WINTHROP UNIVERSITY BOARD OF TRUSTEES
February 6-8, 2004
Winthrop University, Rock Hill, SC
Minutes of Meeting of the Board of Trustees
Friday, February 6, 2004
Members present:
Mary Jean Martin (Chair), Kathy Bigham, Larry Durham,
Karl Folkens,
Bob Gahagan, Polly Ford, Glenda Owens, Sanita Savage,
Bob
Thompson, Skip Tuttle, and Anthony J. DiGiorgio (ex officio).
Members absent:
None.
Representatives present:
Marilyn Smith, Faculty Council Chair;
Richard
Fowler, Council of Student Leaders Chair
Board Staff present:
Brien Lewis, Secretary to the Board
Others present:
Leland Cox, Dan Jones, Donna Tinsley, Janet Smalley, and
Winthrop
University faculty and staff.
The Board of Trustees met on Friday, February 6, 2004 at 3:45 p.m. in
the Baruch Room in Joynes Hall on the campus of Winthrop University,
Rock Hill, SC.
Call to Order
Mary Jean Martin called the meeting to order at 3:45 p.m
Approval of Board Minutes of November 7, 2003
Polly Ford moved, seconded by Larry Durham, to approve the minutes as
presented. This motion passed unanimously by voice vote.
Report of the Executive Committee
Chair Mary Jean Martin welcomed trustees and guests to the beginning of
the annual retreat. She noted three special guests in attendance who
were unopposed candidates for three trustee seats to be elected by
members of the General Assembly. She introduced Janet Smalley, Donna
Tinsley, and Leland Cox.
Chair Martin reported that the Executive Committee of the Board of
Trustees met on campus on January 20th, reviewing and discussing several
matters and taking action on one item. She reported that the committee
had passed a motion recommending that the Board adopt a Resolution in
Support of the Textile Corridor Master Plan. She noted that the
committee would not ask the Board to vote on the Resolution at this
time. Instead, she stated, the Board would be reviewing the Textile
Corridor Master Plan within the context of the University’s overall plan
during our Retreat discussions and the Board would be asked to consider
acting on the Executive Committee’s recommendation later in the weekend.
Chair Martin reported that the vast majority of the materials reviewed
by the Executive Committee at its January meeting had been provided to
Board members or had been reviewed in the draft minutes of that meeting
that had already been circulated. She also reported that the Executive
Committee also had an executive session for discussion of personnel and
contractual matters and that no action was taken in the executive
session.
Report of the Academic Affairs Committee
Bob Thompson reported that the Committee approved the minutes of its
November 2003 meeting and received an update on the status of
accreditation site visits.
Report of the Finance Committee
Skip Tuttle reported that the Committee approved the minutes of its
November 2003 meeting.
Report of the University Relations Committee
Glenda Owens reported that the Committee approved the minutes of its
November 2003 meeting.
Report from the Chair of Faculty Conference
Faculty Conference Chair Marilyn Smith reported that each college has
been working on revising their programs to fit with the new general
education requirements. She also noted that a Faculty Salary Policy and
Procedures policy, that included a recommendation for how merit raises
are distributed, was circulated last year. Several concerns were raised,
so Academic Council is reviewing the merit raise policy. Some of the
specific concerns relate to how faculty are rated and compared to each
other, and the long term nature of some faculty work.
Marilyn Smith reported that the General Education Committee and Academic
Council have passed, after much review and discussion, a policy and
procedure for transferring courses to Winthrop that count for the
writing components. She noted that the Faculty Concerns Committee has
met with President DiGiorgio to discuss how the University College will
operate, summer school salaries, and parking. In addition, she reported
that the Task Force on Integrity has begun meeting, investigating
issues, and gathering information. Dr. Smith reported that the President
had appointed an ad hoc committee to determine whether Winthrop freshmen
should all read a common book during the summer prior to entering the
university. She noted that the Committee discussed issues, gathered
information from faculty and students, discussed more, and decided to
endorse having a common book to use primarily in Welcome Week and ACAD
101. She reported that the Common Book Committee and the ACAD 101
Committee are working on selecting the book for 2004.
Report from the Chair of the Council of Student Leaders
Student Representative Richard Fowler reported that the Council of
Student Leaders had a one day retreat at the Shack to refocus and
regroup on its goals for the upcoming semester as well as to introduce
the new members of the Council. He reported that the Council reviewed
the structure and processes of the Council as well as the Constitution,
in order to ensure that everyone was aware of the reason for dissolving
the Student Government Association. The Council also concentrated on
rethinking some of the goals and most importantly the processes for the
upcoming semester.
Richard Fowler reported that the Voter Registration Committee will
continue to host forum and debates centered on local, state, and
national issues while continuing to educate people on requirements to
become registered in York County. He also reported that the Weekend
Retention Committee had been more appropriately named the Student
Involvement Committee to better reflect the nature of the Council’s
goals. This semester, the Council wants to focus more on getting
students involved instead of providing activities on the weekends,
something that DSU already does. We believe students stay at Winthrop
because they get plugged into something and want to stay. Focusing our
efforts on clubs and organizations as well as service learning, will in
time, improve weekend retention and the overall involvement of Winthrop
students.
Richard Fowler reported that the Student Center Committee has also been
renamed to the University Center Committee to more accurately depict the
essence of the new center. He noted that the Council met with the
architects earlier this semester to view the preliminary drawings and
discuss any concerns. Overall, he reported, the Council was impressed by
the designs the architects had to present. The Committee will continue
to seek student input as the designing phase proceeds.
Richard Fowler reported that the Academic Integrity Committee is
distributing a survey to a representative group of students to generate
ideas on how to enhance academic integrity throughout the Winthrop
community and address issues such as the inconsistent applications of
penalties for academic dishonesty. He also reported that Dinkins Student
Union and the Resident Students Association were also sponsoring a
significantly revised Homecoming that would telescope the events into
Friday and Saturday, highlighted by a community party on Peabody Field,
Tent Town Extravaganza, a step show, and a men’s basketball game.
Report from the President
President DiGiorgio reported that a positive draft report had been
received from the accreditation team reviewing the Theatre program and a
report has not yet been received from the team reviewing the Dance
program. He noted that the Small Business Development Center had passed
its review and that site visits are planned in April for Sports
Management and Health & Physical Education.
The President briefed the Board on the University’s move to student and
employee identification numbers that are not Social Security numbers in
order to enhance privacy and security measures. He also noted that the
Faculty-Staff portion of the capital campaign and the Milestones to
Distinction video presentation had earned University Advancement awards
from the Council for the Advancement and Support of Education.
President DiGiorgio reported that the University had received a gift of
$100,000 from Irwin Belk in support of the construction of the
intercollegiate track, whose oval will bear his name in honor of the
gift. In addition, the President noted, Mr. Belk has contributed funds
for the development and installation of a bronze sculpture of Winthrop’s
eagle mascot. The sculptor for the project is Jon Hair and the likely
place for its installation is the proposed McBryde Circle.
President DiGiorgio briefed the Board on the current status of key
public policy issues. He reported that the Governor’s Budget calls for
reductions in phone charges and travel costs and a Higher Education
Price Index cap on tuition of approximately 2.5%. He also reported on
Governor Sanford’s offer to state universities to become non-profit
private institutions, noting that the proposal had received very little
interest or support from the General Assembly.
The President also reported on the introduction of a bill that would
establish a College and University Board of Regents, noting that it was
scheduled for hearings at a House subcommittee but that when no sponsor
appeared, the bill was held over until April 1, 2004. President
DiGiorgio then briefed the Board on The Life Sciences Act which has been
amended to also include portions of The South Carolina Research
University Infrastructure Bond Act, and The Venture Capital Investment
Act. This bill would authorize the University of SC – Sumter to move
from a two-year campus to a four-year campus and offer degrees at will,
authorize a four-year culinary arts program at Trident Technical
College, and require that no regional campus of the University of South
Carolina could be closed or phased out without the General Assembly’s
approval. In addition, he reported the bill would require institutions
to report to the Governor and General Assembly annually their
in-state/out-of-state undergraduate enrollment, what the policy on
out-of-state enrollment is and how it was adopted. This bill also
authorizes an increase in S.C. debt limit from 5.5% of general fund
revenues to 6.0%, creating an additional projected $250 million in
capital bond capacity of which 88% ($220 million) would be for new
construction related to research initiatives at the three research
universities. The President also reported that the remaining 30
institutions would receive the remaining 12% ($30 million,) for
“deferred maintenance” only, to be distributed according to deferred
maintenance needs and FTE enrollment. He noted that Winthrop’s share of
these funds is projected to be $2.8 million.
Old Business
There was no Old Business.
New Business
There was no new business.
Executive Session
Bob Gahagan moved, seconded by Bob Thompson, that the Board go into
Executive Session for discussion of contractual, personnel, or legal
matters. As part of the motion, the candidates for trustee seats (Dr.
Cox, Ms. Tinsley, and Ms. Smalley) along with the faculty and student
representatives were invited to participate in the discussion. The
motion was approved unanimously by voice vote. The Board then convened
in Executive Session. No actions were taken in Executive Session. Larry
Durham moved, seconded by Polly Ford, that the Board return to Open
Session.
Recess
At 5:30 p.m. the Board recessed until Saturday, February 8 at 9:00 a.m.
In the evening the Board members attended a reception and dinner with
members of the Community Builders, a group of civic and educational
leaders from Rock Hill and York County. This event took place at the
Tuttle Dining Room in McBryde Hall, followed by comments from guest
speaker Aims McGuinness, co-author of a recent report on higher
education policy for the South Carolina Commission on Higher Education.
The Board took no actions during these events.
Saturday, February 7, 2004
Members present:
Mary Jean Martin (Chair), Kathy Bigham, Larry Durham,
Karl Folkens,
Bob Gahagan, Polly Ford, Glenda Owens, Sanita Savage,
Bob
Thompson, Skip Tuttle, and Anthony J. DiGiorgio (ex officio).
Members absent:
None.
Representatives present:
Marilyn Smith, Faculty Council Chair;
Richard
Fowler, Council of Student Leaders Chair
Board Staff present:
Brien Lewis, Secretary to the Board
Others present:
Leland Cox, Donna Tinsley, Janet Smalley, Winthrop
University faculty
and staff, and Wendy Bigham of The Rock Hill Herald.
The Board of Trustees met on Saturday, February 7, 2004 at 9:00 a.m. in
the Baruch Room of the Joynes Conference Center at Winthrop University,
Rock Hill, SC.
Call to Order
Mary Jean Martin called the meeting to order at 9:00 a.m.
President’s Task Force on the Nature and Character of the University
Chair Mary Jean Martin and President DiGiorgio welcomed Dr. Keith
Benson, Dr. Vanessa Hill, Dr. Cheryl Fortner-Wood, Dr. Michael Lipscomb,
Dr. Bill Rogers, and Dr. Seymour Simmons as representatives from the
Task Force. President DiGiorgio provided an overview of the purposes for
and history of the project. Brien Lewis then presented an update on the
activities of the Task Force and responses from across campus that had
lead to the finalization of the Task Force’s Report on the Nature and
Character of the University.
There was a detailed discussion among Board members and Task Force
members about the overall themes of the report as well as individual
recommendations presented in the document. There was also discussion
about how the product of the Task Force’s work might be articulated with
the existing Mission Statement, Vision Statement, and Strategic Plan and
how it might assist in the setting of institutional priorities. Board
members indicated broad support for the work of the Task Force, noting
that each of the recommendations should proceed through the appropriate
existing avenues for development of University policies and priorities.
Board members also indicated an interest in endorsing the report’s
Statement on the Nature and Character of the University following its
consideration by Faculty Conference and the Council of Student Leaders.
On behalf of the Board, Chair Martin thanked the representatives of the
Task Force for their work, noting that the report would be very helpful
in bringing Winthrop University to a higher level of distinction.
Seeding the Future
President DiGiorgio presented a detailed overview of the campus and its
individual facilities. He discussed the context of planning for
development of the campus as being consonant with the Old Town
Renaissance and Textile Corridor Master Plan processes underway in the
university’s host community. The President reviewed each building and
area on campus, outlining plans for adaptive reuse, deferred
maintenance, and proposed new construction. The President also reviewed
the funding sources for each project and its current priority status
given funding availability and demonstrated need. Board members
indicated broad support for the comprehensive plan presented by the
President.
Recess
At 4:00 p.m., the Board recessed until Sunday, February 9 at 9:00 a.m.
During the evening of Saturday, February 8 members of the Board of
Trustees attended a Women’s Basketball Game at the Winthrop Coliseum and
then a dinner at the President’s House. The Board took no actions during
these events.
Sunday, February 8, 2004
Members present:
Mary Jean Martin (Chair), Kathy Bigham, Larry Durham,
Karl Folkens,
Bob Gahagan, Polly Ford, Glenda Owens, Sanita Savage,
Bob
Thompson, Skip Tuttle, and Anthony J. DiGiorgio (ex officio).
Members absent:
None.
Representatives present:
Marilyn Smith, Faculty Council Chair;
Richard
Fowler, Council of Student Leaders Chair
Board Staff present:
Brien Lewis, Secretary to the Board
Others present:
Leland Cox, Donna Tinsley, Janet Smalley, and Winthrop
University
faculty and staff.
The Board of Trustees met on Sunday, February 8, 2004 at 9:00 a.m. in
the Baruch Room of the Joynes Conference Center at Winthrop University,
Rock Hill, SC.
Call to Order
Mary Jean Martin called the meeting to order at 9:00 a.m.
Resolution in Support of the Textile Corridor Master Plan
Chair Martin read the resolution, which was offered as a motion of the
Executive Committee and no second was required. The motion to adopt the
Resolution was approved unanimously by voice vote.
Debt Capacity
Skip Tuttle asked the President to report at the next Board meeting on
the feasibility of refinancing the university’s existing older debts. In
addition, Skip Tuttle requested that the Board be presented an overview
of debt capacity in each category and how much debt capacity would come
available each year for the next several years as existing debt
obligations are completed.
Sharpening the Focus
President DiGiorgio reported that he had been asking Executive Officers
and Executive Staff members to identify areas needing increased
direction, focus, or context and to assess the cost implications in each
of these. He noted that he had been calling this exercise “Sharpening
the Focus”.
The President reported that it was helpful to undertake this review
while being mindful of the Quality Enhancements Initiative that had
identified technology, capital projects, and salary improvements as
driving forces for the development of the university. As the “Seeding
the Future” presentation had covered the capital projects aspect, the
President briefed the Board on the remaining two keys.
First, he reviewed the technology plans being developed for migration to
enhanced software in two to three years time, discussed plans for
increasing wireless capacity, and provided information on the potential
use of internet-based long distance telephone services. The President
then reported that the university expected to stay in a leadership
position on faculty salaries when data is released by the Commission on
Higher Education. He also discussed the need to balance salary
improvements with addressing a shortfall in faculty lines. The President
noted that it may be necessary to consider enrollment caps in areas
where the university is not positioned to handle further growth.
The President also presented information on the feasibility of creating
a Master of Social Work program, the possibility of shifting speech
pathology to the Richard W. Riley College of Education as a graduate
program while eliminating the undergraduate program, and revising
existing programs in computer science, new media, and art and design.
President DiGiorgio also discussed possible revisions to the structure
of summer school salaries.
The President presented information about the impact of inflation on the
library’s periodical budget and noted that he may ask the Board to
consider a dedicated fee to address this issue in the future.
Executive Session
Bob Thompson moved, seconded by Bob Gahagan, that the Board go into
Executive Session for discussion of contractual, personnel, or legal
matters. The motion was approved unanimously by voice vote. The Board
then convened in Executive Session. No actions were taken in Executive
Session. Bob Gahagan moved, seconded by Larry Durham that the Board
return to Open Session. The motion was approved unanimously by voice
vote.
Board Self-Assessment
The Board reviewed the results of a survey of Board members and
discussed several issues related to its own activities. A recommendation
on enhancing orientation for new trustees was the establishment of a
“buddy system” whereby new trustees would be paired with experienced
board members.
Adjournment
Larry Durham moved, seconded by Glenda Owens, that the Board adjourn.
The motion was approved unanimously by voice vote and the Board
adjourned at 1:25 p.m.
Minutes submitted by Brien Lewis, Secretary to the Board |
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