2005

Minutes of the Meeting of August 26, 2005

The August 26, 2005 meeting of the Texas Woman’s University Board of Regents was called to order at the appointed time and place by Dr. Therese Bevers, Board Chair and Presiding Officer.  Present were Dr. Bevers, Mr. Harry Crumpacker, Mrs. Virginia Dykes, Mr. Kenneth Ingram, Ms. Tegwin Pulley, Dr. Lou Rodenberger, Ms. Sharon Venable, and Ms. Ann Williams, constituting a quorum.

The Board Chair announced that an Executive Closed Session would not be held.

The Board then considered approval of the minutes of the Board of Regents meetings of June 10, 2005.  Upon motion by Ms. Pulley and second by Ms. Williams, the minutes were unanimously approved with one correction to the title of Dr. Rodenberger.

Dr. Bevers called upon Mr. Harry Crumpacker, Chair of the Finance and Audit Committee, for consideration of Finance and Audit Committee items.  Ms. Pulley made a motion for approval of the personnel report (Exhibit 1879), acceptance of grants (Exhibit 1880), and contracts and agreements (Exhibit 1881).  The motion was seconded by Mrs. Dykes and unanimously approved.  A motion to set the Chancellor’s salary at $341,000, effective September 1, 2005, was made by Mr. Crumpacker, seconded by Ms. Williams, and all voted in favor.  Ms. Pulley made a motion for approval of the FY 2006 Budget (Exhibit 1882).  The motion was seconded by Ms. Williams and unanimously approved.  Next, Ms. Williams made a motion for approval to purchase three houses and lots located at 1120 Bell Avenue, 1119 Vine Street, and 1123 Vine Street in Denton, Texas for $200,000, subject to Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board approval, and authorized the TWU Vice President for Finance and Administration to sign all papers and documents on behalf of Texas Woman’s University relating to such purchases.  The motion was seconded by Mr. Crumpacker and unanimously approved.  A motion was made by Ms. Williams and seconded by Mr. Crumpacker, and all voted in favor of approval of the Policy Relating to Public Testimony at Regular Meetings of the TWU Board of Regents (Exhibit 1883).  Ms. Williams made a motion to amend Article IV, Section 12 of the Regents Bylaws, as set out in Exhibit 1884, to provide for the public testimony policy, which was seconded by Mr. Crumpacker and unanimously approved.  A motion for approval of the 2006 Annual Audit Plan of the Internal Audit Department (Exhibit 1885) was made by Ms. Pulley, seconded by Ms. Williams, and all voted in favor.  Mr. Crumpacker said that he had no Committee report.

Dr. Bevers called upon Ms. Ann Williams, Chair of the Institutional Development Committee, for consideration of Committee items.  Ms. Williams made a motion, seconded by Ms. Pulley, for acceptance of the gifts to TWU (Exhibit 1886).  All voted in favor.  Ms. Williams said that she had no Committee report.

Next, Dr. Bevers called upon Ms. Tegwin Pulley, Chair of the Academic Affairs Committee, to presented items for consideration.  Ms. Pulley made a motion for approval of amendment of the TWU Faculty Evaluation, Promotion, and Tenure Policy (Regents Policy 5.03) by deleting the sections titled Promotion and Tenure Review Process (PT Process) and Peer Review Committee (PRC on pages 7 and 8) and inserting the attached (Exhibit 1887) Promotion and Tenure Review Procedure.  The motion was seconded by Dr. Rodenberger and unanimously approved.  Ms. Pulley said she had no Committee report.

Dr. Bevers, serving as Chair of the Information Services Committee, stated that there was no Committee report.

Dr. Bevers then called upon Mr. Kenneth Ingram, Chair of the Student Life Committee, who stated that there was no Committee report.

Mr. Ingram made a motion, seconded by Mr. Crumpacker, authorizing the University to invite bids prior to November 15, 2005 to lease the TWU campus property in Denton for oil, gas, and associated minerals.  All voted in favor.

Ms. Williams made a motion for approval to provide $10,000,000 for construction at the TWU Institute of Health Sciences Dallas Center.  The motion was seconded by Mr. Crumpacker and unanimously approved.

Chancellor and President, Dr. Ann Stuart, began her report by calling upon Mr. Rusty Kelley, Managing Director for Public Strategies, Inc., to give a legislative summary as it related to TWU and the 2005 Session.  Mr. Kelley thanked the Board and introduced his assistant, Ms. Carol McGarah.  Mr. Kelly stated that it is a privilege to represent TWU, and that he and Ms. McGarah appreciated working with a good team.  He added that TWU has built credibility with the Legislature because TWU has accomplished every thing that Dr. Stuart has set out to accomplish.

Next, Dr. Stuart showed a slide presentation. The slides covered the facilities projects introduced or completed over the past year on the Denton, Dallas, and Houston campuses:

• Lowry Woods Community
• Student Lounge at Stark Hall
• Gertrude Gibson Guest House
• Windows in the CFO, MCL, and ACT Buildings
  (Windows will be washed during the Fall after the buildings have been caulked for waterproofing.)
• Stoddard Hall
  (One end of this historical building is going to be converted to house the Honors Scholar Program.)
• Student Health Services
  (This project has been completed, which allows for more patient contact.)
• Campus Lighting
  (The old lamps are being replaced by new lamps that are more architecturally suited for the University and provide improved lighting.)
• Beautiful Fire Escapes at the Margo Jones Performance Hall and the Art Building
  (These had to be added to bring the building up to code.)
• Hubbard Hall Lobby and Banquet Room
• New TWU Houston Institute of Health Sciences

Next, Dr. Stuart informed the Board that, as in the previous Board meeting, she has selected a national issue that is important to the nation, then is asking whomever is responsible in that area to see how it affects TWU.  She stated that today we would be addressing the technology issue and called upon Mr. Bill Palmertree, Vice President for Information Services. Mr. Palmertree began a slide presentation and stated that the technology available at TWU is what students are looking for: convenience, time-saving, and state-of-the-art equipment.  He stated that TWU takes pride in its technology.  Mr. Palmertree commented that students have access to resources such as general computer labs, classroom labs, technology classrooms, online learning tools, video conferencing technologies, and web-based courses.  He stated that technology brings the instructor to the student, adding, for example, that the videoconference classrooms offer instructors the ability to teach classes to one or more remote sites. Slides were shown of the videoconference classrooms as well as the video production and control room located in the MCL. Mr. Palmertree then showed slides of the computer labs, which included the Mega Computer Lab, the Guinn Hall Computer Lab, the Cyber Lounge, and the computer labs at the Parkland, Presbyterian, and Houston campuses, and stated that computer lab use is way up.  He then discussed new developments and special interest projects, which included the wireless network system, the nursing clinical technology applications, the new starboard technology, the Lowry Woods Community Center, and the Math and Technology Success Center.  Mr. Palmertree commented that the student-to-computer ratio is 9-to-1.  He also said that 98% of the classrooms have presentation technology to facilitate the instructor’s presentation of course materials and concepts. Mr. Palmertree noted that the primary web-based course delivery system for TWU is Blackboard and commented that during the Spring 2005 almost 2,000 courses were online, that 100% of the departments utilized blackboard, and that there are an average of 35,000 hits per day on the server.  Regarding the Pioneer TV, cable Channel 32, Mr. Palmertree stated that it was implemented in Fall 2002 and that it provides information about TWU to the local community.  He stated that regular visits to other universities, such as University of North Texas, University of Texas at Dallas, Baylor University, North Central Texas College, and Collin County Community College, are conducted to find out what they have and what TWU does not have.  Mr. Palmertree concluded his presentation by introducing Dr. Patricia Edwards, Director of Instructional Support Services, and Mr. Jared Vernon, Instructional Operations Coordinator at the Dallas Parkland campus.

In the Board Chair’s report, Dr. Bevers stated that, as she reflected back to four years ago, she is thrilled with what has been accomplished at TWU, including facility upgrades, enrollment growth, and retention.  She commented that the approved budget allows the University to bring salaries up to 10% below market or an increase of 3%, whichever is greater.  Dr. Bevers said that it was an exciting time for TWU.  She suggested that TWU extend an invitation to Mr. Bob Shepard, Chair of the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, and to the Commissioner of Higher Education, Mr. Raymund Paredes, so that they can see and get to know TWU and can then change TWU to a group that fits the University and can be measured accurately under the Texas Higher Education Accountability System.  Dr. Bevers concluded her report by stating that she anxiously awaits the coming year.

The Board next held a Strategic Planning Workshop.

There being no further business, the meeting concluded.