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Wednesday, 28 July 2010 12:26 |
- New MnSCU Chancellor search update:
- The search committee has been formed. The student representatives on the search committee are Travis Johnson, MSCSA President and Andrew Spaeth, MSUSA State Chair.
- The Board of Trustees is working on hiring a search firm to help with the recruitment process.
- In terms of candidate qualifications, it was discussed that the Board would like to see a demonstrated commitment to public service and successful management experience. The Board prefers someone with Higher Ed leadership experience, but will also consider business and nonprofit leaders.
- Board of Trustees, “Connecting with Campus”
- It was discussed that the Trustees should make an effort to better connect with the individual campuses.
- Chair Thiss suggested that each trustee should set a minimum goal of visiting at least one campus per year. Ideally, each campus would be visited by at least one trustee at least once per year.
- The visits are to be informational only and will provide an opportunity for trustees to meet with students, faculty, and staff to learn more about the campus.
- State of Minnesota Cash Flow Update
- The Board heard testimony from Minnesota Management and Budget Commissioner Tom Hanson regarding the current state of the State’s finances.
- The State is anticipating a situation where it may not have sufficient cash on-hand to pay its obligations. In response to a possible shortfall, the State is taking out a line of short-term credit. The credit line is not to exceed $600 million and will only be used if necessary.
- The State will also be engaging in general fund borrowing to manage the cash flow issues. It is anticipated that the State will borrow from the MnSCU fund to keep the general fund solvent. The state has agreed to leave MnSCU with a $100 million reserve; traditionally the reserve is $200 million.
- The State also anticipates delaying payments to K-12 schools, the University of Minnesota, and the health plans. The State will also delay sales and corporate tax refunds. The State will not be delaying its monthly transfers to MnSCU.
- Wadena Campus Reconstruction
- A design/build contract has been secured for reconstruction of the areas of the Wadena campus that were damaged in this summer’s severe weather.
- It is anticipated that the construction will cost between $3 million and $5 million. The vast majority of the cost will be paid for with insurance proceeds.
- “Students First” Update
- Students First has a new leader – Dr. Jonathan Eichten.
- It was reported that the project is moving along well. The Board requested an update on Students First at each board meeting.
- Accountability Dashboard Update
- The Board heard a presentation from Dr. Peter Ewell of the National Center for Higher Education Management Systems (NCHEMS) regarding the best way to quantify the “High Quality Learning” measure.
- Some of the suggested measures were:
- Publishing the results of accreditation reviews
- Developing an alumni survey
- Using existing exam results (e.g., graduate admissions tests)
- Implementing standardized general collegiate skills tests
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