A regular meeting of the Board of Trustees of the Nebraska State College System was held via conference call initiated from the Nebraska State Colleges System Office on Monday, March 19, 2001.

Peru, Honorary Doctorate
A motion to approve the honorary doctorate degree recommendation submitted by Peru State College was unanimously approved.

Preliminary Notification of New Academic Programs
A motion to approve the following preliminary new program notification list to be submitted tdo the Coordinating Commission for Postsecondary Education was unanimously approved:

Chadron State College Technical Occupations
Applied History

Wayne State College Physical Science
Sports Medicine
System-wide Liberal Arts

Chadron, Bachelor of Applied Science Degree and Technical Occupations Major
A motion to approve a proposed degree designation of Bachelor of Applied Sciences for Chadron State College and a proposed Technical Occupations Major with options in health care, computer and electronics, industrial trades, agriculture operations, and management services was unanimously approved.

Contracts and Change Orders
A motion to approve the following contract and change order submitted by the colleges was unanimously approved:

Wayne State College Contract
Memorial Stadium/Track (design of track replacement and ADA seating) -- $63,800

Wayne State College Change Order
Ramsey Theatre Renovation/Addition (increased fees/change in scope) -- $59,836

LB 309 Retrievals
A motion to approve the retrieval of LB 309 funding was unanimously approved:

Chadron State College
Retrieval of $19,361.28 from the Heating Plant project to reroute steam condensate lines. Project is complete.

Peru State College
Retrieval of $1,315.80 from the Wheeler Center sidewalk/storm drain renovation project. Project is complete.

Wayne State College
Retrieval of $2,339.30 from the Carhart Science stair tread replacement project. Project is complete.

Peru, Campus Services Building/Hoyt Project Substantial Completion
A motion to appoint the following Substantial Completion Committee to inspect and designate substantial completion status for the Peru State College Campus Services Building/Hoyt project was unanimously approved:

Steve Lewis, Board member--Fiscal and Facilities Committee Chair
Richard Halbert, Board Member
Jean Dale, Associate Executive Director, Administration and Finance, System Office
Bruce Donelson, Director, Facilities Management and Planning, System Office
Jeffrey Pilus, The Clark Enersen Partners
Steve Hotovy, State Building Division
Linda Jacobsen, Vice President, Administration and Finance, Peru State College
Paul Pate, Director of Campus Services, Peru State College

For Hoyt Science Hall: Dr. Jerry Martin, Vice President of Academic Affairs
Dr. Andrew Elkins, Dean of Arts and Sciences
Dr. Richard Clopton, Dept. Head, Natural Sciences

Peru, Health and Fitness Complex Project, Selection of Professional Design Services
A motion to appoint a committee to select professional consulting services for the design and development of the Peru State College Health and Fitness Complex project as follows was unanimously approved:

Steve Lewis, Board member--Fiscal and Facilities Committee Chair
Richard Halbert, Board Member
Jean Dale, Associate Executive Director, Administration and Finance, System Office
Bruce Donelson, Director, Facilities Management and Planning, System Office
Steve Hotovy, State Building Division
Linda Jacobsen, Vice President, Administration and Finance, Peru State College
Paul Pate, Director of Campus Services, Peru State College
Ted Harshbarger, Vice President, Student Services and Enrollment Management
Bart Gray, Athletic Director, Peru State College

Peru, Contingency Maintenance Reallocation
A motion to authorize the following reallocation of contingency maintenance funds for Peru was unanimously approved:
From Resolution 4/99, Line 14, $15,787.07 Student Center Folding Tables, Mattress Covers,
and Shower Curtains
To be used for:
1,224.00 Termite repair and treatment at Oak Hill
3,253.09 Replace dining service steam kettle
4,866.94 Replace kitchen shelves as required by health department
1,357.00 Replace kitchen hood fire suppression system as required by fire marshal
4,466.67 Replace water heater elements at Complex
619.37 Portion of replacement cost for ice machine at Student Center

From Resolution 4/00, Line 3, $ 4,250.63 Replace Carpet in Centennial Complex
To be used for:
1,876.63 Balance of cost for ice machine (see above)
2,374.00 Replacement cost for Neal Hall doors

From Resolution 4/00, Line 8, 31,355.32 Architect and Engineering Fees
To be used for:
14,928.82 Retainage balance for Complex Renovation
16,426.50 Replacement of Complex water softeners

Selection of Revenue Bond Audit Firm
A motion to approve renewal of the agreement with KPMG Peat Marwick to provide revenue bond auditing services for fiscal year 2000-01 for a total fee of $18,600, which includes out-of-pocket expenses was unanimously approved.

ITEMS FOR INFORMATION AND DISCUSSION
Academic and Personnel Committee
Personnel Actions
Personnel actions not requiring Board approval were reported for information. 

Board of Trustees Scholarship Application Report
The System Office reported that 282 applications were received as a result of the 2001 scholarship campaign. Once the colleges select the recipients, the System Office will issue press releases. Certificates will be mailed to the high schools for presentation to the student. Board members will also receive a list of all recipients.

Non-Resident Scholars Report
Each of the colleges reported on the number of non-resident scholar participants for 2000-01.

Davis Minority Scholarship
Board members were provided information on the Davis Minority Scholarship. The Ninety-Sixth Legislature of Nebraska, 2000 Session, created LB 1379, the Minority Scholarship Program Act which provides funds to establish an endowment scholarship fund to support a program of undergraduate scholarships for under-represented Black, American Indian and Hispanic students at the University of Nebraska, the Nebraska State Colleges, and the Nebraska Community Colleges.
The Act provides the sum of $200,000 for the Minority Scholarship Program at the Nebraska State Colleges. These funds are to serve as a temporary measure for the purpose of eliminating the statistical disparity between the representation of full-time Black, American Indian, and Hispanic minority students in the undergraduate population of the Nebraska State Colleges, and the representation of such minority students in the student population of the primary and secondary schools of this state. The intended purpose of the Act is to develop a more racially diverse student body at the Nebraska State Colleges.
All funds appropriated by the Legislature for minority scholarships are to be used in coordination with private donations for such scholarships and in consultation with major donors, as well as in coordination with federal grant funds available to minority students so as to maximize the level of benefits and accomplish the purposes of the Act.
All monies appropriated for the Program are to be used to support endowed scholarship funds that are to be used, administered, and invested as the Board of Trustees of the Nebraska State Colleges shall determine, with only the income to be expended for scholarships.
The awards of all scholarships under the Act are to be determined by a committee selected by the Board of Regents of the University of Nebraska, the Board of Trustees of the Nebraska State Colleges, and the Community College boards of governors. The Act stipulates that the Committee shall include under-represented minority groups and private donors to the endowed scholarship funds created by the Act.
An Agency Agreement has been developed for use by each State College to enter into an agreement with its respective foundation permitting the foundation to manage and invest the funds as a temporary endowment to be used as required by the Act. A copy of the Agreement is available at the System Office.

Campus Safety and Security
In response to a question raised by Trustee Halbert about campus safety and security provisions, the presidents discussed college safety and security matters especially as they related to staffing, security measures and residence hall safety/security.
The colleges have established programs to advise and train students and staff regarding security and safety measures while on campus. These range from escort services and alcohol awareness programs, to self-defense training, to crisis management plans in the event of bad weather or crime on campus. Each of the colleges continues to update safety standards in their buildings (i.e., sprinkler and fire alarm systems), and each has security personnel on campus either as state-funded positions or contracted with the local police department. Campus firearms policies vary, with Chadron and Peru requiring firearms to be checked into secure storage on campus and Wayne allowing no firearms on campus.

Fiscal and Facilities Committee
Grant Applications and Awards
The following grant applications and awards were presented to the Board for information.

The following contracts and change orders were provided to the Board for information. 

Physical Plant Status Reports
The colleges provided status reports on their physical plant projects. 

Operating Expenditure Reports
Operating expenditure reports for the period ending December 31, 2000, were provided for review. 

Financial Reports
Financial reports for the period ending December 31, 2000, were provided for review. 

LB309 Progress Reports
Progress reports on LB309 funded renovation and construction projects were provided to the Board. 

Occupancy and Income Reports
The colleges provided Fall 2000 occupancy and income reports. 

Contingency Maintenance Progress Reports
Progress reports on contingency maintenance projects were provided to the Board. 

Revenue Bond Expenditure Reports
Revenue bond expenditure reports for the period ending December 31, 2000, were provided for review. 

MISCELLANEOUS INFORMATION ITEMS
Executive Director’s Report
Executive Director Carpenter gave a report on the budget hearing before the Appropriations Committee March 12. In addition to his presentation, Farrah Eleson and Trevor Schmidt, both students at Chadron, spoke on the importance of maintaining low tuition and financial access.

President Johnson also reported that the student loan default rate at Peru has decreased to 8.9%. The college is currently preparing for two upcoming accreditation visits: the State of Nebraska Teacher Education visit later in March and the NCATE visit in April. In addition, the college will be hosting a celebrity roast in honor of Senator Floyd Vrtiska in appreciation of his long-standing support of Peru State College and the Nebraska State College System.

President Stearns expressed appreciation to those who have acknowledged the recent death of a Wayne State student. She also called attention to Brandon Trease, a recent graduate, who was named Delta Sigma Pi National Collegian of the Year. Vice President Fuller reported on a recent planning and coordination retreat for the Academic Quality Improvement Project (AQIP), a North Central Association evaluation program. Faculty, staff, student and community representatives participated in the retreat.

Student Trustee Reports
Chadron Student Senate President, Chasidey Mulder, reported on several upcoming state competitions and leadership conferences. She also noted that the annual Scholastic Day will be held in April, attracting over 2,400 students to campus.

Student Trustee Ehmke reported that the Peru women’s basketball team advanced to national competition and several members were designated as NAIA scholar athletes. She reported on numerous student activities, including Spring Fling events, the show choir tour and upcoming state leadership conferences.