Attending: John M. Crisp, Mike Gadell, Homer Garza, Noe Guerra, Dolores Huerta, Mattie Marcum, William Mareth, Vickie Natale, Mary Peña, Jim Pierce (Chair), Lisa Welch.

Not Attending: None.

Also Attending: Carol LaRue, Mary Ann Williams.

Amending the Minutes: Dolores Huerta, liaison to the Financial Resources committee, asked that the July 1 Steering Committee minutes specify that the committee had turned in its survey questions by the June 30 deadline. Mattie Marcum, liaison to the Institutional Effectiveness committee, asked that the July 1 Steering Committee minutes indicate that she had said that the Institutional Effectiveness committee continues to consider its focus in response to Jim Pierce's question about whether the committee was dealing with particular problems. Both changes were accepted by consensus.

Institutional Effectiveness Consultant: Marcum presented a proposal from the Institutional Effectiveness committee to bring a SACS institutional effectiveness consultant to campus in the fall. She said that the committee will be asking the principal committee chairs for questions to be submitted to the consultant.

Survey Questions: Pierce asked each of the Steering Committee liaisons to discuss the questions that their committees had submitted. He said that he, Vickie Natale, and Carol LaRue would create a draft of the questions that have been submitted in three weeks. He said that the goal is to get the survey out in the first or second week of September. The Steering Committee discussed the questions that have been submitted by the principal committees to this point, including Institutional Purpose, Institutional Effectiveness, Educational Program, Organization and Administration, Financial Resources, Faculty, Physical Resources, Computer Resources, and Institutional Advancement. During the course of the discussion, the following points arose:

Natale pointed out that in general the questions should be rendered in the form of a direct statement that elicits a response on a five-point scale indicating the responder's agreement or disagreement with the statement. She suggested also the use of a scale that allows a responder to indicate "don't know" or "does not apply." Dolores Huerta asked whether students should be added to the principal committees and Pierce said that they should be added in the fall. There was discussion regarding the definition of "unit manager" and whether departmental chairs should be considered as faculty or administrators. Pierce suggested developing a page of the survey for chairs that would help distinguish their role as faculty members from their role as unit managers. Natale said that such a page could be developed.

Natale asked if the principal committees need to know the divisions or areas from which responses come. The committee agreed that survey target groups of faculty, staff, administrators, students, and Regents will be sufficient.

Natale said also that, if needed, other demographic information could be developed, such as the distinction of new students, occupational students, chairs, and unit managers.

Noe Guerra, in connection with the Physical Facilities report, raised the issue of ADA compliance and whether survey questions should be addressed to the handicapped. Natale suggested that some of the information could be derived from Special Populations and pointed out that Del Mar's current efforts to comply with ADA law would be part of the Physical Resources committee report.

Considerable discussion ensued regarding specific survey questions.

Uploading Principal Committee Minutes: John M. Crisp said that one committee's secretary (Financial Resources) had already uploaded meeting minutes directly to the server, and he reminded the liaisons that secretaries can now upload current and past minutes. Secretaries encountering difficulties should call him at 1449.

Minutes prepared by John M. Crisp.