GOVERNMENT TASK FORCE
MINUTES OF MEETING
AUGUST 18, 1999

Attending: Frank Garrahan, Chair, Paz Pena, Stefan Haag, Jonathan Buckstead, Marilyn Mote-Yale, Lynn Lehle, Gaye Lynn Scott, Glen Hunt, Gregory Garlow, Ron Fletcher, Ed Mullen, Cecile Durish, Beti Argun, Judy Nwachie, Maria Luz Valverde

1. Report from Chair.

A. Manuals. The Chair has sent out copies of the Government Instructor's manual for the 1999-2000 academic year. If you have not received a copy, please contact Frank Garrahan (223-4805 or frankjg@). New sections have been added to the manual, including learning objectives to accompany the key terms for both GOVT 2305 (U.S. Government) and GOVT 2305 (Texas State & Local Government). In addition, a picture of the Government Department Web page can be found on the back cover, illustrating the links that are available for faculty (e.g., a link that allows you to easily update your office hours; those office hours are linked to your name on the ACC online course schedule).

B. Textbooks. Thanks to the challenges of implementing Datatel, textbook orders for this semester are likely to be flawed. Please do your best to accommodate any problems that may arise as a result of inaccuracies.

C. Assessment. The assessment tests (the "pre-tests") have been sent out. If you received a packet of tests please remember to return the packet's contents to Frank Garrahan at Northridge. Results will be compiled in order to compare students' initial level of information with the "post-tests" that will be administered at the end of the semester.

2. Committee Report:

A. Faculty Committee. In order to provide faculty development opportunities within our discipline, the Faculty Committee has decided to try something new this year: a "brown bag" seminar before every Task Force meeting. These seminars will be an opportunity to present something you think would be of interest to your colleagues &endash; a paper submitted for a conference, some in-depth research on a particular lecture topic, etc. We will meet at 12:15 prior to each Task Force meeting to hear from one of our colleagues, so bring your lunch and join us. If you have to come late or leave early, you're still invited to attend.

Please volunteer to lead one of these seminars. If you have something you would like to share, please let Gaye Lynn Scott know (223-4767, gls@) as soon as possible. In addition, there will be a sign-up sheet at the next Task Force meeting.

"Reinventing the Presidency", October 1-2, Presidential Conference Center, Texas A&M University. We are hoping to take a group to this conference in College Station, leaving Thursday evening and returning on Saturday. Accommodations will be at the College Station Hilton, and suites are $89 a night. Hotel reservations must be made by September 15 at the latest. If you are interested in going, please contact Frank Garrahan or Gaye Lynn Scott no later than September 10. You will be asked to file a reimbursement form with ACC if you want to be reimbursed for expenses and registration. The attached flyer provides more information about this conference.