SC.04.06
December 8, 2003

University of Illinois
Board of Trustees Meeting
Thursday, November 13, 2003

Board of Trustees Chair Lawrence C. Eppley convened the meeting at 8:50 a.m. in Illini Rooms A, B and C, Illini Union, Urbana. The meeting had been moved from the Pine Lounge in order to accommodate the large number of attendees, including local and national media. The roll was called with all trustees present, excepting Niranjan S. Shah. The Public Comment period began immediately following. Three presenters spoke in favor of Trustee Frances G. Carroll's resolution to retire the Chief, "Resolution Concerning Chief Illiniwek, the Symbol of the Athletic Teams at the Urbana campus," and two presenters spoke against it. Trustee Carroll then withdrew her resolution, indicating she would refile it at the July, 2004 meeting. Chair Eppley spoke briefly, reminding the crowd that the Board's previous resolution in support of the Chief remained in effect. He then proceeded to accept Carroll's request to withdraw her resolution. The Board went into Executive Session at 9:20 a.m.

The Board, including Trustee Shah, reconvened at 11:30 a.m. in the Pine Lounge. Chair Eppley acknowledged the late Stanley B. Weaver's contributions and support to the university and the Champaign-Urbana community, referring to him as the "Senator of the University of Illinois,"and called for a moment of silence in his honor. Next UI President James J. Stukel introduced university administrators and senate observers. Agenda items began with the presentation of resolutions in honor of the distinct achievements of UIUC Professors Carl R. Woese, recipient of the 2003 Crafoord Prize in Biosciences, Paul C. Lauterbur, 2003 Nobel Price for Physiology or Medicine, and Anthony J. Leggett, 2003 Nobel Price for Physics.

Chancellor Nancy Cantor, UIUC, presented two agenda items, including a list of honorary degree candidates and redesignation of the Expanded Child Development Laboratory as the Early Child Development Laboratory. Chancellor Sylvia Manning, UIC, also presented two agenda items. These included the establishment of the Liautaud Graduate School of Business, College of Business Administration, Chicago, and the redesignation of the Center for Rural Health Professions Education, Evaluation and Research, as the National Center for Rural Health Professions, UIC College of Medicine at Rockford. A gift commitment of $5.0 million from members of the Liautaud family toward the establishment of the school will become an endowment, and the income will provide financing for several graduate programs within the school.

Both Trustee Robert F. Vickrey, and Dean Bernard Salafsky, provided background information regarding the importance of the National Center for Rural Health Professions both within the state, and also, globally. Salafsky reported that Illinois was the 8th worst in the U.S. in terms of the lack of physicians and other allied health professionals in rural counties. The Board approved the name change, and also, recognized Dr. Salafsky, for his many accomplishments and efforts on behalf of the establishment of the National Center for Rural Health Professions. Chancellor Richard D. Ringeisen, UIS, presented agenda items to designate a classroom and office building as University Hall, and to redesignate the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Center for Governmental Studies as the Center for State Policy and Leadership.

The latter was made in response to the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum's expressed concern about confusion between the two institutions and its potential impact upon fund-raising. The chancellor provided further details at Student Trustee Andrew M. Hollingsead's request.

In addition to the "Resolution Concerning Chief Illiniwek," roll call items included a number of contracts, projects and other business matters, which were briefly discussed. Revisions intended to improve the University of Illinois Tax-Deferred Retirement Program, an optional employee program allowed under Sections 403(b)(7) of the Internal Revenue Code, were accepted by the Board. These changes will minimize the program's complexity and increase its cost-effectiveness. Final roll call issues included an Authorization for Settlement, and items from October 1999 through March 2003 recommended for release and those that are to remain confidential under the Disclose Executive Session Minutes under Open Meetings Act.

Michael Grossman, Chair of the UIUC Senate Executive Committee, 2003-2004, provided an overview of the Senate Executive Committee Annual Report for 2002-2003, and highlighted significant senate issues, such as the newly-established policies on alternatives to dissection. Chair Eppley called a meeting of the Board as a whole at 12:25 p.m., and Stephen K. Rugg, Vice President for Administration, provided substantial information on the FY2005 tuition proposals and other fee increases. He reviewed tuition rates, tuition and fee increases, and student fees, and also University-operated housing facilities rate changes. The provosts and VCSAs at each of the campuses had met previously with student leaders and others, who agreed upon a proposed 8% tuition increase per semester for currently enrolled students. Their proposed tuition rates, which the Board approved, would be as follows:

UIC, $196 (total, $2,645); UIS, $138 (total, $124.25 per credit hour); and, UIUC, $223 (total, $3,007). The Guaranteed Tuition Program (see P.A. 93-228, § 5, 2003; effective January 1, 2004) sets undergraduate tuition for four calendar years for any incoming cohort of Illinois residents, beginning in FY05. The Board approved FY2005 guaranteed tuition per semester as follows: UIC, $2,841; UIS, $2,001; and, UIUC, $3,230. This represents a 16% increase over FY2004 tuition rates. Chester S. Gardner, Vice President for Academic Affairs, provided related information about revenues and FY2005 expenditure needs. After funds have been allocated for student financial aid, the new tuition rate for currently enrolled students would net $25 million. It is anticipated that this amount, combined with other funding sources, will be invested in academic programs, support salary competitiveness and cover unavoidable cost increases. Several trustees asked for clarification on specific aspects of the overall plan. It is expected that the higher tuition fee increases for new undergraduate students will amount to a pool of approximately $5.4 million, and that this will be set aside for future use, e.g., to absorb the costs of inflation during these students' third and fourth years of enrollment.

At 1 p.m. there was a break for lunch. Upon reconvening at 1:45 p.m., the meeting of the Buildings and Grounds Committee, chaired by Trustee Shah, began. The focus of this session was a presentation by Tom Seymour and Curtis J. Moody, representatives from Phillips Swager Associates and Moody Nolan, Inc., the design team for the new UIC student recreation facility. The Board approved the plans for this striking facility. Trustee Schmidt requested that the Buildings and Grounds Committee evaluate the poor condition of the UIUC Illini Union, floors 3 and 4. This was followed by the Technology and Economic Development Committee meeting, chaired by Trustee Eppley. Reference was made to The Technology Commercialization, Annual Report, Fiscal Year 2003, and the "Technology Commercialization Highlights Fiscal Year 2004, First Quarter," The Academic Affairs Committee meeting was postponed until the next meeting scheduled in Urbana on Thursday, March 11, 2004.

The Board meeting resumed, and minutes of the May 15, 2003, June 27, 2003, and July 17, 2003, meetings were unanimously approved. Other standard business was conducted, including the President's report, and agenda items were finalized. UIUC Associate Provost Bill Adams was recognized for his contributions regarding tuition and budgetary matters. Of particular note, the "Resolution Concerning Chief Illiniwek, the Symbol of the Athletic Teams at the Urbana campus," will be moved to the agenda of the Thursday, March 11, 2004, meeting in Urbana at Trustee Carroll's request. As an item of new business, Trustee Schmidt indicated he had agreed to meet with the Progressive Resource Coalition to discuss the Chief issue.

The next meeting of the Board of Trustees is scheduled for Thursday, January 15, 2004, in Chicago. The meeting was adjourned at 3:35 p.m. by Chair Eppley.

Respectfully submitted,

Mary Mallory
UIUC Senate Observer
November 26, 2003