November 1999
Board Meeting Minutes
Board of Trustees Meeting Minutes
Monday, November 15, 1999
World Trade Center
St. Paul, Minnesota
Trustees Present: Andrew Boss, Nancy Brataas, Brent Calhoun, Mary Choate,
Dennis Dotson, Robert Erickson, Jim A. Luoma, Joann Splonskowski, Michael Vekich,
Chair
.
Trustees Absent: Kathleen Caffey, Daniel Coborn, David Erickson, Christine
Fritsche, James Wafler.
MnSCU Senior Staff Also Present: Presidents Kathy Nelson, Phil Davis,
Tom Horak and Dennis Nielsen; Board Executive Director Bob McFarlin, Associate
Vice Chancellor, Personnel, Linda Skallman.
- Call to Order
Chair Vekich called the meeting to order at 2:00 PM and reported that a quorum
was present.
Approval of the minutes from October 28, 1999 was moved by Trustee Boss and
seconded. Motion approved.
- Purpose of the Meeting:
Chair Vekich outlined that the purpose of this meeting was to continue
the discussion begun October 28, 1999, on how best to move forward with the
process of the formal search for MnSCU's next chancellor.
- Discussion:
Chair Vekich led an open discussion on three items that were presented
to the Board: (1) Board Executive Director Bob McFarlin presented a suggested
schedule for 10 public "listening sessions" involving all MnSCU
campuses throughout the state through which trustees would gather information
from MnSCU stakeholders on issues related to MnSCU in general and the chancellor
search process in particular. (2) Chair Vekich presented a paper developed
by the consulting firm Himle Horner, Inc. which outlined a suggested format
for the public listening sessions. (3) Chair Vekich presented a suggested
timeline for the chancellor search process, beginning with the October 28,
1999, meeting and ending with the Board selecting MnSCU's next chancellor
around December 2000.
Significant discussion was held around all three items. Trustee Dotson expressed
concern that the proposal for 10 "listening sessions" did not put
trustees in direct contact with all MnSCU institutions. President Horak suggested
the proposed search process timeline did not coincide with the common practice
in higher education leadership searches of seeking candidates in the late
winter/early spring. Trustee Brataas presented various materials related to
past MnSCU chancellor searches.
The open discussion led to the following decisions, reached by consensus:
- The proposal for 10 public "listening sessions" was rejected.
Board staff was directed to begin developing a plan whereby one or more
trustees would visit all 36 MnSCU institutions personally from approximately
January 2000 to June 2000. The purpose of the trustee visits would be
to discuss the chancellor search and other MnSCU issues with campus staff,
students and local community leaders. For visits on their campuses, MnSCU
presidents would be responsible for identifying individuals to meet with
trustees, setting meetings and other logistics.
- The proposed search process timeline was altered to reflect the Board's
preference to: (1) begin the process of selecting a professional search
firm as soon as possible; (2) announce the selection of a chancellor search
committee no later than February 2000. A new timeline would be presented
for consideration at the next search process meeting.
- Work on developing a profile of the preferred characteristics and duties
of a new chancellor would be done internally through various means and
sources, including the task recently assigned to the Board Development
Committee to examine and better define roles and responsibilities of the
chancellor and the Board of Trustees.
- A motion would be presented to the Board of Trustees Personnel Committee
at its November 16, 1999, meeting, and to the full Board at its November
17, 1999, meeting authorizing the Board to take the steps necessary to
begin the chancellor search process.
- Adjournment:
Chair Vekich adjourned the meeting by consensus at 3:45 PM.
Michael Vekich, Chair
Recorded by Robert J. McFarlin
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