The Board of Trustees of Western Carolina University met in regular session on March 3, 1999, in Room 510, H.F. Robinson Building. The meeting was called to order at 2:00 p.m. by Chairman Moore.

The following members of the Board were present: Mr. Wiggins, Mr. Woody, Ms. Key, Mr. Jones, Mrs. Davis, Mr. Crocker, Mr. Moore, Mr. Apodaca, Mr. Walker, Mr. Morris, Mr. Bissette.

The following members of the Board were absent: Mrs. Blankenship.

Others present included: Chancellor Bardo; Vice Chancellors Carter, Collings, Caruso and Eldridge; Dr. Dowell, Mr. Reed, and Ms. Cook, Assistants to the Chancellor; Dr. Kinnear, Chair of the Faculty; Mr. Kucharski, Legal Counsel; Mr. Travis, Athletic Director; Mr. Rowell, Director of Public Information; Mr. Bill Studenc, Assistant Director of Public Information; Dr. Kehrberg, Director of University Planning; Dr. Prochaska, Associate Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs; Mr. T. J. Kirkpatrick; Mr. Ken Bullock and Mr. Ralph Owen, Woolpert LLP, master planners; and Ms. Welch, Assistant Secretary to the Board.

Mr. Woody moved that the minutes of the December 2, 1998 meeting be approved as mailed. Ms. Key seconded the motion, and it was approved.

CLOSED SESSION  Open Meeting Act

Ms. Key moved that the Board go into closed session to establish or instruct the staff or agent concerning the negotiations of the amount of compensation or other terms of an employment contract and to consider the qualifications, competence, performance, condition of appointment of a public officer or employee or prospective public officer or employee. Mr. Crocker seconded the motion, and it carried unanimously. Dr. Bardo asked that Dr. Collings and Mr. Travis stay for the closed session.

Ms. Key moved that the Board return to Open Session. Mr. Woody seconded, and it was approved unanimously.

Mr. Crocker moved that the actions as discussed in the closed session--four administrative appointments, four staff appointments, two faculty appointments, seventeen first-year reappointments, fifty three-to-five year reappointments, twenty-one recommendations for tenure, and sixteen recommendations for promotion--be approved. Mr. Walker seconded the motion, and it was approved unanimously.

Mr. Moore asked Mr. Ken Bullock, of Woolpert LLP, the firm in charge of the Master Plan, to bring the Board up to date on the progress of the master planning. After Mr. Bullock's presentation, there was a lengthy discussion of the plan.

(Mr. Crocker left the meeting at 3:40 p.m.)

Mr. Woody asked Dr. Carter to report on a gift in place. Dr. Carter explained that the University has been approached by a donor who wishes to make a gift of $1 million to the Development Foundation to develop a drainage system, lighting, fieldhouse, etc. for the baseball program. Six hundred thousand dollars of this money would take care of the above referenced improvements. The remainder would go to the endowment to maintain the program in perpetuity. The process to accept this gift would be considered by the Foundation Board. The Board needs to authorize the University to lease the baseball complex to the Development Foundation to make these improvements. At the end of this process, the improvements made would come back to the University as a gift in place.

Mr. Woody moved that the Board authorize the staff to lease the baseball complex to the Development Foundation. Mr. Wiggins seconded the motion, and it was approved unanimously.

Mr. Woody asked Dr. Carter for a brief report on the status of our capital projects. Dr. Carter reported that the University Center Phase II project is on schedule. We are close to the end of the programming phase, and design work is about to get underway. The Camp Lab Phase II design work is coming along well. The Workforce Development Center programming is still underway. The funding is only $6 million instead of $7.5 million so the design process is adjusting to that and is on schedule. The Fine and Performing Arts Center site work is in the design process and will go to bid next month and to construction in May.

Dr. Carter reported that the Joint Governmental Operations Commission has approved the release of funds for repair and renovation.

Mr. Woody asked Dr. Carter to discuss an indoor recreation facility. We are discussing the need for and prospects to make happen an indoor recreation facility. We do not have access to off-campus facilities and must provide a student life that is appealing and attractive. We will grow in the next ten years, and there is a critical need for this at this institution. We will begin looking at options.

Mr. Woody asked Dr. Carter to discuss the Governor's budget recommendations. Dr. Carter stated that the Governor's budget recommendations still leave some unanswered questions. The things we know about his recommendations thus far: a 3% salary increase, a bonus for teaching faculty, funding of enrollment growth. He did not recommend any capital improvements. These recommendations are at an early stage and are not complete.

Mr. Moore passed out hand-outs on legislative priorities and the budget. A lengthy discussion followed.

Ms. Key reported that the committee had no action items to report.

Ms. Key, Acting Chair of the committee, reported that the committee had no action items. She asked Mr. Morris to describe his innovative ideas with SGA. Under Mr. Morris' leadership, the SGA had its first ever leadership retreat. Forty members attended in Asheville. There were twelve informative/development sessions. Mr. Morris stated that he was pleased with the outcome. The students were very active. Also, the SGA has conducted two town meetings in an effort to create unity in the African-American population.

Mr. Moore asked Dr. Bardo for a progress report. Dr. Bardo reported that applications are up over 100. The summer applications are down, and counselors are beginning to tell people that they should not apply because they do not have the credentials. Transfer applications are up a little. Paid deposits are looking like we will have more this year. The SAT's are up; we are limiting the numbers in our summer program. We are likely to have an SAT above 1,000 for the first time in our history. We completed 1500 calls to people who have inquired about the University. The Honors College admitted over 220 students. We got our eleventh National Merit semi-finalist today.

Dr. Bardo further stated that on the retention side, we instituted learning contracts last spring for students who failed out. Fifty percent of those students got above 2.0. In the learning community program, one-third were probationary students. At the end of the semester, their grades were the same as people who were admitted as regular admits in the fall. We are moving this spring into other areas. The Pappas group has helped with all of this. We will be mailing out letters to all accepted students, asking them questions such as: do they prefer a learning community, block schedule, etc. We tell them as soon as they pay their deposit that they will be contacted by a personal advisor to make a schedule, and this advisor will meet with them when they get here. Dr. Bardo commended Dr. Collings, Dr. Prochaska, and Dr. Fred Hinson for their work on this "schedule for success program". We have analyzed freshman performance in all their classes, re-structuring their first semester so they have classes they can pass. We are well down the road to designing the one stop shopping center for student services so students can go to one place to get help. The location will be in Killian Annex for now. This month we will move to web-based registration.

Mr. Moore thanked Dr. Caruso for the lunch program and stated that the Board has been looking for this type of thing.

Mr. Moore stated that he was proud to be in Greensboro at the Southern Conference Tournament. The staff, the teams, the band, the dance team, the cheerleaders--all did very well.

Mr. Moore mentioned trustee self-assessment this year. This should be the year for our Board to assess its performance. Mr. Moore stated that he is not sure what the process will be. He would like to get an ad hoc committee to be in place in case some work on this subject needs to be done before the next meeting of the Board. He would like for this committee to consist of the Executive Committee, adding Mr. Jones. Mr. Jones so moved; Ms. Key seconded the motion. It was approved unanimously.

Mr. Moore stated that Dr. Bardo, Dr. Prochaska, and Mr. Crocker will be at the Association of Governing Boards in Seattle to speak about our computer requirement.

Mr. Moore stated that he attended a meeting at President Broad's home with the other Board chairs and Board of Governors Chairman Ben Ruffin.

Dr. Bardo reported that we are beginning to get some serious numbers from the University system. They are reporting that there will be 41,000 graduates looking for university admission in the next decade. The figure of 9,400 is the emerging number from the system for what is possible here as projected enrollment. The master plan and the admissions and retention programs are well underway.

Dr. Bardo mentioned that the Sequoyah Professorship is now complete. We have a will from Haywood County that would create our sixth professorship (in musical theatre). With six funded professorships, four at the million dollar level, Western may be fourth in the system in the number of completed professorships.

Our combined endowments went over $20 million for the first time in Western's history.

Dr. Bardo stated that he was on the student radio station last night and was asked after having been here for four years, what of his accomplishments is he most proud. He stated that the number one thing that he is most proud of is that the University has agreed to re-do the governance system of the institution and that it was a faculty, staff, and student project. He also stated that he was also proud that the new liberal studies proposal will probably pass this year.

Dr. Bardo stated that there were a number of items likely to go before the legislature, including the Fine and Performing Arts Center and three economic development proposals. He asked that the Board please show them support. We have proposed that we be given the authority to create a second campus called the cornerstone campus. This idea is being promoted by Advantage West. The second proposal is to give the universities in North Carolina the authority to incubate business. The third proposal would allow us to sell excess capacity in data transmission systems to incubated businesses. The final bill we are interested is called the Rand bill, which would allow all students who receive full scholarships from out-of- state to be treated as in-state for the purposes of assessing tuition. This would allow us to recruit athletes and create full scholarships in women's athletics.

Dr. Bardo explained that Appalachian State University has had for years a facility called Legends, a dance club where students over 21 can bring beer. This has been discussed in Students Affairs and if the Board does not disagree, we would like to try one this semester on a Friday night and see how it goes. Without a place for students to dance in Cullowhee, we have been hurting their perception of our institution. The students also will drive to places where they can do this. Mr. Moore stated that this has been discussed for several years. A lengthy discussion followed. Ms. Key stated that she liked the idea of getting the students off the road. Mr. Woody stated that he felt we ought to try it and see how responsible the students will be with it. Mr. Wiggins stated that we should provide an environment that is safe. Mr. Jones stated that the Board needs to have reasons available so they would be ready to be able to defend the position if questioned about it. Dr. Bardo stated that in this setting we can limit the amounts of alcohol. This must be managed carefully. Mr. Moore asked Dr. Caruso to provide a position paper to all trustees that could be used in the case of questions. After the Board has had a chance to peruse the position paper, he will call an Executive Committee meeting at which time it can be discussed again and approved or not approved.

Dr. Kinnear commented on University Governance. The faculty vote was taken on February 18. It was a spirited vote. The faculty will take a look at themselves and faculty governance; there may be changes in structure.

The new general education requirements will go before the Senate on March 17 and will probably pass in April. Then it will go to the general education committee for work over the summer.

Dr. Kinnear stated that on the March 17 senate meeting, the recommendation will come forward to make learning contracts a permanent issue. He suspects that it will pass.

Mr. Walker stated that there is no representative from the Association today. Mr. Messer is at Duke University today. Mr. Walker invited everyone to the inaugural open at Catawba Valley on May 3.

Mr. Morris reported that the SGA is publicizing the elections on March 31. They hope to have electronic balloting. The SGA will vote on recommendations to the University governance proposal. The Senate has passed a bill of support to shorten semesters. The SGA is revising its constitution.

There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned by Chairman Moore at 4:55 p.m.