Approved

 

 

NORTHERN MICHIGAN UNIVERSITY

BOARD OF TRUSTEES

Minutes of the Regular Session

of

Thursday-Friday, September 27-28, 2007

 

 

A regular session of the Board of Trustees of Northern Michigan University was held on Thursday-Friday, September 27-28, 2007, in the Cohodas Hall, Northern Michigan University, Marquette, Michigan.  The meeting was convened at 12:55 p.m., Thursday, September 27, 2007, in the Board of Trustees Room, 602 Cohodas, by Chair Mary C. Lukens.

 

Trustees present included:

 

            Mary C. Lukens, Chair                       Samuel S. Benedict                 Douglas B. Roberts    

            Alan T. Ackerman (via telephone)      Brian D. Cloyd                       Gilbert L. Ziegler

            Stephen F. Adamini                            Jon G. LaSalle                         Leslie E. Wong, ex officio

 

                       

Senior staff and counsel present included:

 

            Catherine L. Dehlin, General Counsel

Susan J. Koch, Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs

R. Gavin Leach, Vice President for Finance and Administration and Treasurer of the Board

            Theresa M. Nease, Executive Assistant to the President and Secretary of the Board

            Carol D. Bergman, Administrative Assistant, Office of the President

           

           

CLOSED SESSION AUTHORIZATION

 

President Wong presented the following recommendation:

 

It is recommended that the following resolution relative to holding a closed session of the Board of Trustees of Northern Michigan University be approved:

 

RESOLVED, that the Board shall meet in Closed Session at 1:00 p.m., on September 27, 2007, pursuant to Section 8 of the Open Meetings Act:

 

To consider matters connected with the strategy and/or negotiation of its collective bargaining agreements;

 

To consider the purchase or lease of real property on which the University does not hold an option;

 

To consult with the attorney for the University on matters relating to pending litigation, it being the opinion of the Board that consideration of such matters in an open meeting would have a detrimental financial effect on the litigation and/or settlement position of the University;

 

To consider material exempt from discussion or disclosure by state or federal statute.

 

Mr. LaSalle moved that the resolution be approved.  It was supported by Dr. Roberts.  On a roll-call vote, the Board voted as follows:

 

                                         Aye                                                Nay

                                    Mr. Ackerman

                                    Mr. Adamini

                                    Mr. Benedict

                                    Mr. Cloyd

                                    Mr. LaSalle

                                    Ms. Lukens

                                    Dr. Roberts

                                    Mr. Ziegler                             

            None

 

The resolution was thus approved unanimously.

 

Chair Lukens announced that Ms. Nease will be excusing herself from this closed session and all future closed sessions until negotiations with the AFSCME union are settled.  Ms. Nease’s husband is an employee of the University and a member of the AFSCME union.

 

 

RECESS

 

Chair Lukens recessed the meeting at 12:59 p.m.

 

 

RECONVENE

 

Chair Lukens reconvened the meeting at 8:45 a.m. on Friday, September 28, 2007.

 

Trustees present included:

 

            Mary C. Lukens, Chair                       Samuel S. Benedict                 Douglas B. Roberts

            Alan T. Ackerman (via telephone)      Brian D. Cloyd                       Gilbert L. Ziegler

            Stephen F. Adamini                            Jon G. LaSalle                         Leslie E. Wong, ex officio                 

 

Senior staff and counsel present included:

 

            Catherine L. Dehlin, General Counsel

Susan J. Koch, Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs

            Gavin Leach, Vice President for Finance and Administration and Treasurer of the Board

            Theresa M. Nease, Executive Assistant to the President and Secretary of the Board

           

 

INDIVIDUAL REQUESTS TO ADDRESS THE BOARD

 

None 

 

 

APPROVAL OF BOARD OF TRUSTEE BYLAWS

 

Mr. Ackerman, Chair of the ad hoc Bylaws Review Committee, presented the proposed revised bylaws for review.  After discussion, the Board took the following action:

 

It was moved by Mr. LaSalle, seconded by Mr. Adamini, and unanimously supported by the Board of Trustees to approve the revised bylaws.  (See Addendum #1.)

 

 

FOCUS DISCUSSION 

 

Mr. Doug Kazma, JJR Consultant, gave an update on the progress of the development of the Campus Master Plan, including discussion topics of schedule, principle-driven planning, community context, building consensus, and specific master plan opportunities.  Items highlighted were green space, parking, Presque Isle corridor, housing connection to academic core, and connection to the lake.  Discussion followed, and Mr. Kazma responded to questions and comments from Board members.  Feedback on the plan will be solicited from faculty, staff, and students, and the results will be presented to the Board of Trustees at the December meeting.  (See Addendum # 2.)

 

 

RECESS – Chair Lukens recessed the meeting at 10:30 a.m. for a break.

 

 

RECONVENE -- Chair Lukens reconvened the meeting at 10:42 a.m.

 

 

COMMITTEE REPORTS

 

Executive

 

Mr. Benedict, Chair of the Executive Committee, reported on the meeting held on

Thursday, September 27, 2007.  A copy of the report is appended to these minutes (Addendum #3).

 

The following action item was presented.  Mr. Benedict said the Board reviewed the President’s performance against the 2006-2007 goals.  The Board believes the University is very well run, and the Board is pleased with and supportive of the activities of Dr. Wong in leading the University.  The Board also recognized the accomplishments and activities of Mrs. Wong.  Based on the recommendation of the Executive Committee, the Board took the following action:

 

            It was moved by Mr. LaSalle, seconded by Ms. Lukens, and supported unanimously by the Board to approve President Wong’s incentive payout for 2006-2007.

 

 

Academic Affairs

 

Mr. LaSalle, Chair of the Academic Affairs Committee, reported on a meeting held on Thursday, September 27, 2007.  A copy of the report is appended to these minutes (Addendum #4). 

 

Finance

 

Dr. Roberts, Chair of the Finance Committee, reported on a meeting held on Thursday,

September 27, 2007.  A copy of the report is appended to these minutes (Addendum #5). 

 

The following action items were presented.  Based on the recommendation of the Finance Committee, the Board took the following action:

 

            It was moved by Mr. Adamini, seconded by Mr. Ackerman, and supported unanimously by the Board to approve the hiring of an additional outside firm to review the Cogeneration Project, and that a copy of the review be provided to the members of the Board of Trustees.  This is conditional upon NMU being able to contract with a firm within 30 days at a cost not to exceed $100,000.

 

It was moved by Mr. Ziegler, seconded by Mr. Benedict, and supported unanimously by the Board to approve the change from a Traditional Investment Service to an Advisory Investment Program.

 

 

Ad hoc Nominating

 

Mr. Ackerman reported on the Ad hoc Nominating Committee meeting held on Friday,

September 28, 2007 (Addendum #6).  Following the recommendation of the Committee, and there being no nominations from the floor, the election of officers was held:

 

It was moved by Mr. Cloyd, seconded by Mr. LaSalle, and supported unanimously by the Board to re-elect Mary Lukens as Chair and Douglas Roberts as Vice Chair of the NMU Board of Trustees for calendar year 2008. 

 

 

 

ASNMU REPORT

 

Mr. Chris Storves, 2007-2008 ASNMU President, reported.  A copy of the report is appended to these minutes (Addendum #7).   

 

 

PRESIDENT’S REPORT

 

President Wong thanked the Board for their continued confidence in his leadership of the University.  He gave credit to his team.

 

President Wong reported on his recent visit with Howard Schultz, NMU alum and Starbucks CEO. 

 

President Wong announced NMU has been exploring an opportunity with the FCC to secure noncommercial spectrum that is currently unassigned.  The FCC is considering lifting the ban and granting the petition.  If approved, NMU will be the first university in the country to get into this bandwidth, and this will allow NMU to not only deploy WiMax earlier but to eventually bring educational Broadband services (particularly in the delivery of NMU programs) to the Upper Peninsula and northern Wisconsin.

 

Trustee Program Visits:  President Wong thanked the Board for being an engaged and active Board and then encouraged Board of Trustee members to visit a class, be a guest lecturer, or participate in some aspect of the curriculum during the 2007-2008 academic year

 

Legislative Update:  NMU Lobbyist David Haynes gave a legislative update.  He responded to questions and comments from Trustees. 

 

Enrollment Report:  President Wong, Mr. Bill Bernard, and Dr. Susan Koch gave an enrollment update focusing on current enrollment numbers and recruitment and retention goals. (Addendum #8).  They responded to questions and comments from Trustees. 

 

 

ACTION ON FORMAL RECOMMENDATIONS

 

It was moved by Mr. Ziegler, seconded by Mr. LaSalle, and unanimously supported by the Board of Trustees to approve the Formal Recommendations, as amended. (Addendum #9)

 

 

ANNOUNCEMENT OF CLOSED SESSION TO BE HELD IN CONNECTION WITH THE THURSDAY-FRIDAY, DECEMBER 13-14, 2007, MEETING OF THE BOARD

 

President Wong made this announcement for the public record. 

           

 

ADJOURNMENT

 

Chair Lukens adjourned the meeting at 12:40 p.m.

 

 

Respectfully submitted,

 

 

___________________________________

Theresa M. Nease

Secretary of the Board