Nolin asked if we would all have the same message to convey to the various schools or if the message would be one of individual creation? Mays will create and send a formatted message of monthly events, from he and Hargis, to be announced by committee members at the various meetings. Nolin recommended highlighting one event or program of interest to faculty each month.

Needs Assessment: There was a discussion concerning how to conduct this assessment of OFE/CIRT events. Nolin recommended we look at three areas concerning the development of the Needs Assessment: What do we want to find out? How should we write or state our questions? and How should we distribute the questionnaire? In the discussion that followed, Mays suggested the need to word our questions carefully. Nolin said that we should ask the faculty: What are your needs? What are your interests? and What will you show-up for? These questions might facilitate interest in the questionnaire. Mays indicated that he would communicate these ideas to Hargis. Recommended that the other committee members send Mays questions they want to be asked. Nolin will study other examples of Needs Assessments online to see what others have asked. Jordan recommended that we keep the Assessment Questionnaire short, one page if possible.

Cohort Workshops: Mays suggested the idea of  "Cohort Workshops"-- meetings with smaller groups of people, tailored to their specific needs, throughout the various schools. Baliamoune-Lutz suggested asking the Deans and Chairs to get involved with spreading the word about the Cohort Workshops. Sanjay suggested development of specific items to appeal to different schools so that members will attend. The committee agreed to pursue the idea of Cohort Workshops.

Teaching Grants: Chair Mays indicated that Marianne Jaffee has received 14 applications for the Summer Teaching Grants. One application will be received late. This will make a total of 15 applications received. Nolin indicated that there were 22 applications received last year. Out of those 22 applications, eight or nine grants were awarded. Mays suggested that committee members recruit outside assistance for reviewing and recommendation of the applications and awards. A discussion followed concerning the reviewers and methods for evaluating the applications. Recommendations were:

Mays: Remove the names from the applications and assign a number to each one. This promotes fairness for the applicants and fairness and objectivity for the reviewers.

Ahuja, Nolin, and Baliamoune-Lutz: Three reviewers for each application-One person from the college the application is from and two reviewers from outside the college.

Ahuja: Perhaps only one reviewer on an application from a smaller college to save on manpower.

Baliamoune-Lutz: In selecting reviewers we should try to stay away from choosing reviewers by Departments and choose from the schools/colleges.

Mays: We should send out a call for reviewers university-wide and circulate emails in our various schools for assistance.

A discussion followed on the criteria and time constraints set for the reviewing of applications and awarding of the grants. There was also a discussion on changing the criteria for reviewing and awarding the grants. Baliamoune-Lutz, who served on the Research Committee indicated that they made their changes to their criteria for awarding grants before their committee received their latest list of applicants. Mays indicated that time might be too short to change the criteria this year. He will gather, and distribute to the committee members, the criteria used for evaluation of the applications. Suggested that a possible meeting be held on November 1 st, for the discussion of the criteria.

Ahuja asked if Mays would have a list of the applicants by the next meeting. Mays indicated that he would have that list. If time is too short to change the criteria for this year the FEC could have a meeting in the future to change it for next year. Especially if the applicants for this year wrote their proposals based on the criteria already in existence.

Chair Mays concluded the meeting by asking the committee members to make an announcement to their colleges about the need for outside reviewers for the teaching grant applicants and to let the various schools know what the new Fellows are doing in the Office of Faculty Enhancement. Next official meeting is scheduled for 10 a.m., November 15, 2004, with a possible meeting on November 1, 2004. Mays will email the committee members with the time of this meeting.