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SC.10.05
February 22, 2010

Report of Board of Trustees Meeting
Thursday, November 12, 2009
Springfield Campus

The meeting convened at 9:00 a.m. with Chairman Kennedy requesting a moment of silence to recognize Veteran’s Day and those individuals on the Board who had served in the armed forces. He also acknowledged students from the Graduate Employees’ Organization who were picketing in front of the Public Affairs Center prior to the meeting and offered them seats.

President White stated that it was his last Board meeting. He thanked his colleagues, Governor Quinn, members of the Board, and Interim President Designate Ikenberry. He indicated regret over the admissions problems encountered on the Urbana campus and emphasized that he always put the university first. He then thanked Judge Mikva for his letter acknowledging that he (President White) always had the interests of the university at heart.

Vice President Walter Knorr presented a review of the budget. He stated that the university will be challenged once the $45.5 million in federal stimulus is no longer available. As of October 31, 2009, the State had over $3.6 billion in unpaid vouchers. The 2010 appropriation receivable from the State exceeded $317 million. Although the university saved some money in utilities expenditures by purchasing natural gas, there remained many uncertainties. The university was holding back 6% of its FY 2010 appropriation ($45 million), and the potential budget shortfall for 2011 could reach $64.5 million. The Board approved a budget request of $96.7 million for FY 2011, which included a 3% merit raise. Knorr stated, the goal of the university is to protect academic quality, serve students, ensure patients have access to clinical health care, and fairly share the sacrifices that would be required. President White stated that the budget problem is extremely serious and emphasized that the most important resource of the university is its faculty.

Vice President Rao discussed faculty retention and where each campus of the university stood in relation to faculty salaries at comparative institutions. The Urbana campus was listed as 21 out of 22 IBHE peer institutions, the Chicago campus was 14 of 25, and the Springfield campus was 13 of 15. She also discussed the numbers of faculty who had been recruited during 2008. Although 50-70% accepted counter offers to remain at Illinois, these offers are generally very expensive. She stated that prevention is the key to retaining strong faculty.

Vice President Ghosh presented a report related to technology commercialization and economic development. He provided several examples of cutting edge innovations being developed by university faculty; the number of patents, licenses, and startup companies generated in the past five years; and the royalties earned in 2009. In addition to stating that the “economic development mission extends and reinforces the university’s academic mission and its land grant heritage,” he also stressed the significance of the Research Park on the Urbana campus.

President White reiterated the importance of faculty and cautioned that teaching quality must not be adversely affected by the economy. He stated that the hospital, where he receives his personal care, is excellent and serves an extremely important purpose to underprivileged individuals on the south side of Chicago. The hospital, however, will require at least a $40 million investment “just to keep it operating.”

After a working lunch in executive session, the Board returned to open session. The chair of University Senates Conference, Kathryn Eisenhart, presented President White with a plaque recognizing his service. Afterward, Vice President Rao presented a diversity report which showed an increase from 12.8% to 13.8% in underrepresented undergraduate students on the Urbana campus from 1998 to 2008 but a slight drop in the number of black students. In that same period of time, underrepresented graduate students increased from 7.0% to 8.2%, faculty increased from 6.1% to 9.6% and staff from 7.1% to 8.4% on the Urbana campus.

The Board presented its governance and organization structure which included the names of each Board member and the committee(s) to which he/she had been assigned. The Board approved all items on the Roll Call Agenda which included the selection of the President Search Committee. Trustee Strobel will chair the committee and May Berenbaum (LAS) from the Urbana campus will serve as vice-chair. Other members from the Urbana campus are Ollie Watts Davis (FAA), Matthew Wheeler (ACES), Perzavia Praylow (student), and Paula Adametz Hays (civil service in LAS). The search firm of Isaacson Miller plans to begin identifying viable candidates immediately but deliberations will remain confidential. The Board also approved the appointment of Robert Easter as Interim Provost/Chancellor of the Urbana campus.

Additional reports were heard from Sidney Micek, University of Illinois Foundation; Loren Taylor, University of Illinois Alumni Association; and the student trustees who presented a resolution from the Urbana campus urging that campus departments withhold retribution from students electing to “peacefully participate in a strike organized by the Graduate Employees’ Organization.”

Following the public comment session, in which three individuals elected to speak, one member of the audience attempted to disrupt the meeting while it was being adjourned by loudly stating that UIC Professor Bill Ayers was a “political pedophile” working to subvert the educational system. He was ignored by the Board, and the meeting was adjourned by Trustee Kennedy.

Respectfully submitted,
Kim C. Graber
Senate Observer