HE.04.14
September 27, 2004

University of Illinois
Urbana-Champaign Senate
Final;Information

HE.04.14 Report on the Illinois Board of Higher Education Meeting, June 8, 2004.

No announcement was made at the meeting, but late in June Executive Director Dan LaVista announced his resignation to assume a similar role in Virginia.

The BHE met from 9:10 to 11 a.m. at Richland Community College. Chair James Kaplan noted meetings of the Disabilities Advisory Committee and the governor’s concern about textbook costs. The President of Richland in welcoming the IBHE noted the emphasis of the college on workforce education in contributing to economic development.  To implement the IBHE faculty diversity study, Executive Director La Vista said a July 20 conference at UIS will focus on recruitment and retention of minority faculty. Two individuals are interning with the IBHE this summer. The 2004 collegiate artist competition has concluded and the competition will be held again next year.

The advisory group reports were relatively brief.  The Faculty Advisory Council report stressed the urgency of adopting the IBHE budget proposals because the governor’s proposed budget is inadequate.

Various programs at community colleges, private and public four-year institutions were approved.  The only controversial item, offering a Doctor of Educational Leadership at Chicago State University, was approved on a split vote.

Several information reports were presented: The budget impasse was discussed as part of the legislative report. Some other legislation of interest to higher education is also pending.  The report on underrepresented groups in higher education indicated African-American and Latino undergraduate and graduate enrollments and degrees continue to increase with major percentage improvements over the last decade. Institutional efforts to assist handicapped students were reported with a need to report the actual number of students with disabilities rather than the number of different disabilities in the community college reports.  The Utilities Committee is focusing on issues related to centralized purchase of natural gas to determine if savings would result.  They will next turn attention to the purchase of electricity.  Finally, the first meeting of the Priorities, Productivity, and Accountability Committee was described. The last item of business was adoption of the consent agenda without any discussion. 

The Priorities, Productivity, and Accountability Committee met following the Executive Session and the luncheon.

Ken Andersen, FAC Member
Senate Observer