THE UNIVERSITY OF WEST ALABAMA
Board of Trustees
Governor's Special Called Meeting
July 12, 2004, 9:30 a.m.
Student Union Building

CALL TO ORDER
Mr. Alex Saad, Chairman pro tem, called the meeting to order. He asked Dr. Joe Wilkins to give the invocation.
ROLL CALL
Mr. Saad asked Ms. Earlene Lindsey, Assistant Secretary, to call the roll. Trustees present were: Mr. Thomas Ballow, Jr., Mrs. Lena Hardaway, Mrs. Margaret Lovett, Dr. Louise Nolen, Mr. John Northcutt, Dr. Doris Oliveira, Mr. Alex Saad, Dr. Tom Umphrey Absent trustees were: Mr. Terry Bunn, Mr. Robert D. Keahey, Mr. Preston C. Minus, Mr. John Smith, Mr. Thed Spree A quorum was present.
APPROVAL OF AGENDA
Mr. Saad asked for a motion to approve the Agenda. Dr. Umphrey moved to approve the Agenda, Mrs. Lovett seconded, and the motion passed without opposition.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF JUNE 7, 2004
There were no changes to the minutes, so Dr. Umphrey moved to approve the minutes from the meeting held on June 7, 2004, Mrs. Hardaway seconded, and the motion passed.
REPORT FROM EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
Mr. Alex Saad reported that the Executive Committee met on June 23 and discussed a number of items. This Committee met again on June 30 via telephone conference call. He said the action taken by this Committee had already been sent to the Board of Trustees.
Mr. Northcutt moved to accept the report of the Executive Committee, Mrs. Lovett seconded, and the motion passed.
REPORT OF STANDING COMMITTEES
A. Academic Programs Committee – Mr. Northcutt (Chair) said that this Committee had met on June 23, and a draft copy of the minutes had already been distributed to the Board members for their review. He reported that interviews were being held to replace Dr. Roy Underwood, Dean of Liberal Arts, who is retiring; summer enrollment is up; more funding is needed to get the faculty salaries up to the State average among peer institutions; the Demopolis Higher Education Center is scheduled to open in the fall and an ad hoc committee has been meeting to determine the best use of this facility by UWA; and the State Department of Education gave UWA College of Education program a poor grade. The State Department of Education has since rescinded the poor grade and given UWA an "A" instead. (It was evident the data used by the State Department of Education for the original grade was flawed.)
Mr. Northcutt asked Dr. David Taylor to comment on the Demopolis Higher Education Center, who stated UWA will have a person on staff at the facility. Dr. Taylor also said that UWA is working very hard to build relationships in the Demopolis and Marengo County area, as follows: offer Continuing Education courses, UWA Small Business Development Center plans to establish an office at the facility, Upward Bound staff and Admissions continue to focus on reaching students in that area, and the UWA student newspaper, The Life, will be a supplement to the Demopolis Times. Dr. Taylor also reported that 14 applications had been received for the position of Dean of Liberal Arts – only one minority applied and he is being interviewed.
Dr. Umphrey made a motion to accept the report from this Committee, Mrs. Lovett seconded, and the motion passed.
B. Athletic Committee – Mr. Thomas Ballow (Chair) stated the Athletic Committee met the past Sunday afternoon, July 11, at the President's Home and the minutes will be mailed to the Board as soon as possible. He stated that Dr. Holland and Mr. Outlaw were also present at the meeting.
Mr. Ballow reported that the following were discussed in the meeting: the travel budget for the different sports; the addition of two new sports, which is being mandated by NCAA in 2005; the comparison of scholarships allowed by NCAA and the amount UWA provides to the athletes; evaluation of coaches annually; and an overview of all sports. Mr. Ballow stated that it appears to be more feasible to add men's and women's tennis as the two new sports in 2005.
Mr. Ballow recommended that the Board accept the report of this Committee. Motion passed without opposition.
C. Institutional Advancement Committee – Mrs. Lovett (Chair) said this Committee met this morning at 8:00 in the Tiger's Den, and they had discussed staff responsibilities in Institutional Advancement. She said plans are to have more alumni chapters, increase enrollment through the marketing campaign, and increase the list of potential donors. Mrs. Lovett made a motion that the Board accept this report and that the draft copy of the minutes would be sent to the full Board as soon as possible. The motion passed.
Mr. Saad asked Mrs. Lovett to spearhead the campaign to receive more donations from the Board members.
D. Land Use and Facilities Committee – Mr. Saad (Chair) stated this Committee met the past Sunday afternoon and a quorum was not present. He asked Dr. Holland to report on some of the items discussed at the meeting.
Dr. Holland reported that the Greenway Project, which was approved by the Board several years ago, is underway and it will involve constructing new sidewalks and improve the trails on campus along and adjacent to Tiger Stadium Drive. The plans have been sent to the State Department of Transportation and as soon as their approval is obtained, the project will be bid in units.
Dr. Holland said that renovation work is badly needed to the Cafeteria and plans are to change the entrance so that it will be somewhat similar to the entrance to the Bell Conference Center, move the private dining room and the restrooms, and perform some repairs on the air-conditioning system. He said the facility was built in 1962. The estimated cost for this project is $225,000 to $250,000 and would be paid from Repair and Replacement funds already in the budget. Dr. Umphrey made a motion to approve the renovation of the Cafeteria, Dr. Oliveira seconded the motion, and it passed.
Mr. Noland was asked to report on the rodeo addition. He said that UWA had received two grants in the amount of $50,000 each from the State Department of Agriculture and Industries to use "in the furtherance and promotion of agriculture for the benefit of the citizens of Alabama", and on December 3, 2001, the Board of Trustees allocated these funds to the rodeo complex and added $25,000 from the 1999 bond funds for construction and equipment at the rodeo complex. This would be a total of $125,000 for this purpose.
Mr. Noland added that in 2002, the City of Livingston applied for an ADECA grant to cover the rodeo arena and the University would use the $125,000 as matching funds for this grant. The intent was to provide a multi-purpose facility that would be used by the City and the University; however, in July 2003 the City withdrew its application because sufficient funds would not be available and then re-applied to ADECA for a grant to renovate the City park. The proposed use, therefore, for the $125,000 is to purchase a tractor/mower for the rodeo complex, construct a much needed compost recycling facility on the rodeo grounds, construct restrooms and concession stands, and perform miscellaneous repairs and improvements to fences and other facilities.
Mr. Noland said that action by the Board would be needed on this project. Dr. Umphrey made a motion to approve the Rodeo project, Mrs. Lovett seconded the motion, and the motion passed.
Mr. Noland reported that NCAA is requiring two new sports to be added to UWA's program in 2005, and it appears that men's and women's tennis are the most logical. He said that six new tennis courts are needed – the old ones are not useable for this purpose, so a parking lot to accommodate the Bell Conference Center will be built in this location. Estimated cost for the new tennis court is $350,000 to $375,000, to be funded from the student activity funds and auxiliary unexpended plant funds. The tentative schedule for this project is to send plans and specs to the State Building Commission by September 1 and to receive bids by October 15, and the estimated completion date will be around February 1, 2005. He also stated that $10,000 is in the 2004-2005 Budget to hire a coach for the tennis teams and provide for some recruiting funds, too. These two sports have to be ready for the Fall 2005.
Dr. Umphrey made a motion to approve this project, Mr. Ballow seconded, and the motion passed.
Mr. Saad asked Mr. Dee Outlaw to report on the new lighting for Tiger Stadium. Mr. Outlaw reported that some funds have already been raised to replace the lighting on the football field and the Booster Club continues to work to raise enough for a good down payment. Alabama Power Company has agreed to finance the balance over a period of ten years after a down payment is made. Mr. Ballow made a motion for the Board to endorse this project, Dr. Oliveria seconded the motion, and the motion passed.
Mr. Outlaw also reported on the proposed addition of a hitting facility at Tartt Field and said that money will have to be raised through private donations. He said the estimated cost would be between $150,000 and $200,000. He added that a site has to be selected by the Land Use Committee and approved by the Board. Dr. Umphrey asked if this is a project of which the Athletic Director and the President concur. They answered affirmatively. Mr. Outlaw said the softball team could use the facility, too. Dr. Umphrey made a motion to endorse this project, Dr. Oliveira seconded, and the motion passed.
Dr. Holland reported that some new gazebos would be constructed in the area of Speith and Selden Halls, and at Stickney Hall. Estimated cost for this project is $6,000 - $7,000 and would be covered with fees from the dorms.
Dr. Holland said he had been contacted by some students and groups to build some permanent memorial to the students, particularly in light of UWA having lost four students last year because of accidents. He said that a site in front of Webb Hall has been selected and brick pavers could be purchased to help finance the project. The Student Government Association has also committed to help fund this project that is estimated to cost about $26,000. Dr. Holland added that the Physical Plant Department would assist with the construction work.
Dr. Holland reported that one of the items discussed at the recent planning retreat was updating and/or renovation work on Foust Hall, Pruitt Hall, Spieth Hall and Selden Hall. He said he would be appointing a committee to look at these facilities and would invite the University's architect to assess these buildings and make some recommendations. Dr. Holland said the Land Use and Facilities Committee will be involved in this process.
E. Budget and Finance Committee – Dr. Thomas Umphrey (Chair) reported that this Committee met on June 23 and a good bit of time was spent on the proposed budget for 2004-2005. Plans are for this Committee to become more involved in the budget process throughout the year and it will be better prepared to address budget items when the 2005-2006 budget is presented to the full Board.
Dr. Umphrey stated that a copy of the budget material had previously been sent to the Trustees for their review and he recommended that the Board accept the report of this Committee. The Board voted to accept this report.
Dr. Oliveira asked why there was no budget printout attached to the proposal. Mr. Saad replied that if the budget is approved at this meeting, the printout would be distributed at the September 2004 meeting. He also stated that the Budget and Finance Committee would be meeting on a quarterly basis and all committee meetings are open to all trustees, whether or not they serve on a committee.
Mr. Saad said that Mr. Northcutt, a member of the Budget and Finance Committee, had requested more comparison information and this had also been sent to the Trustees.
The motion to accept the report from this Committee was approved, with one opposition.
ADOPTION OF FY 2004-2005 BUDGET
Mr. Saad reported that the budget will provide for the following: a 4% across-the-board salary increase for faculty and staff, the increase in fixed costs such as matching retirement and insurance, an anticipated increase in utilities and gasoline, start up of the two new sports, and other items that are necessary. He said undergraduate tuition was increased last year by only 5% and graduate tuition was increased by 15%; however, more revenue must be generated. Faculty and staff have not received a salary increase in several years, according to Mr. Saad.
Dr. Umphrey made a motion to adopt the Fiscal Year 2004-2005 Budget and Mrs. Lovett seconded the motion. Dr. Oliveira commented that there was not enough diversity at the University and Mr. Saad asked what this had to do with the proposed budget. Dr. Oliveira could not point to any specific items in the budget that pertained to her comment and there was no further discussion. The motion made and seconded to adopt the Budget for 2004-2005 was approved, with one opposition.
REPORT FROM FACULTY SENATE
Dr. Lesa Shaul, Vice President, gave a report for the Faculty Senate. She said the Senate would like to express its thanks to the Board for their approval of a 4% salary increase for the UWA faculty. As Mr. Northcutt indicated earlier in the Academic Programs Committee's report, bringing faculty salaries closer to the State average for peer institutions will ensure not only the retention of current faculty, but also the successful recruitment of talented and diverse new faculty members.
Dr. Shaul said that the Senate anticipates from the current Board a more favorable relationship, the type of shared governance that will guide UWA toward greater stability and success in the future. She said it is the hope of the Senate and the faculty that working together with the Board of Trustees, UWA will be freed from the SACS probation as well as allay any misgivings held by the public and future students.
Upcoming issues that the Faculty Senate plans to address include the following: SACS review in the Fall, recruitment of new faculty, continue working with the online programs, assist faculty members with retirement funding options, continue community and State outreach, and support the newly implemented sabbatical program.
REPORT FROM STAFF SENATE
No report was provided.
REPORT FROM STUDENT GOVERNMENT ASSOCIATION
The President of the SGA, Mr. Danny Hyche, gave a brief report and began by expressing his appreciation to the Board for this opportunity. He said the SGA is not active during the Summer Sessions; however, he wanted the SGA to strengthen the relationship between the students and the Board of Trustees.
Mr. Hyche stated that UWA has one of the largest number of students who participate in the Higher Education Day in Montgomery each year. Dr. Umphrey asked if Mr. Hyche thought the tuition increase would be a major problem for the students, and he replied that he believed they would adjust all right. Dr. Holland added that he would make himself available to attend the SGA meetings to discuss this matter with the students.
REPORT FROM UNIVERSITY PRESIDENT
Dr. Holland reported that the strategic planning process began about eight months ago and the draft of the report will be reviewed at a retreat that he hopes to have with the Board of Trustees on August 14.
Dr. Holland said that Dr. Jack Allen, from SACS, had contacted him and reported that the Special Visiting Committee will be on campus from September 8th until September 10th to meet with some of the Trustees, as well as University personnel. Dr. Umphrey asked Dr. Holland if he feels confident that the probation issue will be resolved and lifted at the annual meeting of SACS. Dr. Holland replied that he feels very hopeful that UWA will be released from the probation this year. Dr. Umphrey thanked the President and the faculty and staff for all their work on this matter. Dr. Holland said that some things have been put into place regarding the governance issue, such as holding more Board Committee meetings, documenting the meetings with minutes, etc.
OTHER
Mr. Saad scheduled a retreat for August 14, 2004, on campus to review the strategic plan for the next few years. Because he lives in close proximity to where the strategic planning retreat was held a few weeks ago, Mr. Saad was able to attend and said he learned that the faculty and staff have a lot of pride in the University. A proposed strategic plan has been drafted and the Trustees will be able to review and discuss it at the retreat in August. An agenda will be provided right away and sent to the Board of Trustees.
Mr. Saad said it would be more feasible to change the date of the September meeting to the 9th at 10:00 a.m., so that it will coincide with the SACS Special Committee's visit. Dr. Umphrey made a motion to change the date of September 13th, originally set for the Board Meeting, to September 9th. Dr. Oliveira seconded the motion, and it passed.
Mr. Saad expressed his appreciation to everyone who has worked so hard and asked that each trustee and faculty and staff continue to work hard to remove UWA from the probation that was imposed by SACS at its last annual meeting. Dr. Umphrey said the Board appreciates the service and leadership provided by the new Trustees and made a motion to adjourn the meeting. Mrs. Lovett seconded the motion, and all voted in favor of the motion. The meeting adjourned at 10:50 a.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Lena Hardaway, Secretary
Earlene Lindsey, Assistant Secretary