StepsFall08

=Steps, Fall 08= CCT administrative matters, priority/agenda items in red, updates from/since last meeting in blue

0. After check-in (about news & goods) at each meeting, decide whether to bring some items up the agenda and push some down. (10/21 meeting addressed items 7, 3a and 6. Given that other items were not dealt with -- some of these have been needing focused attention for almost a year -- Peter may have to take action after email notice allowing 1 week for input. )

Preamble from PT: There's a lot on my plate this year (from chairing 10 personnel reviews at departmental & college level to getting a son into college, not to mention…). Also, Winston Langley as interim provost wants to move forward in the science and society area, so I should make good use of this special (not-to-be-repeated?) opportunity (see http://sicw.wikispaces.com/).(Track proposal presented to 12/2 meeting .) So: • I'll use email (with attachments or links to wikipages) to convey information and background for any matters needing consultation and deliberation, so we can focus meeting time on those matters. I ask you to do the same and to read the material in advance of the meetings. • I'll leave it to you to keep up with CCT-related tasks you have volunteered for or to volunteer to do something on the checklist, http://www.cct.umb.edu/AdminChecklist.html. • I'll call on the two wonderful Admin. Assistants we have, Jeremy & Tara, for help when I need to fill in or provide backup on these tasks. (See also last wiki summary from Spring 08 and associated links.)

We have 6 M.A. matriculants for the fall (Bruzzese, Johnstone, Levey-Pabst, O'Shea-Resto, Smith, Truong).*  Need to get matriculation up to at least 13/year, if not 18, to flow through to above the minimum enrollment in required courses and electives.  See emails for regular status reports now being provided by Peter. Plan reviewed/discussed: As before, Arthur & Nina review applicants (with Tara alerting them of new material to review during winter break) ; Peter & Tara keep tab of status of applicants; Peter & Nina handles inquiries from prospective applicants. CCT (alum) network events build in a recruitment component and followed up: Tara, Jeremy & Peter. Follow-up on interest shown at past events: Peter w/ Tara for 07-08 events. (As of 30 Sept.: no response to email followups.) Oct. 18 Open House (Tara says 6 inquirers.) November 6, organized by Nina with Gail Hobin. One visitor, Jeremy P, is definitely applying to Program. Graduate Showcase Nov 19;  Nina following up (Next summer coverage after Tara graduates: TBA.)
 * 1. Admissions and matriculations.**


 * Including these and subtracting two withdrawals (Nobles, Josh Reyes), brings us – at current reckoning -- to 22 MA students taking courses, 12 "ABD's" (see #2 below), 1 certificate student taking courses, and 4 on leave.

We have 12 students who have finished all course work, but not their syntheses. Half of them are more than 2 years ABD. This is as many as we have had finish. In the short-term: Contact & "contract" needed for all students -- see emails. Current status for each student?  See draft of measures about how to solve this problem in the long term: at http://www.cct.umb.edu/StepsToCompletion.html including Marathon day, next one, December 13, and Entrance interviews, Jan. 23rd
 * 2. Synthesis completion.**

The only funds CCT gets are from CCDE (for courses & indep. studies offered through CCDE and to pay $4240 for an assistant under the CCDE-CCT certificate partnership). These are supposed to have been transferred from the ESS account of C&I to a chartfield for CCT alone (needs checking). If the funds not used for the assistant, Jeremy, in the spring get transferred in/across, we have enough money to keep paying Jeremy for 13 months after he graduates (i.e., through July '10). (This "hoarding" has been possible because Jeremy has a CCT AAship and was given an extra GAship last spring from GCE.) Over and above the assistantship pay we got c. $1700 in October to budget. $900 of this is already earmarked for the Exeter visitors' dinner and student lunch, <span style="color: rgb(19, 13, 231);">honoraria for guest speakers and synthesis readers who are not on regular faculty, wiki subs. <span style="color: rgb(228, 17, 17);">Suggestions for budget items still needed and will be discussed at next meeting. The new proposal about admin. support through CCT-CCDE partnership is revised and approved by CCDE and <span style="color: rgb(2, 0, 255);">ready for GCE Dean's approval.
 * 3. Funds**
 * 3a. CCT-CCDE partnership**

Jeremy's commitment to working for CCT after he graduates stems in part from his interest in adult education and lifelong learning. This plus Tara's enthusiasm/efficiency/efforts have made it possible to launch (relaunch) the CCT (alum) network, at http://cct.wikispaces.com/CCTNetwork. (I also see this as a way to widen the range of influences/models/mentors CCT can offer its students.) Will it take off? This year is the test. Monthly events are planned, the first of which will, among other things, encourage people to make use of the CCTNetwork social network site or "ning." <span style="color: rgb(198, 21, 21);">Faculty interest and attendance at the CCT Network events will help support this initiative. Students can get credit for attending the events, as part of a 1 credit special topics course that I will run, http://www.faculty.umb.edu/pjt/697-08.html, and <span style="color: rgb(11, 16, 244);">is moving through governance approval as a 1-3 credit course.
 * 4. CCT (alum) network**

My 1 CLR/year has been continued for 08-09 (update: continuation uncertain now Eunny has stepped down, but Bob McCulley advocating for it) and CCT held onto the 2 AAs (a legacy of Emily McDermott's reign that are vulnerable -- indeed, for a while in September we had lost them for 08-09 and had to lobby to get them back.) Securing Jeremy's support as the CCDE assistant beyond his time as a student makes it worth my while to train and transmit admin. knowledge to him (and Tara). But is is also the case that the CCT Network has been creating more new work for me so far than Jeremy and Tara are taking off my plate. And we have to do more work with CCDE this year to make CCDE publicity really happen. <span style="color: rgb(38, 27, 238);">Bookmarks have been made for Creative Thinking at Work. The idea that aligning requirements and students with Track A might lead to more resources (e.g., C&I faculty input, a possible new hire, admin. help) is, so far, working in the other direction – I've been roped into co-leading Track A this year! (Any update on developments in C&I arrangements to be provided at the meeting or as they emerge.)
 * 5. Admin. load**

Draft memo for the new proposal about admin. support through CCT-CCDE partnership <span style="color: rgb(29, 54, 247);">awaits approval/revision by GCE Dean.  In the meantime, one of the "not to mention" things from the preamble is the CCT admin. load, which goes beyond a CLR's worth (http://www.cct.umb.edu/AdminChecklist.html). Please keep that in mind as I raise the concerns (as CCT faculty member & CCT coordinator) about any new initiative stated last spring, namely "that: a) we are able to do what we've already committed to, which includes serving the students we have and doing so without adding unagreed-on burdens on each other as colleagues; and b) any initiative is based on a plan with clear goals/objectives that addresses a) and includes a chance to take-stock afterwards to learn from how well we met the goals."
 * 5a. Program operation priorities**

See the priorities for myself as coordinator I presented to Eunny and to you before taking on the role for another year.

As I also stated last spring: "We may need to revise or reaffirm the following, but my sense of what we are already committed to includes (with order of priority approximate & negotiable): 1. Teaching existing classes; advising our students; sharing the advising/reading of syntheses. 2. Improving the ways we serve the students who need help writing and thinking, including those who have finished all course work but have not completed their syntheses during the synthesis semester; 2a. Extra care for students of color who have difficulty; 3. Admin, see http://www.cct.umb.edu/AdminChecklist.html. 4. Recruitment advising and admissions processing. 5. Cross-listing/hosting and Promotion of courses to students beyond CCT to get the numbers up. 6. Reviewing CCT's shortcomings to improve as well as to reduce strain on Peter. 6a. Continuation of efforts (started last January) re: curriculum integration across our courses. 7. Outreach events tied into recruitment. 8. Science in a Changing World emphasis to support PT's aspirations and CCT strengths. 9. Timely attention to possibilities about a new line. 9a. Case for continuation of Nina's appointment or another arrangement.(see discussion below under #7.) 10. Certificate partnership with CCDE (promotion of courses so that they run; needs or part-timers) 10a. G&T certificate development? 11. CCT Network 12. Non-network open houses 13. Collaboration with the non-licensure MEd track to get students in CCT classes (or joint MEd/CCT classes), share advising of capstones, ... 14. Infusing CCT into other MEd programs. 15. CCT workshops for UMB groups. 16. Kodaly?" 17. Exeter partnership…


 * 6. Description of CCT specialties** (completed; see details)

Nina is looking for a continuation of her current contract and will write a description of the responsibilities she wants to take on (teaching 2 & 2; student recruitment; outreach for CCT recognition). <span style="color: rgb(18, 0, 255);"> Assoc. Dean: subject to program & course enrollments; could be as late as Aug. 15. Discussion indicated that Nina's interest is contingent on CCT having a "vision" that continues the creativity area, which is her primary interest (even tho' others did say creativity enters most other courses as well). Peter described some of his vision, which is more or less covered in Program operation priorities above plus not wanting to spend time fighting a system for resources. If the CCT-CCDE partnership increases the assistant to 50%, Peter can see himself having more room to support new initiatives. Peter has assembled info on student course plans/needs and is exploring options for him to teach his courses outside CCT (freeing up slots in CCT) (etc.) Recruitment numbers for the spring will allow us to decide how many electives we can run in 09-10. (14 matrics in 08-09 translates to 2 crosslisted CCT courses + one solely CCT). <span style="color: rgb(11, 16, 244);">CCT faculty is preparing to meet over the break at shot notice to prepare for meeting with GCE Dean if that is decided on.
 * 7. Continuation of Nina's appointment beyond 08-09**

Updates on Exeter partnership (<span style="color: rgb(43, 24, 247);">provided by email ); Dartmouth arts initiative (<span style="color: rgb(22, 11, 239);">provided by email). <span style="color: rgb(57, 37, 239);">Ran out of time for discussion, but Nina may move ahead without this.
 * 8. Other**

Draft of new rule for online courses? "Matriculated CCT Masters students must request permission from the Program Coordinator before registering for an online CCT section. Permission will be granted only after the face-to-face sections have sufficient enrollment for the semester. Preference will be given first to students living outside Boston, then to those who have not yet taken an online course."
 * 9. Online policy**

Carol & Nina suggest that we make it longer than 20-40 pages and/or make it subject to agreement with the advisor.
 * 10. Synthesis length**