Academic Affairs Council
MEETING MINUTES
Date: Friday, April 4, 2014
Time: 10:45 a.m.
Place: ADM Board Room
1) Call to order
Dr. Sandra Pugh called to order the regular meeting of the Academic Affairs Council at
10:45 a.m. on Friday, April 4, 2014, in the ADM Board Room.
2) Roll call
The following Council members were present: Jennifer Baine, Phil Ballard, Dr. Ken
Bridges, Keitha Davidson, Debby Edney, Amy Fugate, Joan Gauthreaux, Francis
Kuykendall, Dr. Carolyn Langston, Bettie Mahony, Larry Powell, Dr. Sandra Pugh
(Chair), Dr. Denise Robledo, Susan Spicher, Genevieve White, Dr. James Young, and
Kellye Young.
Excused: Arthur Brown, Dr. Val Cantú, Dr. David Carty, Clifford Haak, Jamie
McConathy, Debra Moring, Dr. Jennifer Parks, Jim Roomsburg, and Lena Wood.
Not present: Ken Kelley, Tonya Kendrix, Shakerah Moody, and Karsten Tidwell.
The following guests attended the meeting: Dr. James Bullock, Dean Inman, Dr. John
Spencer, and Marguerite Rodgers-Recorder
3) Approval of minutes from last meeting
A motion to approve the minutes of the meeting held on Friday, March 7, 2014, was made
by Bettie Mahony and seconded by Joan Gauthreaux. The minutes were approved as
written.
4) Old Business
i) Dr. Sandra Pugh reported that no time had been set for a forum on the Early Alert
issue. She also reported that she had been using Early Alert with her students and that
it had been working very well.
ii) Dr. Pugh reported that the proposal passed by the Council to keep college offices
closed until 1 o’clock instead of noon on convocation day had been rejected by the
Executive Cabinet.
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5) Committee Reports
 Academic Standards Committee – Chair: Karsten Tidwell
No report.
 Basic Studies/Adult Education Committee – Chair: Jennifer Baine
No report.
 Curriculum Committee – Chair: Bettie Mahony
Bettie Mahony said there had been a request to change the name of COMM 1013 from
Copywriting to Scriptwriting, and to add “and scriptwriting” to the course
description. This was approved by the committee.
The committee also voted to add COMM 1103 Songwriting to the media and fine arts
major as an elective.
Vote: All were in favor of these proposals.
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Attachment A – Curriculum Committee Proposals
 Distance Learning Advisory Committee – Chair: Dr. Denise Robledo
Dr. Denise Robledo reported that 150 students enrolled in the Campus Technology
class. 95 were first time entering students and 45 students are still trying to get through
the class. Several retention efforts have been made to make sure these students have
been notified. They have been robocalled twice, and Dean Inman sent those students
letters to let them know that they will be prevented from registering until they have
completed this class. It was decided not to drop these students on the 11th class day.
The online instructors were contacted and they contacted the students, some switched
to face-to-face classes. The reason these students weren’t dropped was because we
could have lost $56,000.
 Faculty Affairs Committee – Chair: Dr. Ken Bridges
Dr. Ken Bridges reported that the committee met and discussed several issues.
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There was some confusion over the SAS course, the 1-hour course and the 3-hour
course. Is it for all incoming students? Dean Inman said it was for any new
student at SouthArk as long as they weren’t transferring in 24 hrs.
The dress code proposal was discussed.
Communications problems. Committees don’t seem to be communicating with
each other.
Faculty Affairs is having a faculty-wide meeting on April 24th in the Library
Auditorium.
 Faculty Course Assessment Committee – Chair: Dr. Sandra Pugh
Dr. Pugh reported that the committee met and tested the rubric for course assessment
and applied it to someone’s assessment. There were some changes made to this rubric
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by the committee. In the next meeting they will be using it for programs to see how it
works for assessment.
 Faculty Professional Development Committee – Chair: Genevieve White
Genevieve White reported that Tara Anglin had sent out a request to faculty and staff
asking them to let her know if there was anything they were good at, such as Outlook,
Blackboard, etc. She is making a database of people and their skills in case she needs
to call on anyone to do a session. Ms. White said that the request will be sent out again
and hopefully there will be more responses.
 Library Committee – Chair: Dr. Carolyn Langston
No report.
6) New business
Dr. Jim Bullock reported on the proposed changes in SouthArk Procedures for Handling
Student Misconduct (See Attachment B)
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Attachment B
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Student Misconduct Form
Dr. Bullock said that this revised policy includes what is already in the SouthArk catalog,
and the highlighted sections show what is being proposed to fill in the gaps so everyone
will know how student discipline is to be handled. He said that the bottom line is what is
best for the students, we want them to succeed. He hopes that having documentation will
help the process move along smoothly. The faculty member would fill out the first half of
this one page form and that will then be sent to the division dean. The dean will then
discuss this with the faculty member and call in the student. If not resolved there, the next
step would be to the office of the Vice President of Student Services.
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Bettie Mahony said that if this was a serious discipline problem this could be a lengthy
process, is the student to be allowed back into class? Dr. Bullock said it would depend
on the seriousness of the issue. Dean Inman asked if the instructor could dismiss the
student from the class until he/she had spoken with the dean. Dr. Bullock said yes.
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Jennifer Baine asked if this could be an online form that could be filled out and
emailed and Dr. Bullock said yes.
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Keith Davidson said that the Nursing Department has counseling forms available that
they use and asked if they would need to use this form. Dr. Bullock said that they
would just be responsible for documenting and sending to the dean who would decide
if it needed to go to Student Services.
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Ms. Mahony asked if a student was dismissed from one program could they be
admitted to another. The answer was yes, they could be, and Dr. Bullock said that with
this procedure we would have a record of past behavior.
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Dr. Bullock noted the paragraph in italics under expulsion. If the misconduct is
particularly egregious it may result in more serious consequences even if it is a first
offense.
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Susan Spicher had a question about dismissal period “for an indefinite period of time,”
it indicates that at some time the student could re-enroll and seems vague? Dr.
Bullock said that it was intentionally vague because circumstances and people change.
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Ms. Mahony suggested that a paragraph be inserted on the procedure for readmission.
Dr. Bullock agreed.
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Dr. Pugh asked if we could put this procedure into use and come back and discuss
again. It was suggested that we give it a trial for a year.
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A motion was made to adjourn but Mr. Ballard mentioned that there hadn’t been a
vote on Bullock’s proposal. The motion to adjourn was rescinded. There was some
discussion on the wording of a motion.
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Dr. Langston asked does the council want to go on record as endorsing this policy
change. Mr. Inman said that there is a statement in the catalog that it could be updated
at any time.
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Mr. Ballard said that he is assuming that this procedure would be implemented at the
beginning of June and that we would have some sense by the end of the summer how
this procedure is working. The council could revisit this issue in September with input
from the deans.

Dr. Langston made a motion, Ms. Mahony seconded, that the council approve this
procedure to go into the catalog and that it would be reviewed in September.
Vote: All members were in favor.
7) Adjournment
A motion to adjourn was made by Larry Powell and Dr. Langston seconded the motion,
the meeting was adjourned at 12:00 pm.
Minutes submitted by: Marguerite Rodgers
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