xt7dv40jtd9t https://exploreuk.uky.edu/dips/xt7dv40jtd9t/data/mets.xml Lexington, Kentucky University of Kentucky 20040829 minutes English University of Kentucky Contact the Special Collections Research Center for information regarding rights and use of this collection. Minutes of the University of Kentucky Board of Trustees Minutes of the University of Kentucky Board of Trustees, 2004-08aug29r. text Minutes of the University of Kentucky Board of Trustees, 2004-08aug29r. 2004 2011 true xt7dv40jtd9t section xt7dv40jtd9t 







      Minutes of the retreat of the Board of Trustees of the University of Kentucky, Sunday
and Monday, August 29-30, 2004.

      The Board of Trustees of the University of Kentucky began its retreat at 3:00 p.m.
(Eastern Daylight Time) on Sunday, August 29, 2004 at Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill, 3501
Lexington Road, Harrodsburg, Kentucky.

      Ms. JoEtta Wickliffe, Vice Chair, welcomed the members to Mercer County and thanked
them for attending the retreat. She introduced Kernel reporter, Adam Sichko, and asked the
Board members to introduce themselves.

      The following members were in attendance: Mira Ball, Stephen Branscum, Ann Haney,
James F. Hardymon, Marianne Smith Edge, Michael Kennedy, Billy Joe Miles, Roy Moore,
Phillip Patton, Steven S. Reed (late arrival), C. Frank Shoop, Alice Stevens Sparks, Myra Leigh
Tobin, Rachel Watts, JoEtta Wickliffe, Russ Williams, Elaine Wilson, and Barbara Young.
President and Mrs. Lee T. Todd, Jr. were also in attendance.

      Absent from the retreat were Pamela R. May and Billy Wilcoxson.

      A.    General Discussion on the Role of the Trustees

      Ms. Wickliffe began the meeting with a general discussion on the role of the Trustees.
Various members of the Board expressed their opinions about the Trustees' role, including hiring
and firing of a chief executive officer, hiring faculty, restructure of the university, approving
graduates, having a shared vision and strategic direction for the university, connecting the budget
to the plan for the university, business and policy issues, and operating as a team with the
Provost and President. Ms. Watts expressed that her role is to make sure the focus is on he
students, and the students are in the forefront. Mr. Branscum said that it is important to keep the
entire university family in mind as the Board functions. Professor Moore said from his
experience as an ACE Fellow the boards that build consensus are the ones that are most
effective, and the Board should always keep in mind that the goal for the University is always to
move forward. Ms. Wickliffe said that a divided Board cannot be beneficial to anyone.
President Todd said that it is always nice to have the Board's thoughts on the things the
University does and what it can do better.

      President Todd encouraged the Board to talk with the Chair of the Board or with him
about issues or concerns. There was a discussion about setting up a process for addressing issues
and concerns. Dr. Moore said that observation is the best way to learn. The Board should be
good listeners and not make promises. A Board should always be careful not to undermine the
President of the institution. Mr. Miles asked if the Board was going to go forward with it
suggestions about issues and concerns. He said it was time to put something in procedure. Ms.
Wickliffe appointed a committee to develop a format for protocol to deal with different issues
and concerns. She appointed the following members to serve on the committee: James
Hardymon, Chair, Phillip Patton, Barbara Young, Roy Moore, and Ann Haney. Judge Patton
said that it is important that the Board not go off in different directions.




 




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      Judge Patton asked about the appropriate role of the Board when the legislature is in
session. He expressed that the Board should not go in different directions. President Todd
reported that Steve Byars and Tom Harris have started a group called UKAN across the state to
carry UK's messages and provide a short list of priorities. They will try to keep the Board
abreast of policy issues. He thanked the Board for talking to legislators about the University.

      B.    Trustee Involvement in Campus Activities or Issues and How to be Helpful in that
Involvement

      The Board discussed their involvement in campus activities and talked about how to be
helpful in that involvement. Professor Kennedy said that it would be good to have two members
at events when possible and suggested an electronic calendar for tracking the Board's
participation. Ms. Wickliffe said it is important to have the Board involvement in events;
however, the officers cannot always attend an event. A star system or some kind of prioritization
was discussed for the important events because it can be overwhelming to attend the many
events. Ms. Smith Edge said that the Board needed to know their responsibility when attending
events. Ms. Watts said that she would try to keep the Board informed of the student events on
campus. She invited and encouraged the Board to attend social and academic events for
students.

      President Todd talked about campus activities and fundraising events. He said that one
measure is not the amount but the number. He mentioned that there would be black-tie
fundraising events at the Boone Center when the renovations were completed, and there would
be seating for 200 to 300 people. He mentioned some of the important events on campus such as
Kentucky Welcome, the convocation, and the Singletary luncheon. He said that he would try to
include campus events in his biweekly newsletter to the Board.

      Mrs. Todd reported that she is working with Winn Stephens in the Alumni Association
office in getting dinners scheduled in alumni homes. There are professional supporters in the
community that would love to have students in their homes to talk about their professions. She
said that it be done like the Fusion program.

      President Todd talked about cultivating others, having more outreach and raising more
money.

      C.    Committee Structure and How Committees can Improve their Effectiveness

      The Board then discussed the committee structure, the meeting schedule for committees,
and their effectiveness. Mr. Shoop said that the Board "came alive" when it reorganized the
committees. This, in his opinion, was the best thing that happened to the Board because it helps
the Board be better informed.

      Mr. Hardymon said, in his opinion, the Finance Committee takes too much time in the
Board meetings. He suggested that someone check the regulations to see what the Committee
can do to shorten its time in the Board meetings. It was the consensus of the Board to streamline
the Finance Committee. President Todd said the goal is to minimize time in Board meetings.




 




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      Ms. Sparks summarized her Academic Affairs Committee. Praise was given to Ms
Sparks for her leadership in conducting the Academic Affairs Committee meetings the past year.
Ms. Sparks said that she is delighted with the level of involvement and interest in the Committee.

      D.     Scheduling of Regular Meetings and Committee Meetings

      Judge Patton began the discussion by stating that it would help his schedule if the
meetings were scheduled on the second Tuesday of each month. A discussion followed
regarding the number of meetings held last year and the required number with the newly passed
legislation. The Board agreed on a proposed schedule for the 2005 calendar year that will be
presented at the September Board meeting.

      E.    Discussion of Continuing Dinners the Night before Board Meetings

      The Board discussed dinners the evening prior to Board meetings. Judge Patton said that
he found the dinners to be helpful. Mrs. Todd suggested the two or three deans be invited to the
dinners for informal discussions about their colleges. She said the dinners the night before Board
meetings are great business opportunities. Mr. Hardymon agreed that it would be excellent to
invite the deans to the dinners. President Todd said it could be social at the dinners, and the
deans could make formal presentations at the meetings the following day. Ms. Tobin said that it
should be communicated that all deans would be included before the end of the year. It was the
general consensus that the dinners be held the night before Board meetings.

      F.    Academic and Other Initiatives

      Provost Mike Nietzel gave a presentation on academics. He talked about enrollment,
degrees conferred, graduation rates, retention rates, and first-year student profile, including fall
enrollment, high school grade point average, middle 50 percent range of ACT scores, and awards
and honors earned.

      President Todd and Provost Mike Nietzel gave a presentation about the University's Top
20 status and the business plan. President Todd pointed out that goals were set for higher
education, but there was no plan to get to Top 20 status. He hoped to have a plan to present to
the legislators. If the state is serious, it will have to help the University get there. Mr. Reed said
it is important for the plan to lay out what the public will get for it.

      President Todd talked about the importance of the University becoming a member of the
American Association of Universities and the need for others to feel the University of Kentucky
has something special. He mentioned inviting other presidents and speakers to visit campus and
exposing people to the many things the University has to offer.

      President Todd reported that the University is a member of NASULGC and BHEF. He
informed the Board that he would be doing a series of white papers on initiatives at the
University.




 




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      Provost Nietzel reviewed the undergraduate curriculum for the next year and reviewed
the top 10 goals. The Board members joined in the discussion about the individual goals.

      Provost Nietzel talked about the various offices and their functions and putting a program
together so students know the University has an interest in them.

       G.    Retreat Adjourned

             The retreat ended at 12:00 p.m. on August 30th.

                                                Respectfully submitted,


                                                Russ Williams
                                                Secretary, Board of Trustees