President's Advisory Team Meeting Summary

A President’s Advisory Team Meeting was held Wednesday, September 20 with the following agenda items:

  • Welcome – Highlights from President Lepre 

  • Center for Student Achievement Persistence Data
  • FY24 Supplemental Budget Requests 

  • Update on Off-Campus Incident
  • Community Access Cards
  • Commencement Update

Below, please find summary information regarding each topic item of the agenda. When appropriate, additional supporting information is linked.


Highlights from President Lepre:
We have about a month of the semester under our belts, and we are thankful to everyone around campus for all of the great work you’ve been doing. We would like to officially welcome Dr. Deirdra Johnson to campus and to the President’s Advisory Team. Dr. Johnson has recently joined SU as our new Associate Vice President for Student Affairs.


Center for Student Achievement Persistence Data:
The Center for Student Achievement works with undergraduate students in four main ways – Supplemental Instruction through scheduled, out-of-class group study sessions; tutoring through one-on-one or small group support; Success Coaching through collaborative work on succeeding academically; and the GENL 103 course that introduces students to study strategies and campus resources.

Data shows that students who utilize CSA’s resources earn higher grades, persist at a higher rate, and graduate at a higher rate than those students who do not participate.

Allen Koehler, Associate Vice President of Enrollment Management, and Heather Holmes, Director of the Center for Student Achievement, provided the following report on persistence data for students using CSA services.


FY24 Supplemental Budget Requests:
With fall census data recorded, Admin & Finance is now accepting requests for supplemental budget funding for the remainder of FY2024 through October 6. Although SU welcomed a large first-year class this academic year, overall total enrollment, post census, is flat year-over-year. Based on the current value of the vacant PINs, coupled with a conservative estimate of the funds that may become available through other 01 vacancy savings throughout the year, we are pleased to announce the first round of supplemental budget funding will be approximately $3,000,000. Follow up messaging from Admin & Finance is forthcoming with additional info regarding the process.

Lynn Adkins, Associate Vice President for Administration & Finance, provided the following presentation of supplemental budget requests and key dates.


Update on Off-Campus Incident:
Three SU students were injured in an off-campus shooting on Thursday, September 14. Fortunately, the injuries sustained were non-life threatening and our students are out of the hospital recovering. The investigation into the matter is ongoing and we cannot share specific details at this time. What we can share is that hours after the incident, the Mayor, City Police Chief, and Captain of the Criminal Investigation Division joined SUPD Chief of Police Edwin Lashley and other campus leaders for a detailed report on the incident as well as where things currently stand with the investigation. We want to reassure everyone that the City of Salisbury and its Police Department are taking this matter very seriously. The City of Salisbury continues to work with SUPD on the case, and we will provide updates when we are able to share more.

Eli Modlin, Chief of Staff, provided the following report on a summary of events, communications, and next steps.


Community Access Cards:
New information has been added to the website providing clarity on the community access card program, and more information will be pushed out directly to the individuals responsible for the distribution and management of the cards. Information Technology has developed a JIRA process to help track and update all of this information. The Gull Card Support Center has a Community Access Card tab that allows a request to be made.

The cards also manage visitor parking for the cardholders. As long as the cardholder provides their vehicle information, they do not need to sign up for a visitor parking pass every time they come to campus. SUPD will be contacting building managers (in most cases, Deans) to work on access points for buildings.


Commencement Update:
The Commencement Committee has been reconvened and is beginning the planning process for December 2023 and May 2024 commencement ceremonies. This fall, one ceremony will be held at the Civic Center on December 20. The regalia for bachelor and master graduates has been updated and will now be maroon with the SU logo featured on new, distinct tabs. The traditional commencement program is being significantly updated to be more engaging and other enhancements to the ceremonies are being considered – including a comprehensive assessment on bringing commencement to campus.

Michelle Stokes, Senior Advisor, provided the following report on the latest from the Commencement Committee.