The University of West Alabama
Board of Trustees
December 11, 2000, 10:00 a.m.
Student Union Building
Approved Minutes

1. CALL TO ORDER
Mr. Terry Bunn, Chairman pro tem, called the meeting to order and requested Mr. Alex Saad to give the invocation.
2. ROLL CALL
Mr. Bunn asked Mr. Noland to call the roll. Members present were as follows:
Mr. Terry Bunn, Mr. Dwight Duke, Mr. Paul Hamrick, Mr. Preston Minus, Mrs. Louise Nolen, Dr. Doris Oliveira, Mr. Alex Saad, Mr. Thed Spree, Dr. Tom Umphrey, Mr. Nat Watkins
Trustees absent: Mrs. Lena Hardaway, Mr. Bobby Keahey, and Mr. John Smith
3. APPROVAL OF MINUTES
There were no changes to the minutes from the last meeting that had previously been sent to the Trustees. Mr. Saad moved to approve the minutes, with Dr. Umphrey seconding, and the motion passed.
4. ATHLETIC COMMITTEE REPORT
Mr. Spree distributed a report of the overall athletic program at UWA that was compiled with the assistance of Mr. Dee Outlaw, Athletic Director. He stated that it appears one of the main problems with the program is that there are not enough scholarships compared to other schools, and some facilities need improvements.
Mr. Spree introduced Ms. Becky Crowe, Head Women's Basketball Coach, and Mr. Phillip Bryant, Volleyball Coach, who said that he has signed Trustee Watkins' daughter, Jess, to play at UWA.
Mr. Paul Hamrick arrived at 10:25 a.m.
Mr. Neal Holliman, Cross-Country Coach, and Mr. Gary Rundles, Head Baseball Coach, were also introduced.
5. CONTRACT AND RESOLUTION BY BOARD
Mr. Hamrick reported that he had consulted with Mr. Mike Kendrick, the University's attorney, to write a contract that represents everything that was discussed at the last Board meeting. He also distributed a draft of a resolution whereas prior to the date the employment contract for President Ed Roach expires, that the Board will consider it at its regularly scheduled meeting for December 2001, and that this matter will be placed on such agenda for that meeting.
Mr. Minus said that this did not seem to be what the Board had approved at the last meeting, and he made a motion to go into an executive session. Dr. Oliveira seconded the motion, and it passed. The Board went into Executive Session at 10:35.
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The regular session re-convened at 11:37.
Mr. Hamrick made a motion that the proposed contract be approved and Mr. Bunn be given the authority to execute the contract on behalf of the Board. Dr. Umphrey seconded the motion, and it passed.
Mr. Hamrick made a motion to adopt the resolution, as attached, and Dr. Umphrey seconded the motion. The motion passed.
6. PRESIDENT'S REPORT
Dr. Roach reported that the University had recently received a monetary gift in the amount of $50,000 from Mrs. Myrtle Ford, and that she has bequeathed another $50,000 to the University in her will. Dr. Roach said that $10,000 would be put in the UWA Foundation's unrestricted funds, that $27,000 would be used for Natural Sciences and Mathematics computer labs, and the remainder would be placed in the Technology 2000 campaign.
Dr. Roach said that two one-day workshops--1) community development, and 2) economic development--had recently been held on campus. He said Mr. Elmer Harris, CEO of the Alabama Power Company, was the speaker at the last workshop.
Dr. Roach commended the faculty for their effort in the reaccreditation by NCATE.
Dr. Roach said he would like to have a brief meeting of the Head Football Coach Search Committee after lunch to present his choice for the position. He said there were nine finalists that the Committee considered and he was given five names from which he considered and ultimately made a selection.
Dr. Roach reminded the Trustees of the Commencement on Saturday, December 16.
Dr. Roach reported that three projects had been completed: 1) re-roofing of six buildings, 2) lighting of the intramural/softball complex, and 3) heating/air-conditioning of Wallace Hall and the Learning Resources Center. He indicated also that there were funds remaining after these three projects were completed.
Dr. Roach proposed three projects for the Board to consider: 1) addition to the Learning Resource Center, 2) Bell Conference Center, and 3) a dressing room facility with possible office spaces at the baseball complex. He said that the addition for the LRC would be in the area where the old faculty apartments currently stand, that they would be torn down and the addition built. Dr. Roach said that the Conference Center is central to the University's service role and that it would be built with a combination of private and University funds next to Webb Hall. He said that it would be used by Student Affairs, Student Life, Athletic Department, Academic Affairs, Institutional Advancement, Greek organizations, etc. and it would have a capacity to accommodate 300 people.
Mr. Minus inquired about parking for the Conference Center, and Mr. Noland stated that there were funds remaining from the PSCA paving project which would be used for this purpose and other campus paving.
Dr. Roach said that there is available $2,139,317 for these projects, that the Bell Conference Center is estimated to cost $1,175,000, the baseball facility is estimated to cost $100,000, and the LRC addition is estimated at $852,000, leaving a balance of $12,317 on hand. He further stated that the baseball facility would be built through the UWA Foundation with additional donations and in-kind work. UWA will transfer the $100,000 commitment to the Foundation for use on the baseball facility project.
Mr. Minus inquired about the furnishings for the Conference Center and the LRC; Mr. Noland said they are included in the estimates, and the technological needs will be taken care of from the Technology Campaign.
Mr. Hamrick requested that information on the Technology Campaign be sent to him.
An inquiry was made whether or not proposed plans for the baseball facility had been drawn, and Coach Rundles replied that some preliminary plans were drawn with estimated costs. Dr. Roach said this project could possibly be done in two phases.
Mr. Bunn called for questions. Dr. Umphrey made a motion to move forward with this proposal, as presented, and to authorize Pearson, Humphries, and Jones, Architects, to proceed with the final plans and specifications, and take bids. Mr. Saad seconded the motion. Mr. Patrick Addison, of Pearson, Humphries and Jones, Architects, stated that if the projects were approved today, it would probably be the end of February before all approvals could be obtained from the Building Commission. Bids would be taken in March 2001. Mr. Saad said he would like to have input from the faculty and staff on how these facilities could be used and that the Architect (PH&J) should make every effort to bring the projects within the budget. The motion passed unanimously.
7. ACADEMIC REPORT
NCATE Visit - Dr. Taylor reported that the NCATE re-accreditation review went well and congratulated Dean Ann Jones and other administrators and faculty members for the outstanding job they did in preparation for this review.
SACS Self-Study - Dr. Taylor said that the SACS review is on schedule and that by the end of this week, four of the principal committees will have completed the first draft of their reports.
IITS Installation - Dr. Taylor said that UWA had become a part of the Intercampus Interactive Telecommunications System (IITS), a state-wide teleconferencing system. He said that in the Spring Semester 2001 the UWA College of Business would offer an IITS course in marketing taught by a professor on-site at the University of Alabama. The University plans to import other courses as necessary to meet instructional needs and also desires to export courses, primarily graduate courses, to some of its traditional extension sites, such as Thomasville. He also said that the IITS would allow faculty and staff to participate in teleconferences distance learning program.
Task Force on Recruiting and Retention - Dr. Taylor reported that Dr. Steve Gamble, President of Southern Arkansas University and an enrollment management specialist, and his assistant, Ms. Ronnie Birdsong, were on campus November 9-10 to study UWA's recruiting and retention efforts and to make recommendations. These recommendations have become the basis for a major UWA task force on recruiting and retention, which consists of six committees comprised of faculty and staff from throughout the institution. The chairs of the faculty and staff senates, Dr. R.T. Floyd and Mr. Danny Buckalew, will co-chair the task force.
Consent Decree - Dr. Taylor gave an update on the Consent Decree, outlining the history of the Decree and the University's detailed efforts to recruit black faculty and staff. He noted that a black faculty member and a black coach were added during the current year and that three persons were awarded Minority Development Fellowships. They are Mr. Frank Rogers (mathematics), Ms. Wanda Jones (English), and Mr. Anthony Winston (counseling).
Dr. Taylor pointed out that the University maintains meticulous records of its efforts to recruit black faculty and staff and records these in an annual Title VI Consent Decree Report, which is sent to the United States District Court, to Hank Hector of ACHE, and to all involved parties of the Consent Decree. This report addresses in great detail a number of required items, including breakdown of enrollment by race in all University degree programs, any changes in admission requirements, and detailed reports of all faculty and professional staff searches. The annual report is reviewed and approved by a Monitoring Committee consisting of UWA faculty and staff, a community representative, and a representative of the UWA Board of Trustees. Last year's committee consisted of Dean Roy Underwood (Chair), Mr. Edmond Bell (Sumter County Tax Assessor), Mr. Clarence Egbert (UWA Registrar), Ms. Mamie Reed (UWA Assistant Director of Auxiliary Services), and Mr. Thed Spree (representing the UWA Board of Trustees).
McIlwain Bell Awards - Dr. Taylor reported that the McIlwain Bell Awards Committee has recommended the following: Mr. Jason Guynes for the Trustee Professorship Award, Mr. Paul Stewart for the Professional Staff Award, and Mr. James Presswood for the Support Staff Award. Mr. Nat Watkins moved to accept this slate of recipients, Dr. Tom Umphrey seconded the motion and the motion passed. Dr. Taylor presented each recipient with a plaque and $1,000.
Mr. Bunn thanked the recipients for the contributions they had made to the University.
Dr. Roy Underwood suggested that the report from the College of Liberal Arts be delayed until the next Board meeting.
8. ADJOURN
There was no further business, and the meeting was adjourned at 1:25 p.m. The next meeting will be on March 5, 2001.