The Board of Trustees of Western Carolina University met in regular session on Friday, December 6, 1991, in the Board Room of the Robinson Administration Building. Chairman William F. Forsyth called the meeting to order at 2:00 p.m.

The following members of the Board were present: Mrs. Allen, Mr. Allman, Mr. Connet, Mr. Coward, Mr. Forsyth, Mr. McKee, Mr. Moore, Mr. Pine, Mr. Wilson, and Mr. Woody.

Others present included Chancellor Coulter; Vice Chancellors Carter, Dooley, Stillion, and Wakeley; Assistants to the Chancellor Dowell, Ambrose, and Ramsey; Mrs. Boydston, President of the Alumni Association; Mr. Kucharski, Legal Counsel; Mr. Reed, Director of Public Information; Mr. Setzer, Director of Athletics; Dr. Wallace, Chairman of the Faculty; Mr. Wooten, Assistant Vice Chancellor for Business Affairs; and Mrs. Shuler, Administrative Assistant to the Chancellor. Angela Padula, from Radio Station WWCU, also attended.

Mr. Allman moved that the minutes of the September meeting be approved as circulated, the motion was seconded, and it carried unanimously.

Mrs. Boydston reported that the Alumni Association has been busy during the fall, with a Board meeting in September and Homecoming in October. The bronze plaques were installed in the tower at Homecoming; the Distinguished Alumnus Award was presented to Arnold Isaacs, contractor who built the Alumni Tower; the Distinguished Service Award, to author Sue Ellen Bridgers, who has donated her manuscript collection to Hunter Library.

Mrs. Boydston and Mr. Grooms, president-elect of the Alumni Association, were members of the search committee for the new Alumni Director and are very pleased with the appointment of Phil Cauley.

The Alumni House is coming along nicely, with numerous gifts and in-kind contributions made from alumni and friends. Mrs. Boydston thanked Board members for their assistance.

She will be going to Raleigh for a meeting of the state-wide alumni presidents' group at which Dr. Jay Robinson will speak on the bond issue. She asked that the alumni presidents be allowed to help support this issue.

Mr. Woody discussed the review of fees mandated by the Board of Governors at their August meeting which was carried out by the Business Affairs Committee of WCU's Board of Trustees. The Committee met in Asheville on November 18, along with Vice Chancellors Carter, Stillion, and Wakeley, and Mr. Wooten, and made a comprehensive review of all fees charged by Western. Mr. Woody congratulated the administration on its handling of fees and informed the other trustees of the principles which are using in formulating fee requests to be brought to the Board: (1) Fees should be set as low as possible consistent with providing needed services of appropriate quality and scope; (2) The revenue from each student fee should be dedicated to the purpose for which the fees is charged and should not be diverted to unrelated purposes; (3) Fee revenue should be sufficient to cover the related program's operating expenses, service any outstanding debt, maintain and improve the capital facilities; and provide prudent reserves; (4) Course fees are deemed to be appropriate to provide consumable supplies that are used by students in course-related activities and to assure availability and efficient procurement of course-related materials that students use and own. Conversely, course fees are not appropriate to acquire, replace, or maintain instructional equipment; neither are they appropriate to provide general supplements to departmental budgets.

Mr. Woody then moved that the following recommendations of the Business Affairs Committee be adopted:

That the Board of Trustees of Western Carolina University deem the student fee information herein referenced for study, a copy of which shall be part of the official record, and the review given to that information by the Business Affairs Committee to be the formal review of fee-supported activities at Western Carolina University called for by the Board of Governors;

That the Board of Trustees adopt the findings and conclusions of the Business Affairs Committee, set forth above, that derive from that review;

That the Board affirm the type, level, and extent of services covered by each fee now in place, as well as any to be approved later in the day's agenda, to be appropriate for Western Carolina University;

That the Board affirm the services provided to be commensurate with the fees charged;

That the Board endorse the principles stated above to guide determination of student fees at Western Carolina University and call for continued application of these principles in the formulation of fee proposals brought to the Board; and

That, upon adoption by the Board, a copy of this report and the attendant information about student fees at Western Carolina University be forwarded to President Spangler.

Mr. Allman seconded the motion, and it passed unanimously. (A copy of the full report is on file with minutes material.)

Dr. Carter presented the proposed fee charges and said that the principles discussed by Mr. Woody in his report of the Business Affairs Committee had been followed in developing these fees. He used transparencies to provide information on Western's relative position in the System and indicated that thee would not expect that position to change. Upon motion by Mr. Allman, seconded by Mr. Woody, and approved unanimously, the following fee changes were adopted:

Athletic Fee, from $84 per semester to $94 per semester
Health Service Fee, from $67 per semester to $77 per semester
Recreation and Culture Fee, from $51 per semester to $62 per semester
University Center Fee, from $58.50 per semester to $63.50 per semester
Computing Fee, new fee of $11 per semester
Graduate Fee, from $18 pere semester to $20 per semester
Application Fee, from $15 per applicant to $20 per applicant
Course fees as detailed

(A copy of the complete fee proposed is on file with minutes material.)

Dr. Coulter commended the Board's committees on the work they are doing and expressed appreciation for the strong service they are rendering to Western.

1. Spangler Foundation Gift

The gift from the Spangler Foundation in the amount of $115,000 will be used to support the Faculty Center for Teaching Excellence. At the September dedication of NCCAT, Mr. Friday was very impressed and called Ernest Boyer about the work our Center is doing. We are planning to ask Mr. Boyer to come for a visit to NCCAT, the Carolina Colloquy, and the Faculty Center for Teaching Excellence.

The gift from President Spangler personally, $10,000, will go to the minority student scholarship endowment. Close attention is being given to Secretary of Education Alexander's rule about such scholarships.

2. Institute for Teaching Excellence

A request has been sent to General Administration and the Board of Governors to establish an Institute for Teaching Excellence at Western. This request grew out of the work of the Faculty Center for Teaching Excellence.

3. Accreditation Visits

Accreditation teams from NCATE and the State Department of Public Instruction were here recently reviewing the teacher education programs. The interim report is heartening and reassuring.

4. NCCAT Director Search

The NCCAT director search committee is winding up its work and will meet this weekend.

5. Athletic Director Search

Mr. Setzer has announced his retirement, and a search committee of 13 members covering all constituencies of the University has been named, with Dr. Glenn Stillion serving as chair. The committee has been asked to recommend to the Chancellor no less than three, no more than four unranked candidates. It is anticipated that a new director will be appointed by April.

6. Jackson County Water Authority

The county commissioners have now approved the Jackson County Water Authority. Dr. Carter will serve as the University's ex officio member of its governing board.

7. Economic Development Commission

A move is underway to establish an economic development commission in Jackson county. This action fits in with the "enterprise corridor" as contrasted with an industrial park. Contacts are being made with businesses that might be interested in such an idea.

8. International Programs

Dr. Wakeley, Dr. McCreary, and Dr. Coulter visited The Netherlands to complete arrangements for an MBA program with the Hogeschool West Brabant in Breda. Western will have two faculty there in the spring, and students will come to Western for one year.

Dr. Hulbert continues to work in intensive ways on international activities such as technology transfer to Africa, eastern Europe, and the Far West. Particular attention is being given to storage of grain and potatoes.

9. Athletic Director Search

Mr. Coward moved that two trustees be appointed to the search committee for the Athletic Director position. Mr. Allman seconded the motion. Following discussion, the motion and second were withdrawn.

Mr. Connet reported that semester activities are slowing down as the holidays approach. The second Catamount Week in Sylva was a success. The students are looking forward to basketball season, and he is pleased by the improved student attitude. Mr. Connet will be attending a national conference on student services, and work continues on combatting apathy on campus while encouraging diversity.

Mr. Wooten presented the annual financial report for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1991, indicating that total revenues were almost $75 million, an increase of eight percent, and expenditures were almost $73 million, an increase of six percent. He used transparencies to provide information on where the revenues come from and where the expenditures go. He noted that 49.8 percent is used for instructional purposes.

Dr. Carter reported that the independent audit of the student supply store records has been completed, and a clean audit was received.

Mr. Coward moved that the Board go into Executive Session to discuss items allowed by the statutes of the state of North Carolina. Mrs. Allen seconded the motion, and it carried unanimously.

(The minutes of the Executive Session are not included here because of their confidential nature; they are, however, a part of the official minutes book.)

Mr. Forsyth left the meeting at this time, and Mr. Coward assumed the chair.

Mr. Pine and Mrs. Allen moved that the Personnel Committee recommendation that the Board uphold the decisions of the Faculty Grievance Committee and of Chancellor Coulter in a grievance by a faculty member be approved. Mr. Allman seconded the motion, and it carried unanimously.

Mr. Pine then moved that two administrative appointments, 19 faculty reappointments, two faculty appointments, five adjunct professor appointments, and one professor emeritus status, as discussed in Executive Session, be approved. Mr. Woody seconded the motion, and it carried unanimously. (Copies of all recommendations on file with minutes material.)

Upon motion of Mr. Wilson, seconded by Mr. Allman, and unanimously approved, the following resolution was adopted;

WHEREAS, on July 6, 1971, Western Carolina University did acquire from the United States of America, by a Quitclaim Deed which is filed in Book 1042, Page 247, of the Buncombe County, North Carolina, records, certain surplus property consisting of 3.238 acres of land, more or less, with certain improvements thereon, and being a portion of the Veterans Administration Reservation, Oteen, North Carolina; and

WHEREAS, the United States of America did convey the said property to be used for certain educational purposes as set forth in the Quitclaim Deed; and

WHEREAS, Western Carolina University finds that, for reasons beyond its control, its use of the property for the aforementioned purpose cannot be sustained; and

WHEREAS, it is the desire of the Western Carolina University Board of Trustees to voluntarily reconvey to the United States of America the aforementioned property located at Oteen, North Carolina,

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Western Carolina University Board of Trustees that Dr. Myron L. Coulter, Chancellor of Western Carolina University, is hereby designated and authorized to take such actions as may be necessary to accomplish the voluntary reconveyance of the aforementioned property to the United States of America.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that one certified copy of this Resolution be furnished to the Director, Federal Real Property Assistance Program, United States Department of Education, Atlanta, Georgia, as evidence of the official authorization of the said Board of Trustees to so act.

IN TESTIMONY WHEREOF, we hereunto sign our names and attach the seal of said institution for it and in its behalf this 6th day of December, 1991.

BOARD OF TRUSTEES WESTERN CAROLINA UNIVERSITY

By: /s/ Orville D. Coward, Vice Chairman
Attest: /s/ Alan Allman

Dr. Carter informed the Trustees of design appointments made by the Chancellor for projects under $500,000, these appointments made under the delegation of authority from the Board to the Chancellor.

With no further business to be transacted, Mr. Allman moved that the meeting be adjourned. The motion was duly seconded and passed.