Meeting Minutes, October 22, 1999
BackCreator: Offices of Board of Trustees and President
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Date: October 22, 1999
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Resource Identifier: OCTOBER 22 1999.pdf
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Transcript: MINUTES OF THE MEETING
OF THE
MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY
BOARD OF TRUSTEES
October 22, 1999
The Trustee Finance Committee and Trustee Policy Committee of the Whole meetings were held in the Board Room of the Administration Building beginning at 9:00 a.m. on Friday, October 22, 1999. Minutes of the meetings are on file in the Office of the Secretary of the Board of Trustees.
President McPherson called the meeting of the Board of Trustees to order at 10:20 a.m. in the Board Room.
Trustees present: Dolores M. Cook, Joel Ferguson, Dorothy Gonzales, Donald W. Nugent, David L. Porteous, Bob Traxler, and Robert E. Weiss. Trustee absent: Colleen McNamara.
University officers present: President McPherson, Provost Simon, Interim Vice President Poston, Secretary Pogel, Vice President and General Counsel Noto, Vice Presidents Denbow, Greenleaf, and Webster, Senior Advisor and Director Russell, Executive Director Williams, and Assistant Vice Presidents Cordell Overby and Elba Santiago Labonte. Faculty Liaisons present: Norman Abeles, Robb Clarke, Joanne Keith, and Daniel Kruger. Student Liaisons present: Rachel Garcia, Charles McHugh, Frank Montabon, and Michael Webber.
All actions taken were by unanimous vote of the Trustees present, unless otherwise noted.
1.On a motion by Ms. Gonzales, supported by Mr. Traxler, THE BOARD VOTED to approve the agenda.
2.On a motion by Ms. Gonzales, supported by Mr. Traxler, THE BOARD VOTED to approve the minutes of September 24, 1999.
3. President's Report
A.President McPherson commented there had been discussion within the budget recommendations for next year that if there were to be a capital outlay project sometime in the future, high priority would be given to the renovation of existing buildings. He said the University has been able to make substantial renovations, but every year it costs millions of dollars and it is an ongoing concern.
B.President McPherson reported that he and District Judge Beverly Nettles-Nickerson are co-chairing a Ready to Succeed Blue Ribbon Committee that was formed by Mayor Hollister. The 28-member committee is studying birth to kindergarten issues and expects to make practical recommendations for preschool services. Marjorie Kostelnik and Patricia Farrell of the department of Family and Child Ecology are providing substantial support, and Steve Webster's office has been working on this outreach project as well.
Trustee Weiss commented that he hoped the Committee's recommendations would benefit the state and country as well as the city of Lansing.
C.The President congratulated David Hawkins, Professor of Animal Science, who received a Distinguished Teaching Award from the American Society of Animal Science. One award is presented by the Society each year, and in 50 years, Dr. Hawkins is the fourth MSU professor to have won the award.
D.President McPherson commented on the logistics of the Meningitis vaccination program. He said the student, Adam Busuttil, remains hospitalized, and his family has not released medical reports of his condition. By Sunday noon it had been determined that the student had Meningitis, and 24 hours later the vaccine was being given. President McPherson said it was an amazing turn around by the staff, and he is appreciative of the assistance provided by various individuals and groups. During the past two-week period, about 14,000 vaccinations have been given with the assistance of faculty, staff, students, and retiree volunteers.
Trustee Weiss said the response had been exceptional, and he and Trustee Nugent complimented everyone who was involved in getting the vaccine here and available so quickly.
President McPherson remarked that the University needs to sort out carefully its recommendation regarding vaccines being required for entering students. He said he would prefer to say, "We would expect to be aggressive in our recommendations on this matter for students."
E.Chairperson Gonzales congratulated Trustee Joel Ferguson and local contractor Gary Granger for the new House of Representatives office building being dedicated in downtown Lansing. Ms. Gonzales said, "It fits nicely with October, because it is the month of Minority Business Development." Mr. Ferguson said he needed to leave the meeting early to present a speech at the 11:00 a.m. opening ceremony.
F.President McPherson said that the MSU-Michigan game football Saturday was a wonderful day with everyone enjoying the victory of the game, followed by the Walter Adams Field dedication. He commented, "I do think that Walter must have enjoyed this game."
The President commented on a State News article about trash being left on the campus grounds following the game. He said the University must work together to solve the issue of keeping the campus clean. Student Liaison Mike Webber suggested that the University provide more and larger trash receptacles. Faculty Liaison Norman Abeles commented that the washrooms in Olds Hall are unusable on Monday mornings following Saturday football games since custodial service is not provided on Sunday.
4.Public Participation
President McPherson announced there were no requests to address the Board of Trustees on issues germane to the agenda.
5.Personnel Actions
Provost Simon presented the Personnel Actions. She commented on the academic background of the individuals being appointed and said these were two exceptional appointments.
A.Appointments
1)Nails, Debra, AY-Associate Professor, Department of Philosophy, $56,000, with Tenure, effective August 16, 2000.
2)Roof, Judith A., AY-Professor, Department of English, $80,000, with Tenure, effective August 16, 2000.
On a motion by Mr. Weiss, supported by Mr. Nugent, THE BOARD VOTED to approve the Personnel Actions.
B.Information Report
An Information Report of Academic Personnel Actions of August 31, 1999 was distributed with the Board Agenda. The report has been included with the agenda materials in the Office of the Secretary of the Board of Trustees.
6.Gift, Grant and Contract Report
The Gift, Grant and Contract Report for the period of September 2, 1999 through October 5, 1999 was presented by Dr. Cordell Overby in Vice President Huggett's absence. The report is a compilation of 199 Gifts, Grants and Contracts, 12 Consignment/Non-Cash Gifts, and no Consignment/Non-Cash Loans with a total value of $20,126,779.87. The Gift, Grant and Contract Report is included with the agenda materials in the Office of the Secretary of the Board of Trustees.
On a motion by Mr. Nugent, supported by Ms. Gonzales, THE BOARD VOTED to approve the Gift, Grant and Contract Report.
7.The Trustee Finance Committee report and recommendations were presented by Committee Chairperson Nugent.
A.Bids and Contract Awards
1)It was recommended to award a contract in the amount of $849,000 (Base Bid only) to Gunthorpe Plumbing & Heating, Inc., of East Lansing, Michigan, and to establish a budget in the amount of $1,350,000 for the project entitled: Hannah Administration Building – Replace Absorption Chillers.
2)It was recommended to award a contract in the amount of $527,950 to Blackberry Systems, Inc., of Lansing, Michigan, and to establish a budget in the amount of $630,000 for the project entitled: Human Ecology Building – Window Replacement.
3)It was recommended to award a contract in the amount of $385,000 to T.H. Eifert, Inc., of Lansing, Michigan, and to establish a budget in the amount of $500,000 for the project entitled: Nisbet Building – Chiller Installation.
B.Appointment of Architects/Engineers
1)It was recommended to appoint Walker Parking Consultants of Kalamazoo, Michigan, as the architect/engineer for the project entitled: Spartan Stadium – Column Repairs 2000.
2)It was recommended to appoint VEC Engineering of St. Johns, Michigan, as the architect/engineer for the project entitled: Spartan Stadium – East Concourse – Restoration 2000.
On a motion by Mr. Nugent, supported by Mr. Traxler, THE BOARD VOTED to approve the Bids and Contract Awards and the Appointment of Architects/Engineers.
C.Establishment of Fund Functioning as Endowment
It was recommended to establish the Executive Development Center Fund as a fund functioning as an endowment.
On a motion by Mr. Nugent, supported by Mr. Porteous, THE BOARD VOTED to approve the recommendation.
D.Appointment of External Auditors
It was recommended that the administration be authorized to select new auditors and begin a new six-year auditor eligibility cycle with the 1999-2000 audit, during which, the auditing firm initially selected will be eligible for annual reappointment by the Board of Trustees.
On a motion by Mr. Nugent, supported by Mr. Porteous, THE BOARD VOTED to approve the recommendation.
E.2000-2001 Appropriation Request
It was recommended to adopt the 2000-2001 Appropriation Request, which included needs for the University General Fund, the Michigan Agricultural Experiment Station, and the Michigan State University Extension.
On a motion by Mr. Nugent, supported by Ms. Cook, THE BOARD VOTED to approve the recommendation.
F.Mr. Nugent reported that the Committee received an annual report prepared by the Land Management Office regarding the University's real estate properties. Mr. Charles Reid, the new Director of Land Management, was introduced.
8. Trustee Policy Committee
Provost Simon presented the following items.
A.Amendments to the Faculty Grievance Procedure (FGP)
It was recommended to approve three amendments to Section 1 of the Faculty Grievance Procedure (FGP) by adding 1.5, 1.6 and 1.7. The proposed amendments appear in agenda attachment 2.B. which is included with the agenda materials in the Office of the Secretary of the Board of Trustees. The amendments intend to strengthen and clarify the role of the FGP by addressing the following specific issues:
1)Explicit provision for the exclusion of certain administrators from the jurisdiction of the FGP, i.e. the President, the University Legal Counsel and staff, and the Faculty Grievance Official.
2)Actions of the University Committee on Research in Human Subjects (UCRIHS) and its chairperson and those of other Institutional Review Boards (IRB) and their chairpersons cannot be grieved under the FGP.
3)Decisions and actions taken under the Procedures Concerning Allegations of Misconduct in Research and Creative Activities cannot be grieved under the FGP.
On a motion by Ms. Cook, supported by Mr. Traxler, THE BOARD VOTED to approve the amendments.
B.Amendments to the Procedures Concerning Allegations of Misconduct in Research and Creative Activities
It was recommended to approve the amendments to the Procedures Concerning Allegations of Misconduct in Research and Creative Activities. The proposed amendments appear in agenda attachment 2.C. which is included with the agenda materials in the Office of the Secretary of the Board of Trustees.
The amendments address two issues:
1)Inclusion of explicit reference to access to relevant grievance procedures by faculty, staff and students in the event of imposition of discipline.
2)Extension of appeal rights regarding findings of Unacceptable Research Practices and/or Questionable Research Practices under the Procedures Concerning Allegations of Misconduct in Research and Creative Activities.
On a motion by Ms. Cook, supported by Ms. Gonzales, THE BOARD VOTED to approve the amendments.
C.De Minimus Ownership: Potential Conflict of Interest
It was recommended that at its next action meeting the Board of Trustees delegate to the President the authority to enter into agreements with the following Faculty/Staff-Owned Firms:
1)InfoPOEMs, Inc.
2)Ergonomics Research Laboratory, Inc.
3)Preservation Specialties, Inc.
4)Cres Corporation
On a motion by Mr. Traxler, supported by Mr. Weiss, THE BOARD VOTED to approve the recommendation.
D.At the earlier committee meeting, there was extensive discussion about The MSU Promise. (See addendum.)
9.Chairperson's Report and Trustees' Comments
A.Chairperson's Report
1)Chairperson Gonzales noted recent student achievements that have brought recognition to Michigan State. MSU was named to The Templeton Guide of Colleges that Encourage Character Development. The nationally distributed Templeton Guide profiles 405 exemplary college programs in ten categories, and the Bailey Scholars Program and the Service Learning Center were cited as exemplary programs.
Amondo Redmond, a pre-law sophomore, will once again be recognized for community service and academic achievement. He will receive the 1999 Flint Golden Leaf Neighborhood Services Award. Last year Amondo was chosen by President Clinton as one of the five most successful teenagers in the United States.
Ms. Gonzales complimented MSU students who participated in the "Into the Streets" community service project for making the community a better place.
Graduate Mark Nakamoto was awarded the Golden Key Scholar Award of $10,000. Mark was a recipient of a Board of Trustees Scholarship Award last year, and is currently studying medicine at New York University.
2)Chairperson Gonzales reported that she was pleased with the outcome of negotiations with Locals 1585 and 999. Both locals have ratified agreements with the University. Ms. Gonzales said the Board is appreciative of the hard work performed by these employees and their contributions to the University.
3)Ms. Gonzales reminded Board members that the November 18-19 meeting will be held in Detroit. Board members will visit MSU programs in Detroit and learn about urban issues.
4)Chairperson Gonzales commented that the dedication of the Walter Adams Field was a moving tribute to a truly great Spartan. Ms. Gonzales thanked the speakers, the Spartan Marching Band, and everyone who helped to make it such a special event.
Ms. Gonzales said she and President McPherson had hosted a dinner to honor retiring Michigan AFL-CIO President Frank Garrison. Mr. Garrison has been a long-time supporter of MSU's School of Labor and Industrial Relations and other MSU programs related to labor. MSU awarded Mr. Garrison an Honorary Doctor of Laws degree in 1993.
Ms. Gonzales reported that several diversity events were being held during the month of October. The Julian Samora Research Institute sponsored a reception on October 13 to welcome new Chicano/Latino faculty, staff, and students. The event was held in celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month. On October 28, the Council on Racial and Ethnic Minorities will host a reception welcoming new minority faculty and staff. The month of October is also Minority Business Development Month, and a number of statewide events will be held to recognize the success of minority businesses. MSU will participate by hosting a Partnering Roundtable on October 27. A Men of Color Conference, sponsored by the MSU David Walker Institute, was being held at Kellogg Center that day.
B.Trustees' Comments
1)Trustee Nugent extended accolades again to everyone who worked on the University's Meningitis vaccination program.
Trustee Nugent complimented the Broad College of Business for its recent Eli Broad Lecture Series featuring William Kristol.
2)Trustee Cook expressed appreciation for Board members being notified so promptly about the student's illness and the Meningitis vaccination program. Ms. Cook said Board Secretary Pogel had been diligent in keeping Trustees informed.
Ms. Cook reported a friendly and overwhelmingly positive response had been expressed to her about the President's newsletter to alumni. She said the most consistent remark had been that it was a newsletter, and not a letter asking for contributions. Ms. Cook
remarked that the newsletter is an effective means of communicating with people who care about the University, and she urged the President to make an annual report to alumni about the progress and activities of the University.
Trustee Cook thanked Chairperson Gonzales for rearranging the agenda for the Board meeting so that those members who wished to attend the Broad Lecture were able to do so. Ms. Cook reported that the reception for Mr. Kristol following his lecture was heavily populated by graduate students, and it provided an opportunity to talk directly with students about their graduate work and how they feel about the institution.
Trustee Cook said she, too, had noticed the trash on the campus grounds following the last football game. But, she was also concerned that vehicles with passes to Lot A, north of the stadium, had spilled over onto the banks of the Red Cedar across from that parking lot. She thought the overflow might have resulted from donors taking more than one space and forcing people to alternative situations.
Ms. Cook congratulated Kathy Lindahl for being honored by women in athletic administration as one of the outstanding former athletic administrators in the country. Ms. Lindahl was recognized at the national meeting held in Atlanta last week.
3)Trustee Porteous said he would echo the comments of other Board members to compliment the President and members of the University community for reacting so quickly to get the Meningitis vaccination program underway. He said one of the benefits that had come from it was to raise an awareness throughout the State about Meningitis. Mr. Porteous said it also raised a new awareness of the issue whether or not there ought to be a requirement for certain vaccines for students that are entering college. He said he appreciated the fact that this is being reviewed and he looked forward to some sort of recommendation.
Mr. Porteous reported that the committee of the Board that is reviewing the recent State Supreme Court decision has met and will be meeting several more times. The committee will be looking at Board practices and procedures in regard to the Open Meetings Act and expects to have a recommendation to present to the Board within the next several months.
4)Trustees Traxler remarked that he often heard references to the David Walker Institute and was interested in the person behind the title. Provost Simon responded that the David Walker Institute was established about seven years ago as a research institute to look at issues that were significant within communities about the status of
males who were also of color. The issues were related to crime statistics, drop-out rates, and other fundamental societal problems. The Institute was named for David Walker, an abolitionist who was involved in health care issues.
10. Public Participation
Pamela Dilley, an arts educator, alum, student, and parent of MSU students, showed a video of the CBS Sunday morning program featuring "Cows on Parade" in Chicago. It was reported to be a successful project that raised considerable money and brought tourism to the city of Chicago. Ms. Dilley proposed that Michigan State purchase one of the cows at auction and/or undertake a similar project which she believes would have great potential for promoting public art on campus and MSU.
11.An Executive Session was not requested.
12.On a motion by Mr. Nugent, supported by Mr. Porteous, the Board adjourned at 11:40 a.m.
Peter McPherson, President
Nancy H. Pogel, Secretary
Addendum
The MSU Promise
Trustee Policy Committee Discussion (Board of Trustees Minutes Item 8.D.)
President McPherson commented: Yesterday we had some discussion at the Policy Committee work session about The MSU Promise. Additional discussion about The Promise seems very appropriate. The Promise is a document which has been circulated and discussed on campus. The Board has at various times discussed pieces of it. Dr. Simon, maybe you would like to add to that introduction.
Provost Simon: The MSU Promise is an important statement that guides decisions that are made at the department, college, and university level regarding what we will work on collectively to advance the interest of Michigan State University. We need to underscore that The Promise does not replace the Guiding Principles but provides a reforming of that platform as we look towards the sesquicentennial in 2005. Part of the way to think about The MSU Promise is to ask as we are standing at a grand ceremony on campus in 2005, what do we want to say that we have really accomplished over the last seven years running up to that sesquicentennial. The MSU Promise represents the statement of our intended accomplishment over this period of time. We do recognize that in any given department quality undergraduate education may take various forms. And, some of those particular forms and programs are unknown to us as we sit here today in the same way that Bailey Scholars and ROYAL and other programs that we are very proud of today were unknown to us in their specific form when we adopted the Guiding Principles in 1994. This provides a framework and outline for our agenda and work to be done.
Trustee Weiss: As I understand it, this is a sort of implementation-type plan of the Guiding Principles.
President McPherson: Yes, it is about further implementation.
Trustee Weiss: As we went through it yesterday, and as I look through it, it appears to me to reinforce what the Guiding Principles said, and these are just smaller subsections of implementation that we want to target. Is that a correct observation?
Provost Simon: I think that everything in The Promise would be consistent with the Guiding Principles. That was one of the tests that we used. In some cases it is a refinement. In other cases if you use the bold heading of "One of the Best Undergraduate Educations," it is a restatement of something that was implicit in the Guiding Principles under "Active Learning."
President McPherson: The Guiding Principles document has proven to be extraordinarily important for the University. It has proven over time to be an excellent management tool and a touchstone for broad policy matters.
Trustee Weiss: As I look at The Promise, I see it as an implementation plan, and I think it focuses on areas that we thought were important for the University when we approved The Guiding Principles. I think that the Guiding Principles have been extraordinary in keeping our focus on where we are going as an institution. I look at The Promise as a special focused road map that tells us in these areas here's what we want to do and here's where we want to go. I think, Mr. President, you, your administration, and this Board have been extremely effective in implementing the Principles. So often we see a document passed and shelved, and this was not. I think the fact that it was in many of our publications helped drive the Principles and made everyone understand who we are and what we are about. I think this additional document will help us go forward in the next five years. I think it is an outstanding document, and I think it will help us to be the best in the areas where we can make a difference and not be everything to everybody. It helps us further define where we should focus our attention.
Trustee Cook: I would hope that over the course of implementation that we have an opportunity to continue to review our progress and evaluate what we are doing. Also, if we find something that we collectively agree needs to be added to this document, I hope that issue is put before us.
President McPherson: Other thoughts this morning?
Trustee Cook: Ambitious. This is ambitious.
President McPherson: It is interesting, what you see some institutions doing is making a broad policy mission statement and then it gets filed away. Some institutions make very detailed plans, but don't really link these to broad concepts. What we tried to do and effectively did with the Guiding Principles, and with this next step can do the same, is to say for example, Promise One: We are committed to offering one of the best undergraduate education opportunities anywhere. And then, we say, here's some specific things we need to do.
Trustee Weiss: I also would like to thank Mr. Greenleaf for the outstanding job he has done in his leadership of the Guiding Principles. He has kept our eye on the ball and had a report at every meeting.
President McPherson: If you regularly don't say, look, where are we on the Guiding Principles and the MSU Promise, these important implementation items can fall off the table. These kinds of documents really commit you. They press you.
Trustee Porteous: Not to minimize the time and effort that went into preparing The Promise. It is a wonderful document, but I think the greater challenge really comes now as we try to implement it. Nobody here would say that offering the best undergraduate education isn't a laudable sort of goal to have, but then as we begin to implement it, we have to deal with many programs and whether we can afford to keep them or not if we want to enhance writing and math class sizes. Classes in some areas may have to be smaller, involve more teachers and better delivery of services. Financially implementing our plan is going to have quite an impact.
President McPherson: We need to be pulled and pushed. For example in The MSU Promise, the second Promise concerns lifting the bar with regard to research and graduate programs.
Trustee Cook: Once you put it in writing, your feet can be held to the fire on an issue.
President McPherson: Following the Guiding Principles, The Promise is a statement of practical aspirations.
Trustee Nugent: We are saying these are our goals to be achieved by our 150th anniversary. So we not only have said, here is the level to which we are raising the bar; we are establishing the finish line. There is a date certain when we are going to get this thing done.
Trustee Cook: If we were to go to the people interested in this University and just say, we make the promise of the finest undergraduate education available anywhere. The next question would be, how are you going to do that? Unless you have the hooks to hang the idea on, you flounder I think.
President McPherson: An effective plan requires both broad statements and hooks.
Provost Simon: The Promise does say what we mean by the best education from our perspective. It says that we are going to build on our research tradition and make sure that it is a part of the undergraduate education. We are going to worry about a core curriculum, and we are going to worry about trying to blend thinking and doing. We are going to develop analytical skills and conceptual understanding with practical hands-on kinds of experiences. So it is really being one of the best in a way that makes a difference and not being like everybody else.
President McPherson: Frankly, we don't have the resources to accomplish our goals in the most traditional ways, and frankly, it is not clear those are the best ways. One of the hallmarks of our institution is we have been able to achieve high quality with less money. We have often had to find a different path to follow.
Trustee Cook: But that's an issue I think, Mr. President. We, as a Board, must continue to evaluate the quality that we are producing. I think it is incumbent upon the Board and the administration to jointly monitor progress on behalf of the student body and the institution.
Secretary Pogel: I want to re-emphasize that this is not just a top down document. As the Board knows, we held more than 50 focus groups with faculty, students, administrators, and staff on a draft that looked very different from this. So the Promise went through a good deal of process, discussion and change before it came to you in its current form.
President McPherson: This is a particularly significant point.
Trustee Traxler: I would like to emphasize that the devil is always in the details. And in this case, it is always in the implementation. There is a certain dynamic tension, I think, at every major AAU research university between the question of apportionment of resources between the research aspects versus the undergraduate responsibilities. We are more than a three-quarter undergraduate university. I sometimes think that that's the tail of the cow, and I would raise the question which I hope some day the Board will look at; that is the amount of resources that are committed to research versus the resources that are committed to undergraduate education. There are enough people on this campus to speak for research because it does bring money to the University, obviously, and a certain
amount of prestige. But at the same time, from my standpoint, the principle mission of the university is undergraduate education, so we have to examine the quality of that undergraduate education periodically.
President McPherson: Mr. Traxler is already using Promise One to drive issues. I would say this about your point Bob: The difference between the large research university and a dominantly undergraduate regional school any place in the country, is the mutual advantage, the mutual reinforcement between research and undergraduate studies at the research university. We have asked all faculty to have a substantial involvement with undergraduate students. Because our faculty have been doing cutting edge research, their involvement with undergraduates is very different from a faculty that isn't involved in research. Not to be critical of others, but we provide a different type of education. Quality research and quality undergraduate education are mutually reinforcing here.
Trustee Weiss: And to follow up on that, I think a lot of our extraordinary applied research makes our undergraduate education more relevant to what these undergraduates are going to face when they get in the real world.
President McPherson: Let's take the College of Education, for example. In the professional development schools our faculty were partnering with K-12 teachers doing research and doing outreach in K-12 schools. That research and outreach enrich the undergraduate education experience on campus. You need to be out in the community involved with problems in order to have the best quality undergraduate experience and help to solve problems through research. We consistently are ranked top or near the top in elementary and high school education.
Trustee Weiss: In the Promise as in the Principles we have been emphasizing interdisciplinary studies. This is an extremely important part of all of both the graduate and undergraduate parts of our plans.
Trustee Traxler: That is all very interesting, but I think that at some point we need to examine class sizes, part-time faculty, the amount of resources that are committed to research facilities and modernization versus the amount of economic resources that are committed to undergraduate education.
President McPherson: Are there other questions on this topic this morning? We will discuss The MSU Promise more extensively at subsequent Board meetings.
Trustee Nugent: It is probably not ready for a vote yet.
President McPherson: I imagine not. All I can say is, I know that Dr. Simon and I and others are committed to the mutual reinforcement of our three missions. Our distinctiveness is a commitment to quality across the mission so as to make all three missions better and stronger. That is a fundamental assumption in both the Guiding Principles and the related MSU Promise.
Trustee Weiss: Do you want to do anything with The Promise at this point?
President McPherson: We will eventually bring it back. I think this kind of discussion is healthy and good. There are tradeoffs and problems, but we believe The Promise will raise the bar and push us and prod us to become stronger and better. With that, I would entertain a motion to adjourn the Policy Committee meeting.
Index
Page(s)
Chairperson's Report/Trustees' Comments 10763-66
Executive Session - None 10766
Finance Committee 10760-62
Appropriation Request, 2000-2001 10761
Architects/Engineers, Appointment of 10761
Spartan Stadium - Column Repairs 2000 10761
Spartan Stadium - East Concourse - Restoration 2000 10761
Bids and Contract Awards 10760-61
Hannah Administration Building - Replace Absorption Chillers 10760
Human Ecology Building - Window Replacement 10761
Nisbet Building - Chiller Installation 10761
External Auditors, Appointment of 10761
Fund Functioning as Endowment 10761
Executive Development Center Fund 10761
Report
Real Estate Properties 10762
Gift, Grant and Contract Report 10760
Personnel Actions 10760
Appointments 10760
Information Report 10760
Policy Committee 10762-63
Conflict of Interest, Potential - De Minimus Ownership (Delegate at next meeting) 10763
InfoPOEMs, Inc. 10763
Ergonomics Research Laboratory, Inc. 10763
Preservation Specialties, Inc. 10763
Cres Corporation 10763
Faculty Grievance Procedure (FGP), Amendments to 10762
Misconduct in Research and Creative Activities, Amendments to
Procedures Concerning Allegations of 10762-63
Report
The MSU Promise 10763
Addendum 10767-70
President's Report 10758-59
Public Participation 10760,10766
Germane to Agenda - None 10760
Other Issues 10766
Request a ReproductionOF THE
MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY
BOARD OF TRUSTEES
October 22, 1999
The Trustee Finance Committee and Trustee Policy Committee of the Whole meetings were held in the Board Room of the Administration Building beginning at 9:00 a.m. on Friday, October 22, 1999. Minutes of the meetings are on file in the Office of the Secretary of the Board of Trustees.
President McPherson called the meeting of the Board of Trustees to order at 10:20 a.m. in the Board Room.
Trustees present: Dolores M. Cook, Joel Ferguson, Dorothy Gonzales, Donald W. Nugent, David L. Porteous, Bob Traxler, and Robert E. Weiss. Trustee absent: Colleen McNamara.
University officers present: President McPherson, Provost Simon, Interim Vice President Poston, Secretary Pogel, Vice President and General Counsel Noto, Vice Presidents Denbow, Greenleaf, and Webster, Senior Advisor and Director Russell, Executive Director Williams, and Assistant Vice Presidents Cordell Overby and Elba Santiago Labonte. Faculty Liaisons present: Norman Abeles, Robb Clarke, Joanne Keith, and Daniel Kruger. Student Liaisons present: Rachel Garcia, Charles McHugh, Frank Montabon, and Michael Webber.
All actions taken were by unanimous vote of the Trustees present, unless otherwise noted.
1.On a motion by Ms. Gonzales, supported by Mr. Traxler, THE BOARD VOTED to approve the agenda.
2.On a motion by Ms. Gonzales, supported by Mr. Traxler, THE BOARD VOTED to approve the minutes of September 24, 1999.
3. President's Report
A.President McPherson commented there had been discussion within the budget recommendations for next year that if there were to be a capital outlay project sometime in the future, high priority would be given to the renovation of existing buildings. He said the University has been able to make substantial renovations, but every year it costs millions of dollars and it is an ongoing concern.
B.President McPherson reported that he and District Judge Beverly Nettles-Nickerson are co-chairing a Ready to Succeed Blue Ribbon Committee that was formed by Mayor Hollister. The 28-member committee is studying birth to kindergarten issues and expects to make practical recommendations for preschool services. Marjorie Kostelnik and Patricia Farrell of the department of Family and Child Ecology are providing substantial support, and Steve Webster's office has been working on this outreach project as well.
Trustee Weiss commented that he hoped the Committee's recommendations would benefit the state and country as well as the city of Lansing.
C.The President congratulated David Hawkins, Professor of Animal Science, who received a Distinguished Teaching Award from the American Society of Animal Science. One award is presented by the Society each year, and in 50 years, Dr. Hawkins is the fourth MSU professor to have won the award.
D.President McPherson commented on the logistics of the Meningitis vaccination program. He said the student, Adam Busuttil, remains hospitalized, and his family has not released medical reports of his condition. By Sunday noon it had been determined that the student had Meningitis, and 24 hours later the vaccine was being given. President McPherson said it was an amazing turn around by the staff, and he is appreciative of the assistance provided by various individuals and groups. During the past two-week period, about 14,000 vaccinations have been given with the assistance of faculty, staff, students, and retiree volunteers.
Trustee Weiss said the response had been exceptional, and he and Trustee Nugent complimented everyone who was involved in getting the vaccine here and available so quickly.
President McPherson remarked that the University needs to sort out carefully its recommendation regarding vaccines being required for entering students. He said he would prefer to say, "We would expect to be aggressive in our recommendations on this matter for students."
E.Chairperson Gonzales congratulated Trustee Joel Ferguson and local contractor Gary Granger for the new House of Representatives office building being dedicated in downtown Lansing. Ms. Gonzales said, "It fits nicely with October, because it is the month of Minority Business Development." Mr. Ferguson said he needed to leave the meeting early to present a speech at the 11:00 a.m. opening ceremony.
F.President McPherson said that the MSU-Michigan game football Saturday was a wonderful day with everyone enjoying the victory of the game, followed by the Walter Adams Field dedication. He commented, "I do think that Walter must have enjoyed this game."
The President commented on a State News article about trash being left on the campus grounds following the game. He said the University must work together to solve the issue of keeping the campus clean. Student Liaison Mike Webber suggested that the University provide more and larger trash receptacles. Faculty Liaison Norman Abeles commented that the washrooms in Olds Hall are unusable on Monday mornings following Saturday football games since custodial service is not provided on Sunday.
4.Public Participation
President McPherson announced there were no requests to address the Board of Trustees on issues germane to the agenda.
5.Personnel Actions
Provost Simon presented the Personnel Actions. She commented on the academic background of the individuals being appointed and said these were two exceptional appointments.
A.Appointments
1)Nails, Debra, AY-Associate Professor, Department of Philosophy, $56,000, with Tenure, effective August 16, 2000.
2)Roof, Judith A., AY-Professor, Department of English, $80,000, with Tenure, effective August 16, 2000.
On a motion by Mr. Weiss, supported by Mr. Nugent, THE BOARD VOTED to approve the Personnel Actions.
B.Information Report
An Information Report of Academic Personnel Actions of August 31, 1999 was distributed with the Board Agenda. The report has been included with the agenda materials in the Office of the Secretary of the Board of Trustees.
6.Gift, Grant and Contract Report
The Gift, Grant and Contract Report for the period of September 2, 1999 through October 5, 1999 was presented by Dr. Cordell Overby in Vice President Huggett's absence. The report is a compilation of 199 Gifts, Grants and Contracts, 12 Consignment/Non-Cash Gifts, and no Consignment/Non-Cash Loans with a total value of $20,126,779.87. The Gift, Grant and Contract Report is included with the agenda materials in the Office of the Secretary of the Board of Trustees.
On a motion by Mr. Nugent, supported by Ms. Gonzales, THE BOARD VOTED to approve the Gift, Grant and Contract Report.
7.The Trustee Finance Committee report and recommendations were presented by Committee Chairperson Nugent.
A.Bids and Contract Awards
1)It was recommended to award a contract in the amount of $849,000 (Base Bid only) to Gunthorpe Plumbing & Heating, Inc., of East Lansing, Michigan, and to establish a budget in the amount of $1,350,000 for the project entitled: Hannah Administration Building – Replace Absorption Chillers.
2)It was recommended to award a contract in the amount of $527,950 to Blackberry Systems, Inc., of Lansing, Michigan, and to establish a budget in the amount of $630,000 for the project entitled: Human Ecology Building – Window Replacement.
3)It was recommended to award a contract in the amount of $385,000 to T.H. Eifert, Inc., of Lansing, Michigan, and to establish a budget in the amount of $500,000 for the project entitled: Nisbet Building – Chiller Installation.
B.Appointment of Architects/Engineers
1)It was recommended to appoint Walker Parking Consultants of Kalamazoo, Michigan, as the architect/engineer for the project entitled: Spartan Stadium – Column Repairs 2000.
2)It was recommended to appoint VEC Engineering of St. Johns, Michigan, as the architect/engineer for the project entitled: Spartan Stadium – East Concourse – Restoration 2000.
On a motion by Mr. Nugent, supported by Mr. Traxler, THE BOARD VOTED to approve the Bids and Contract Awards and the Appointment of Architects/Engineers.
C.Establishment of Fund Functioning as Endowment
It was recommended to establish the Executive Development Center Fund as a fund functioning as an endowment.
On a motion by Mr. Nugent, supported by Mr. Porteous, THE BOARD VOTED to approve the recommendation.
D.Appointment of External Auditors
It was recommended that the administration be authorized to select new auditors and begin a new six-year auditor eligibility cycle with the 1999-2000 audit, during which, the auditing firm initially selected will be eligible for annual reappointment by the Board of Trustees.
On a motion by Mr. Nugent, supported by Mr. Porteous, THE BOARD VOTED to approve the recommendation.
E.2000-2001 Appropriation Request
It was recommended to adopt the 2000-2001 Appropriation Request, which included needs for the University General Fund, the Michigan Agricultural Experiment Station, and the Michigan State University Extension.
On a motion by Mr. Nugent, supported by Ms. Cook, THE BOARD VOTED to approve the recommendation.
F.Mr. Nugent reported that the Committee received an annual report prepared by the Land Management Office regarding the University's real estate properties. Mr. Charles Reid, the new Director of Land Management, was introduced.
8. Trustee Policy Committee
Provost Simon presented the following items.
A.Amendments to the Faculty Grievance Procedure (FGP)
It was recommended to approve three amendments to Section 1 of the Faculty Grievance Procedure (FGP) by adding 1.5, 1.6 and 1.7. The proposed amendments appear in agenda attachment 2.B. which is included with the agenda materials in the Office of the Secretary of the Board of Trustees. The amendments intend to strengthen and clarify the role of the FGP by addressing the following specific issues:
1)Explicit provision for the exclusion of certain administrators from the jurisdiction of the FGP, i.e. the President, the University Legal Counsel and staff, and the Faculty Grievance Official.
2)Actions of the University Committee on Research in Human Subjects (UCRIHS) and its chairperson and those of other Institutional Review Boards (IRB) and their chairpersons cannot be grieved under the FGP.
3)Decisions and actions taken under the Procedures Concerning Allegations of Misconduct in Research and Creative Activities cannot be grieved under the FGP.
On a motion by Ms. Cook, supported by Mr. Traxler, THE BOARD VOTED to approve the amendments.
B.Amendments to the Procedures Concerning Allegations of Misconduct in Research and Creative Activities
It was recommended to approve the amendments to the Procedures Concerning Allegations of Misconduct in Research and Creative Activities. The proposed amendments appear in agenda attachment 2.C. which is included with the agenda materials in the Office of the Secretary of the Board of Trustees.
The amendments address two issues:
1)Inclusion of explicit reference to access to relevant grievance procedures by faculty, staff and students in the event of imposition of discipline.
2)Extension of appeal rights regarding findings of Unacceptable Research Practices and/or Questionable Research Practices under the Procedures Concerning Allegations of Misconduct in Research and Creative Activities.
On a motion by Ms. Cook, supported by Ms. Gonzales, THE BOARD VOTED to approve the amendments.
C.De Minimus Ownership: Potential Conflict of Interest
It was recommended that at its next action meeting the Board of Trustees delegate to the President the authority to enter into agreements with the following Faculty/Staff-Owned Firms:
1)InfoPOEMs, Inc.
2)Ergonomics Research Laboratory, Inc.
3)Preservation Specialties, Inc.
4)Cres Corporation
On a motion by Mr. Traxler, supported by Mr. Weiss, THE BOARD VOTED to approve the recommendation.
D.At the earlier committee meeting, there was extensive discussion about The MSU Promise. (See addendum.)
9.Chairperson's Report and Trustees' Comments
A.Chairperson's Report
1)Chairperson Gonzales noted recent student achievements that have brought recognition to Michigan State. MSU was named to The Templeton Guide of Colleges that Encourage Character Development. The nationally distributed Templeton Guide profiles 405 exemplary college programs in ten categories, and the Bailey Scholars Program and the Service Learning Center were cited as exemplary programs.
Amondo Redmond, a pre-law sophomore, will once again be recognized for community service and academic achievement. He will receive the 1999 Flint Golden Leaf Neighborhood Services Award. Last year Amondo was chosen by President Clinton as one of the five most successful teenagers in the United States.
Ms. Gonzales complimented MSU students who participated in the "Into the Streets" community service project for making the community a better place.
Graduate Mark Nakamoto was awarded the Golden Key Scholar Award of $10,000. Mark was a recipient of a Board of Trustees Scholarship Award last year, and is currently studying medicine at New York University.
2)Chairperson Gonzales reported that she was pleased with the outcome of negotiations with Locals 1585 and 999. Both locals have ratified agreements with the University. Ms. Gonzales said the Board is appreciative of the hard work performed by these employees and their contributions to the University.
3)Ms. Gonzales reminded Board members that the November 18-19 meeting will be held in Detroit. Board members will visit MSU programs in Detroit and learn about urban issues.
4)Chairperson Gonzales commented that the dedication of the Walter Adams Field was a moving tribute to a truly great Spartan. Ms. Gonzales thanked the speakers, the Spartan Marching Band, and everyone who helped to make it such a special event.
Ms. Gonzales said she and President McPherson had hosted a dinner to honor retiring Michigan AFL-CIO President Frank Garrison. Mr. Garrison has been a long-time supporter of MSU's School of Labor and Industrial Relations and other MSU programs related to labor. MSU awarded Mr. Garrison an Honorary Doctor of Laws degree in 1993.
Ms. Gonzales reported that several diversity events were being held during the month of October. The Julian Samora Research Institute sponsored a reception on October 13 to welcome new Chicano/Latino faculty, staff, and students. The event was held in celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month. On October 28, the Council on Racial and Ethnic Minorities will host a reception welcoming new minority faculty and staff. The month of October is also Minority Business Development Month, and a number of statewide events will be held to recognize the success of minority businesses. MSU will participate by hosting a Partnering Roundtable on October 27. A Men of Color Conference, sponsored by the MSU David Walker Institute, was being held at Kellogg Center that day.
B.Trustees' Comments
1)Trustee Nugent extended accolades again to everyone who worked on the University's Meningitis vaccination program.
Trustee Nugent complimented the Broad College of Business for its recent Eli Broad Lecture Series featuring William Kristol.
2)Trustee Cook expressed appreciation for Board members being notified so promptly about the student's illness and the Meningitis vaccination program. Ms. Cook said Board Secretary Pogel had been diligent in keeping Trustees informed.
Ms. Cook reported a friendly and overwhelmingly positive response had been expressed to her about the President's newsletter to alumni. She said the most consistent remark had been that it was a newsletter, and not a letter asking for contributions. Ms. Cook
remarked that the newsletter is an effective means of communicating with people who care about the University, and she urged the President to make an annual report to alumni about the progress and activities of the University.
Trustee Cook thanked Chairperson Gonzales for rearranging the agenda for the Board meeting so that those members who wished to attend the Broad Lecture were able to do so. Ms. Cook reported that the reception for Mr. Kristol following his lecture was heavily populated by graduate students, and it provided an opportunity to talk directly with students about their graduate work and how they feel about the institution.
Trustee Cook said she, too, had noticed the trash on the campus grounds following the last football game. But, she was also concerned that vehicles with passes to Lot A, north of the stadium, had spilled over onto the banks of the Red Cedar across from that parking lot. She thought the overflow might have resulted from donors taking more than one space and forcing people to alternative situations.
Ms. Cook congratulated Kathy Lindahl for being honored by women in athletic administration as one of the outstanding former athletic administrators in the country. Ms. Lindahl was recognized at the national meeting held in Atlanta last week.
3)Trustee Porteous said he would echo the comments of other Board members to compliment the President and members of the University community for reacting so quickly to get the Meningitis vaccination program underway. He said one of the benefits that had come from it was to raise an awareness throughout the State about Meningitis. Mr. Porteous said it also raised a new awareness of the issue whether or not there ought to be a requirement for certain vaccines for students that are entering college. He said he appreciated the fact that this is being reviewed and he looked forward to some sort of recommendation.
Mr. Porteous reported that the committee of the Board that is reviewing the recent State Supreme Court decision has met and will be meeting several more times. The committee will be looking at Board practices and procedures in regard to the Open Meetings Act and expects to have a recommendation to present to the Board within the next several months.
4)Trustees Traxler remarked that he often heard references to the David Walker Institute and was interested in the person behind the title. Provost Simon responded that the David Walker Institute was established about seven years ago as a research institute to look at issues that were significant within communities about the status of
males who were also of color. The issues were related to crime statistics, drop-out rates, and other fundamental societal problems. The Institute was named for David Walker, an abolitionist who was involved in health care issues.
10. Public Participation
Pamela Dilley, an arts educator, alum, student, and parent of MSU students, showed a video of the CBS Sunday morning program featuring "Cows on Parade" in Chicago. It was reported to be a successful project that raised considerable money and brought tourism to the city of Chicago. Ms. Dilley proposed that Michigan State purchase one of the cows at auction and/or undertake a similar project which she believes would have great potential for promoting public art on campus and MSU.
11.An Executive Session was not requested.
12.On a motion by Mr. Nugent, supported by Mr. Porteous, the Board adjourned at 11:40 a.m.
Peter McPherson, President
Nancy H. Pogel, Secretary
Addendum
The MSU Promise
Trustee Policy Committee Discussion (Board of Trustees Minutes Item 8.D.)
President McPherson commented: Yesterday we had some discussion at the Policy Committee work session about The MSU Promise. Additional discussion about The Promise seems very appropriate. The Promise is a document which has been circulated and discussed on campus. The Board has at various times discussed pieces of it. Dr. Simon, maybe you would like to add to that introduction.
Provost Simon: The MSU Promise is an important statement that guides decisions that are made at the department, college, and university level regarding what we will work on collectively to advance the interest of Michigan State University. We need to underscore that The Promise does not replace the Guiding Principles but provides a reforming of that platform as we look towards the sesquicentennial in 2005. Part of the way to think about The MSU Promise is to ask as we are standing at a grand ceremony on campus in 2005, what do we want to say that we have really accomplished over the last seven years running up to that sesquicentennial. The MSU Promise represents the statement of our intended accomplishment over this period of time. We do recognize that in any given department quality undergraduate education may take various forms. And, some of those particular forms and programs are unknown to us as we sit here today in the same way that Bailey Scholars and ROYAL and other programs that we are very proud of today were unknown to us in their specific form when we adopted the Guiding Principles in 1994. This provides a framework and outline for our agenda and work to be done.
Trustee Weiss: As I understand it, this is a sort of implementation-type plan of the Guiding Principles.
President McPherson: Yes, it is about further implementation.
Trustee Weiss: As we went through it yesterday, and as I look through it, it appears to me to reinforce what the Guiding Principles said, and these are just smaller subsections of implementation that we want to target. Is that a correct observation?
Provost Simon: I think that everything in The Promise would be consistent with the Guiding Principles. That was one of the tests that we used. In some cases it is a refinement. In other cases if you use the bold heading of "One of the Best Undergraduate Educations," it is a restatement of something that was implicit in the Guiding Principles under "Active Learning."
President McPherson: The Guiding Principles document has proven to be extraordinarily important for the University. It has proven over time to be an excellent management tool and a touchstone for broad policy matters.
Trustee Weiss: As I look at The Promise, I see it as an implementation plan, and I think it focuses on areas that we thought were important for the University when we approved The Guiding Principles. I think that the Guiding Principles have been extraordinary in keeping our focus on where we are going as an institution. I look at The Promise as a special focused road map that tells us in these areas here's what we want to do and here's where we want to go. I think, Mr. President, you, your administration, and this Board have been extremely effective in implementing the Principles. So often we see a document passed and shelved, and this was not. I think the fact that it was in many of our publications helped drive the Principles and made everyone understand who we are and what we are about. I think this additional document will help us go forward in the next five years. I think it is an outstanding document, and I think it will help us to be the best in the areas where we can make a difference and not be everything to everybody. It helps us further define where we should focus our attention.
Trustee Cook: I would hope that over the course of implementation that we have an opportunity to continue to review our progress and evaluate what we are doing. Also, if we find something that we collectively agree needs to be added to this document, I hope that issue is put before us.
President McPherson: Other thoughts this morning?
Trustee Cook: Ambitious. This is ambitious.
President McPherson: It is interesting, what you see some institutions doing is making a broad policy mission statement and then it gets filed away. Some institutions make very detailed plans, but don't really link these to broad concepts. What we tried to do and effectively did with the Guiding Principles, and with this next step can do the same, is to say for example, Promise One: We are committed to offering one of the best undergraduate education opportunities anywhere. And then, we say, here's some specific things we need to do.
Trustee Weiss: I also would like to thank Mr. Greenleaf for the outstanding job he has done in his leadership of the Guiding Principles. He has kept our eye on the ball and had a report at every meeting.
President McPherson: If you regularly don't say, look, where are we on the Guiding Principles and the MSU Promise, these important implementation items can fall off the table. These kinds of documents really commit you. They press you.
Trustee Porteous: Not to minimize the time and effort that went into preparing The Promise. It is a wonderful document, but I think the greater challenge really comes now as we try to implement it. Nobody here would say that offering the best undergraduate education isn't a laudable sort of goal to have, but then as we begin to implement it, we have to deal with many programs and whether we can afford to keep them or not if we want to enhance writing and math class sizes. Classes in some areas may have to be smaller, involve more teachers and better delivery of services. Financially implementing our plan is going to have quite an impact.
President McPherson: We need to be pulled and pushed. For example in The MSU Promise, the second Promise concerns lifting the bar with regard to research and graduate programs.
Trustee Cook: Once you put it in writing, your feet can be held to the fire on an issue.
President McPherson: Following the Guiding Principles, The Promise is a statement of practical aspirations.
Trustee Nugent: We are saying these are our goals to be achieved by our 150th anniversary. So we not only have said, here is the level to which we are raising the bar; we are establishing the finish line. There is a date certain when we are going to get this thing done.
Trustee Cook: If we were to go to the people interested in this University and just say, we make the promise of the finest undergraduate education available anywhere. The next question would be, how are you going to do that? Unless you have the hooks to hang the idea on, you flounder I think.
President McPherson: An effective plan requires both broad statements and hooks.
Provost Simon: The Promise does say what we mean by the best education from our perspective. It says that we are going to build on our research tradition and make sure that it is a part of the undergraduate education. We are going to worry about a core curriculum, and we are going to worry about trying to blend thinking and doing. We are going to develop analytical skills and conceptual understanding with practical hands-on kinds of experiences. So it is really being one of the best in a way that makes a difference and not being like everybody else.
President McPherson: Frankly, we don't have the resources to accomplish our goals in the most traditional ways, and frankly, it is not clear those are the best ways. One of the hallmarks of our institution is we have been able to achieve high quality with less money. We have often had to find a different path to follow.
Trustee Cook: But that's an issue I think, Mr. President. We, as a Board, must continue to evaluate the quality that we are producing. I think it is incumbent upon the Board and the administration to jointly monitor progress on behalf of the student body and the institution.
Secretary Pogel: I want to re-emphasize that this is not just a top down document. As the Board knows, we held more than 50 focus groups with faculty, students, administrators, and staff on a draft that looked very different from this. So the Promise went through a good deal of process, discussion and change before it came to you in its current form.
President McPherson: This is a particularly significant point.
Trustee Traxler: I would like to emphasize that the devil is always in the details. And in this case, it is always in the implementation. There is a certain dynamic tension, I think, at every major AAU research university between the question of apportionment of resources between the research aspects versus the undergraduate responsibilities. We are more than a three-quarter undergraduate university. I sometimes think that that's the tail of the cow, and I would raise the question which I hope some day the Board will look at; that is the amount of resources that are committed to research versus the resources that are committed to undergraduate education. There are enough people on this campus to speak for research because it does bring money to the University, obviously, and a certain
amount of prestige. But at the same time, from my standpoint, the principle mission of the university is undergraduate education, so we have to examine the quality of that undergraduate education periodically.
President McPherson: Mr. Traxler is already using Promise One to drive issues. I would say this about your point Bob: The difference between the large research university and a dominantly undergraduate regional school any place in the country, is the mutual advantage, the mutual reinforcement between research and undergraduate studies at the research university. We have asked all faculty to have a substantial involvement with undergraduate students. Because our faculty have been doing cutting edge research, their involvement with undergraduates is very different from a faculty that isn't involved in research. Not to be critical of others, but we provide a different type of education. Quality research and quality undergraduate education are mutually reinforcing here.
Trustee Weiss: And to follow up on that, I think a lot of our extraordinary applied research makes our undergraduate education more relevant to what these undergraduates are going to face when they get in the real world.
President McPherson: Let's take the College of Education, for example. In the professional development schools our faculty were partnering with K-12 teachers doing research and doing outreach in K-12 schools. That research and outreach enrich the undergraduate education experience on campus. You need to be out in the community involved with problems in order to have the best quality undergraduate experience and help to solve problems through research. We consistently are ranked top or near the top in elementary and high school education.
Trustee Weiss: In the Promise as in the Principles we have been emphasizing interdisciplinary studies. This is an extremely important part of all of both the graduate and undergraduate parts of our plans.
Trustee Traxler: That is all very interesting, but I think that at some point we need to examine class sizes, part-time faculty, the amount of resources that are committed to research facilities and modernization versus the amount of economic resources that are committed to undergraduate education.
President McPherson: Are there other questions on this topic this morning? We will discuss The MSU Promise more extensively at subsequent Board meetings.
Trustee Nugent: It is probably not ready for a vote yet.
President McPherson: I imagine not. All I can say is, I know that Dr. Simon and I and others are committed to the mutual reinforcement of our three missions. Our distinctiveness is a commitment to quality across the mission so as to make all three missions better and stronger. That is a fundamental assumption in both the Guiding Principles and the related MSU Promise.
Trustee Weiss: Do you want to do anything with The Promise at this point?
President McPherson: We will eventually bring it back. I think this kind of discussion is healthy and good. There are tradeoffs and problems, but we believe The Promise will raise the bar and push us and prod us to become stronger and better. With that, I would entertain a motion to adjourn the Policy Committee meeting.
Index
Page(s)
Chairperson's Report/Trustees' Comments 10763-66
Executive Session - None 10766
Finance Committee 10760-62
Appropriation Request, 2000-2001 10761
Architects/Engineers, Appointment of 10761
Spartan Stadium - Column Repairs 2000 10761
Spartan Stadium - East Concourse - Restoration 2000 10761
Bids and Contract Awards 10760-61
Hannah Administration Building - Replace Absorption Chillers 10760
Human Ecology Building - Window Replacement 10761
Nisbet Building - Chiller Installation 10761
External Auditors, Appointment of 10761
Fund Functioning as Endowment 10761
Executive Development Center Fund 10761
Report
Real Estate Properties 10762
Gift, Grant and Contract Report 10760
Personnel Actions 10760
Appointments 10760
Information Report 10760
Policy Committee 10762-63
Conflict of Interest, Potential - De Minimus Ownership (Delegate at next meeting) 10763
InfoPOEMs, Inc. 10763
Ergonomics Research Laboratory, Inc. 10763
Preservation Specialties, Inc. 10763
Cres Corporation 10763
Faculty Grievance Procedure (FGP), Amendments to 10762
Misconduct in Research and Creative Activities, Amendments to
Procedures Concerning Allegations of 10762-63
Report
The MSU Promise 10763
Addendum 10767-70
President's Report 10758-59
Public Participation 10760,10766
Germane to Agenda - None 10760
Other Issues 10766
