Minutes
UWF Board of Trustees
Alumni Room
January 17-18, 2002
Chair Collier Merrill called the meeting of the University of West Florida Board of Trustees to order at 4:05 p.m. on January 17, 2002. Trustees present were:
Honor Bell
Pam Bilbrey
Travis Bowden
Angie Bowler
K.C. Clark
Lornetta Epps
Sharon Hess Herrick
Charles Horner
Collier Merrill
JoAnn Morgan
Eddie Phillips
Roy Smith
Chair Merrill reported that Trustee Dover was unable to attend the meeting because she is attending the funeral of Wendy's Founder Dave Thomas.
He also reported that he attended a meeting of all the chairs of university boards of trustees a week earlier in Orlando. Education Secretary Jim Horne and Phil Handy, chairman of the Florida Board of Education, said that the devolution of authority to boards of trustees was a top priority item.
Regarding the presidential search, Chair Merrill said the advertisements had been placed in the Chronicle of Higher Education, Black Issues in Higher Education and Hispanic Outlook for Higher Education. About 1,200 letters have been sent to friends of the university. A brochure and website have been developed, and search consultant Bill Funk has sent out about 600 letters. Between two and three dozen people are either active candidates or have been nominated, a very good start just two weeks after the search was launched. The Search Advisory Committee is scheduled to meet again on February 6 to receive an update from Bill Funk.
The Florida Board of Education was meeting on the UWF campus, Chair Merrill said, and a joint reception with that board and other Northwest Florida education boards from Escambia, Santa Rosa and Okaloosa school districts and Pensacola Junior College and Okaloosa-Walton Community College follows the meeting.
President Morris Marx reported that the University of West Florida Forensics Team is ranked 8th of 311 colleges and universities in the National Parliamentary Debate Association at the mid-point of its season. It earned a semester record of 183 awards and honors and finished in the top five of every tournament entered.
Enrollment continues to increase, and the spring semester shows a 10 percent increase.
The governor's budget proposal brings some hope, President Marx said, and more revenue is anticipated. The university faces a $3 million cut because of the legislative action last fall, but the governor's proposed budget provides about $2 million in growth and tuition increases.
The Board recessed at 4:23 p.m. for the purpose of conducting committee meetings.
The Board reconvened at 5:23 p.m. to hear a presentation form Phil Handy, chairman of the Florida Board of Education. He briefed trustees on the genesis of the education governance reorganization. "This system allows universities to be as great as they want to be," he said. However, he said that two proposed constitutional amendments threaten the new system: The initiative by U.S. Senator Bob Graham to restore a statewide governing board for universities and an amendment to mandate smaller class sizes in lower grades, which would be costly.
The board recessed at 6:04 p.m.
The board reconvened at 9:02 a.m., Friday, January 18 in the Alumni Room.
Trustee Clark moved and Trustee Epps seconded a motion to adopt the minutes for the December 14 Board of Trustees meetings.
Agenda item 1
Trustee Clark, chair of the Finance, Administration and Audit Committee, reported the committee had met twice on the Master Plan and unanimously approved the filing of the plan to gather input at public hearings.
Don Carlos, principal with STOA/Carlos Law Architects and Engineers, briefed the Board on the plan, which envisions 18,000 students by the year 2015.
Some of the major themes followed during the creation of the plan are to decrease auto traffic, increase pedestrian traffic, preserve the environment, create a sense of arrival, ensure safety and to always consider the student. The plan concentrates on in-fill for the academic and administrative code. It creates a sports complex, retail section and technology center/research park.
Chair Collier said he met with county planners who said some of the road infrastructure to the undeveloped areas could be moving in a matter of months.
Trustee Clark moved and Trustee Epps seconded a motion to approve the filing of the plan. It passed unanimously.
Agenda item 2
President Marx explained that the budget reductions are non-recurring cuts and are treated as such. The university must cut $2.8 million in the current fiscal year and plan for a $3.3 million cut in the next fiscal year. He believes that some of those cuts will be restored in the next budget, however, but the cuts could be of the same magnitude as the current year.
Trustee Clark moved and Trustee Epps seconded a motion to approve the budget reductions as specified ($1.4 million through the transfer of other funds and $1.4 million in cuts, distributed throughout the campus). It passed unanimously.
Chair Merrill said that President Marx, Executive Vice President Parks Dimsdale, the other vice presidents and the rest of the staff took the cut and, while they don't like it, they stuck together as a team and understood what needed to be done.
Executive Committee
Chair Merrill reported the Executive Committee seeks approval to authorize the Board chair to develop a transition and compensation package for President Marx and bring it back to the Board for approval. Trustee Clark moved and Trustee Horner seconded a motion to that effect. It passed unanimously.
The Executive Committee also is working on a presidential performance evaluation procedure, which should be completed within a few months.
Governmental Affairs Committee
Chair Bowden reported on the importance of the Board meeting Feb. 12-13 in Tallahassee and the need for trustees to contact legislators about the needs of the university. The committee also discussed budget issues for federal funding, as outlined in the agenda packet.
The committee discussed the need for possibly having more specific representation in Washington. There are a number of funding opportunities, and the university might want to re-evaluate the need for additional Washington representation. The committee intends to look at the issue in the future, Bowden said.
Finance, Administration and Audit Committee
Committee Chair Clark reported the committee received a presentation from Betsy Bowers, the UWF inspector general. It also received an audit of the Intercollegiate Athletics Program, but there were no items to be brought to any one's attention, Chair Clark said, adding that he was impressed with the auditing personnel, especially since they offer consulting services.
Academic and Student Affairs Committee
Committee Chair Smith said the committee is developing a degree program approval process that has two steps - the committee would approve the exploration of a new program, and, once developed, it would come to the full Board. There also would be one-year and three-year reviews. "We want to avoid developing new degree programs if there is no support for the program," Smith said.
President Marx reported that three experts on historic preservation visited UWF to explore the possibilities of UWF using the downtown properties to develop additional historic preservation programs, and they might be ready for Board approval within the year.
Other business
General Counsel Julie Sheppard provided an update on Board liability insurance. She reported that the Board exposure was very minimal, and she recommends waiting until after the Legislature determines university status during the current legislative session. The options would include the UWF Board getting its own insurance or perhaps joining a consortium of other universities in seeking insurance.
A resolution authorizing the president to operate and administer the business of the university on behalf of the Board of Trustees and to delegate that authority was introduced. Trustee Epps moved and Trustee Clark seconded a motion to adopt the resolution. It passed unanimously.
Trustee Morgan began a conversation about developing a policy to cover mail received by trustees, specifically on the best to maintain public records. Trustees requested staff to develop a draft policy for their review.
The meeting was adjourned at 10: 30 a.m.