UHS - Meeting Minutes

MINUTES OF THE MEETING
UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON SYSTEM
BOARD OF REGENTS MEETING

August 1, 2007

Members Present:	Members Absent:
Leroy L. Hermes, Chair Michael J. Cemo, Vice Chair Calvin W. Stephens, Secretary Dennis D. Golden Raul A. Gonzalez Morgan Dunn O’Connor Lynden B. Rose Welcome W. Wilson, Sr. Jim P. Wise	Christopher Sharpe

The University of Houston System Board of Regents convened in the Melcher Board Room, Athletics/Alumni Center at the University of Houston on Wednesday, August 1, 2007. Noting the presence of a quorum, Chairman Hermes called the meeting to order at 8:32 a.m.

Action : Regent O’Connor moved approval of the minutes from the following meetings:

April 22, 2007, Board of Regents Retreat
April 23, 2007, Board of Regents Retreat
May 1, 2007, Endowment Management Committee Meeting
May 2, 2007 Board of Regents Meeting
May 17, 2007, Board of Regents Meeting
June 19, 2007, Special Called Board of Regents Meeting

Regent Cemo seconded the motion, and the minutes were passed as presented.

Chairman Hermes stated that Item C, Amendment to Board Bylaw 4.1-UH System had been withdrawn from the agenda.

There being no further business, the board recessed for the meetings of the standing committees at 8:32 a.m. and Chairman Hermes turned the meeting over to Regent Gonzalez.

ACADEMIC AND STUDENT AFFAIRS COMMITTEE

Regent Gonzalez called the meeting to order at 8:33 a.m. and turned the meeting over to Dr. Foss.

Dr. Foss presented the following six action items for review by the committee:

Action Items:

Master of Technology Degree (MTCH) in Future Studies in Commerce – University of Houston
The University of Houston proposes the establishment of a Master of Technology (MTCH) Degree in Future Studies in Commerce, to be administered by the College of Technology. Focusing on the retail industry, the program is designed to prepare professionals for complex decision making, foresight alternatives, and preferable futures in marketplace situations. Forty students are projected by the fifth year, with only minimal costs anticipated.

Bachelor of Arts (BA) Degree in Healthcare Services – UH-Clear Lake
UH-Clear Lake proposes the creation of a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree in Healthcare Services to be administered by the School of Business. The program is directed toward students who have earned an Associate of Arts degree in the allied health professions and would allow them to complete the 42-hour State of Texas mandated core curriculum required for a bachelor’s degree. It is anticipated that 120 students will be enrolled by the 5^th year. Five year costs would approximate $600,000, derived primarily from new formula funding and internal reallocation.

Bachelor of Applied Arts and Sciences (BAAS) Degree in Criminal Justice – UH-Downtown
The University of Houston-Downtown proposes the establishment of a Bachelor of Applied Arts and Sciences degree in Criminal Justice, to be administered by the Department of Criminal Justice. The proposed program would have three areas of concentration: security management, law enforcement, and public service. It is projected that 85 students would be enrolled by the 5^th year. Five year costs of $350,000 would be derived from new formula funding and designated tuition.

Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) Degree – UH-Downtown
The University of Houston-Downtown proposes the establishment of a Bachelor of Social Work degree, to be administered by the Department of Social Sciences. The 120 hour program is intended to prepare entry-level social workers for generalist positions in an urban environment and for future professional development and graduate study. Approximately 50 students would be enrolled by the 5th year, with five year costs approximating $300,000, derived primarily from endowment income and designed tuition.

Personnel Action for Executive Management Employee – UH-Clear Lake
Approval is requested for the appointment of Dr. Carl A. Stockton, as Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost, effective August 1, 2007. Prior to accepting this position, Dr. Stockton served as the Dean and Houston Endowed Chair for Education in the School of Education at the University of Texas at Brownsville.
Dr. William Staples, President of UH-Clear Lake, introduced Dr. Stockton at the meeting.
Personnel Action for Executive Management Employee – UH-Victoria
Approval is requested for the promotion of Dr. Jeffrey Di Leo, Interim Dean, School of Arts and Sciences to Dean, School of Arts and Sciences, effective September 1, 2007.

Regent Rose moved approval of the action items as presented. Regent Cemo seconded the motion, which passed unanimously.

The items requiring board approval will be placed on the August 16, 2007 agenda for consideration by the board.

There being no further business to come before the committee, the meeting adjourned at 8:37 a.m.

ADMINISTRATION AND STRATEGIC PLANNING COMMITTEE

Regent Wise called the meeting to order at 8:37 a.m. and turned the meeting over to Mr. Jim McShan.

Mr. McShan presented the following action items for review by the committee:

Action Items:

FY 2008 Plan and Budget – UH System
Approval is requested for the FY2008 Plan and Budget. Annual plans, plus revenue and expenditure budgets, are being presented for all university components for the period September 2007 through August 2008. The total budget for the UH System includes operations and capital projects for the University of Houston, UH-Downtown, UH-Clear Lake, UH-Victoria, and UH System Administration. A copy of FY 2008 Plan and Budget presentation is on file in the board office.

East Parking Garage Construction – University of Houston
Mr. McShan turned the meeting over to Mr. Dave Irvin, who presented this item.
Approval is requested to construct a 900-1000 parking space, three-story, pre-cast parking garage in the Professional Precinct at a total project cost of $9 million. Construction of the garage will be paid through parking revenue raised from the recently approved parking fee increases. The garage will replace lost surface parking spaces, meet the parking needs of the new residence facility, and provide additional spaces for projected future commuter demand in this area. Upon board approval, the project will be submitted to the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board for approval.

Renovation and Expansion of the W. I. Dykes Library – UH-Downtown
Mr. McShan turned the meeting over to Dr. Castillo, who introduced David Bradley, to present this item.
Approval is requested to proceed with renovation and expansion of the library on the UH-Downtown campus. The renovation will take approximately 15-18 months with a project budget of $3.5 million. The renovation and expansion will transform the library into a modern academic, state-of-the-art facility with adequate space and resources to accommodate the growing student population for the next decade. The design of this space will be student-centered, providing functions that have been frequently requested by students and other members of the UH-Downtown campus community. A copy of this presentation is on file in the Board office.

Ground Lease and Associated Agreements between the University of Houston and Houston Sigma Chi House Corporation – UH System
Consistent with Board of Regent approval of May 6, 2002, additional approval is requested for delegation of authority to the Chancellor in negotiating a Ground Lease and Associated Agreements benefiting Houston Sigma Chi House Corporation (Lessee) in providing housing for University students affiliated with Lessee. The lease will be for a term of 40 years, with a 10-year option, with annual lease rates supported by a market appraisal. The property to be leased (.2727 acres) is adjacent to the Bayou Oaks Student Housing complex and will be used in accordance with Texas law and University policies, with Lessee responsible for all development, operational and construction costs associated with improvements made to the leased property.

Sale of Ponderosa Forest Property – UH System
Approval is requested to sell the property located at 1611 Grand Valley, Houston, Texas, for $25,000 less closing costs. The property, 9,243 sq. ft of land, was donated to the University of Houston Athletics Department by Kenneth and Mary Reese with the intention of providing funding to Athletics through the sale of the property. Current Harris County Appraisal District Records for similar properties in the area lists the value at $17,100. An independent appraisal estimates the value of the property to be approximately $2.70 per square foot, or $25,000. Approval is also requested for a delegation of authority to the Interim Chancellor to negotiate and execute all necessary legal documents related to this site.

Regent Wise moved approval of all of the action items as presented. Regent O’Connor seconded the motion, which passed unanimously.

The items requiring board approval will be placed on the August 16, 2007 agenda for consideration by the board.

There being no further business to come before the committee, the meeting adjourned at 9:41 a.m.

AUDIT COMMITTEE

Regent Stephens called the meeting to order at 9:42 a.m. Regent Stephens stated that the Audit Committee met on July 31, 2007 and approved the following item which was being brought forward at the August 1, 2007 meeting today for final board approval.

Review and Approval of the Final Draft of the Audit Report and Financial Statements, University of Houston Charter School, FY 2006 – University of Houston

Regents Stephens also stated that there was one additional item from the July 31, 2007 Audit Committee meeting requiring board approval but this item will be placed on the August 16, 2007 board agenda for final consideration by the board.

UHS Internal Auditing Department Long-Range Internal Audit Plan for Fiscal Years 2008-2010 – UH System

Regent Stephens moved approval of the action items as presented. Regent O’Connor seconded the motion, which passed unanimously.

The item requiring board approval will be placed on the August 16, 2007 agenda for consideration by the board.

There being no further business to come before the board, the meeting adjourned at 9:42 a.m.

EXTERNAL AFFAIRS COMMITTEE

Regent O’Connor called the meeting to order at 9:43 a.m. and turned the meeting over to Grover Campbell.

Grover Campbell presented the following item. This item is for information only and requires no action by the board.

Update on State and Federal Agenda – UH System

There being no further business to come before the committee, the meeting was adjourned at 10:16 a.m.

NOTE: Chairman Hermes reconvened the board at 10:16 a.m. to approve the Audit Committee item: Review and Approval of the Final Draft of the Audit Report and Financial Statements, University of Houston Charter School FY2006 – University of Houston. This item requires final board approval at the August 1, 2007 meeting today. Regent Wise moved approval of the item as presented. Regent O’Connor seconded the motion, which passed unanimously.

After approval of this item, Chairman Hermes recessed for the remainder of the committee meetings at 10:16 a.m.

UNIVERSITY ADVANCEMENT COMMITTEE

Regent Golden called the meeting to order at 10:18 a.m. and turned the meeting over to Mr. Rierson.

Mr. Rierson presented the following action item for review by the committee:

Action Item:

Approval of University of Houston’s participation in Achieving the Dream, a national initiative to enhance the success of community college students – University of Houston
The Houston Endowment requires the UH System Board of Regents to approve the University of Houston’s participation in Achieving the Dream (Round Four), in order to receive a $50,000 planning grant from the foundation and to be eligible for a $400,000 implementation grant over four years. Round Four of Achieving the Dream further expands an initiative co-designed by Lumina Foundation and eight national partner organizations. Houston Endowment is supporting the participation of the University of Houston in Round Four and currently supports 10 Round Three sites, including UH-Downtown. The addition of UH will further advance a region-wide focus on postsecondary student success.

Mr. Rierson also presented one item for information only which requires no further action from the board. This report is on file in the board office.

Overview of Private Support – UH System
This report summarizes private support results for September 1, 2006 through June 30, 2007.

There being no further business to come before the committee, the meeting adjourned at 10:45 a.m.

After the University Advancement Committee adjourned, Chairman Hermes called for a 10 minute break.

NOTE: Chairman Hermes reconvened the board at 10:54 a.m. and recessed to the University Advancement Committee in order to seek committee approval of the action item presented above. Regent Golden moved approval of the action item as presented. Regent O’Connor seconded the motion, which passed unanimously.

The item requiring board approval will be placed on the August 16, 2007 agenda for consideration by the board.

There being no further business to come before the committee, the meeting adjourned at 10:54 a.m.

Pursuant to Subchapter D of Chapter 551 of the Texas Government Code, which allows governing boards to meet in closed session, the Board of Regents went into Executive Session at 11:00 a.m. The Board reconvened the meeting at 12:00 Noon.

EXECUTIVE SESSION REPORT

Regent Hermes announced that the regents discussed property and personnel issues. There is no action as result of this Executive Session.

In the absence of further business, the Board adjourned at 12:00 Noon.

All documentation submitted to the Board in support of the foregoing action items, including but not limited to “Passed” agenda items and supporting documentation presented to the Board, is incorporated herein and made a part of these minutes for all purposes; however, this does not constitute a waiver of any privileges contained herein.

Others Present:
John M. Rudley Dona Hamilton Donald J. Foss Jim McShan Elwyn C. Lee Grover Campbell Michael Rierson Max Castillo Tim Hudson William Staples Janis Newman Wayne Beran John Powell Faith Aguirre Mike Emery Gerry Mathisen	Wayne Beran Suzanne LaBrecque Elaine Charlson Don Guyton David Bell Craig Ness Raymond Bartlett Jim Anderson Joe Kotarba Carl Stockton Eli Cipriano Michelle Dotter Spencer Yantis Pat Esnor Lucy Limon	Molly Woods Tom Ehardt Dave Irvin Ed Hugetz Michelle Sabino David Bradley Margie Hattenbach Diane Murphy Donald Birx Oscar Gutierrez William Fitzgibbon Chris Stanich Rob Sheridan Danny Ochoa Marquette Hobbs