College of Health Sciences

Meeting Minutes

May 23, 2011

Present: Dr. Ryman, Mr. Brett Bennett, Dr. Juliet Burgess, Dr. Belinda Morgan, Dr. Johanna Boult, Dr. Emily Doughty, Dr. Carolyn Murphy, Ms. Beverly Jarrell, Ms. Debbie Wisenor, Ms. Terri Hendrix. Excused: Dr. Judy Fellows

Budget cuts appear to be approaching the unknown. There will be no increase in tuition, no personal or corporate taxes. There will be more cutbacks from the Governor and the Legislature.

Deans have been asked to get recommendations from their committees. By giving their recommendations for cuts in the future, where funds could be saved and cuts could be made. Dental Hygiene and Speech-Language Pathology are growing and other areas of the college could grow as well. Medical Laboratory Science’s infrastructure is going on-line.

No specific programs have been cut in the College of Health Sciences. Chemistry has been cut, only specific courses are available. Genetics has been moved to the College of Pharmacy. The goal of the Provost is not to cut any academic programs.

Several hypothetical perceptions were given:

1. Administrators could be cut. There are presently 5 VP’s at the highest level with support staff and cost for those positions should be investigated.

2. Perception to look at multiple programs. Most programs were shifted or redesigned without cuts. There were no cuts with no cost savings. Re-examine the programs to teach the general core. We are being forced to reorganize and streamline with some degree programs being cut.

3. We need direction on who we are and where we are going.

4. Examine the productivity of individual departments.

5. Recruiting is still poorly done at ULM compared to other universities. They send information to attract potential students and are inconsistent with their effort to encourage high school students to come to their university.

6. Selective Admissions is not working. The community college has taken a large portion of our students and the revenue that they generated for us. Even if it took a student who was paying his own way and coming part-time, which took longer to graduate—still the money was coming to ULM.

7. Most students coming from community colleges do not do well in sciences.

8. Consolidate the university systems to just the LSU system and one other that covers every other higher education institution. This merge would focus on strengths to grow.

9. ULM be moved to LSU system and consolidate with LSU EA Conway to form a medical science center (for opportunity for increase in research dollars).

10. Worries that ULM will begin to look as poorly kept with new budget cuts as in the past . Buildings not clean, grounds not kept neat and clean and building repair neglected and equipment out-of-date.

11. Questions of concern: (1). What do you want ULM to be?

(2). Where is the direction of the university?

(3). How long can we do it?

12. Concern that clinical sites are being cut and there will be nowhere for students to

complete their field work. Businesses need to look at the long-term effect and support

the university and potential students who will be their employees.