HE.99.02

Meeting of the Illinois Board of Higher Education Faculty Advisory Committee With the IBHE October 6, 1998. - McHenry County College, Crystal Lake, IL

SYNOPSIS:

The President of McHenry County College gave a welcome presentation. Jerry D. Blakemore, Chairman of the IBHE, recognized the presence of observers at the meeting, which included the presidents and other academic officers of the Illinois schools as well as the members of the IHBE Faculty Advisory Committee (FAC). He introduced William G. Bowen, who presented the results of his research on the consequences of considering race in college and university admissions. After Dr. Bowen's presentation, Keith Sanders, IBHE Executive Director, noted that he had heard from several sources about the need to incorporate the role of research into the draft of the Citizen's Agenda for Illinois Higher Education. and indicated that would be done. The rest of the morning session was taken up with discussions and actions by the IBHE on the listed agenda items. The agenda and supporting documents can be accessed at: http://ibhe.state.il.us/ The afternoon was set aside for a meeting between the Faculty Advisory Committee and a group of four members of the IBHE. Most of the afternoon's discussion focused on the Citizens' Agenda and related issues.

MORNING SESSION:

Kathleen Kelly, IBHE Staff, presented a report on the plans for implementing the Citizen's Agenda for Illinois Higher Education. (The report is available at http://ibhe.state.il.us/Part%202.pdf). The calendar found in this document for implementing the Citizens' Agenda is attached to this report. The rest of the morning session involved reports and discussions, and, in some cases, action on the budget process, on new approaches to program approval and review, the University Center of Lake County proposal, and proposed rules for state matching grant programs. Considerable time was spent discussing the Bradley University-Illinois Central College Degree Completion Program. While noting the success of the program, there was much discussion as to whether it should become a model for future cooperative programs between private and public institutions of higher education. In the end, the expenditure of HECA funds for one more year of the program was approved.

AFTERNOON SESSION:

After lunch, four members of the IBHE (Jerry D. Blakemore, Chair, Molly D'Esposito, Samuel K. Gove, and Lucy A. Sloan) met with the Faculty Advisory Committee. The IBHE members present were very interested in receiving input from the faculty representatives on the Citizens' Agenda and encouraged us to submit specific recommendations and suggestions. Members of the FAC reiterated the need for incorporating research into the Citizens' Agenda document. Concern was also expressed with the potential impact of the emphasis on productivity in the document and thus on staffing in higher education. It was noted that many more instructors would be needed if more students were admitted to Illinois institutions of higher education. Given the potential impact on budgets and the trend toward hiring part-time faculty at many institutions to stretch the budget, it was suggested that a commitment should be made in the Citizens' Agenda to implement the program with full-time faculty and appropriate increase of the higher education budget. The discussion also considered the role of teaching assistants and visiting and adjunct faculty in teaching many basic courses. It was suggested by the FAC members that present full-time faculty should be involved in teaching of these courses.

The emphasis on consumer values in the Citizens' Agenda was another concern expressed by FAC members. It was noted that a good undergraduate General Education program is grounded in the Liberal Arts where there is an emphasis on the development of oral and written expression, teamwork, and critical thinking. These are elements in the process of maturation and in the development of values. It was noted by members of the FAC that higher education, if it is to remain higher education, cannot be reduced to a simplistic demand/supply model.

Board members responded that faculty will be under increasing pressure to become more responsive to alternative conceptions of higher education. This will require academic norms to be translated into terms that meet the interests of a broader public. One of the IBHE members urged faculty to face the reality that people want a public university to train them to qualify for better jobs. It was suggested that we don't want businesses setting up their own systems of education, thus rendering public higher education irrelevant. Chair Blakemore noted that people may go through six or seven career changes in a lifetime and public institutions simply do not have the resources to fund the latest technical wizardry in order to keep pace with workplace advances; thus, it is very important that higher education train people how to learn and how to engage in critical analysis. He expressed the opinion that these aspects of the education process are not endangered, but, rather. will be emphasized under the new plan.

When asked how faculty can provide input on revision and implementation of the Citizens' Agenda, the IBHE members present suggested that the input be framed in ways that can be understood outside the academy. It is very important that the IBHE formulate an understandable policy. Faculty can also help by selling the value of the plan to legislators. An effort should also be made to sell students on the plan. It was noted that the IBHE advisory committee system gives faculty input into the coordinating board and faculty should use this system.

IBHE/FAC BUSINESS MEETING:

The latest revision of FAC draft document on the Assessment of Tenured Faculty was distributed and suggestions for further revision were invited. The draft may be accessed at:

http://www.uiuc.edu/orgs/ibhefac/ibhetenure2.htm

Submitted by Terry L. Weech, UIUC Representative to the IBHE/FAC, 10/20/98.

ATTACHMENT TO REPORT ON OCTOBER 6^TH , 1998 IBHE/FAC MEETING

FROM "Implementing the Citizen's Agenda for Illinois Higher Education," p. 7.