February 25, 2008
Report of BOT Observer
January 17, 2008
The Board considered and approved the establishment of the Stanley O. Ikenberry Commons at UIUC – the student residence quadrangle between Gregory and Peabody, First and Fourth, which is being renovated and improved. The newly constructed dining hall in this area would be named the Ikenberry Dining Hall. The formal dedication will be in Fall, 2008.
President White gave a report on the Global Campus, and asked VP Walter Knorr to provide a financial overview. He reported enrollments of 3 in Nursing (UIC) and 9 in E-learning (UIUC), although there are additional applications for enrollment. Spending of $2.1 million so far, mostly in the area of technology and building the GC infrastructure. New programs are scheduled to launch in May and September of this year; a detailed proposal is coming at the March meeting.
Trustee Schmidt gave a presentation on budget requests to IBHE, stressing that the UI should ask for what it needs in funding, rather than “what we think we can get.” This was justified primarily in relation to needs of the healthcare programs at UIC, though he also referred to needs at UIUC: “Buildings make a campus, faculty make a university.” These costs cannot be carried entirely by tuition, he added.
He recommended asking IBHE for needed resources – and if IBHE says no, to take the proposal directly to the legislature (as was done, successfully, in Kentucky). Trustees Vickrey and Sperling, and others, were supportive, but asked for a specific proposal on exactly what the BOT should be asking for. President White added his personal thanks, and support.
Chancellor Herman gave an update from the UIUC campus. The Rose Bowl was an “absolutely wonderful experience.” The Trustees discussed how such athletic success draws attention to the academic excellence of the University as a whole, including increased applications. Chancellor Herman also reported on $8.5 million in grants from the Mellon Foundation. The Research Park expansion of a hotel and conference center are nearing completion. The Lumina Foundation provided a $900,000 grant to facilitate improved coordination and transfer from community colleges to the university; the goal is to double the number of transfers from 1000 to 2000. Sustainability is becoming a major concern of the campus, and the Chancellor reported new initiatives in this area.
Trustee Schmidt asked how the additional transfer students could be handled. The Chancellor said UIUC is probably over capacity at the undergraduate level, but that the number of study abroad students opens up campus space.
During the afternoon session the Trustees received a report from the University Ethics Office. Compliance for the annual Ethics Training program is over 99%.
VP Knorr presented a proposal from the Global Campus to give a 10% discounted tuition rate for Illinois alumni who are also donors to the Alumni Association. This was approved.
VP Knorr also proposed a $266 increase in Housing rates at UIUC, from $3833 to $4099. This was approved.
A change to the Statutes that would allow proposals passed by at least two of the three campus Senates to go forward to the Trustees came from USC. Currently passage by only one Senate is sufficient. This was approved.
Lawrence DeBrock was approved as Interim Dean for the College of Business at UIUC.
Academic proposals for several programs from UIUC came forward and were approved. In one case, the major in African-American Studies, an earlier draft of the proposal was accidentally forwarded to the Trustees; it was edited to bring it into conformity with the actual passed version of the proposal.
Various building and renovation proposals from the UIUC campus were presented and approved. The biggest items were ongoing projects for Memorial Stadium; the dining hall and renovation work for the Ikenberry Dining Hall and Commons (see above); and a 36,000 sq ft. addition to Huff Hall.
The Intramural and Physical Education Building (IMPE) was renamed the Activities and Recreation Center.
Respectfully submitted,
Nicholas Burbules