A regular meeting of the Board of Trustees of the Nebraska State College System was held at Chadron State College on Monday and Tuesday, September 10 and 11, 2001.

In compliance with the provisions of Neb. Rev. Stat. Section 84-1411, printed notice of this meeting was mailed to each member of the Board of Trustees. In addition, copies of such notice were sent to the Presidents of the State Colleges, Associated Press, and selected Nebraska newspapers. We, each of us, hereby acknowledge due and sufficient service to the above, the foregoing notice of the time and place and object of said meeting, and agree to meet in said meeting at the time and place presented.

Board members present:
Doug Christensen, Lincoln
Richard Halbert, Falls City
Willa Kosman, Scottsbluff
Steve Lewis, Lexington
Sheryl Lindau, Wayne
Larry Teahon, Chadron

Student Board Members present:
Tammie Mundil, Peru State College
Katie Watt, Chadron State College

NSC Office Staff, present:
Stan Carpenter, Executive Director
Larry Schultz, Associate Executive Director for Academic Affairs & Legal Services
Jean Dale, Associate Executive Director for Administration & Finance
Bruce Donelson, Facilities Management & Planning Director
Sheri Irwin, Public Relations Director
Lynne Olson, Administrative Assistant

Others present:
Thomas Krepel, President, Chadron State College
Ben Johnson, President, Peru State College
Sheila Stearns, President, Wayne State College
Joyce Hardy, Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs, Chadron State College
Ed Hoffman, Vice President for Administration, Chadron State College
Monty Fickel, Dean of Mathematics and Science, Chadron State College
Don Green, Dean of Liberal Arts, Chadron State College
Dale Grant, Director, Business Services/Comptroller, Chadron State College
Cyd Janssen, Director, Media and Public Relations, Chadron State College
Con Marshall, Director, News Information, Chadron State College
Jerome Martin, Vice President for Academic Affairs, Peru State College
Linda Jacobsen, Vice President for Administration and Finance, Peru State College
Carl Ellis, Associate Vice President for Technology and Extended Campus, Peru State College
Paul Pate, Director of Campus Services, Peru State College
David Fuller, Vice President for Academic Affairs, Wayne State College
Carolyn Murphy, Vice President for Administration and Finance, Wayne State College
Mike Hartwell, Director of Physical Plant, Wayne State College
Dick Carmichael, Assistant Director of Physical Plant, Wayne State College
John Axtell, KQSK Radio, Chadron
Blair Brennan, Coordinator of Physical Facilities, Chadron State College
W.E. Roweton, Professor of Education and Psychology, Chadron State College
William Winkle, Professor of Music; Director of Bands, Chadron State College
Dan Worth, Bahr, Vermeer and Haecker Architects
John Royster, Bahr, Vermeer and Haecker Architects
Gary Ryba, Leo A. Daly Engineering

Dan Worth and John Royster, representatives from Bahr, Vermeer and Haecker architects, presented the Chadron State College Master Facilities Plan to the Board. No action was taken. (Copy on file with Jean Dale and Bruce Donelson in the system office.)

Gary Ryba, representative from Leo Daly, presented the Wayne State College power plant design development drawings to the Board. No action was taken. (Copy on file with Jean Dale and Bruce Donelson in the system office.)

Following the presentations, the Academic and Personnel Committee and the Fiscal and Facilities Committee met separately to discuss agenda items. No action was taken. The committee meetings concluded at 12:15 p.m.

Martha Blegen-Smith, Chet Grycz, and Bill Allard, of Octavo Digital Imaging gave a presentation about the company’s imaging capabilities during lunch. Joyce Hardy distributed information to the Board regarding the Principal Leader program, Bachelor of Applied Sciences Technical Occupations major, Student Support (TRIO) program and the BRIN Initiative with UNMC. These are all new initiatives at Chadron State.

The Board of Trustees and the Executive Director met with members of the Faculty Senate, support and professional staff employees and members of the Student Senate throughout the afternoon.

Board Vice Chair Lindau called the business meeting to order at 9:00 a.m. and asked for a moment of silence to reflect on the tragedies that had just occurred in New York City, Washington, D.C. and Pennsylvania.

The meeting agenda for September 11, 2001 was approved as presented.

Minutes of the July 16 special meeting were unanimously approved with a correction to reflect that Joyce Hardy, Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs, Chadron State College was in attendance. Voting aye: Christensen, Halbert, Kosman, Lewis, Lindau, and Teahon. Voting nay: None. Student Opinion aye: Mundil, and Watt.

A motion to approve the personnel recommendations submitted by the colleges, with the following changes, was unanimously approved. Chadron State—Penny Bellah resignation rather than non-renewal and Peru State—Nancy Emerson voluntary early retirement rather than resignation.  Voting aye: Christensen, Halbert, Kosman, Lewis, Lindau, and Teahon. Voting nay: None. Student Opinion aye: Mundil, and Watt.

A motion to approve the following preliminary new program notification list to be submitted to the Coordinating Commission for Postsecondary Education was unanimously approved.

Chadron
Comprehensive Major in Physical Sciences
With options in Physics, Chemistry & Geoscience
(BS degree)

Education in Rural Leadership (MA degree)

Wayne
Applied Human Physiology Major (BS degree)

Physical Science Major or

Physical Science Concentration (BS degree)

System-wide Advanced Studies (MS degree)

Proposed Policy Revision; Policy 3401 First Round Approval

A motion to amend Policy 3401 to expand the Non-Resident Scholars program to students from other states in the U.S. not to limit it to states contiguous to Nebraska was unanimously approved.

A motion to approve a proposed major in Criminal Justice to replace an existing option within the Psychology-Sociology major for Peru State College was unanimously approved.

A motion to approve the following grant applications and awards as submitted by the colleges was unanimously approved. Voting aye: Christensen, Halbert, Kosman, Lewis, Lindau, and Teahon. Voting nay: None. Student Opinion aye: Mundil, and Watt.

Chadron Award

Wayne Award

A motion to approve the following contracts submitted by the colleges was unanimously approved. Voting aye: Christensen, Halbert, Kosman, Lewis, Lindau, and Teahon. Voting nay: None. Student Opinion aye: Mundil, and Watt.

Wayne State College Contracts

A motion to approve the allocation of LB 309 funding was unanimously approved. Voting aye: Christensen, Halbert, Kosman, Lewis, Lindau, and Teahon. Voting nay: None. Student Opinion aye: Mundil, and Watt.

Chadron State College

Peru State College

A motion to authorize the allocation of Peru State College surplus funds for Morgan Hall program statement and asbestos survey was unanimously approved. Voting aye: Christensen, Halbert, Kosman, Lewis, Lindau, and Teahon. Voting nay: None. Student Opinion aye: Mundil, and Watt.

Write-Off of Uncollectible Accounts

A motion to approve the following requests to write-off specific uncollectible student accounts as submitted by the State Colleges was unanimously approved. Voting aye: Christensen, Halbert, Kosman, Lewis, Lindau, and Teahon. Voting nay: None. Student Opinion aye: Mundil, and Watt.

Cash Fund Accounts (Tuition and Fees) $ 5,528.47
Revenue Bond Accounts $11,461.51
Total $16,989.98

Cash Fund Accounts (Tuition and Fees) $ 6,351.46
Other Fund Accounts $138.45
Revenue Bond Accounts $5,241.10
Total  $11,731.01

A motion to accept the design development documents for the new power plant at Wayne State College was unanimously approved.

A motion to approve the request that an exception be allowed to Policy 8063 and that design development documents for the new power plant at Wayne State College be approved contingent on satisfactorily answering questions or concerns of state analysts was unanimously approved.

A motion to request approval to use capital improvement fee funds to purchase chilled water piping from Energy Systems to complete the new power plant project at Wayne State College was unanimously approved. Voting aye: Christensen, Halbert, Kosman, Lewis, Lindau, and Teahon. Voting nay: None. Student Opinion aye: Mundil, and Watt.

A motion to accept the Chadron State College Facilities Master Plan as submitted by Bahr Vermeer and Haecker Architects was unanimously approved.

A motion to approve a cash fund adjustment for Wayne State College in the amount of $475,000 to carry forward unencumbered cash fund balances from the 2000-2001 fiscal year was unanimously approved. Voting aye: Christensen, Halbert, Kosman, Lewis, Lindau, and Teahon. Voting nay: None. Student Opinion aye: Mundil, and Watt.

A motion to approve an increase cash fund appropriation and revised preliminary operating budget for FY 2001-02 based on new cash fund estimates at Wayne State College was unanimously approved. Voting aye: Christensen, Halbert, Kosman, Lewis, Lindau, and Teahon. Voting nay: None. Student Opinion aye: Mundil, and Watt.

A motion to appoint a committee to select an architect for the Morgan Hall Program Statement 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, Representative of the 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, Peru State College
Erin Sayer, Residence Life Director, Peru State College
Renae Church, Business Manager, Peru State College

A motion to grant the executive director the authority to approve and sign a contract relating to TJ Majors heating, ventilation and air conditioning upgrade contingent upon LB 309 funding was unanimously approved. Voting aye: Christensen, Halbert, Kosman, Lewis, Lindau, and Teahon. Voting nay: None. Student Opinion aye: Mundil, and Watt.

Personnel actions not requiring Board approval were reported for information. 

Year-end personnel summary from each state college not requiring Board approval was reported for information. 

Summer 2001 enrollment reports from each state college not requiring Board approval were reported for information. 

Summer 2001 instructional load reports from each state college not requiring Board approval were reported for information. 

Executive Director, Stan Carpenter reported that the NSC has invested the state funds and funds privately raised at Chadron State and Wayne State with the Chadron State Foundation. Peru State expects to raise its matching funds in the near future.

Peru State College President, Ben Johnson reported to the Board that final preparations are being made for the Higher Learning Commission visit scheduled for October 22-24, 2001. Dr. Jerry Martin, Vice President for Academic Affairs, Peru State College, gave a brief presentation to the Board regarding the accreditation process and the expectations of the College and North Central. Board members and the Executive Director will receive copies of Peru’s self-study. Trustee, Halbert requested biographical information on the accreditation team members.

The following grant applications and awards were presented to the Board for information.

Chadron Application

Peru Award

Wayne Application

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

Chadron Contract

Peru Contracts

Wayne Contracts

Chadron Change Order

Peru Change Order

Physical plant status reports from each state college not requiring Board approval were reported for information. 

The following capital construction progress reports not requiring Board approval were reported for information. 

Chadron State College

Peru State College

Wayne State College

LB 309 progress reports from each state college not requiring Board approval were reported for information. 

Contingency maintenance progress reports from each state college not requiring Board approval were reported for information. 

2000-01 year-end operating expenditure reports from each state college not requiring Board approval were reported for information. 

2000-01 year-end financial reports from each state college not requiring Board approval were reported for information. 

2000-01 year-end revenue bond operating expenditure reports from each state college not requiring Board approval were reported for information. 

The Hoyt Science Addition is occupied for the fall semester, along with the Campus Services addition and a portion of the renovated Campus Services Building. Demolition and renovation in the old portion of Hoyt Science Building are occurring at this time.

Executive Director Carpenter introduced Lynne Olson, as the new administrative assistant in the NSC offices.

Carpenter stated he would forego the discussion on the budget issues in light of the tragedies that occurred in New York City, at the Pentagon and in Pennsylvania. He noted the governor would be making a decision of whether to hold a special legislative session to deal with the budget shortfalls in the near future. The Executive Director said that he expected a special session to begin in late October. Depending on the decisions of the governor and/or the Legislature, the Nebraska State Colleges would handle the budget cuts through absorption, use of reserves and a possible tuition increase in the second semester.

The System Office will prepare and distribute "talking points" for those who wish to communicate with the governor or members of the Unicameral about the effects of a mid-year rescission on the NSC.

Vice Chair Lindau noted the Board is committed to preserving the current institutional funding.

President Johnson announced that as a result of the efforts of the Peru State College Foundation the college would soon announce four named faculty chairs, funding for 2 annual $5,000 "Professional and Support Staff Exceptional Service Awards" presented to a professional and a support staff member, and funding for $500 scholarships for the 1^st place winners in the annual Quiz Bowl, History Competition Day, and Business Competition Day held at the College would be available.

President Stearns reported that Wayne State experimented with a new format for opening activities this year. All College faculty and staff were invited to participate in a brainstorming activity to identify priorities for the College to advance its quality improvement initiatives which relate to the eight quality criteria of the AQIP process. She further reported on the success of the historical and cultural studies tour of Russia led by Dr. Pearl Hansen. Plans are underway for another trip to Russia next year.

President Krepel reported on collaborative efforts with the Nebraska Rural Development Commission for a graduate assistantship to identify successful model rural/community development projects and with Nebraska and Wyoming community colleges to discuss transfer agreements. He further noted Australian aboriginals would be on the Chadron State campus as part of a cultural exchange program September 24 – 26, 2001. Krepel also noted that the Chadron State football team had been ranked 10^th nationally by Sports Illustrated in NCAA Division II preseason ratings.

Student Trustee Mundil reported on the variety of activities that had taken place on the Peru State College campus during the beginning of the academic year.

Student Trustee Watt reported on the changes in the Student Center and the institution of the new ID system at Chadron State.

Executive Director Carpenter reminded all present of the upcoming strategic planning meetings. The first meeting will be held October 16 at the Peru State College offices in Omaha.

Next Meeting

The next regularly scheduled meeting of the NSC Board of Trustees will be held at Wayne State College on November 12-13, 2001.