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Monday, March 18
The Indiana Daily Student

Board of Trustees discuss advising at Thursday's meeting

The Board of Trustees met Thursday at IU-Purdue University Indianapolis for the first day of its first meeting of the academic year.

The Board discussed updates on the School of Informatics and Computing, an enrollment report, new directions in academic advising and new degrees.

After the Executive Session, Thursday brought the Academic Affairs and University Policies Committee.

During this committee, John Applegate, executive vice president for university academic affairs, was scheduled to lead a presentation with Rebecca Torstrick, IU-South Bend professor of sociology and anthropology; David Johnson, vice provost for enrollment management; and Dennis Groth, vice provost for undergraduate education, about new directions in academic advising. However, the length of the presentation of the enrollment report did not allow time for this presentation.

Applegate led the enrollment report with Andrea Ingle, associate director for university institutional research and reporting, and Christopher Foley, assistant vice president and director of the Office of Online Education.

The enrollment report updated the Board of Trustees on changes in enrollment in recent years, projected numbers for future years and information on credit hours and online programs.

One graph featured in the presentation showed the change in beginners attempting 15 or more credit hours at all campuses from 2010 to 2015. The only campus to decrease in this way was IU-Bloomington, decreasing from 72 percent in 2010 to 65 percent in 2015.

This is a result of more IU-Bloomington students coming into their freshman year with AP or dual credit, so they don’t feel the need to take more than 15 credit hours their first year, Applegate said.

A large portion of the presentation was dedicated to online programs, showing how many degree-seeking students take only online classes, a mixture of online and on campus classes or no online classes at each campus.

At IU-Bloomington the number of degree-seeking students taking no online classes has stayed between 90 and 94 percent in the past five years, according to the presentation.

Before the enrollment report, the committee meeting began with an update on the School of Informatics and Computing given by Robert Schnabel, dean of the School of Informatics and Computing.

The update included growth numbers throughout the years, diversity numbers and entrepreneurship and research highlights.

Among diversity numbers was the increase in women in the school since 2007. The percentage of women has risen from 13 percent to 22 percent since 2007, a 69-percent increase, according to the presentation.

Research highlights included the fact that more the $20 million in externally funded research was awarded last year.

In terms of development, Schnabel explained that the school has raised $19.6 million in gifts since 2007, including Fred Luddy’s $8 million gift to name the new IU-Bloomington building.

An action item presented at this meeting was the approval of new degrees. These degrees included a bachelor of science in dental technology at IU-Purdue University Fort Wayne; a bachelor of science in Spanish at IU East; a master of science in nursing at IU Southeast; and a bachelor of science in neuroscience at IU Southeast.

These degrees will be voted on for official approval at Friday’s business meeting.

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