SC.03.14
September 29, 2003
University of Illinois
Board of Trustees Meeting
July 16-17, 2003
Wednesday, July 16, 2003
The UIUC Senate Observer was not present at this meeting as the Board met in executive and special executive sessions during this time. The Board meeting convened at
11:00 a.m. in the Pine Lounge of the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, with the installation of new student trustees and roll call. The remainder of the time was spent in executive session, followed by a luncheon and special executive session at the President’s House, Urbana.
Thursday, July 17, 2003
Meeting of the Board Reconvenes
The meeting reconvened at 8:30 a.m. by Trustee, Lawrence Eppley, Chair, presiding at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, Illini Union Pine Lounge. Roll call was followed. President Stukel then proceeded to introduce the observers from the three senates and University Senates Conference as well as the University Officers. This was followed by a brief public comment session: topics included the issue of honoring and retiring the Chief Illiniwek and a non-discrimination policy relating to admission and employment at the College of Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago.
Presentation and discussion of items on the agenda ensued. Twenty-six items were presented. The item that brought the greatest discussion was item 19A, Health and Dental Benefits for Same-Sex Domestic Partners. Two trustees opposed the proposal: Kenneth Schmidt, who stated that now was not the time to add benefits as we have infinite needs and a finite budget. Schmidt also said that we had no right to establish a new policy as to how state money should be spent. Trustee Robert Vickery also said that the proposal belongs in the State Legislature and that the policy should include employees with unmarried opposite-sex partners—Vickery’s amendment to change the proposal was voted down. Trustees reasoned that unmarried heterosexual employees have the option to marry legally in Illinois and be covered under their spouse’s insurance plans, while same-sex partners do not. President Stukel said that the faculty are at a competitive disadvantage with other universities and need to attract and retain high-quality faculty to the University. The projected cost is comparable with the costs at other Big Ten institutions. Trustee Robert Sperling said this is an issue of fundamental fairness and not one of moral judgment.
9:50 a.m. the Board went into executive session; observers and visitors were dismissed.
10:20 a.m. The regular and roll call items with some revisions were adopted. Item 19A, Health and Dental Benefits for Same-Sex Domestic Partners, passed with two dissenting votes. Other agenda items that the Board passed included re-naming the Post Genomic Institute building as the Institute for Genomic Biology on the Urbana campus; establishing a department of bioengineering, which would offer a B.S., M.S., and a Ph.D. in bioengineering; establishing a B.S. in entrepreneurship and a Ph.D. in urban education leadership on the Chicago campus; creating a student legal services program on the Springfield campus and approving Christopher Miller as the campus’ vice chancellor for student affairs.
Meeting of the Board as a Committee of the Whole
10:30 a.m. A status report on the operating budget for fiscal year 2004 was reported. The UIUC’s operating budget was cut over $60 million, according to a presentation by Vice President for Academic Affairs, Chet Gardner. Vice President Gardner and Vice President for Administration, Stephen Rugg, conducted a discussion of the Preliminary Budget Request for fiscal year 2005. The presentation that both made was in regard to the FY05 operating and capital budget request to the Illinois Board of Higher Education. The presentation described their current assessment of the financial needs and capital priorities for the University. These assessments will be refined throughout the summer in time for the BOT’s approval of the final budget request at the September meeting prior to its submission to IBHE.
11:15 a.m. President Stukel reported on the progress of the Administrative Review Project. The Board had asked administrators in March to come up with proposals for consolidating and streamlining administrative operations. Since March, the project has been in its discovery phase and eighteen areas have been reviewed. The next phase, which has already begun, is prioritizing the opportunities, benchmarking against industry best practices and targeting for cost reductions and service improvements. The final phase will involve detailed assessments and implementation of the proposed changes. This project should extend through 2004. The goals are to improve services, reduce costs, and redirect savings to core education, research, and service missions. Stukel said the UI made up to $1 million in savings, including merging two internal research organizations and reorganizing the management of several programs supporting online education. The UI will hire consultants to look at how the UI compares with other universities and with private industry in the way it does business.
11:40 a.m. Steve Schomberg, Vice Chancellor for Public Engagement and Institutional Relations, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, gave a brief report on Willard Airport, Gateway-Classroom-Laboratory-Business Partner serving the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and the Communities of Central Illinois. The challenges include the following: recruit an East Coast carrier; reverse the “leakage” to other airports; increase number of jet aircraft on routes; improve terminal services--internet in the lounge and food services behind security; and provide free parking. Also emphasis must begin with a strong partnership with the community: the Champaign County Alliance and the EDC, and the Metropolitan Intergovernmental Council where the cities, the county, the MTD and many other governmental entities come together to tackle critical community issues that cut across many governmental boundaries.
Meeting of the Board Resumes
11:55 a.m. Minutes of Special Board Meeting of January 23, 2003 were approved.
Steve Rugg announced that Robert Dodd, Associate Vice President for Administration and Human Resouces, will retire and thanked him for all the years of service to the University. The schedule for future board meetings was announced: Sept. 11, 2003, Springfield; November 13, 2003, Urbana; and Jan. 15, 2004, Chicago.
There being no further business, the meeting adjourned at approximately 12 noon.
Materials distributed at this meeting have been placed in the Senate Office
Respectfully submitted,
Priscilla C. Yu
Senate Observer