miller gave an update on the Development Foundation.
  • Adams mentioned that this summer Moodys will be visiting the campus to update their financial information.
  • Adams discussed information on threat assessment for various areas.
  • Taylor mentioned that Wednesday will be signing day for football. He gave an update on recruiting efforts.
  • Taylor gave an update on the football program.
  • Myers mentioned that Black History month started on February 1.
  • Myers reminded everyone that they are required to take the sexual harassment survey.
  • Myers mentioned there is a joint venture between Diversity Council & Anti Racism Team to form a Bigotry Response Plan Committee. Najla Amundson is the chair of this committee.
  • Myers attended an International Conference last week. She discussed various topics from the conference.
  • The Cabinet discussed various locations for the new Diversity Center. President Chapman will review all the suggestions.


December 22, 2008

Present: President Chapman, Craig Schnell, Prakash Mathew, John Adams, Phil Boudjouk, Evie Myers, Rick Johnson, Gene Taylor, DC Coston, Bonnie Neas, Cathy Backer

  • President Chapman discussed the upcoming Senate Appropriations Committee Hearings in January. The University System will have their hearings on January 12 and NDSU will have theirs on January 14. The Cabinet discussed talking points for the hearings.
  • President Chapman, Schnell, UND President Kelley, and Greg Weisenstein, UND Provost, met last week to discuss various issues relating to both campuses. They plan on meeting on a monthly basis.
  • Neas gave a presentation on security issues dealing with IT services.
  • Neas mentioned that her department will be working with departments to have their servers housed with the ITS department. This is necessary for security reasons. They will be educating and training departments throughout the campus.
  • Mathew gave an update on enrollment.
  • Schnell wondered if we could look at having Spring Commencement on one day, having the master degrees commencement in the morning and the undergraduate in the late afternoon.
  • Schnell mentioned that the NDSU FORWARD group will be receiving a 2009 National Award at the ACE conference in February.
  • Myers held an open forum last week to give an update on issues she is dealing with on campus.
  • Myers mentioned that she will be conducting a campus climate survey in the near future.
  • Myers reminded the Cabinet that on January 21 there will be reading information concerning Martin Luther King and that they are looking for volunteers to read.
  • Johnson gave an update on legal issues.
  • Adams mentioned that the Disney Corporation is looking into using our train track on campus to bring in a display in early July.
  • Boudjouk discussed two research agreements we have with PPG.
  • Boudjouk discussed a variety of research grants that we are working on.
  • Neas gave an update on the CNSE Director search.
  • Mathew gave an update on housing issues. All first-year students will be provided housing on campus next year.
  • Mathew and Schnell discussed the Sophomore Year Experience Program. Laura Oster-Aaland and Bob Harrold will be co-chairs on the NDSU Sophomore Year Experience Steering Committee with the goal of launching a pilot program for Fall 2009.

December 8, 2008

Present: President Chapman, Craig Schnell, Prakash Mathew, John Adams, Bonnie Neas, Keith Bjerke, Jim Miller, Gene Taylor, Phil Boudjouk, Evie Myers, Rick Johnson, Cathy Backer

  • President Chapman discussed budget issues and the Governor's budget proposal.
  • Schnell gave a presentation on CLA (Collegiate Learning Assessment).
  • The Cabinet discussed tuition and student fees. It is important that we have input from the students on how the student fees are used.
  • Schnell attended the Academic Affairs Council meeting last week. He reviewed what was discussed. President Chapman asked Schnell and Adams to meet about waivers, scholarships, and other financial issues. President Chapman asked them to review how other institutions handle waivers and scholarships.
  • Schnell mentioned that this week is considered dead week and final tests will be held next week.
  • Neas discussed budget issues concerning Emergency Management and Northern Tier.
  • Neas gave an update on the search for the CNSE director.
  • Neas gave an update on the student tech fee program.
  • Bjerke mentioned he is organizing a social event in Bismarck for legislators in February.
  • Myers mentioned that she is working on the summer research program for next summer. There will be students from Mississippi and Arizona.
  • The Tapestry Awards Ceremony will be held on December 12 at 12N in the Century Theater.
  • Myers will be conducting an open forum on December 17 at 9:00 a.m. for the women's focus groups. They will be discussing the maternity policy, childcare, mentoring, flexible schedules and other issues.
  • Myers discussed various international issues. Myers will be working with David Wittrock to review various international proposals and agreements.
  • Boudjouk mentioned an article in the New York Times that mentioned Fargo.
  • Boudjouk gave an update on research expenditures.
  • Mathew mentioned that the late night breakfast for students will be held on Monday, December 15 at the Residence Dining Center. He invited all of the Cabinet to attend if they are available.
  • Mathew mentioned that he has been visiting with his division concerning media relations protocol. He has invited Najla Amundson to come to one of their division meetings to discuss this and put together guidelines for them.
  • Johnson mentioned that he has been working with the Attorney General's Office, Broc Lietz and others to develop university procedures on criminal background checks.
  • Johnson gave an update on various legal issues.
  • Miller gave an update on financial/budget issues for the Development Foundation.
  • Miller mentioned that Warren Diederich passed away and discussed funeral plans.
  • Miller suggested it would be a good idea to create ways to make students aware of the Alumni Association and what they do. It was suggested that when the colleges send letters to students it would be good to mention that scholarships could be managed by the Development Foundation/Alumni Association.
  • Adams mentioned that he would be attending the Administration Affairs Council tomorrow.
  • Taylor noted that there is a basketball game this evening.
  • Taylor gave an update on all athletic events.


Respectfully submitted,
Cathy Backer
Executive Assistant

Last updated: Monday, October 26, 2009 2:14:33AM

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