IU Trustees May meeting

The Trustees of Indiana University heard about proposed housing rates and meal plan costs, about changes in the residence halls at IU Bloomington, authorized further examination of variable rate financing and adopted a new intellectual property policy at their May 9 meeting in Bloomington.

Facility action

• IU trustees approved the design for a classroom/office building on the IU East campus. The fourth building in the campus' proposed quadrangle includes day care and wellness centers and recreational facilities, as well as reading and mathematics labs.

• Conveyed to Howard County officials were properties known as the Elliott House and the Seiberling Mansion and their respective carriage houses, which will be used as part of the Howard County Historical Museum. Both structures had been part of IU Kokomo before it moved its present site in the late 1960s. In 1971, the Seiberling Mansion and its carriage house were leased for 99 years to the Board of Commissioners of Howard County. The Elliott House also had been leased from time to time to the commissioners, who used the building for administrative uses. Trustees agreed to retire the lease and place both properties under the ownership of the historical society, which will restore and preserve them for the benefit of the community. IU retains the right to reconvey them in the event of a sale.

• Trustees heard a report concerning the Advanced Research and Technology Institute.

  Committee Reports

• On-campus room rates for IU Bloomington students could increase by 7.6 percent and meal plans could go up by 5 percent under a proposal presented by Kenneth Gros Louis, IU vice president for academic affairs and chancellor of the Bloomington campus. The plan was outlined with input from student leaders at a meeting of the Finance and Audit Committee, and is expected to be acted upon by trustees in June.

• At IUPUI, housing at Ball Residence Hall and at Warthin Apartments could increase by 4 percent for new residents, and increase by 3.5 percent for those living in Graduate Townhomes. Rates for those living in International House will not increase, since they have been restructured to match those of Warthin Apartments. Based on budget projections, housing income and expense will increase by 2.2 percent, said Robert Martin, vice chancellor for administration and finance at IUPUI. This matter awaits June action.

• Consultants from Arthur Andersen presented their report to the Finance and Audit Committee on how effective changes in Residence Halls food service at IU Bloomington have been implemented. While student opinion has improved, concerns remain about how well the changes are being communicated to food service employees and getting them more involved in the process. Gros Louis said this matter is being given attention. The report also is helping IU to be more responsive to market demands.

• A consultant from Morgan Stanley & Co. presented a study comparing fixed-rate and variable rate financing of major university projects. In recent years, the universities such as Ohio State, Purdue, Michigan and Northwestern have benefitted from lower interest rates available through variable rate financing. The Finance and Audit Committee took the report under advisement, and recommended that trustees consider variable rate financing in the future. In official action by the full board, trustees authorized it as an option for future serious consideration.

• Trustees heard reports about implementation of the Teaching Excellence Recognition Awards (TERA) program on all the campuses. Other than minor problems, TERA was successful this spring in giving recognition to IU's most effective teachers, campus chancellors said.

• Donald Warren, university dean of the School of Education, discussed with members of the University Policies Committee efforts by his school and IU to address needs in the state public school system. That trustees committee also discussed the issue of post-tenure faculty review.

  Appointments

• Trustees approved the appointments of David G. Woods as dean of the IU School of Music; Mark Sothmann as associate dean of the IU School of Medicine and dean of the School of Allied Health Sciences (see story, this issue), Donald Hossler as acting IU vice president for enrollment services, Suzanne E. Thorin as university dean of University Libraries, and Paul Nelson as Betsy Barton professor of neurosurgery.

  Policy action

• Trustees voted to accept IU's Intellectual Property Policy already adopted by University Faculty Council in April. The policy replaced IU's previous patent policy.

Related Link:
http://www.indiana.edu/~trustees

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