Minutes
UWF Board of Trustees
Conference Call
December 14, 2001

Chair Collier Merrill called the meeting of the University of West Florida Board of Trustees to order at 8:04 a.m., on December 14, 2001. Trustees present were:

Honor Bell
Pam Bilbrey
Travis Bowden
Angie Bowler
K.C. Clark
Carol Dover
Lornetta Epps
Sharon Hess Herrick
Charles Horner
Collier Merrill
JoAnn Morgan
Eddie Phillips
Roy Smith.

Chair Merrill announced that he received a request from Bob Hart, president of the UWF Foundation, to name a Board of Trustees member to the Foundation. Merrill named Trustee Clark as the BOT member of the Foundation Board. He also announced that he was naming Trustee Phillips to the Research Foundation Board, after having received a similar request. He also expects a request from the West Florida Historic Preservation Board.

President Morris Marx said that the Community Liaison and Advisory Committee, which has performed a valuable function for the university, has been discharged. The creation of the Board of Trustees fulfills the same function as CLAC. Because CLAC played a key role in the university planning process, however, the president said he invited CLAC members to remain on the planning committees.

The president also reported that the Legislature cut $2.8 million from the 2001-02 budget. The university was able to find $1.4 million in reserve and other accounts, but another $1.4 million will have to be found within university budgets. President Marx said he didn't expect it to have a major impact on the institution or course offerings in spring, but it will have an impact on equipment purchases and maintenance.

Most difficult is the $3.3 million that was cut from the base budget, which will have an impact next budget year.

Minutes

Trustee Epps moved and Trustee Smith seconded a motion to accept the minutes for the September 27, 2001 meeting. It passed unanimously.

Agenda item 1

Vice President Linda Dye explained that the Board is being asked to increase the Activity and Service Fee by 30 cents a credit hour and the Athletic Fee by 60 cents a credit hour. There is no increase in the Health Fee. The 4.28 percent increase in fees is needed for increased services, inflation and enhancements. The fee proposal was created by a university committee comprised of one-half students and the other half faculty and staff.

Trustee Epps moved and Trustee Bowler seconded adoption of the proposal. It passed unanimously.

Agenda item 2

Vice president Dye said that the weekly increases being sought for the child-care fees range from 2 percent to 2.7 percent. The Educational Research Center for Child Development was one of the first in the state and was used as a model for other universities. The Child Care Advisory Board unanimously proposed the fee increases.

In response to questions, Dr. Dye said that 70 percent of the clients are students' children and 30 percent are staff. A four-year federal grant allows the center to discount fees by 20 percent for students receiving Pell Grants.

Trustee Epps moved and Trustee Bilbrey seconded a motion to adopt the proposed fee increase. It passed unanimously.

Conflict resolution presentation

UWF General Counsel Julie Sheppard provided the Board with a detailed explanation of all the conflict resolution avenues that exist for UWF employees. In short, the due-process procedures allow people opportunity to respond to university actions, provide documents and be represented by counsel. Employees have a variety of forums to use, included university procedures, collective bargaining agreements, state and federal agencies.

Other business

Trustee Bilbrey asked if the University of Florida's adoption of a $200 freshmen enrollment fee is the first in the state. President Marx aid it is, and there appears no need at UWF to adopt such a fee. "If we pursue fees, it would be to provide additional services," he said.

President Marx announced that campus' holiday hours will include the closing of many offices, which will result in energy cost savings and increased security. About 90 percent of employees usually take personal leave during the holiday period, and no one is being forced to take leave

The meeting was adjourned at 8:54 p.m.