Minutes
UWF Board of Trustees
UWF Conference Center and conference call
May 24, 2002

Chair Collier Merrill called the meeting of the University of West Florida Board of Trustees to order at 8:47 a.m. 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

Trustee Bowden moved and Trustee Bowler seconded a motion to accept the unanimous recommendation of the Trustee Search Committee and appoint Dr. John Cavanaugh as the next president of the University of West Florida.

Trustee Bilbrey said she was impressed with Dr. Cavanaugh because he shared a vision to move the university forward. Trustee Epps said he wants to increase the quality of students and their retention. Trustee Smith said that any new chief operating officer will need lots of help, and the Board should offer to Dr. Cavanaugh an opportunity to participate in training. He suggested that the chair investigate those possibilities. Chair Merrill said that search consultant Bill Funk already is looking into that. Trustee Morgan complimented the Trustee Search Committee, the Search Advisory Committee and the staff for the excellent flow of information, which allowed distant trustees to be part of the process. Trustee Dover said that made it very easy for off-site trustees to participate. Finally, Trustee Phillips said, speaking for the citizens of Okaloosa County, that it was refreshing for the community to participate in the process.

With a unanimous vote, the Board appointed Dr. John Cavanaugh as the fourth president of the University of West Florida.

While Dr. Cavanaugh was called and invited to join the meeting via conference call, Trustee Epps moved and Trustee Phillips seconded a motion to authorize staff to submit paperwork to the Florida Board of Education for its June 3 meeting to ratify the UWF selection. It passed unanimously. Trustee Hess Herrick moved and Trustee Bowden seconded a motion authorizing Chair Merrill to negotiate a salary package with Dr. Cavanaugh and bring a recommendation back to the Board. It passed unanimously.

Dr. Cavanaugh, who called into the meeting, accepted the appointment and thanked everyone involved in the process for how he and his wife, Patrice, were treated. "This is going to be a very exciting time for the two of us," he said. While UWF is definitely in a growth mode, it is important to remain focused on the student-centered approach, which also is important to him personally, he said.

The meeting was adjourned at 8:56 a.m.