Executive Council met at 11 a.m. at 611 Allen Hall. Present were Dr. Malcolm Portera, presiding, Dr. Dan Embree, Sebron Harrison, Dr. Bob Altenkirch, Dennis Prescott, Dr. George Rent, Dr. Brad Carter, Jan Bryant, Dr. Jimmy Abraham, Larry Templeton, Dr. Charles Lee, Gaddis Hunt, Dr. Melvin Ray, Charles Guest, Paula Jernigan, Joe Farris, and Cedric Henson.

Dr. Abraham presented for approval the official estimate of the cost of attending Mississippi State in 2001-2002 as prepared by the Office of Student Financial Aid and Scholarships. The total cost for a typical in-state undergraduate, including tuition and fees, books and supplies, room and board, personal expenses, and transportation is estimated at $11,334 a year. An out-of-state student could expect to pay an additional $4,542 a year. The council recommended approval of the official cost estimate.

Dr. Abraham presented for approval an updated version of Student Affairs 91.350 on Reservation Policies and Procedures for Recreational Sports Facilities. Changes in the policy are editorial in nature. The Council recommended approval of the updated policy, which is on line at http://www.msstate.edu/dept/audit/91350.html.

Dr. Altenkirch recommended that the library of the Cobb Institute of Archaeology be named the E. J. Vardaman Library in memory of Dr. Jerry Vardaman, former institute director. The name was recommended by the Committee on Naming of Facilities. Executive Council recommended approval.

Dr. Altenkirch presented for approval a policy and procedure statement establishing the titles Research/Extension Associate I, Research/Extension Associate II, Research/Extension Associate III, and Senior Research/Extension Associate for professional staff in the Division of Agriculture, Forestry and Veterinary Medicine and in the Division of Research. He presented for approval a separate policy and procedure statement establishing the titles of Extension/Clinical Instructor, Assistant Research/Extension/Clinical Professor, Associate Research/Extension/Clinical Professor, and Research/Extension/Clinical Professor for faculty in the two divisions who devote full time to research, extension, and clinical activities, paralleling faculty titles used in the Division of Academic Affairs. The council recommended approval of both policy and procedure statements.

Dr. Altenkirch presented for approval a revised policy statement on intellectual property that incorporates editing recommendations of an ad hoc Faculty Senate committee. The council recommended approval.

Dr. Altenkirch presented for approval in concept a request by the Diagnostic Instrumentation and Analysis Laboratory and Engineering Research Center to locate a temporary building near the DIAL rear parking lot to house graduate students. The Oktibbeha County Economic Development Authority, which manages the Research and Technology Park where the facilities are located, has granted a three-year variance to park restrictions to permit the location of a temporary building. The council approved the proposal in concept with the provisions that the temporary building must meet relevant building codes and that plans for the building are to be reviewed and approved by the Campus Planning and Development Committee.

Dr. Carter presented a summary of instructional technology and institutional information management projects. Instructional technology related efforts include development of a fully supported and fully integrated version of WebCT; support of Blackboard; better course content development support from the Information Media Center in the library; and better support for course management systems and related instructional technologies from User Services in Information Technology Services. Dr. Carter proposed an Instructional Technology Faculty Advisory Committee, a center for instructional technology to assist faculty, an incentive plan for integrating IT into key courses, a task group to review classroom IT resources, and an assessment and evaluation strategy. An Institutional Information Management Committee is studying an institution-wide strategy for data and information management and for decision support systems. The university also is participating in a pilot project with Campus Pipeline, Inc., and a diverse group of universities to develop a digital campus platform that would provide a variety of services to campus users.

Ms. Bryant noted that Cedric Henson becomes chair of the Professional and Support Staff Council on July 1.