August 25, 2004 Minutes

The University of Toledo
404th Meeting
Meeting of the Board of Trustees
Wednesday, August 25, 2004
Student Union - Room 2592
8:15 a.m.

The four hundredth and fourth meeting of the Board of Trustees of The University of Toledo was held on Wednesday, August 25, 2004 at 8:15 a.m. in Room 2592 of the Student Union, 2801 W. Bancroft Street, Toledo, Ohio.

Mr. Daniel J. Brennan, Chairman of the Board, presided and Ms. Judy E. Fegley, Interim Coordinator of Board Affairs, recorded the minutes.

The Chairman of the Board requested Ms. Fegley call the roll.

Present:            Mr. Daniel J. Brennan
                        Ms. Joan Uhl Browne
                        Mr. C. William Fall
                        Mr. Kristopher L. Keating, Student Trustee
                        Mr. William C. Koester
                        Judge Richard B. McQuade, Jr.
                        Mr. Donovan T. Nichols, Student Trustee
                        Mr. Robert C. Redmond
                        Mr. Richard Stansley, Jr.
                        Ms. Olivia K. Summons
                        Mr. Hernan Vasquez

A quorum of the Board was constituted.

Also present: Dr. Daniel M. Johnson, President; Dr. Alan G. Goodridge, Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs and Enrollment; Mr. William R. Decatur, Ex. Vice President and Chief Operating Officer; Ms. Sandra A. Drabik, Vice President and General Counsel, Board Secretary; Dr. Penny Poplin Gosetti, Interim VP for Student Life; Mr. Vernon Snyder, Vice President for Institutional Advancement; Dean Thomas Switzer, College of Education; Ms. Laura Abu-Absi, Vice President of Student Government; Mr. Guy Beeman, President, Student Government; Mr. David Bowser, UT Student; Mr. Michael Brooks, UT Student; Professor Laurence Coleman; Ms. Nicole Creech, UT Student; Dr. Michael Dowd, Chair of Faculty Senate; Ms. Elizabeth Griggs, Assistant to the Vice President & General Counsel; Mr. Wayne Gates, Assistant VP of Student Life; Ms. Joyce McBride-Hamer, Senior Budget Analyst; Professor Ruth Herndon; Mr. Kwabena Kankam, Director, Internal Audit; Mr. Tobin Klinger, Interim Executive Director for Public Relations; Mr. Yaroslav Kuk, UT Student; Ms. Brenda Lee, UT Foundation President; Mr. John Nelson, UT Student; Mr. Michael O’Brien, Director of Athletics; Mr. Patrick Okerbloom, Senior Budget Analyst; Ms. Dawn Rhodes, Associate Vice President for Finance and Planning; Mr. Jim Sciarini, Associate Vice President, Human Resources; Dr. Ronald Speier, Associate Vice President and Dean of Students; Mr. Casey Stark, UT Student; Ms. Joan Stasa, Executive Secretary to the President; Ms. Aredenia Jones Terry, Associate Vice President, Student Services; Ms. Julia Wingard, Senior Director, Student Unions; Mr. Harvey Wolff, Faculty Senate Representative; Mr. Harry Wyatt, Associate Vice President, Facilities Management; media represented included Ms. Kim Bates and Mr. Ryan Smith, The Toledo Blade.

1. Call to Order

Chairman Brennan called the meeting to order at 8:20 a.m. and welcomed Trustee William Koester and Student Trustee Kristopher Keating to the board.

2. Chairman's Remarks

Before I present the board agenda for the 2005 Academic year, I'd like to thank our immediate past Chair, Joan Browne, for her leadership over the past two years. It has been under Joan's leadership that the board has been reinvented. Committees have been restructured as to responsibilities. Non-board members from the university and community at large have been invited to actively participate as ad-hoc committee members while the board has focused on strategic issues facing the university. Under President Johnson's leadership, the stakeholders of the university have come together to work for the betterment of the institution. Vice-Chair Stansley and I appreciate the confidence you have placed in us as we lead the board this year.

With a restructured board and a strong spirit of collaboration among all stakeholders, it is now time to take the next steps toward reaching our goal of not just being a good university, but a great university.

Shortly after President Johnson's arrival in 2001, our current mission statement was written. It took a great deal of time but the final draft was one that the campus could not only accept but also enthusiastically support. It serves as our guiding principles in all that we do. It is not necessary to repeat it now, but I would like to focus on the first eleven words:

The University of Toledo, a student centered public metropolitan research university . . .

The words "student centered" is truly what we mean, but it occurs to me that there may not be a common definition of what "student centered" really is. I submit that if a definition was asked of our students, faculty, staff, administration and board, we may have many different interpretations. Since we are here for the students, it seems all involved should be speaking the same language when it comes to serving them.

During the upcoming year the Committee on Student Life will lead the university in defining "student centered". Once defined, it will be a litmus test for all we do. We will ask the question, "How does this decision or policy support our mission of being student centered?" If it doesn’t then we need to ask, "Then why are we doing it?"

Itwill be our goal to create an environment of "student friendliness" that is so compelling that it becomes our differentiation in the marketplace. Let us not forget that we truly are competing for the best and brightest students in the region and our state. It is critical that our university be a place with which it is easy to do business.

From their first visit to our website or request for our view book, we need to respond quickly, professionally and demonstrate through our actions, that students who choose UT are appreciated and important. We need to be certain that our processes for enrollment to housing to financial aid are designed to serve the student, not the institution.

Ifstudents are whom we serve, our value proposition is our faculty. As it is that we compete for the best and brightest students, likewise, we compete for the best and brightest professors. We are very fortunate at the University of Toledo to have faculty who are committed to student success and we are fortunate to have capable administrative staff to support them. Many are nationally and internationally recognized as leaders in their chosen fields. Our faculty members are our best asset, and the board welcomes their continued participation working with the president and the administration, in setting the course for the future of the university.

However, not unlike the words "student centered" the words "shared governance" are often used. I submit, though, that again we fail to share a common definition. We need to precisely agree on what "shared governance" means. It is a very powerful concept and has far reaching implications. It is also important to the future of the institution.

Itwill be the responsibility of the Academic Affairs Committee to lead the university in defining "shared governance" during the upcoming year. Once defined, it will also be this committee's charge to monitor its implementation. I'm confident that this committee, working with our faculty colleagues, will set a new standard in this area.

Itis no secret that this university, like all public universities, is facing significant uncertainty when it comes to state subsidy. During the past two years, we created our budget thinking that we knew what the reductions would be. However, during the year our budget was further reduced by the state. No one really knows what the future holds when it comes to state funding in the future. We must assume, however, that we will face additional challenges in the years ahead.

Inthe prior years, we have managed both the announced and surprise reductions by utilizing reserves set aside as required by SB 6, reprioritizing and utilizing one-time savings. To the uninformed this may give the impression that there was "fluff" in our budget. That's not the case. Although we have managed our budget, there have been opportunities missed, opportunities on which we had planned to capitalize, but could not because of the reductions in state subsidy.

During the upcoming year, two committees will be charged with reviewing non-core, or non-academic, programs at the university. We need to know that these areas that are subsidized by student fees and other income sources are first necessary, and add to the college experience. We cannot continue to fund programs because we always have. The programs need to be effective, efficient and be seen as a value to our students. This review will be the responsibility of the Finance Committee, working in tandem with President Johnson's Program Prioritization Task Force.

Concurrent with this financial review will be a review for academic opportunities. In other words, if a subsidized program is deemed to be a value, we must find academic benefit as well through partnering with the appropriate college or colleges. It will be the responsibility of the Academic Affairs Committee to identify these opportunities. They too will work along side the Program Prioritization Task Force to expedite this important process.

Thus far I have outlined two of three major areas of focus: first, common language and second, the financial review with an eye to academic opportunity. The third major area will be the responsibility of the Strategic Planning and Issues Committee.

Since future subsidy is expected to be further reduced at worst, and static at best, we need to identify other sources of revenue. Are we maximizing our research opportunities and subsequent funding? Are there areas of expertise of which we are already positioned to take advantage? What investment is necessary to enhance current programs or to develop new opportunities? While some areas of the university have already begun to ask these questions and opportunities have arisen, finding alternative sources of revenue must become an institutional priority. We can no longer rely on the state to keep us stable financially. We must look within as we strive to strengthen this institution.

The Board remains committed to our ten-year plan of adding 100 tenure-track professors. I hope this plan outlined will make The University of Toledo more attractive an institution that top-notch faculty will wish to join.

These are exciting times and I believe that with everyone working together we can move UT from being a good institution to a great one.

3. President's Report

Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and good morning everyone.

One behalf of all of us at the University--faculty, staff, students and administration--I would like to congratulate and welcome you to your new role as Chairman of our Board of Trustees. We have a lot to do and I look forward to working with you in the coming year as we tackle challenges in the months ahead.

And, Joan, thanks again for your service and leadership as our Chair. We genuinely appreciate all you are doing, especially your help with Libbey Hall.

I would also like to say a word of appreciation on behalf of all of us at the University for the service, the time, expertise and commitment that each of our Trustees give to UT. We appreciate you and I did not want to get into the heavy business of the year without conveying our "thanks" for all you do in support of our University. On behalf of all of us her at the university, thank you!

Mr. Chairman, with all the many wonderful and positive things that are happening on campus as we begin the new academic year, it was painful to hear that, even before classes began, we had a very sad and embarrassing situation occur this weekend involving some students and resulting in a student being injured. You are all aware of this occurrence but you also know that this type of behavior is not characteristic of our UT students. I know from talking to our students as well as faculty and staff, that this type of behavior is condemned and totally un-welcomed at this University.

Asyou know, the Toledo Police Department working with the UT Police are conducting a full investigation. I am eager to see the investigation completed and I am waiting on their report. You can be sure that the University has invoked our internal policies and processes and we will take the necessary steps to ensure that those who are responsible will be dealt with appropriately and in a manner that conveys the seriousness of this matter.

I will keep you informed on this issue as I get new information. And, at the same time, all of us involved in the resolution of this incident will respect the student’s privacy as required by federal law and university policy.

And, while I dislike using this time and place to comment on this incident, I felt I must because it is on everyone's mind. We are always very concerned when student safety is threatened and we will do everything we can to foster and ensure appropriate conduct for all members of our campus community.

Ona much more positive note, it has been a very busy summer on campus. As you know, much of our time has been devoted to completing our work on last year's goals and moving ahead with plans for tackling our goals and objectives for the coming year. As I indicated in our Fall Convocation on Monday, over the past two and a half years, we have laid the foundation for moving UT to a new and higher level of recognition.

Inthis regard, one of our major efforts this year will be to begin implementation of the Science and Technology Corridor. We have had opportunities to "brief" many of the areas CEOs and organizations devoted to regional economic development. I've discussed the Corridor with the individual members of City Council members and will be making a presentation on the Corridor to the full Council this week.

I've met with representatives of Norfolk Southern Railroad and have been encouraged by those discussions. I am continuing these discussions and have two meetings in the near future to more fully explore possible partnerships to advance the Corridor and its transportation components.

I've also met with two firms that specialize in the development of large projects such as industrial and research parks to discuss various approaches to moving forward. These meetings are providing very useful further guidance for implementing the concept.

The Corridor concept and initiative is ready for the next step. It is important, as we move ahead, that we enlist the interest and the participation of faculty in these efforts. We have had some faculty from the College of Business Administration and the College of Engineering involved in the planning and discussions. However, this year I will be seeking broader, more significant and systematic faculty participation in the development of our action plan and its implementation.

The Corridor initiative may well be the largest, single initiative or project ever undertaken by the University of Toledo. It is complex, involving all levels of government--city, county, state and federal--as well as the private sector in business development. It involves neighborhoods and many corporate, institutional and educational partners including the Toledo Public Schools, MCO, ProMedica, Owens Community College, BGSU, WGTE and many, many others. So it is a complex, multi-institutional initiative.

I say this because I and the others working on the implementation of the Corridor are going to need the assistance of the Board of Trustees. I am pleased that the Chairman has made the Corridor an important topic for the Strategic Issues and Planning Committee. I will keep you posted on new developments as the occur and I look ahead with a lot of excitement because I know that if we are successful in laying the foundation for the Corridor, it will be the centerpiece for economic development in Toledo and have a major impact on Lucas County and all of Northwest Ohio for decades to come.

I also want to report on the status of the search for our new Executive Director for Marketing and Communications. We have had all four final candidates to campus for in-depth interviews and presentations. I met twice with each candidate. The search committee will be meeting this week to provide me with the results of the campus meetings and their assessment of the strengths and weaknesses of each of the candidates. I am very hopeful that we will be able to announce an appointment in the next week or two. As you well know, this is a very important position for the campus and every division in the university. Our "blueprint" for integrated marketing and communications is ready for leadership and it's ready for implementation.

Atour Board Committee meetings last week I had the opportunity to listen and participate in discussions regarding the agenda of each committee for the year. Following the meetings, I meet with Board Secretary, Sandy Drabik and our respective staffs to review committee actions and develop our own plans for follow-through.

Mr. Chairman, as you know our Board agenda for the year, based on the agendas of our several committees, is very heavy and very aggressive. As you read the many topics we have agreed to address this year in our committee meetings, it is increasingly clear that it is no longer going to be "business as usual" at the University of Toledo. The culture of UT is changing and changing for the better. The agenda of the Board will further the changes. I sense a climate on campus that is ready for the challenges.

Aswe press forward, we will be guided by the Board’s priorities that we set last spring. These priorities were:

·        Academic quality
·        Capital Campaign
·        Future funding
·        Collaboration and Implementation of CHEE
·        Science and Technology Corridor

For members of the Board as well as our Vice Presidents, other executives and leaders and members of the audience, it is apparent that we have modified the meeting space and arrangements of the furniture. This was done to facilitate better communication among the Trustees in the meetings and to provide a closer, more convenient seating arrangement for campus leaders who have responsibilities in the meeting.

Board meetings are the time and place where we need to focus on the business and policies of the university. The room has been arranged to promote a more business-like setting reflecting the nature and function of the Board. I hope you find this helpful.

Mr. Chairman, I would like to close my remarks by reminding all of us to please take a look at our August "Points of Pride." (Exhibit #1) Under the "University-Wide" section we noted the generous gift from Dr. Louis Ravin and his wife, Sophia that enabled us to give the centerpiece of Centennial Mall a very attractive remodeling with an elevated University seal, new brick-work, and several new benches. I was walking through the Mall yesterday and glanced over to Ravin Plaza and saw students on every bench! It was a great sight.

And while all of our colleges have received significant awards, I want to particularly note the $2.5 million dollar, five year award to Professor Laurence Coleman in the College of Education from the U.S. Department of Education. This project will significantly advance our mission as a metropolitan university by funding a major project to help economically disadvantaged students in the fourth and fifth grades achieve their full potential in math and science. I would like to ask Dean Thomas Switzer and Professor Laurence Coleman to say a few words about this award.

Dean Switzer remarked the College of Education is very pleased to have received a grant of this size, $2.5 Million over five years. He commented it is a significant achievement and stated that although the money is important, the main beneficiaries of a grant such as this are the children who benefit from the grant. This grant is aimed at economically disadvantaged children in the fourth and fifth grades, who seldom receive focus preparation in science and math, and therefore, are much less likely to be identified as gifted and talented. As a result, they are denied opportunities provided to other students.

Dean Switzer then introduced Professor Laurence Coleman, the chief author of the proposal and also the Judith Daso Herb Professor of Gifted and Talented Education in the College of Education. Professor Coleman stated that President Johnson and Dean Switzer summarized the grant objectives nicely. He added this grant will help to change the way children are educated, that it will enhance the preparation of children and make them more qualified for gifted programs.

Dean Switzer congratulated Professor Coleman on receiving the grant and also commented that the grant fulfils both the research mission of the university and our mission of engaging the schools to the benefit of both the schools and the university.

President Johnson thanked Dean Switzer and Professor Coleman for attending the meeting and wished Professor Coleman luck with this wonderful and important project.

Continuing with his report, President Johnson stated that this morning the BLADE carried a front-page story on another wonderful gift to the University as well as similar gifts to BGSU and the Museum of Art. Mr. and Mrs. Robert Barber who, over the course of their lifetime gave UT $10, left three-quarters of a million dollars to the University of Toledo and similar amounts to BG and the Museum. It is a great story and you have to read it!

Mr. Chairman that concludes my remarks today. And, like you, I look forward to an exciting and very productive year.

4. Consent Agenda Items

Chairman Brennan noted the June 23, 2004 board meeting minutes were provided in advance and requested a motion to waive the reading of the minutes and approve the minutes and the materials contained in the consent agenda items a) through j):

a)                  Approval of Minutes - June 23, 2004
b)                  Faculty Personnel Actions
c)                  Grants Report
d)                  Revision of Audit Committee Charge
e)                  Staff Personnel Actions
f)                   Sports Facilities Improvements
g)                  Computer Center Roof Replacement
h)                  Revised Salary Resolution
i)                   Mr. Edwin Dodd Naming Proposal
j)                   John Neff Trading Floor Naming Proposal

Upon a motion by Mr. Fall, seconded by Ms. Summons, to approve the consent agenda items a) through j) as listed, a voice vote was taken and the motion passed unanimously.

5. Approval Items

Noapproval items were brought forward at this meeting.

6. Information Items

Noinformation items were brought forward at this meeting.

7. Executive Session

There was no need for an executive session.

8. Adjournment

There being no further business before the Board, upon the motion duly made and carried, the meeting was adjourned at 8:55 a.m.

EXHIBIT #1

University of Toledo "Points of Pride" - August 2004
University-Wide:

Thanks to the dedication and excellence of the research efforts of The University of Toledo's faculty, UT's sponsored research dollars have reached an all-time high for the third year in a row. Faculty members have generated $32.2 million in grant funding, surpassing last year's record of $27.3 million. The amount of research dollars brought in to the University has more than doubled since 1999 - which was $15.6 million.

A generous gift from Toledoans Dr. Louis Ravin and his wife, Sophie, enabled the University to give the Centennial Mall a facelift. The Ravins' $100,000 donation was used to better display the University's seal and provide seating areas in the heart of UT's beautiful campus. Formal dedication of the Ravin Plaza took place during the 12th annual Art on the Mall kick-off party.

Athletics

Congratulations and good luck to former Rocket Briana Shook who excelled on the track and in the classroom. As a student, she set numerous records at UT, in the MAC and in the country. The 2004 graduate also earned countless honors, including MAC Performer of the Year, Academic All-MAC, Great Lakes Region Women's Track Athlete of the Year and MAC Women's Scholar-Athlete of the Week. Most recently she was named USA Track & Field's Athlete of the Week after setting the American record in the women's 3,000-meter steeplechase at the KBC Night of Athletics meet in Heusden-Zolder, Belgium.

Coach Tom Amstutz and the Rocket football team are gearing up for another exciting season. This week's College Football Preview issue of Sports Illustrated ranks the 117 Division I-A teams, and the Rockets were picked to finish 25th in the nation. Toledo was also picked No. 25 by the Sporting News, and by Street & Smith in their college football preview issues. The Mid-American Conference Newsmedia Association tabbed Toledo as the favorite to win the MAC West Division and the MAC Championship Game. Go Rockets!

College of Arts and Sciences

InAugust, the Philosophy Department hosted the 15th annual International Workshop Conference on Teaching Philosophy, sponsored by the American Association of Philosophy Teachers. Approximately 150 philosophers from around the world stayed on campus and participated in over 50 workshops and plenary sessions on various aspects of teaching philosophy.

Dr. Richard Knecht recently presented a paper at Monash University in Prato, Italy on "Professional Business Communication in the Academic Setting" at the 2nd Annual Conference for Humanities. Knecht will also present a paper, "Chronicling the Cyclical Phenomenon of Indecent and Obscene Landmark Broadcast Cases," at the Annual Meeting of the American Journalism Historians Association in Cleveland in October

College of Business Administration

The College of Business Administration has been designated as a "priority school" by the State Farm Companies Foundation. The college is the only school in Ohio to receive this honor. Along with this distinction comes an annual $75,000 gift for the next three years. The money will be used to support several college initiatives including a scholarship fund, the Career Placement Center and a state-of-the-art distance-learning classroom

College of Education

Dr. Laurence Coleman has been awarded a five-year, $2.5 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education to help economically disadvantaged students achieve their true potential in math and science. The project, "Accelerating Achievement in Math and Science in Urban Schools," will identify economically disadvantaged fourth- and fifth- graders with potential in math and science from underrepresented groups in Toledo Public Schools and Dayton City Schools and engage them in more advanced math and science work.

College of Engineering

Dr. Eddie Y. Chou recently was awarded $193,638 and $76,223, respectively, for his studies on pavement forecasting models and on effectiveness of thin hot-mix overlay on pavement performance by the Federal Highway Administration and the Ohio Department of Transportation. Chou's research group has developed a comprehensive pavement management information system for Ohio that is currently being used by the Ohio Department of Transportation to monitor the performance of more than 20,000 miles of highway

College of Health and Human Services

The Health Information Management Program recently partnered with several two-year colleges throughout the state to offer the four-year technical completion degree via distance learning. A bachelor's degree would allow students who already have an associate's degree to further their studies in the field. Last year, the College of Health and Human Services' Marie Janes and University College's Dr. Karen Rhoda, director of Distance and eLearning, were awarded a $259,641 Ohio Learning Network Emerging Needs Grant to put the program online.

Michael Salwiesz, a senior social work major, is the Raoul Wallenberg Scholar for the 2004-05 academic year. The award of $2,500 recognizes a student who shows exemplary and meritorious service to issues of social justice and human rights. Salwiesz volunteers at the American Red Cross and the East Toledo Family Center. Currently, he's president of Phi Alpha and the Student Social Work Organization.

College of Law

Professor Rebecca Zietlow is working on the book Enforcing Equality: Congress and the Protection of Individual Rights, which is scheduled to be published in New York University Press in 2005. In May, Zietlow also presented a talk on "Courts, Congress and the 1964 Civil Rights Act," at the annual meeting of the Law and Society Association

College of Pharmacy

Dr. James Slama was one of 50 scientists worldwide invited to Japan in July for the 2004 Fujihara Conference on "New Challenges in Research on ADP-ribose Metabolism." Slama presented a poster and a talk on his recent research results titled "Cyclic ADP-ribose Analogs" before the conference of international experts.

Dr. Richard Hudson and two collaborators at Tulane University have been awarded a U.S. Patent titled "Methods for Protection of Stratified Squamous Epithelium Against Injury by Noxious Substances and Novel Agents for Use Thereof."

Dr. Steven Martin will be inducted as a Fellow in the American College of Clinical Pharmacy in October in Dallas. The fellowship recognizes and rewards the highest levels of excellence in the practice and science of clinical pharmacy, and is the highest honor the college can bestow on its member

University College

Owens Corning recently contracted with Doug Scott, program manager of the Division of Organization Development and Leadership, to produce job profiles with the ACT WorkKeys System at three Owens Corning Plants in Texas, South Carolina and Florida. The system provides a detailed analysis of the foundational skills and levels of those skills needed by workers to perform the job tasks required at a company location.

The Division of Organization Development and Leadership has also partnered with LearnShare to deliver to EaglePicher a program called "The First Line Supervisor Leadership Development Program, a Train-the-Trainer Program." The recently completed program utilizes a combination of instructor-led training and Web-based courses.