DATE: September 11, 2001

TO: Board of Regents

FROM: Richard Crofts, Commissioner

RE: Quality Enhancements

The operating budgets that are recommended for your approval at the upcoming meeting of the Board of Regents include the revenue from the 1% additional tuition increase approved by the Regents for quality and productivity improvements. The purpose of this memo is to provide you a summary of these quality enhancements on a campus-by-campus basis. The CEOs will, of course, be available to answer any questions you may have during the Regents Budget Workshop on September 26, 2001.

Montana University System

FY 2002 Quality Enhancements From 1% Tuition Increase

 

University of Montana-Missoula($350,942)

         $101,768 Summer School

-The summer school curriculum increased by 56 course sections

-As part of the annual Leadership Institute for Montana school administrators, the University was able to bring in Dr. Carl Glickman to conduct a workshop on student assessment and benchmarks for curriculum.

         $100,000 Academic Program Enhancements

-Additional sections are being offered in English, Math, and Business

-The Writing Lab extended its hours of operation

-Six sections of the Freshman Seminar in Fall 2001 are being offered with three planned for Spring 2002

         $35,000 College of Technology

-An evening program in computer technology begins this fall

         $114,174 Library

-The additional investment will allow the Library to enhance periodical collections.

-These funds provide for the support needs for Internet access and increased availability of books.

 

Montana Tech of The University of Montana ($44,161)

         $10,210 To assess general education learning outcomes for students in the junior class and to assess student satisfaction generally at the campus. These initiatives respond to the recommendations of the Northwest Association of Schools and Colleges during the last institutional accreditation review.

         $33,951 Partial funding for a new faculty position in Nursing to support increased enrollment and to support improvements in instruction.

 

The University of Montana-Western ($20,895)

         $12,500 To enhance library services and faculty development through partial funding to hire a full-time Instructional Technologist. A grant provided the remainder.

         $ 8,395 To maintain and enhance the Early Childhood Education program. Sites and faculty would have been reduced if this funding were not available.

 

The University of Montana-Helena College of Technology ($12,375)

          $12,375 to pay one-third of the cost of a full-time tenure-track faculty member in the Computer Technology program. With that faculty position, HCT will be able to replace approximately 10 adjunct faculty with improvements in the quality of instruction and better student advising.

 

Montana State University-Bozeman ($337,001)

          $11,600 Additional (Fall) Freshmen Seminars in the College of Letters and Sciences

          $10,500 Additional sections of Art

          $25,000 Additional English 121 writing classes

          $6,000 Additional sections of Media and Theatre Arts

          $8,000 Additional Freshmen Seminars General Studies

          $3,750 Additional section of University Honors 201

          $4,000 Additional Honors Music

          $211,151 Earmarked tuition revenue to serve students in high demand academic programs experiencing continued growth - distributed by Provost & Deans

          $12,000 On-Line Student Application System

          $45,000 Core Curriculum Revision Pilot Program

 

Montana State University-Billings ($81,799)

           $ 5,000 First Year Experience: A program will be developed to provide in-depth orientation, intrusive advising, and college success strategies to students.

           $31,799 Library: Budget has been added to enhance library services through providing more staffing and information resources.

           $10,000 Native American student mentoring program: In fiscal year 2002, MSU-Billings will develop and implement a Native American student mentoring program and a special leadership program for ethnically diverse students.

           $10,000 Civic Engagement: MSU-Billings will develop outreach programs in partnership with local social service agencies and nursing homes during fiscal year 2002.

           $15,000 Honors: This budget allocation will be used to develop and operate the honors program and provide honors scholarships.

           $10,000 International Studies: This budget allocation will be used to expand the international studies program and to provide financial assistance to encourage MSUB students to engage in exchange programs.

 

Montana State University-Northern ($24,800)

           $7,500Library -Book Budgets increased

           $2,500Library Subscription Budget

           $14,800Wiring upgrades in three (3) technical science classrooms to enhance access to network and internet resources

 

Montana State University-Great Falls College of Technology ($12,554)

           $2,250 to provide release time through the Colleges Faculty Entrepreneurs Initiative for faculty to identify, develop curriculum for, and provide training in a Professional Core of Instructional Technology Competencies.

           $8,054 toward the purchase of two smart podiums, so that each department of the College has at its disposal state-of-the-art multi-media support for classroom lectures and presentations.

           $2,250 to provide release time through the Faculty Entrepreneurs Initiative for faculty to develop and assist in the delivery of effective placement, tutoring, and remediation activities through its Learning Center.