Western Board of Trustees >Trustee Minutes

 

The Board of Trustees of Western Carolina University met in regular session on December 2, 1988, at 2:00 p.m. in the Board Room of the Robinson Administration Building. Vice Chairman Stephen W. Woody presided.

ATTENDANCE

The following members of the Board were present: Mrs. Allen, Mr. Allman, Mr. Cooper, Mr. Coward, Mr. Edwards, Mr. Forsyth, Mr. Saltz, Mr. Schell, Mrs. Strum, Mr. Wood, and Mr. Woody.

Others present included: Chancellor Coulter; Vice Chancellors Carter, Dooley, Stillion, and Wakeley; Dr. Dowell, Assistant to the Chancellor; Mr. Kucharski, Legal Counsel; Mr. Ramsey, Assistant to the Chancellor for WCU Programs in Asheville; Mr. Reed, Director of Public Information; Mr. Wood, Director of Institutional Studies and Planning; Mr. Wooten, Assistant Vice Chancellor for Business Affairs; and Mrs. Shuler, Administrative Assistant to the Chancellor.

CALL TO ORDER

Mr. Woody, Vice Chairman, called the meeting to order at 2:20 p.m. He offered the Board's congratulations to Dr. Coulter on his election as Chairman of the American Association of State Colleges and Universities, and there was a spontaneous round of applause.

APPROVAL OF MINUTES

Mr. Allman moved that the minutes be approved as distributed. Mr. Wood seconded the motion, and it carried unanimously.

ELECTION OF DIRECTOR FOR INTERNATIONAL PROGRAM FUND, INC.

Chancellor Coulter recommended that Mr. F. Merton Cregger, Director of the Center for Improving Mountain Living, be appointed to the Board of Directors of the International Program Fund, Inc. Upon motion by Mr. Coward, seconded by Mr. Schell, Mr. Cregger was appointed to a term ending June 30, 1991.

APPROVAL OF FEE INCREASE

Vice Chancellor Carter presented a request for a fee increase to be effective for the 1989-90 academic year:

Student Health Service Fee, increase $7 per semester, from $60 to $67

Following discussion, Mr. Schell moved that the fee increase be approved. Mr. Forsyth seconded the motion, and it carried unanimously.

CHANCELLOR COULTER'S COMMENTS

Dr. Coulter told the Trustees of the emergency funds made available for Nursing students ($14,610 for Western) and presented a report of the uses made of these funds to enable some of our nursing students to stay in school.

Dr. Coulter discussed with the Trustees the Report on Intercollegiate Athletics and told them that the report will be submitted to President Spangler.

The final statistics for fall enrollment show an overall growth of 3.9 percent with the average SAT score up 20 points. Under 16 percent of the freshmen students are out-of-state students. Applications for Fall 1989 are up about 35 percent over the comparable time for Fall 1988.

With the increasing emphasis on international activities. Dr. Ellerd Hulbert's title has been changed to Director of International Development to reflect more accurately his duties.

Dr. Coulter, Dr. Wakeley, and Dr. Hulbert traveled to Shandong Province, People's Republic of China, in October for further development of the curriculum for the proposed seven-year program at Shandong Financial Institute and also to inquire into economic development and trade relations. The program has been approved by the provincial government and the World Bank, and we hope to initiate actual classes in the fall of 1989. There is a possibility that classes cannot begin until fall of 1990, but things are looking good.

Mr. Woody commended Chancellor Coulter for a good report and also commented on the President's Report.

INFORMATION REPORTS

Vice Chancellor Carter introduced Mr. Wooten, who discussed with the trustees the financial status of the institution as of the end of the fiscal year which ended June 30, 1988. A copy of the financial report for the year was given to the Trustees.

Mr. Wooten also told the trustees that the independent audit of the Book and Supply Store has been completed, and that operation received a clean report. Earnings from the book store are used to support scholarships.

On an overall basis, the University is an enterprise of some $59 million per year.

Mr. Woody thanked Mr. Wooten for his comprehensive report.

Vice Chancellor Carter then gave the following report on construction projects on the campus:

Work on the Hoey-McKee-Stillwell renovation and on the warehouse is going quite well. The warehouse will be ready early in the new year, and the H-M-S project is on schedule. The architects and contractors on these projects are serving the University well.

Work on the NCCAT main building has been stopped by the architects because of problems with the second floor concrete slab. Dr. Carter gave a detailed explanation of the problem and the meetings that have been held toward a resolution of how best to correct the problem.

Following discussion, Mr. Coward moved that the University never participate in payment of any damages on account of mistakes of architects or contractors or anybody else on the NCCAT building. Mr. Allman seconded the motion.

Additional discussion ensued about the University's stance on the resolution of this situation and the need for full-time supervision from the architect's office. Mr. Wood then called the question, and Mr. Coward's motion was adopted unanimously.

INTERNATIONAL VIDEOTAPE

Dr. Coulter introduced Mr. Reed and told the trustees that the videotape to be shown had been prepared by Mr. Reed and Mr. Rowell. The videotape was used at presentations in Cincinnati and Baltimore by Dr. Coulter and was well received. The trustees then viewed the videotape and, at its conclusion, offered their congratulations to Mr. Reed.

EXECUTIVE SESSION Open Meetings Law

Mr. Coward moved that the Board go into Executive Session to consider those items of property and personnel applicable under the Open Meetings Law. Mr. Schell seconded the motion, and it carried unanimously.

RESUMPTION OF REGULAR SESSION

The regular session resumed at 5:40 p.m.

REPORT OF PROPERTY AND BUILDINGS COMMITTEE

Mr. Forsyth moved that the administration be allowed to proceed with the acquisition of two pieces of property as discussed in the Executive Session. Mr. Allman seconded the motion, and it carried unanimously.

REPORT OF THE PERSONNEL COMMITTEE

Mr. Allman moved that four administrative appointments be approved. Mrs. Strum seconded the motion, and it carried unanimously. (List on file with minutes material.)

Mr. Schell moved that ten second-year faculty members be offered reappointment. Mrs. Strum seconded the motion, and it carried unanimously. (List on file with minutes material.)

Mr. Allman moved that the resignation of Sally McCoy be accepted. Mr. Forsyth seconded the motion, and it carried unanimously.

Mr. Schell moved that appointment of two new faculty members be approved. Mrs. Allen seconded the motion, and it carried unanimously. (List on file.)

Mr. Wood moved that a new staff appointment be approved. Mr. Allman seconded the motion, and it carried unanimously. (List on file.)

Mr. Forsyth moved that Dr. Olson Huff be appointed Adjunct Professor of Special Education. Mr. Allman seconded the motion, and it carried unanimously.

Mr. Coward, noting that the Board had heard the full recommendation of the Personnel Committee in closed session, moved that the recommendation of the Personnel Committee be adopted, which is, that Dr. William Kane not be promoted to full professor. Mr. Wood seconded the motion, and it carried unanimously.

ADJOURNMENT

With no further business to be transacted, the meeting was declared adjourned at 5:55 p.m..

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Chairman, Board of Trustees

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Secretary, Board of Trustees