________________________________________
From: Chris Huff [chuff@westga.edu]
Sent: Thursday, September 29, 2011 5:53 PM
To: usgfc@list.gcsu.edu
Subject: USGFC: Agenda Idea for Fall Meeting

Hello fellow USGFC members,

I wanted to share an idea for an agenda for our Fall meeting to see if
you are interested in taking this approach.

It would be good if the USGFC could have substantive recommendations
available for presentation at the meeting and to fine-tune these in
break-out sessions at the meeting.

Two initiatives of concern are:

1)Changing formula funding from enrollment-based to performance-based.

2)Defining articulation agreements between Georgia's Technical College
and University Systems.

On a new funding formula: The Governor and Chancellor are committed to
this change and our opportunity may be only in helping to draft the
resulting formula to the best advantage of our institutions within the
legitimate limits of performance-based funding. Otherwise, the new
formula will be defined by the legislature.  The Chancellor states
that he recognizes that the performance measures used to fund one type
of institution may not be fair or helpful to other type institutions.
What works for a UGA or GSU may be quite different from what works for
a UWG or GCSU.

On defining articulation: Similar to the formula, the Chancellor
believes that the political situation is such that the legislature
will effect a significant articulation agreement sometime this year.
If so, our opportunity again is to try to draft articulation
agreements that work to the best interest of students who anticipate
transferring to a USG institution.

On both these challenges, maybe there is opportunity to try to reverse
these initiatives and to stay with the current situation or some other
alternatives.  Should there be more opportunity with this angle, and
this would be discovered as we research the issues, we could draft
strong statements in opposition to the initiatives delineating very
clearly why they are so ill-conceived and would damage the
effectiveness of the USG.

We could endeavor to craft substantive draft solutions for
presentation at the meeting.  It would probably make sense to divide
the USGFC into groups along the same lines as the membership tiers and
then to task each of those groups with working together on
drafts that fit their type institution .  We would need to research
the issues via relevant resources and readings and engage our
respective institutional councils/senates in crafting the drafts.  The
drafts would be distributed via the USGFC list for review by all the
membership prior to our meeting.

A possible agenda:

10:00 am Call to Order and Member Introductions
10:30 am Discussion of the Formula Funding and Articulation Drafts
11:30 am Break-out Sessions to Improve Drafts
12:15 pm Lunch
12:45 pm Summary Discussions on Formula Funding and Articulation Drafts
2:00 pm Address by Chancellor or his designee
2:15 pm Presentation of Drafts to Chancellor or to his designee
2:45 pm Open discussion with Chancellor or to his designee
3:15 pm Adjourn.

What are you thoughts?

Thanks,
Chris
--
Chris Huff        - Associate Dean
chuff@westga.edu  - Ingram Library
(678)839-6366     - University of West Georgia
(678)839-6511 FAX - Carrollton, GA 30118