WASHBURN UNIVERSITY OF TOPEKA
BOARD OF REGENTS
MINUTES
October 21, 1995
____________________________________________________________________
I. Chairperson Roth called the meeting to order at 8:31 a.m. in the Kansas Room of
the Memorial Union.
II. Present were: Mr. Dick, Mr. Ferrell, Mr. Felker, Mr. Kimbrough, Mr. Maag, Mrs.
Parks, Mr. Roth and Mr. Sabatini.
III. Approval of Minutes
It was moved and seconded to approve the Minutes of the September 20, 1995
meeting as circulated. Motion passed unanimously.
IV. RETREAT
President Thompson introduced the Executive Director of the Kansas Board of
Regents, Steve Jordan. Dr. Jordan noted that Kansas is in the top three among the
state in participation rates in higher education and he said that Kansans typically
choose Kansas institutions. He also said Kansas is a net importer of students. The
issues identified by Dr. Jordan to be faced by the Kansas Board of Regents in the
future are: 1) financing, as there will be a 2% real reduction in budget with the
prospects for increases in state financial aid not being favorable due to the
devolution of federal financial responsibilities to the states; the increase in demand
for correctional institutions; and K-12 funding. He said the difficulty is that higher
education in Kansas is the highest discretionary expenditure in the state's budget.
2) The question of quality of undergraduate education and what students are really
learning; why students take so long to graduate, cited by way of example that
students are now taking five and a half years to earn the baccalaureate degree; and
whether the baccalaureate degree today is relevant to today's environment. 3) The
challenge of incorporation of new technology in higher education. 4) Financial
access to institutions of higher education with the pulling back of federal financial
aid and research grants to institutions of higher education. 5) Projected enrollment
increases fueled by demographics.
Dr. Jordan then shared a document captioned "Megatrends 1995-2010 and
discussed the points listed.
President Thompson then introduced Ms. Elaine Frisbie who is a budget analyst
with the Kansas Department of Administration Division of the Budget. Ms. Frisbie
distributed and discussed a document captioned "State of Kansas Budget Overview
October 21, 1995." She noted that in fiscal year 1996 more than one-half of the
budget is "pass through" monies from all sources sent back to local governmental
entities. She noted that only 43.8% of the funding received by the state is spent
directly by the state government. With respect to General Fund receipts, she said
two-thirds of the General Fund dollars are sent back to local governmental entities,
mostly for K-12 expenditures; 15% of the entire budget is dedicated to institutions of
higher education. She did echo Dr. Jordan, noting that higher ed is the highest
discretionary expenditure by the State. She noted that when the State had to take
care of an $18 million shortfall, Governor Graves left alone this year K-12, post-
secondary institutions and local units. For fiscal year 1997, she projects there will
only be a 1.2% increase in expenditures and that because of increasing K-12 costs,
demand transfers and RESPA, the universities can expect no more than small
increases in funds for their operations. She did say in conjunction with the Kansas
Board of Regents that there appears to be more of an idea to grant them more
flexibility in spending, loosening controls but heightening the accountability of the
expenditures by institution.
Mr. Mosiman made a presentation based on the materials in the agenda. He said
when the Board directed that the fiscal year 1996 budget be "balanced" that the
Budget Committee met to determine how best to achieve this result. He said the
outcome of the Budget Committee meeting was that all units have been asked to
return approximately $1.3 million in appropriations. He noted that the institution
typically gets between $1.1 million and $1.4 million in unexpended appropriations.
The money requested in budget transfers by the administration is to affect that in an
up-front manner. He said the down side is this does eliminate some flexibility for
units. Mr. Mosiman then outlined some of the potential avenues which the Board may
choose to pursue.
Thereafter, the Board broke into two sub-groups to discuss the information presented.
The Board then reconvened at approximately 11:20 a.m. The consensus of the group
is that, for the moment, the University might wish to consider seeking enabling
legislation to allow the imposition of a quarter cent sales tax, coupled with some
reduction in the ad valorem tax. Mayor Felker indicated he would be meeting in the
next week or two with Representative Tom Bradley on a different subject and will talk
with him about this issue. The Regents did agree that more specific information is
required about the projected needs, how much is needed and how it would be
expended as this will be necessary to "sell" the notion to the electorate.
Mr. Monical noted that the Kansas Council on Postsecondary Education has
commissioned an environmental scan of the institutions in the state of Kansas. This is
to be presented to the Council in november and should be available for distribution in
about mid-November.
Mr. Dick noted that the University is presently in the midst of a paradigm shift and
that traditional sources of revenue for higher education are not likely to grow with the
rate of inflation; there is a need for updating in the technological environment which is
changing rapidly; and, the University needs to be able to compete with other
institutions who are changing with respect to the two other items. It was the
consensus of the Board that there needs to be a future meeting on this subject.
Regents who have requests for specific information to be furnished in conjunction
with this issue are to funnel such requests through the Secretary to the Board or to
Mayor Felker. Mayor Felker is the Regent to work with the administration in the
preparation of the agenda for this session.
V. New Business
A. Planning and Program Review
Executive Director of Planning, Dr. Shel Cohen, reviewed the agenda item
provided in advance of the meeting and the summary of changes caused by
second year of the WU program review circulated at the meeting. Dr. Thompson
asked the Regents to review the materials with respect to recommendations to
the units, indicating that where there are comments and they do not disagree, the
administration will assume that we would implement those recommendations.
B. Washburn University's G.O. Bond Refinancing Analysis
It was moved and seconded to authorize the administration to employ B. C.
Christopher Co. to act as the underwriter and to authorize the underwriter in
University treasury to take necessary actions to explore the possibility of
refunding the University's existing G.O. Bond debt and to explore marketability of
bonds. Motion passed unanimously.
C. Policies
1. It was moved and seconded to approve the change in policy for private music
lessons outlined int he agenda item. Motion passed unanimously.
D. Personnel
1. It was moved and seconded to approve the award of the terminal sabbatical
leave for Dr. Paul Salter. Motion passed unanimously.
E. Purchases over $25,000
1. Equipment for Alumni/Convocation Center
It was moved and seconded to authorize the administration to expend
$115,000 for furniture and equipment for the Alumni/Convocation Center.
Motion passed unanimously.
2. Alumni Center Purchase of Furniture
It was moved and seconded to approve the award of a contact to E & I
Cooperative Service in the amount of $25,446.84 for the purchase of tables,
chairs and chair and table dollies for the Alumni Convocation Center. Motion
passed unanimously.
3. Purchase of "Washburn Viewbook"
It was moved and seconded to pay Frye Allen Advertising Inc. an amount of
$29,015.00 for the "Washburn Viewbook." Motion passed unanimously.
4. KTWU Purchase of a Video Production Switcher
It was moved and seconded to approve the award of a contract, contingent
upon receiving necessary funding from the State of Kansas, to Electronic
Video Systems in the amount of $49,781.00 for the equipment shown on
the agenda item. Motion passed unanimously.
F. Financial Reports
It was moved and seconded to approve 1.) Depository Security Transactions, 2.)
Public Fund Investments and 3.) Liquidated Claims outlined in the agenda items.
Motion passed unanimously.
* It was moved and seconded to increase the salary of Lee Snook by $900 and to
award the Assistant Professor rank effective October 1, 1995 for completion of his
Doctor of Musical Arts degree. Motion passed unanimously.
* It was moved and seconded to approve the appointment of Sue A. Grosdidier as
Coordinator of Career Services within the Center for Learning and Academic Support
Services effective October 24, 1995 at an annual basic salary of $38,000. Motion
passed unanimously.
* It was moved and seconded to increase the salary of James Coen by $280. Motion
passed unanimously.
G. Status Report: Athletics Scholarships
President Thompson presented the status report on athletics scholarships to
members of the Board of Regents.
* Item(s) added at the meeting with the consent of the Board.
VI. Executive Session
It was moved and seconded to recess to Executive Session for a period not to exceed
15 minutes for the purpose of discussing a personnel matter and to reconvene at the
conclusion thereof in the Kansas Room of the Memorial Union. Motion passed. At
1:21 p.m. the Board recessed to Executive Session.
At 1:33 p.m. the Board reconvened in open session. No action was taken.
It was moved and seconded to adjourn. Motion passed. The Board of Regents meeting
adjourned at 1:33 p.m.
_______________________
Kenneth P. Hackler
Secretary, Board of Regents