Western Carolina University - Office of the Chancellor

The Board of Trustees of Western Carolina University met in regular session on August 31, 1989, at 2:00 p.m. in the Board Room of the Robinson Administration Building.

ATTENDANCE

The following members of the Board were present: Mrs. Allen, Mr. Allman, Mr. Cagle, Mr. Cooper, Mr. Coward, Mr. Edwards, Mr. Forsyth, Mr. Pine, Mrs. Strum, Mr. Taylor, Mr. Wilson, and Mr. Wood.

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

SWEARING-IN CEREMONY

Judge Danny Davis conducted the swearing-in ceremony for new and reappointed trustees, namely, Mr. Cagle, Mr. Coward, Mr. Forsyth, Mr. Pine, and Mr. Wilson.

ORGANIZATIONAL MEETING

Chancellor Coulter called the meeting to order and explained that new officers are to be elected at the first meeting after June 30 of each year. He then asked for nominations for the office of Chairman.

Mrs. Strum nominated Mr. Coward, and Mr. Allman seconded the motion. Mr. Forsyth nominated Mr. Wood, and Mr. Pine seconded the motion. Mr. Pine then moved that nominations cease. Mr. Taylor seconded the motion, and the vote was unanimous.

Chancellor Coulter asked that the voting be done by a show of hands. Mr. Coward received five votes; Mr. Wood received seven votes and was declared elected. Chancellor Coulter said he will work closely with Mr. Wood.

Mr. Wood expressed his thanks and said he will do his best to carry out the directives in his recent letter to the trustees. He will be a supporter and a confidante of the Chancellor.

Mr. Wood then asked for nominations for the office of Vice Chairman. Mrs. Strum nominated Mr. Coward, and Mrs. Allen seconded the motion. Nominations were closed by consensus, and Mrs. Allen moved that Mr. Coward be elected by acclamation. Mr. Cagle seconded the motion, and it carried unanimously.

Mr. Coward then made a motion that Mr. Wood's election as chairman be by a unanimous vote. Mr. Allman seconded the motion, and it carried unanimously.

Mr. Wood asked for nominations for the office of Secretary. Mrs. Allen nominated Mrs. Strum, and Mr. Allman seconded the motion. Mr. Forsyth moved that nominations cease, Mr. Wilson seconded the motion, and it carried unanimously. Mr. Pine moved that Mrs. Strum be elected by acclamation, Mr. Allman seconded the motion, and it carried unanimously. Mrs. Strum reminded the trustees that she has to report it if a trustee misses three consecutive meetings.

APPROVAL OF MINUTES

Mr. Allman moved that the minutes of the May 5, 1989, meeting and the June 12, 1989, meeting of the Personnel Committee be approved as distributed. Mr. Forsyth seconded the motion, and it carried unanimously.

ELECTION OF DIRECTOR FOR THE FOUNDATION BOARD

Dr. Dooley explained that Mr. Wilson's appointment to the Board of Trustees had created a vacancy on the Board of Directors of the Development Foundation. He proposed that Mr. John Feaster be elected to fill the vacancy, with Mr. Jim Gray as an alternate.

Mr. Pine moved approval of Dr. Dooley's request, Mr. Allman seconded the motion, and it carried unanimously.

APPROVAL OF FEES FOR 1990-91 ACADEMIC YEAR

Dr. Carter told the Board that past practice has been to request approval of fees a year in advance and that the same fees have not been raised two years in succession. Future proposals will be brought annually. He then requested that the Board increase the athletics fee from $130 to $139 and the University Center fee from $110 to $117.

Dr. Carter also told the Board that the General Assembly had increased in-state tuition 20 percent and out-of-state tuition 15 percent. He showed charts of comparison with the other constituent institutions showing that Western ranks fourth from the bottom and explained that certain fees (health services, athletics, university center) have to be approved by the Board of Governors also.

During the discussion that followed, Dr. Carter assured the trustees that, given the level of services Western provides, the requests are necessary and that fees are held as low as possible. Attention was also given to athletic funding and the necessity to play two revenue games each year.

Dr. Coulter commented on the new scoreboard that is being sponsored by Coca-Cola.

There being no further questions, Mrs. Strum moved that the fee increases be approved, Mr. Pine seconded the motion, and it carried unanimously.

CHANGE OF STREET NAME

Dr. Carter reminded the trustees that they are empowered to name streets, buildings, etc., and presented a recommendation of the Centennial Committee, endorsed by the Chancellor, that University Drive be renamed Centennial Drive. Mr. Cagle moved that the request be approved, Mr. Allman seconded the motion, and it carried unanimously.

CHANCELLOR COULTER'S REPORT

Enrollment statistics for the fall semester show 6,229 students enrolled as of the third day of classes, an increase of 109 over last year. The freshman class increased to 1284, a 14 percent increase. Of these freshmen, 95 percent met the 1990 admissions standards of the Board of Governors, and the other five percent were admitted on current standards and put in the summer transitional program. The enrollment goal has been increased from 5300 FTE to 5700 FTE for the next five years.

Dr. Coulter discussed the report on intercollegiate athletics made by President Spangler to the Board of Governors on August 25. The report has substantive implications for Western. The recommendations contained within the report include: a faculty committee on athletics that reports to the Faculty Senate; separate the job of athletic director from a coaching job; redesign the annual reporting system; athletes to be admitted under the normal procedures as students; athletes to pursue a coherent program of study (i.e., degree path); athletes must meet all academic requirements of the institutions; ask faculty to keep records of athletes' attendance; annual audits of fundraising clubs with reports made to the President; mandatory drug testing of all athletes by 1990; proposal to all presidents/chancellors in the ACC that freshmen not be eligible to participate in intercollegiate athletics. A copy of the full report will be sent to Trustees.

Planning authorization from the Board of Governors has been received for the Physical Therapy program. At this point we are not sure what level of program it will be (bachelor's or master's), but the planning process is now taking place.

The Faculty Senate is undergoing a reorganization process, changing from many committees to fewer councils.

The international programs are progressing and Western continues to receive students and faculty from China, although none are being sent there this year because of the recent developments. Work is continuing on the planning of our programs in China and the Board will be kept informed. A major contract for several years has been approved for the country of Burkina Faso.

The Opening Convocation of the Centennial year will be held on September 29. All trustees are invited to take part.

The biennial meeting of the Board of Governors and the Boards of Trustees will take place in Boone on September 7-8.

No new program funds were received in the recent budget appropriations. There was a salary increase fund of six percent based on merit for faculty, and the distribution ranged from 0 to 14 percent. In the area of capital improvements, $240,000 was received for walks, drives, and landscaping, and $76,000 in planning funds for the completion of Belk Building. Western has received, in the last five years, $32 million for capital improvements.

REMARKS FROM THE CHAIRMAN

Mr. Wood encouraged attendance at the Boone conference of Governors and Trustees. He also commented that a member of the Board of Governors had told him that the Board of Governors had never received as much grass roots support on any program as they did on the Physical Therapy program for Western.

Mr. Wood distributed a committee list from the previous year and asked trustees to call or write him expressing their preferences for committee service. Mr. Wood will establish a new committee to deal with athletics affairs.

There was discussion on the direction such a new committee might take, and the consensus was that two committees were needed: a standing committee as an oversight function, and a task force on an interim basis.

EXECUTIVE SESSION Open Meetings Law

Mr. Coward moved that the Board go into Executive Session under the laws of North Carolina to discuss personnel matters. Mr. Allman seconded the motion, and it carried unanimously.

RESUMPTION OF OPEN SESSION

Mr. Coward moved that the Board resume the open session, Mr. Wilson seconded the motion, and it carried unanimously.

REPORT ON PERSONNEL ACTIONS

Mr. Edwards moved that seven administrative appointments be approved, Mr. Pine seconded the motion, and it carried unanimously.

Mr. Edwards moved that 51 faculty appointments be approved, Mr. Cagle seconded the motion, and it carried unanimously.

Mr. Edwards moved that six coaching appointments be approved, Mr. Allman seconded the motion, and it carried unanimously.

Mr. Edwards moved that nine staff appointments be approved, Mrs. Allen seconded the motion, and it carried unanimously.

Mr. Edwards moved that three leaves of absence be granted, Mr. Pine seconded the motion, and it carried unanimously.

Mr. Edwards moved that emeritus status be conferred on three retired faculty members, Mr. Allman seconded the motion, and it carried unanimously.

Mr. Edwards moved that Dr. James Lewis be declared the Sossomon Professor, Mr. Forsyth seconded the motion, and it carried unanimously.

REPORT ON STUDENT ACTIVITIES

Mr. Wood asked Mr. Taylor to report on student activities and said that this report will be a part of each meeting after the Chancellor's Report.

Mr. Taylor discussed with the other trustees the recent tuition increases and the effects on students, especially out-of-state students, and the loss of leadership that could occur if out-of-state students are lost.

The Student Government Association is bringing back the campus escort service and will assist with campus security by inspecting parking lots and checking doors in the residence halls.

Mr. Taylor is working toward community involvement with students and is trying to establish a cash discount program.

Student leaders on other campuses are having difficulty with administrations, but no such problems exist here. Mr. Taylor will bring forth written proposals to solve problems should they arise.

The Inter-Fraternity Council has passed a measure regulating party and alcohol management and will check to make sure rules are followed. It is planned that first semester freshmen will be prohibited from pledging, and in order for a fraternity to remain active, the average qpr must be 2.25.

FORMALIZATION OF ELECTION PROCESS OF THE BOARD

Mr. Wood will talk with Mr. Martin at General Administration and others for suggestions on appropriate reorganization meetings of the Board.

ATHLETICS TASK FORCE

There was further discussion of the need for an athletics task force to meet and report to the Board at its next meeting. The composition of such a committee was discussed, and the purpose would be to recommend ways to bring Western up to average of Southern Conference members' expenditures.

Following the discussion, Mr. Coward made a motion that the Chairman appoint a special ad hoc committee composed of the Chairman of the Faculty Senate Committee on Athletics, the President of the Alumni Association or his designee, the President of the Catamount Club or her designee, the Athletic Director, the Chancellor or his designee, the President of the Student Body or his designee, three trustees, with the chairman of the committee to be appointed by the Chairman of the Board. This committee is to consider methods and ways and means and make plans to increase our receipts of funds to a point where WCU expenditures in athletics equal the average of the Southern Conference schools and universities that they spend on intercollegiate programs, report its findings, formalize a plan, and make recommendations to the Board with an interim report at the next meeting of the Board of Trustees and a final report as soon as practicable. Mrs. Strum seconded the motion, and it carried unanimously.

Chancellor Coulter said he hoped the committee will consider a plan already underway by the administration to upgrade private resources. This preliminary plan includes a very ambitious program for the development offices.

Mr. Wood is looking ahead to an interesting year and wants the Board to be more informed, if not more involved, in the development of the overall budgets of the university. The Board can offer more support if they are more informed.

NURSING PROGRAM

Mr. Coward asked about the costs of the nursing program and the rate of passing. Dr. Coulter told the trustees of the hearing before the Board of Governors' Committee on Educational Planning and the fact that the WCU program in nursing has the lowest cost in the state. Mr. Coward then moved that the nursing faculty be commended for their excellent achievements, and Mrs. Allen seconded the motion, which carried unanimously.

ADJOURNMENT

With no further business to be transacted, the meeting was adjourned by consensus.

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Chairman, Board of Trustees

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Secretary, Board of Trustees