Academic Senate

UIUC Senate Observer to the BOT Meeting
March 26th, 2008
Champaign, IL

Chair Eppley called the meeting to order at 9:15 a.m.

Chair Eppley talked about the 140th anniversary of the opening of the University on 11th of March, 1868.

Chancellor Herman talked about the state of the UIUC campus to include:

1. NIH funding of $8 million for a specialized center for Reproduction and Infertility Research. The center will support a multidisciplinary research team from UIUC, Emory, and Baylor.
2. The UIUC Student Sustainability Committee was recognized by the BOT.

During the public comment section, Ray Morales talked about accessibility and Steven Kaufman talked about the “Chief.”

The Finance and Investment Committee presented a motion for Approval of Auxiliary Facilities System Revenue Bonds, Series 2008, totally $35 million for AFS projects, i.e. acquisition of Ashton Woods Apts (UIUC) and Founders Hall (UIS).

A second motion to approve refunding and/or restructuring of Variable Rate Demand Bonds, which would replace bonds insured by AMBAC with a line of credit. During the current financial market crisis, reset rates on these bonds went from 3.16% to over 7% in recent weeks. Both of these motions were voted and approved.

The Buildings and Grounds Committee presented a motion for approval of the employment of a construction manager for NCSA Petascale Computing Facility at UIUC. This was voted and approved.

Individual agenda items to include:

1. An Honorary Degree for James M. McPherson, Professor Emeritus, Princeton University, a preeminent historian of the Civil War.
2. Appointment of Associates and Fellows to the Center of Advanced Studies.
3. Renaming the College of Communications to the College of Media and the Department of Speech Communication to the Department of Communication.
4. Renaming the I-Building to the Forbes Building, and
5. Sabbatical leaves

were discussed, voted and approved.

Trustee Schmidt discussed the Resolution for Healthy Returns, the Illinois Bill of Health, which would include $10 million per year in operating funds and a onetime expenditure of $10 million to support improvement and upgrading of material infrastructure of the U of I medical activities.

The Global Campus was discussed. Salient points presented were:

1. There are currently 3 students enrolled in the Nursing Program and 12 students enrolled in Education Masters Program.
2. Current budget of $6 million and 34 FTE support this effort.
3. A proposal to discount tuition for group enrollments was discussed and voted.

The 2008 Budget for the U of I was reviewed. Currently there are three major areas of concern: the 5.9 million deficits in utility and energy expenses, the operating budget of the hospital and the shortfall of tuition receipts collected of approximately $8 million.

The recommendations FY 2009 Tuition and Fees were discussed at length. For UIUC, an increase of the 4 year guaranteed undergraduate tuition of $401 and a fee increase of $92 were voted and approved. This was approximately 9% increase over FY 08 levels. There was a related discussion to increase the percentage of out of state students. No action was taken.

Additionally, unfounded mandates, i.e. legislative scholarships and veteran scholarships of approximately $20 million were discussed.

The remaining agenda items were voted and approved.

Chancellor Herman and Provost Katehi provided a report on access and excellence at UIUC.

The meeting was adjourned at 3:45 pm.

Respectfully submitted,

Joseph Finnerty