October 2016 Board Action

CONSTITUIONAL AMENDMENT No. 2 IMPACTS HIGHER EDUCATION

Included in Louisiana’s slate of six constitutional amendments on the Nov. 8 ballot is Constitutional Amendment No. 2 which, if passed, will return tuition authority from the state’s Legislature to the state’s higher education systems’ governing boards.

Louisiana is the only state in the nation that requires a 2/3 vote of the legislature to adjust tuition—only one other state requires legislative approval at all. States with legislative control over tuition are consistently funding public higher education the least with Louisiana being ranked 49th for state support nationally.

Louisiana’s higher education leaders have to compete in an ever-changing market and are being controlled by the political process. In fact, competing universities in adjacent states have the freedom to adjust tuition based on market demands.

If passed, the UL System Board will be charged with governing tuition and fees for its nine universities throughout the state.

Ballot text: Do you support an amendment to authorize the postsecondary education management boards to establish the tuition and mandatory fee amounts charged by institutions under their supervision and management, without legislative approval? 

UL SYSTEM BOARD AND CAMPUS PRESIDENTS MEET WITH MAYORS

UL System Board Chair Beau Martin hosted a roundtable discussion with the System’s campus

presidents and community mayors to discuss potential partnerships and some that are already in place.

 “Collaboration among our universities and local leaders is imperative for both the campus and its home community,” Martin said. “Our universities are economic drivers and this meeting was designed to strengthen those relationships and discuss how each campus partners with its community.”

Participating mayors included Hammond’s Pete Panepinto, Grambling’s Edward R. Jones, Monroe’s Jamie Mayo, Ruston’s Ronny Walker and West Monroe’s Dave Norris. Additionally, mayors from the remaining communities sent representatives to participate in the discussion.

 “Hammond’s partnerships with Southeastern are invaluable,” Mayor Panepinto said. “Southeastern’s success is reciprocal to Hammond’s success and vice versa.”

Discussion topics included success stories and challenges in partnerships and resource sharing between campuses and local government.

 
UL SYSTEM BOARD APPROVES NEW DOCTORATE FOR NSU

The UL System Board unanimously approved a proposal for a Doctor of Education in Adult Learning and Leadership at Northwestern State University. This Ed.D. will be the only advanced degree program in Louisiana that focuses on the needs of developing community college leaders and

preparing practitioners to work with adult learners and workforce development.  Projections released by the Louisiana Workforce Commission indicate that during the next 10 years an additional 12,000 postsecondary completers will be needed each year to meet Louisiana’s demand of new Tier One jobs. This practice-based program will produce faculty and educational leaders who will be essential to meeting our state’s shortage through workforce development and the educational attainment of adults in Louisiana.

This proposal will go before the Board of Regents to receive final approval.

ACADEMIC AND STUDENT AFFAIRS COMMITTEE

Grambling: approval of a Letter of Intent to establish a Bachelor of Arts in General Studies. 
LA Tech: approval of a Graduate Certificate in Six Sigma Black Belt. 
McNeese: approval to award an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters to Mr. George Swift at the Fall Commencement Exercises.
Northwestern: approval of a Proposal for a Doctor of Education in Adult Learning and Leadership. 
Northwestern: approval to award an Honorary Bachelor’s Degree in Education to Mrs. Noella Black Lyons at the Fall Commencement Exercises.
UL Lafayette: approval of a Proposal for a Master of Science in Environmental Resource Science.
UL Lafayette: approval to award an Honorary Doctorate in Systems Engineering to Mr. Don Mosing at the Fall Commencement Exercises.
ULM: one-year conditional approval of the ULM Environmental Education and Research Center.
ULM: approval of an Agreement of Academic Cooperation with Catholic Kwandong University, Republic of Korea. 
UNO: approval of a Memorandum of Understanding with Hebei University of Technology, Tianjin, China. 
UNO: approval of a Memorandum of Understanding with the University of Mississippi. 

ATHLETIC COMMITTEE

Grambling: approval of a contract with Mr. Broderick Lee Fobbs, Head Men’s Football Coach, effective August 1, 2016.
McNeese: approval of a contract with Mr. Justin Hill, Head Baseball Coach, effective July 1, 2016.
McNeese: for approval of a contract with Ms. Helena Besovic, Head Women’s Tennis Coach, effective November 1, 2016.
Southeastern: approval of a contract with Mr. Benjamin Gipson, Assistant Men’s Baseball Coach, effective July 1, 2016.
Southeastern: approval of a contract with Mr. Daniel Latham, Assistant Men’s Baseball Coach, effective July 1, 2016.
ULM: approval of a letter of agreement with Learfield Communications, Inc., through its wholly-owned subsidiary Warhawk Sports Properties, LLC., the effect of which engages Learfield and Warhawk to administer the University’s athletic marketing, sponsorship, and promotional rights.
UNO: approval of contractual amendments with Mr. Michael Blake Dean, Head Men’s Baseball Coach, effective November 1, 2016.

FACILITIES PLANNING COMMITTEE

LA Tech: approval to enter into a Facilities Lease Agreement with the Louisiana Tech University Foundation, Inc. to replace the field lighting system at Joe Aillet Stadium.
LA Tech: approval to accept a donation of certain property in connection with the development, construction, renovation and equipping of student housing facilities, and the development of new parking improvements on the campus of the University.
LA Tech: approval to demolish Pearce Hall located on the University Campus.
LA Tech: approval to allow certain properties located at the South Campus Tract to be nominated to the State Mineral Board for mineral lease. 
Northwestern: approval of a Letter of Intent agreement with Housing Partnership II LTD, a Texas Limited partnership, by Housing Corp. II, its general partner (Campus Living Villages), along with an amendment.
UL Lafayette: approval to enter into a Cooperative Endeavor Agreement with Crown Bioscience North Carolina, Inc. related to nonhuman primate research.
LA Tech: update and amend approval of the Facilities Lease with the Louisiana Tech University Foundation, Inc. for the property described as the Press Box and Sky Box at Joe Aillet Stadium.
Nicholls: approval to petition the State Interim Emergency Board to provide the necessary funds for repairs needed on the exterior façade at Ellender Library.
UL Lafayette: approval to update the financing method and construction cost of additions and renovations to M.L. Tigue Moore Baseball Stadium utilizing Ragin’ Cajun Facilities, Inc.

FINANCE COMMITTEE

UL Lafayette: approval of the College of Engineering Eminent Scholar/Board of Regents Support Fund Endowed Chair in Bioprocessing.  
UL Lafayette: approval of an Amendment to the current Affiliation Agreement with Ragin’ Cajun Facilities, Inc.
UL System: approval of revised Internal Audit Charters for the System and related campuses.
LA Tech: approval to reduce non-resident tuition and fees effective Summer Quarter 2017 as allowed by Act 455 of the 2016 Regular Session of the Louisiana Legislature. 
UL Lafayette: approval for the execution of supplemental leases between the Board, on behalf of the University, and Ragin’ Cajun Facilities, Inc., in connection with the refunding of all or a portion of the University’s outstanding student housing Series 2010 Bonds and to refinance an athletic facilities construction loan.
UL Lafayette: approval for the execution of supplemental leases between the Board, on behalf of the University, and Ragin’ Cajun Facilities, Inc., in connection with the refunding of all or a portion of the University’s outstanding Series 2010 Bonds.
Grambling: Approval to refinance bonds at a savings of $1.2 million annually.  

PERSONNEL COMMITTEE

Nicholls: approval to appoint Mr. K. Matthew Roan as Athletic Director, effective November 15, 2016.