UNIVERSITY OF WEST ALABAMA
BOARD OF TRUSTEES
MEETING MINUTES
JUNE 2, 2003
10:35 a.m.

TAKEN BY: MARGO N. BRYAN,
NOTARY PUBLIC AND COURT REPORTER

P R O C E E D I N G S
MR. MINUS: Meeting has been called to order. I want to call the role,
please. Mr. Bond? Mr. Duke?
MR. DUKE: Here.
MR. MINUS: Mr. Hamrick?
Ms. Hardaway? Mr. Keahey?
MR. KEAHEY: Here.
MR. MINUS: Mr. Minus? Here.
Ms. Nolen? Dr. Oliveira?
DR. OLIVEIRA: Present.
MR. MINUS: Mr. Saad? Mr. Smith?
MR. SMITH: Here.
MR. MINUS: Mr. Spree?
MR. SPREE: Here.
MR. MINUS: Mr. Umphrey?
Mr. Watkins?
MR. WATKINS: Here.
MR. MINUS: Seven members present. A quorum is established. John, would you --
MR. WATKINS: Mr. Chairman, I'd like to make a brief statement, if I
could.
MR. MINUS: Yeah. You want to do it after the prayer?
MR. WATKINS: Yeah.
MR. MINUS: John, would you lead us in prayer, please?
MR. SMITH: Heavenly Father, we thank you for today. We thank you for everybody's safe travel as they travelled to get here to the meeting and we thank you for your grace and your mercy. Thank you, Lord, for allowing us to gather to conduct business for this university and for -- we just pray that it will all be done in your will, in your plan, and in your purpose for our lives and for this school, Father. Help us all to remember that this university is here for the sole purpose of helping people get educations, that they can further their lives and seek your purpose for their lives. Bless us now as we meet and give us words of
wisdom, Lord, as we move forward in your name. Amen.
MR. MINUS: The Chair recognizes Mr. Watkins.
MR. WATKINS: Mr. Chairman, I'm going to be reading this because I'm not too good at this off the top of my head. I was directly involved at what occurred at the last meeting. I have my reasons and you, Mr. Chairman, are aware of those. However, what happened at the last meeting led to what I considered to be a good compromise that would have avoided what has occurred here today. Yet last night I received word from Mayor Tartt that this compromise had been rejected by the other group of trustees and that's why I'm here at this meeting. Embarrassment to UWA and this board could have been avoided by that compromise, but it was rejected. Even if I had attended the other meeting, there was no way for that meeting to have a quorum. If we had no quorum here today, it would take the governor to call us into special session in my opinion. The business of this university can't stop because we can't agree amongst ourselves and that's my statement. Thank you.
MR. MINUS: Thank you, Mr. Watkins. The meeting that Mr. Watkins is talking about is I asked Mr. Watkins and the mayor of Livingston, who is a graduate of University of West Alabama and was former President of University of Ala -- of University of West Alabama. I've asked him to come today as our guest and I think everybody knows him. We did meet. We did discuss some things. And I personally thought that we had smoothed over the waters. But again, I got the phone call last night that said that, you know, that they would prefer to have their meeting. So I would like to say this for the record. There's only one board meeting being held today and that's this one. Now, the next thing on our agenda is the hiring of a court reporter. It is imperative to me, especially what's transacted here in the last couple of board meetings, that our minutes to these meetings about accurate. Whatever is said needs to be documented right or wrong, good or bad. Doesn't matter how you vote, what your position is, it needs to be done
right. It needs to be done correctly and we're sitting here today because previous minutes have not been done in that manner. I would like to ask from the floor a motion -- I wanted to give y'all some information on Ms. Bryan. This is Margo Bryan. She's -- can I finish? She's married here to Tommy Bryan. A local girl. She works for American Court Reporting. She was recommended by Mr. Watkins who is an attorney here that uses her. Her rates are $60 per half day, $2.95 per page plus
copying fees and postage. And we don't really know what those -- you can guess on your postage, but your copying fees will just depend on how many pages we end up talking today. Do I have a motion from the floor?
MR. SMITH: Mr. Chairman, I want to make a motion that we hire Ms. Bryan to be the recorder of our minutes at this meeting and all forward meetings until we decide otherwise.
MR. MINUS: And I assume your motion included that these would be the official minutes of the Board?
MR. SMITH: The official minutes of the Board and to be paid for by this university.
MR. MINUS: Do I have a second?
MR. KEAHEY: Can I ask a question first?
MR. MINUS: Yes, sir.
MR. KEAHEY: Is that $2.95 per page per copy or does every member of the board get a copy?
MR. MINUS: It's $2.95 per original page.
MR. KEAHEY: Per original page. That's fine.
MR. SMITH: Now, you seconded the motion?
MR. KEAHEY: I second it.
MR. MINUS: I'll give Ms. Bryan addresses of each board member and she will mail those minutes directly to each board member and to the president of the university. Is there a second?
MR. KEAHEY: Second. Bobby Keahey.
MR. MINUS: Mr. Bobby Keahey seconded the motion.
MR. SPREE: I've got a question. I'm sorry.
MR. MINUS: Yes, sir.
MR. SPREE: Before they've been condensed down somewhat.
MR. MINUS: These are going to be complete, every word that's stated.
All right. All in favor say aye.
ALL MEMBERS: Aye.
MR. MINUS: All opposed no? Please let the record reflect the vote was unanimous among the seven members. Ms. Bryan, the mailing address on your bill would be The University of West Alabama, Station One, Livingston, Alabama, 35470. The next item on our agenda is
the correction of the December minutes. As you know, part of what we're going through right now with the board members is some misunderstanding about the December minutes. I do have copies here
for everybody, if they want to read them. On the Dec -- is that March or December I just handed you?
MR. WATKINS: This is March.
MR. MINUS: I'm sorry. Let me give you December. The only correction in the December minutes is the actual motion, correct motion, that was made by Mr. Spree. I talked to the majority of members that were present at the December board meeting, I talked to Mr. Spree who made the motion, and I talked to Mr. Smith who seconded the motion and all were in agreement that this was the motion and I will read it to you for the record. Y'all please understand that this is the only change to the December minutes. Mr. Spree's motion was as follows: Mr. Thad Spree made a motion to amend the agenda and for the chairman to enter into an agreement that Drayton Pruitt is to be the Board attorney provided his rate is less than what we're currently paying. John Smith seconded the motion. That is the only change in the December minutes. And as you know, I entered into an agreement with Mr. Pruitt. It was for a two-year period. I have since talked to Mr. Pruitt and we may adjust that period, but this motion restricts the Chairman in no way on whether it was a one year, two years, five years. Do I have a motion to approve the amended minutes for the December 2nd, 2002 meeting?
MR. SMITH: So moved.
MR. MINUS: Do I have a second?
MR. KEAHEY: Bobby Keahey second it.
MR. MINUS: Any further discussion? All opposed -- all in favor say aye.
ALL MEMBERS: Aye.
MR. MINUS: All opposed?
MR. WATKINS: Mr. Chairman, let the record indicate that I abstain since I was not present at that meeting and I have no idea what took place.
MR. MINUS: Let the record so state. Also, let the record state that the motion passed without an objection.
MR. SPREE: Mr. Chairman, you worked out the terms and conditions of that?
MR. MINUS: Yes, sir. That's what your motion told me to do.
MR. SPREE: Right.
MR. MINUS: Okay. Let's move to the March minutes. Has everybody got a copy then?
MR. KEAHEY: Yes, sir.
MR. MINUS: All right. Gentleman, in the March minutes, there were two changes made in the March minutes. One was on Mr. Hamrick's motion concerning the chairman. In the minutes that I received, his motion stated that the agenda was be to amended. I did not recall it that way. I did not hear that stated in his motion. I have talked to members that were at that committee, at that meeting and the majority agreed, if the gentleman had made a proper motion, he would have been recognized. The only other change in the March 3rd minutes was they stop after Mr. Smith made a motion to adjourn, Mr. Spree seconded it, and we voice voted it. I would like the record to please state even in the minutes that were submitted incorrectly that no role call vote was requested and it's at the Chair's discretion on voice voting items. Is it any questions concerning March minutes? Do I have a motion to approve the March minutes?
MR. SMITH: So moved.
MR. MINUS: Do I have a second?
MR. SPREE: I second it.
MR. MINUS: Mr. Spree seconds it. Mr. Smith makes the motion. All in
favor say aye.
ALL MEMBERS: Aye.
MR. MINUS: All opposed? The I's have it. Please let the record
reflect that there were no rescinding votes. Okay. At this time, I have some bills here from our current attorney, Mr. Pruitt. I would need a motion -- I did not make copies of these, but they are bills dating back to last December. The total amount is $2,687.81, which I think is reasonable, very reasonable for six months worth of attorney's fees. So I need a motion to --
MR. WATKINS: Mr. Chairman, I make a motion that we approve those bills and order them to be paid.
MR. SPREE: And I second it.
MR. MINUS: Mr. Watkins makes a motion that the bills be approved and ordered to be paid and Mr. Spree seconds it. Is there any further discussion? All in favor say aye.
ALL MEMBERS: Aye.
MR. MINUS: All opposed? Please let the record show that there were no -- the I's have it. Please let the record show that there were no rescinding votes.At this time, I would like to turn the meeting over to Mr. Watkins who is chairmen of our finance committee on the subject of upcoming budget.
MR. WATKINS: The budget and finance committee has had several meetings over the past couple of weeks. Present at those meetings were myself, Mr. Noland, by telephone Mr. Hamrick and Mr. Saad or conference call, and at the last meeting Dr. Holland and Danny Buckalew and David Taylor. Clemit Sprueill has also participated at each one of those meetings. I believe that all of y'all have been sent what is titled, A Budget Document. John, you have not received that?
MR. SMITH: I have not.
MR. WATKINS: Well, I've got an extra copy.
MR. SMITH: Thank you, sir.
MR. WATKINS: This budget document was prepared by the administration and I'd like to call your attention to it at this time. We're going under expenditures fixed cost. We're going to probably have at least a $26,000 increase in utility charges. Some of this, about $500 a month, as I understand it, is related to the new waste water treatment center building. The balance of it is just increased utility charges that are from the City of Livingston for gas, water, sewer, and that sort of thing. We have experienced again a tremendous health insurance cost, $192,000. I contacted Mr. Doug Acker with Blue Cross and Blue Shield and had a lengthy discussion with him about this. He was supposed to get me back some information before this meeting, but I have not heard back from him. I tried to give him a call this morning, but he was tied up and I didn't have much time to spend to call him back. I had asked Mr. Noland for some figures and he was in the process of getting those together, but we haven't finalized those. For the past couple of years, as y'all well know, we've experienced a substantial increase in health insurance cost each year.
MR. SMITH: Nat, let me ask you something. Do you know those numbers for the last two years?
MR. WATKINS: I can remember $172,000 one year. Rayford seems to think that it was 165 the next. Bottom line, with this increase, it's over half a million dollars in three years. None of that has been passed on to the faculty and staff itself that we did increase some deductibles. Our hospital deductible per se has gone up from $100 to $200. Our preferred outpatient facility deductible has gone up to $100 from $25. Our doctor visit co-pay has gone up to $25 from $15. Our drug co-pay has gone up from $10 generic -- to $10 generic from $5. Our preferred brand has gone up from $10 to 20, and when generic is available, from 20 to 35. So we have increased our deductibles. None of the costs, other costs have been passed on at any time. This is a very good benefit for our employees obviously because this money is tax exempt. It does not count on their income. I don't know exactly how much we're paying for -- or how much you're having to pay for a family plan. I haven't been able to get those numbers together. We have 260 people covered by the plan. And during our meeting we had some discussion about going to Blue Cross and Blue Shield and asking them to break -- instead of having us as one large group or part of the state group, to break it down into groups of 50 and that could help reduce the cost. Increasing the deductible to $500 would possibly help decrease some of the cost. My calculations are that by passing the entire increase on to the faculty and staff that are covered would result in a $62 a month cost to those covered employees. There are other ways to do that. You could look at income. Those making less than $40,000 pay one thing, those making more than 40 and less than 75 pay another, those making over 75 pay another. I don't know. This is a huge increase and Mr. Acker said you could expect more coming. Part of this is and probably the bulk of this is the result of some catastrophic losses that we have suffered over the past several years. For reasons of privacy, none of these can be made available to y'all. But the gist of it is that we've had some substantial losses. Blue Cross Blue Shield bills you a premium amount one year and then they absorb those losses that year. The next year they make up for it. They increase the premium to cover the losses over and above your premium amount as well as a reserve fee. So that's where we are there. The next item is faculty promotions, longevity, and enhanced credentials. In your handout, it's probably showing $67,856.
MR. SMITH: Nat, let me ask you
a question.
MR. WATKINS: Yes, sir.
MR. SMITH: Have you looked at any other options as far as insurance?
MR. WATKINS: No. The State -- there have been a series of meetings over the past couple of weeks involving whether or not all of the four-year universities would be part of PEEHIP, the state plan. That is a very real possibility that would not result in any savings to us.
MR. SMITH: Is that right?
MR. WATKINS: That's right. And possibly less coverage.
MR. SMITH: Okay.
MR. WATKINS: So to answer your question, no.
MR. MINUS: Nat, if I can say this: If we've got questions, let's either go through the Chair or identify yourself first so the court reporter --
MR. SMITH: I'm sorry. I apologize.
MR. MINUS: Nat.
MR. WATKINS: Next thing is, like I said, staff promotions or faculty promotions, excuse me, longevity, enhanced credentials. And you may show 67,856. The actual number is $70,439. That's recalculated. Staff longevity/equity, 55,364. As y'all are aware, these are those promotions or increases, raises that result from say an associate professor being named a professor, an associate professor -- a faculty member being named dean, or somebody just staying here a certain period of time. Now, the next thing if we were, and as proposed by the administration, we would increase our tuition 10 percent to cover these costs. That would also -- let's just go to other real quick. These are items that Dr. Holland advises me or he feels are necessary and essential either to maintain accreditation in certain departments or in providing for, for example, graduate school off campus adjunct. For a long time, we had a presence down in Gilberttown. We did away with that presence. Dr. Holland feels that it would be very important and very beneficial to the university if we re-establish that presence. And so he would propose an adjunct faculty member to teach some courses down there and pay that adjunct faculty member $6,000.
MR. MINUS: Nat, can I -- Excuse me. Chairman. Will we generate enough money --
MR. WATKINS: I do not know.
MR. MINUS: So we don't know if we lose money or make money or --
MR. WATKINS: These are questions that would be better directed to either Dr. Holland or David Taylor, the Provost. I do not have access to that information. The other things are travel increase for athletic department. Each year they've requested $100,000 and each year they've gotten nothing. This year it's proposed to give them a $10,000 increase. DOE, that's department operating expenses. That is for each department both academic and administrative, $500 for various things. Graduation expense. As I understand it, we're having several graduations a year and that has led to additional expense and we've been going in the hole on it, losing money on it. They feel that this will cover that. Nursing membership costs for accreditation. Education accreditation member costs are again for accreditation. Choir uniforms, band instruments --
MR. MINUS: Are these new costs?
MR. WATKINS: Yes, sir. Or additional costs.
MR. MINUS: Why hadn't we had to pay them for accreditation last time?
MR. WATKINS: Or additional costs, I think.
MR. MINUS: So it's been fee increases?
MR. WATKINS: Again, better directed to -- Mr. Noland was not familiar with these figures and I only had one meeting with Dr. Taylor and Dr. Holland, so I was not able to get all of this information together for you. The choir and band, as I understand it, are recruiting tools and it's the feeling of the administration that this would be very helpful in recruiting students for these programs. Now, if we cover all of these costs by increasing tuition, you have kind of a catch 22 situation. If your costs go up, your scholarships have to go up and there's $96,500 increase for recruiting scholarships, tuition increase, and increase in athletic scholarships for tuition increase. So by raising tuition 10 percent to cover 5 -- well, $400,000 worth off costs, you also add another 100 on it right off the top to increase scholarships. So it costs you 500 to cover four. Now, over the past couple of years -- hold on. I want y'all to have a good understanding of where we are relative to other institutions. Right now our tuition is $3,060 per semester I guess. I guess that's on a semester basis or is that on --
DR. OLIVEIRA: That's semester.
MR. WATKINS: $3,060. The University of South Alabama in Mobile, $3,090. The -- well, I'm going to tell you who's below us right now. University of North Alabama is $2,922 and they have not determined at this time if they're going to increase tuition, but it's assumed that everybody across the state is. University of Alabama in Huntsville is below us, 2,954. Again, not determined at this time if they're going to raise tuition. Athen's State University, which is, as I understand it, a two-year school for juniors and seniors, $2,850. Alabama State University, $2,904, but they're going to raise theirs substantially, 24 percent. If we were to raise our tuition 10 percent, that would bring us to $3,366. We would still be below the University of South Alabama, which is planning on raising their's 10 percent. They would be at 3,399. We would be below -- we would be above Athens. They're going to raise 10.5 percent, but they would be at 3,150. Those are annual figures for two semesters. Alabama State is going to 3,600. Jack State is going to raise it 9.3 percent to 3,540. Troy State's system is going to go up 9.6 percent to 3,530. North Alabama is going to raise theirs 10 percent to 3,912 if approved by their board at the end of June. UAB right now is at 3,150. They're looking at an 8 to 10 increase. Montevallo 4,050 right now. They're looking at an 11 percent increase or $4,500. Over the past five years, UWA has gone up 28.2 percent. UNA has gone up 41.6 percent. University of Montevallo has gone up 34.9 percent. Troy State has gone up 36.9 percent. Jack State has gone up 43.8 percent. South Alabama has gone up 25 percent. So they've gone up a little bit less than us. We're at 28.2. The committee recommended to the Board on a two to one vote that we adopt the budget plan as presented. That's not a budget, but the plan and that would include raising tuition 10 percent and that would be made as a recommendation to this board.
MR. MINUS: Mr. Smith.
MR. SMITH: Mr. Chairman, I want to move that we table that motion.
MR. WATKINS: Before you get -- go ahead and get your second and let's have some discussion.
MR. MINUS: Go ahead.
MR. SPREE: I --
MR. MINUS: Mr. Spree seconded
it.
MR. SPREE: Nat, --
MR. WATKINS: We've got a motion on the floor, Mr. Chairman?
MR. SMITH: Did you second the motion?
MR. SPREE: No. I wanted to talk about it.
MR. SMITH: Well, let's get a second before we start talking about it.
MR. WATKINS: I second the motion.
MR. MINUS: Okay. Discussion?
MR. SPREE: You just talked about the increases that those schools have made over the last five years.
MR. WATKINS: Yes, sir.
MR. SPREE: And did that include this anticipated increase that they're talking about?
MR. WATKINS: Yes, sir.
MR. SPREE: So if they have not made that increase yet, that percent would be lower, correct?
MR. WATKINS: Hold on just a second, Thad. No, that does not include the current increase, proposed increase.What UWA and these other schools have done over the past five years or the numbers that I gave you that do not include -- if we went up 10 percent, then ours would be 38.2 percent increase and so on.
MR. SPREE: Second question, if I could. I probably asked you. You probably don't know and I don't know if anybody does know, but are we operating at peak efficiency? Are we optimum around here right now? Like you can five people put in this class, ten into this one, nursing school.
MR. WATKINS: You're right. I don't know that.
MR. SPREE: I used to see -- people used to call me and say I want to go in nursing school. I said call Sylvia Homan. Well, I don't think we graduated but maybe what, 40 something people? How many did we graduate? No reflection on the nursing school, but it's less than 60, right? And you read the papers and it's a shortage in nurses. Well, what if we increase these class loads, student loads? That would help us, wouldn't it?
MR. WATKINS: That's a question for your Provost or your President, not me.
MR. SPREE: Well, I figured that, but I just wanted to ask it.
MR. MINUS: Is there any other discussion?
MR. WATKINS: Yes. I'd like to make a couple of more comments just in the interest of fairness. I talked with Mr. Buckalew after our last meeting of the finance committee and he and I sat down and discussed this in some detail. And I think one thing we do need to bear in mind is that the cost of living in Mobile, for example, for someone going to the University of South Alabama or in the quad city area or University of North Alabama or University of Alabama in Huntsville or the University of Alabama at Birmingham or the University of Montevallo, all of those costs of living are substantially higher than the cost of living in Sumter County. I think we need to recognize that and understand that. Additionally -- and I'd asked Mr. Buckalew to be prepared to discuss this with y'all today. Our housing and meal costs according to Danny are about 25 percent lower than a lot of these other schools. So in the interest of fairness and really trying to understand this situation, I think we need to bear that in mind. I don't like to be on a board that raises tuition every year like we have done every year that I've been on this board. 9.6 percent last year. 9.7 the year before. 7.4 the year before and 1.5 before that and now 10. There's no question that this state is in a horrible financial condition. Everybody understands that. Who knows what the future is going to bring, but I don't want to see us price ourselves out of the market. But again, according to Danny, our housing cost and our meal cost are 25 percent less than most of these other schools. I think we're all aware that you can rent an apartment here for about half of what you could in Tuscaloosa or maybe a third of what you could in Tuscaloosa or somewhere else. With all that being said, I'm through.
MR. MINUS: Yes, sir.
MR. SMITH: Mr. Chairman, the reason I moved to table this is the 10 percent increase in tuition. Nat, let me ask you one question, Mr. Chairman, before I move on with my comment. Our reserve, we had $750,000 there. Have we still got our reserve?
MR. WATKINS: I have not been provided with those figures. Let me say this, John, while we're discussing this. The University will need to note as I understand it by sometime in July when they start having orientation if tuition is going to be increased so that they can let people know. I want to also say this: that if Governor Riley's tax plan does not pass and as I understand it as of today, there's some serious questions about whether it's even going to get out of the legislature. If it does not pass, we're looking at $375,000 minimum shortfall in our budget in funding from the State. Now that's my understanding. That's what I have been told by Mr. Sprueill, by Mr. Noland, and the administration.
MR. SMITH: Call to question --
MR. MINUS: All right. Doris? Excuse me.
DR. OLIVEIRA: I'd really like to take a look at other places in the budget that we could make up $300,000 or bits and pieces of it besides raising tuition on some of the poorest kids in this state. I don't want to raise tuition again. I'll vote against raising tuition, you know, just frankly because it's --
MR. MINUS: I want to -- excuse me, Doris. Are you finished?
DR. OLIVEIRA: Uh-huh.
MR. SMITH: Mr. Chairman, to finish what I was saying, that's my reason for moving to table this is that 10 percent tuition increase. We can't afford -- as Mr. Watkins stated, we're gone price ourselves out of the market here. We're going to have enough problems keeping our enrollment up and our students moving without burdening these parents with the extra cost of sending their children to school over here. You start looking at the income of this area versus the income of Huntsville, Alabama. There's a huge difference. So there's my motion to table this.
MR. MINUS: I'd like to make one comment if I may and the chairman of finance and I have talked about this. Our recruiting area, our seven-county recruiting area, 31 percent of our people are under poverty level. If we raise this tuition, we would approach 40 percent over the past four years. People in this area are losing their jobs, folks. People are taking cuts in pay in benefits to keep their jobs they currently have. The 10 percent increase in tuition does not address the 300 and something -- 370,000.
MR. WATKINS: Minimum 370,000.
MR. MINUS: Minimum 370,000 shortage we will have. What the 10 percent increase did was for new things, whether that's pay raises or band instruments or choir robes. It's for new items. I think -- and we will have a role call vote on this. I think it would be irresponsible for this board in the economic times that we are in now and from the type of children that we recruit to put another additional 10 percent tuition increase on top of it. I am afraid -- Mr. Watkins, you correct me if I'm wrong. Our enrollment this spring semester was 4 percent less than what it was it the spring semester last year. We only have -- as May 28th, we only have some 660 kids enrolled in undergraduate classes at this university this summer, 667. You would probably have more in summer school in Tuscaloosa County than 667. If the governor's budget does pass, it is also my understanding that all we're going to be doing is brought back to the level of what we should have been this year. There's no extra money in there. If it doesn't pass, then this board is going to be faced with some very difficult decisions on what to do in cutting $375,000 worth of operating. The motion is on the table. It has been seconded. I'm going to call the role.
MR. WATKINS: Mr. Chairman, before you do that --
MR. MINUS: Yes, sir.
MR. WATKINS: -- can I clarify one point that you made?
MR. MINUS: Yes, sir.
MR. WATKINS: The summer enrollment for this year for this summer is actually 677. But another point is that we have a loss of 60 students from the spring of 2002 to the spring of 2003. We're 60 students less in those two time periods just to clarify your comment.
MR. MINUS: Those 60 students constitute that 4 percent is what I was saying. Okay. The motion is to table the tuition increase. Motion made by Mr. Smith, seconded by Mr. Spree.
MR. KEAHEY: I think it was seconded by --
MR. MINUS: Mr. Keahey. Excuse me. Seconded by Mr. Watkins. I apologize. It was made by Mr. Smith and seconded by Mr. Watkins. A vote would be a motion to table the tuition increase.
Mr. Keahey?
MR. KEAHEY: I.
MR. MINUS: Mr. Minus? I. Dr. Oliveira?
DR. OLIVEIRA: I.
MR. MINUS: Mr. Smith?
MR. SMITH: I.
MR. MINUS: Mr. Spree?
MR. SPREE: I.
MR. MINUS: Mr. Duke?
MR. DUKE: I.
MR. MINUS: Mr. Watkins?
MR. WATKINS: I.
MR. MINUS: The last item on our agenda -- let me announce that vote. The vote was 7-0 to table the 10 percent tuition increase. And I'd like to say -- well, we'll talk about that later. The last item on our agenda is the discussion/approval of proceeding with the establishment of the daycare center program and facility at the university. I want to briefly tell you what I know about it. This program originally started with about a $150,000 grant we were going to apply for for the benefit of our students and faculty here. It would about in the old schoolhouse building next to the Moon House. It has since turned into some 930,000 with us purchasing new playground equipment and renovating existing equipment. The only reason I brought that up is because it does affect capital expenditures on campus. I am going to refer that to the land use committee for them to take action on. And in closing, if there's nothing else, --
MR. KEAHEY: You have some hands.
MR. MINUS: Excuse me, Doris.
DR. OLIVEIRA: Are they getting grants to do this because these are areas that it's possible to get grant money --
MR. MINUS: Yes, ma'am.
DR. OLIVEIRA: -- and foundation money?
MR. MINUS: Yes, ma'am. It's my understanding that --
DR. OLIVEIRA: There are a lot of single parents that would come to -- a lot of single mothers that would come to this school if they knew that they had a safe place for their children.
MR. MINUS: It's my understanding it's 100 percent grant money other than us furnishing the actual physical facility, but then we'd have to renovate it and expand.
DR. OLIVEIRA; Because we could attract a lot more students.
MR. MINUS: Well, in closing --
MR. SPREE: Mr. Chairman, can I make a statement, add something?
MR. MINUS: Yes, sir.
MR. SPREE: Thad Spree. Coming in today, I noticed a new parking lot down here. Does land use have anything to do with that anymore?
MR. MINUS: I would suggest that the land use look at his minutes of his meetings to see when they were approved. I have no -- like Mr. Watkins on some of the budget here, I have no idea.
MR. SPREE: Who's land use?
MR. SMITH: The land use committee is me, Mr. Duke, you, and Mr. Keahey and who else?
MR. WATKINS: Nat.
MR. SMITH: That's five.
MR. MINUS: And Alex Saad.
MR. SPREE: Do y'all know about that?
DR. OLIVEIRA: I think Nat said he --
MR. WATKINS: I would assume that there was a payment plan that was presented to the land use committee at some point in time and that was part of the project. That's just an assumption. How about this house now over here that I see them building?
MR. MINUS: The Chair is working on that. As far as the payment project, Mr. Spree, it is possible and I do not know this, but I will found out. But it's possible it was included in our long-range strategic plan. That's a possibility and I'll find that out.
MR. WATKINS: Before you close the meeting, I need a little bit of direction on how to proceed as chairman of the budget and finance committee with bringing something back to this group.
MR. MINUS: Well, Nat, I can only speak for myself, but it's obvious the majority of the board is not going to support a tuition increase. I would like for you if the proper time and you determine that proper time when it comes down to the actual -- let's, for example, say that Governor Riley's tax package doesn't pass and we're going to be in a posture here of cutting $375,000 out of our budget, I would like for you to notify the board as a whole about your meeting and let us come in and everybody have some input and discussion into that.
MR. WATKINS: I'm assuming from that that you're going to recess this meeting?
MR. MINUS: That's correct. We will recess. And again on our --
MR. KEAHEY: Don't you think -- Bobby Keahey. Excuse me. Don't you think we're gone have to come in when the legislature gets through meeting in special session?
MR. MINUS: That's one reason we're recessing, Bobby, so we can do that. Let me say this, too. The action the Board took today on disallowing the 10 percent tuition increase has absolutely nothing to do with the actions that we're going to have to take if Governor Riley's package doesn't pass. Remember that tuition increase went from a total new program. It did not address the 375,000 roughly budget shortfall that would come to this university. All right. If there's no other discussion, I would like to thank the individual board members for being here and I appreciate their loyalty and their concern for our University. I think the story that needs to go out of here today is the tuition story. I think people in this state need to know that the Board of Trustees at the University of West Alabama understand what's going on economically in this state and are prepared to make cuts to live within our budget instead of raising taxes on these mamas and daddys with incomes off $20,000 a year. No other comments? We stand in recess subject to the call of the Chairman.
MR. SMITH: Thank you, sir.
(END OF PROCEEDINGS)

C E R T I F I C A T E
STATE OF ALABAMA)
JEFFERSON COUNTY)
I hereby certify that the above and foregoing minutes were taken down by me in stenotype, and the content thereto was transcribed by means of computer-aided transcription, and that the foregoing represents a true and correct transcript of the minutes given by said board members upon said meeting. I further certify that I am neither of counsel nor of kin to the parties to the action, nor am I in any way interested in the result of said cause.
 ____________________________
MARGO NETTLES BRYAN
My commission expires
May 4, 2004