Minutes of the
NIU Board of Trustees

FINANCE, FACILITIES AND OPERATIONS
COMMITTEE MEETING

May 28, 1997

CALL TO ORDER AND ROLL CALL 
The meeting was called to order by Chair Robert Boey at 10:23 a.m. in the Heritage Room of Holmes Student Center at Northern Illinois University. Recording Secretary Mimms conducted a roll call of Trustees. Members present were Trustees Susan Grans, George Moser, David Raymond and Chair Boey. Also present were Student Trustee David Marquez, Committee Liaison Eddie Williams, President John La Tourette and Board Parliamentarian Kenneth Davidson. Having noted the presence of a quorum, the meeting proceeded. 

VERIFICATION OF APPROPRIATE NOTICE OF PUBLIC MEETING 
Confirmation of Open Meetings Act notification compliance was given by Board Parliamentarian Ken Davidson. 

MEETING AGENDA APPROVAL 
Trustee Grans moved for approval of the agenda, seconded by Trustee Raymond. The motion was approved.  

REVIEW AND APPROVAL OF MINUTES 
A motion was made by Trustee Raymond and seconded by Trustee Grans to approve the minutes of January 17, 1997. The motion was approved.  

CHAIR'S COMMENTS 
Chair Boey welcomed everyone to the last meeting of the fiscal year – noting that the new fiscal year begins on July 1. He stated that it had been an exciting year of meetings and activities in which a lot of good work had been done. The Chair extended a special welcome to several NIU staff members who had received special service awards and would be introduced later in the meeting.  Chair Boey stated that the agenda contained several informational reports and numerous items requiring Committee action which included expanded summary status reports for ongoing capital projects with an emphasis on West Campus projects. He stated that the preliminary site plan for the campus child care center, and the preliminary elevations and floor plans for the Center for University Resources for Latinos and Latin American Studies were on display at the meeting for viewing. The Chair said that since this was the final FFO Committee meeting of the fiscal year, it was important that transactions bridging FY97 and FY98, such as contract renewals, professional service agreements and increment guidelines be addressed. Also scheduled was consideration of a recommended financing plan for the financial system replacement project approved at the April 17 Committee meeting. 

Chair Boey recognized UAC Representatives Charles Larson and James Russell and invited them to make comments. Dr. Larson said they had no comments at that time. 

UNIVERSITY REPORTS 

Agenda Item 6.a. – Periodic Summary Report of Transactions in Excess of $100,000 
Dr. Eddie Williams introduced the Periodic Summary Report of Transactions in Excess of $100,000 which contained three projects totaling $438,250. According to Board regulations these are approved by the President and reported periodically to the Committee as an informational item. 

Agenda Item 6.b. – West Campus Master Plan Executive Summary 
Dr. Williams explained the Periodic Summary Report of Capital Projects in Excess of $250,000 which is done on a quarterly basis to provide the Committee with an update of ongoing capital projects. Some of these projects are several years old because either some of the work has not been completed or there is some dispute relative to that project. Dr. Williams said that, based on a recommendation by Trustee Grans, dates had been provided on which either the appropriation had been made or Board approval was given for the project. Trustee Raymond asked if there was a problem with the general contractor for Faraday Hall. Dr. Williams said that this project was appropriated through the State, and by state statute it is governed and managed by the Capital Development Board (CDB). The project was originally funded in FY90. The general contractor filed bankruptcy in the middle of construction. The university, however, took steps to prevent being a part of the bankruptcy court proceeding. By doing so, the university was able to proceed with completion of the project. However, Dr. Williams said, there are a number of punch-list items that remain undone and the CDB has tried, without success, to get the new general contractor to complete these items. The CDB is now trying to bring all parties to the table to resolve that matter. In answer to another inquiry from Trustee Raymond, Dr. Williams stated that the CDB is responsible for legal actions regarding any claims since this project is funded with appropriated funds. Dr. Williams stated that the negotiations are moving slowly and that the meeting scheduled to take place on June 20 had been postponed until October. Meanwhile, the building has been occupied for over a year, but the punch-list items remain outstanding. 

Trustee Raymond also asked about the status of the Recycling Center project which had been suspended pending further analysis. Dr. Williams stated that the university administration met with NIU students to look at recycling on the campus. One of the things that became evident was that recycling was no longer a cost-effective operation, which seems to be a national trend. The bottom fell out of the resale market of materials and many recycling operations, both private and public, have either folded their operations or modified them greatly. We have come to a point, Dr. Williams said, where we need to reevaluate recycling on the campus by looking at more cost-effective ways to provide this service to the campus, reevaluate what materials should be recycled, etc. to make it a profitable operation. President La Tourette has asked the Student Association president, the Recycling Center director and other student representatives to meet with NIU staff, the director of the Physical Plant and Dr. Williams to evaluate recycling and map out a cost-effective program for the campus. 

Trustee Raymond asked about an animal facility at the Psych/Math Building which was mentioned in the meeting materials. Dr. Williams stated that animals are used in the psychology area as part of their research, and special air conditioning systems must be provided in order to keep the animals comfortable. 

Dr. Larson mentioned the Engineering Building item on page 12 of the meeting materials and asked what alternatives had been looked into. Dr. Williams stated that this is a CDB project, but the university is looking at ways to either utilize the overcapacity or redesign the air conditioning system in the Engineering Building. 

Agenda Item 6.c. – Legislative Report 
Ms. Kathy Swanson was called upon to give the legislative report. She stated that the legislature was scheduled to adjourn last Friday. However, they recessed on Friday and were back in Springfield the following week. It was Ms. Swanson's expectation that session would end late Saturday night after which a supermajority would be required to pass legislation. 

Ms. Swanson stated that several major issues, which the Committee had probably read about in the newspapers, were still on the table. All of them, either directly or indirectly, impact the university. The first issue was the education funding issue. While there are no direct appropriations for universities or higher education as part of that issue, it does have a peripheral effect on the budget process. Due to the length of the negotiations on the education funding package for elementary and secondary education statewide, the budget process for the state was slowed somewhat. Extensive and in-depth budget discussions were not expected to begin until that week. The legislature was not sure whether there would be additional revenues to pay for an education package. If there was a gap between the funding levels recommended and the funding levels actually prescribed, that gap might have to be filled through budget cuts in other things which was of concern to the universities. Ms. Swanson went on to say that deregulation was another issue which would impact the universities in the future. The bill was not available for public distribution because it was constantly being changed to reflect different sentiments and different issues that came to the table. Ms. Swanson said it was not yet known how deregulation would impact the university's budget process, both through appropriated funds and nonappropriated funds. 

Another issue on the table was the pension issue for state university employees [State Universities Retirement System (SURS)] and state employees [State Employees Retirement System (SERS)]. The Pension Laws Commission approved a comprehensive package for SURS employees which had the general previsions the universities have been seeking – 2.2%, "30 and out" and 80%. However, because the legislature wanted to put the SURS and SERS packages together and run them in a comprehensive legislative package, SURS employees were forced to accept two provisions as a result of negotiations with SERS and AFSCME. One provision was the elimination of sick leave payout after January 1, 1998. All sick leave accrued to date would be paid out as people leave in the future, but there will be no more sick leave accrual after January 1, 1998. The other issue was a payment system for retiree health insurance benefits. Only employees with 20 or more years of service will receive health and dental insurance benefits free of charge throughout their lifetimes. Those retiring with less than 20 years, will have to pay for their benefits based on the number of years of service. 

One other issue Ms. Swanson brought to the Committee's attention was Senate Bill 770, which is the university's land utilization bill. It passed the House by a vote of 111:2. The bill was sent to the Governor's desk for signature. The legislature has 30 days to send legislation which has passed the General Assembly to the Governor, and the Governor has 60 days from that date to act on it. The university will continue to have negotiations with the Governor's Office on that issue through the summer. 

Ms. Swanson briefed the Committee on House Bill 1525, which allows the children of university employees to receive the benefit of 50% tuition waivers for undergraduate education at other Illinois public universities. That bill passed the General Assembly and was also been sent to the Governor for signature. Ms. Swanson urged that university employees contact the Governor's Office in support of that bill. 

UNIVERSITY REPORTS - REVENUE BOND PROJECTS 

Agenda Item 7.a. – Stevenson North Residence Hall Renovation 
Dr. Williams began with an overview of the Stevenson North Residence Hall Renovation Project. The university, in conjunction with the finance and facilities and architectural engineering areas, had completed its original estimation of the program. Because the original budget estimates exceeded the project budget, ways had to be found to reduce costs. Three basic approaches were addressed: minimizing the amount of renovation in the central core layout of Stevenson (the area between the towers); modification of the residence hall food areas design; and modifications in the mechanical system (heating/air-conditioning) system. The HVAC system costs for these towers is around 26 percent, a major portion of the budget. Updated estimates have been received on the cost of the project based upon some assumptions for reducing the program. In answer to a inquiry from Chair Boey, Dr. Williams said that In the original budget, it was assumed that all of the piping would be replaced. Now, however, the existing piping is being pressure tested to see if it is stable and would have a longer life span, which would require less or no pipe replacement, thereby reducing costs. 

Trustee Grans said this item is important to student retention, student growth and student recruitment noting that it is always nice to make things aesthetically pleasing, but if people are uncomfortable due to poor heating or air-conditioning, there would be a great deal of dissatisfaction with the facilities. She said that the infrastructure was a vital piece of the equation and advised the university not to be afraid to spend the money necessary to provide a proper HVAC system. Dr. Williams expressed his appreciation to Trustee Grans for her comments saying that this is not the glamorous part of the project and it is a little more difficult for some of the users to fully appreciate why the university is pushing infrastructure, making sure those systems are properly installed and investing so much of the budget toward that end. Trustee Grans said she thought it was important for the Board to help the university stay focused on some of the nonglamorous things so that the faculty, the staff, the students and everyone else can go out and do the glamorous things, because the Board has put their efforts toward making sure the foundation is there. 

Agenda Item 7.b. – West Campus Improvements - Phase I 
Giving the Committee an update on the progress of the West Campus improvements, Dr. Williams reported that the university was originally over budget by several hundreds of thousands of dollars, but was able to modify the scope of this project, working with students and staff to come up with a functional concept. Bidding has begun on portions of the work. Phase IA, one of the major components of this project, is to construct new surface parking lots on the West Campus due to the displacement of parking areas required to form the central park area. Once those lots are completed, asphalt can be removed from the area around the residence halls to begin construction of the recreation fields and central park area. Plans are to have the new parking completed by the fall semester. Bids have been received on one part of the work and another set were due by June 5. Chair Boey said the central park is always being referred to as part of the West Campus area, but that the way the campus is growing, this West Campus central park area will one day become the central part of the entire campus, so it should be designed properly now. 

Agenda Item 7.c. – Campus Child Care Center 
Dr. Williams said the university is still in the program phase of this project. The program is being estimated as it has been submitted by the users. The project is over budget and the university will have to address that issue. A decision has been made to locate the building behind Graham Hall which would provide the required playground areas for the various age groups of children. It will have immediate access to Annie Glidden Road, which will eliminate traffic problems in the Graham Hall area and allow parents to avoid coming to the interior campus to deal with both parking and traffic issues. 

Agenda Item 7.d. – Center for University Resources for Latinos and Latin American Studies 
This project was part of the bond series issued in Fall 1996. Dr. Williams said the university plans to add approximately 2,600 square feet of space to an existing facility resulting in a brand new two-level building that would house both the Resources for Latinos and the Latin American Studies programs. Dr. Williams said the project is pretty much on budget and pointed out features of the plan. The building will be primarily brick with a two-foot band of stucco at the top. The entry of the building will be a glass arch set at an angle between two streets. A clerestory will be located on top of the building to provide light to both the first floor and the lower level. The floor plan includes both offices for the directors of the program and all the staff, a lounge and reception area, and a secretarial area. For more of the student activities, there is a large computer room, large rooms where student organizations may have offices and meetings, a library, and a fairly large lecture room that will accommodate about 60 or 70 students. Construction is expected to be complete in January 1998. Dr. Williams commended Patrick Bell, project manager, for his work on this project. 

UNIVERSITY RECOMMENDATIONS 

Agenda Item 8.a. – FY99 Appropriated Capital Budget 
These capital requests go to the Board of Higher Education where they are put on a statewide priority list for recommendation to the Governor and the legislature. In approximately a year, they will become Capital Development Board projects. Because the process requires so many steps, the university must move forward with its recommendations now. Dr. Williams explained that the state process requires that a project be entered on the university's priority list. The IBHE then places it on the statewide priority list where it may take anywhere from eight to ten years for that project to work its way up to the top. Dr. Williams then went over a summary of university capital budget requests for FY99. He stated that two assumptions were made on this list: that the Altgeld project, which is now before the legislature, will be funded, and that Phase II of a three-phase storm water emergency project will be funded. The flood legislation has passed the General Assembly and is now on the Governor's desk. But there is some reluctance on the Governor's part to sign the legislation, so it is unsure whether that project will be funded. Trustee Raymond inquired why the Governor was reluctant to sign the flood legislation. Trustee Boey asked Kathy Swanson, the university's government liaison to explain the history of the flood bill through the legislature. 

Ms. Swanson said that as soon as the flood occurred last summer, the university communicated directly with the Governor's Office and the legislature. NIU's two representatives in Springfield, Representative Wirsing and Senator Burzynski, were very helpful in communicating the university's distress to the General Assembly and the Governor's Office. However, no supplemental bill was passed until this year after the new General Assembly was seated. The new Speaker worked on a supplemental bill. The capital bill, which had been on a pattern of hold for about two years, was also put together. The legislature packaged these two bills together in a rare kind of bipartisanship agreement in late February and passed them as a package with no changes, and our flood funding was part of that. The Governor did sign the supplemental into law, but the Governor's Office has not released the flood project for funding. The supplemental that the legislature considered and passed is in general revenue funds because at the time the supplemental was worked on, the capital bill had been delayed and there was no capital funding available. They have impounded the flood project because they feel that this is a capital project which should be funded out of capital funds and not general revenue funds. The Governor is not opposed to the project and understands the need for it, but he believes that capital projects should be financed through capital bonds and not through general revenue funds. At this point we would like to proceed with any funding mechanism available. So, Ms. Swanson said, it has left it up to the negotiators at the table to see if they can help the university by either convincing the Governor to release the existing funds as they are in general revenue funds or, if they renegotiate the capital package for the new FY98 bill, to move that particular project and fund it through capital dollars. It is a very involved and intricate process most of which is beyond our control, Ms. Swanson said. Trustee Raymond asked if this affected both Phase I and Phase II. Ms. Swanson stated that Phase I was funded in FY95 and Phase II is the only part of the project that has not been funded. Right now, Phase II and Phase III are grouped and listed number 34 on the Higher Education Capital Project List. What the university has been seeking to do for the last year and a half is to accelerate Phase II only. 

Dr. Williams said the other projects on the summary list were the Founders Library basement buildout, campus chilled water production and distribution, campus infrastructure improvements, Stevens Building renovation, Montgomery Hall HVAC system rehabilitation, elevator rehabilitation and renovation, College of Health and Human Sciences (Gilbert Hall) renovation, and the College of Business (Wirtz Hall) renovation-Phase II. 

Trustee Raymond asked how the university priorities are set. Dr. Williams stated that the list is determined through an internal process according to the needs of various departments and programs which are then shared with the appropriate dean, division head or vice president. At that point, the university Finance and Facilities and Engineering people work with the user groups in formulating the projects so that they can be properly estimated. Then the lists of those projects are formulated in Finance and Facilities, and then presented to the President and the senior cabinet where the final list is put together. Dr. Williams said that was also true of Table 7.0R which listed university repair and renovation projects. These projects usually run from about $100,000 to $1.5 million in total project costs. The university's normal appropriation is about $1.4 million to $1.6 million. These priorities are identified in case additional dollars become available. The university requested the Committee's concurrence with the capital appropriation request to be forwarded to the full Board for approval. Chair Boey entertained a motion. Trustee Grans so moved, seconded by Trustee Raymond. The motion was approved. 

Agenda Item 8.b. – FY98 Nonappropriated Capital Budget 
The nonappropriated budget contains major capital projects in excess of $250,000 funded by NIU local funds, either through its bond revenue system or through other local funds that may be available to the university. The only project planned for FY98 right now is replacement of the campus recreation center roof which is leaking and must be replaced as soon as possible. Nonappropriated capital projects do not have to go through the yearlong state system process. These are projects our Board has the authorization to approve and fund immediately. 

Trustee Grans noted that the building was constructed only 12 years ago in 1985 and that the manufacturer has declared bankruptcy. Noting that this was another problem NIU has been left with due to a manufacturer or builder declaring bankruptcy, Trustee Grans said she would approve this replacement, but thought the university should be more due diligent in selecting company project bids. Chair Boey said that he agreed with Trustee Grans because the normal life span for a roof should be at least 20 years. Trustees Grans and Raymond asked if an insurance bond or any other safeguards had been checked into as potential sources of funding. Dr. Williams said that these procedures are governed by state statutes and the statutes require accepting the lowest bidder. Dr. Williams said he agreed with the Committee members that something should be looked into so the university can be assured that the companies being dealt with are strong financially, with as positive an outlook as possible, and have some way for the university to guarantee the work. Right now, the university has to operate within the statutes, which do not allow a lot of flexibility in eliminating contractors or vendors. Trustee Raymond asked if the General Counsel's Office had reviewed all the paperwork and looked into the potential sources of recourse on this particular issue. Dr. Williams said he believed they had but would double-check to be sure regarding this particular situation. Trustee Raymond said he would move to approve going ahead with this project, with the direction that the university pursue looking for some other recourse for reimbursement of this expense. Chair Boey said that due to the age of the roof, that might be a problem, but it could certainly be looked into. Trustee Grans seconded the motion. The motion was approved. 

Agenda Item 8.c. – Illinois Association of School Business Officials Joint Facility Agreement 
Over the last six months, this Committee has reviewed the concept of the university entering into an agreement with the Illinois Association of School Business Officials (IASBO) in some detail. Dr. Williams reminded the Committee that this agreement was for a joint facility of approximately 10,500 square feet to be shared by the university and IASBO. The tenets of the agreement were outlined in the Board materials on page 33. The building will cost approximately $1.2 million. IASBO will be responsible for the cost of architectural and engineering services. Demolition and site preparation will be the responsibility of the university. IASBO will be responsible for acquiring financing for the construction of the building. The university will lease approximately half of the building from IASBO. As part of the agreement, after a 25-year initial term, the building would become university property. A provision was included to extend at least a ten-year option for IASBO to lease space from the university. After that term, the site on which the building is constructed will become university property. For the record, Dr. Williams said, the university will charge a nominal amount for that land. It would be a lease of land on which to construct a building, and would probably be a nominal number like zero. The rate that the university will pay for renting the space will be $9.12 per square foot, which is very competitive in the DeKalb market. The university will provide utilities and maintenance. The university's annual lease cost would be $47,880. Dr. Williams introduced Dr. Ron Everett, executive director of IASBO, who said that the IASBO board would be looking at a similar item in a few days. In answer to a question from Trustee Grans, Dr. Williams said that IASBO has had an ongoing relationship with the university being housed in university facilities. If there should be any default in the financing on IASBO's part, however, there is language in the contract that allows the university to assume the financing so that the university's interest is protected. The university requested Board of Trustees approval for the university to execute a formal lease-leaseback agreement with IASBO. Chair Boey called for a motion to approve the agreement. Trustee Grans so moved, seconded by Trustee Raymond. The motion was approved. 

Agenda Item 8.d. – Financial System Financing Plan 
This item was a follow up on the new financing system for the university. This system is a new software system that would provide new accounting and other financial management software for the university to replace the current 30-year-old software system. This is a $5.1 million project which the Board has approved. The university is now asking approval of the financing plan for the project through Certificates of Participation over a seven-year period. The principle amount, through a capitalization of interest, will be $3.1 million. The annual cost for this financing to the university will be between $625,000 and $650,000 a year. Dr. Williams introduced Michael Boisvert, a principal at Griffin, Kubik, Stephens & Thompson, Inc., the underwriters for these certificates and bond counsel David Williams of Chapman and Cutler. Dr. Williams summarized the Certificates of Participation issue requirements for the Committee. They're very similar to the documents used for the bond issue last fall. The installment purchase contract, acquisition agreement, indenture of trust and assignment of purchase contract, preliminary official statement and certificate purchase agreement are much the same as used in the past. Dr. Williams asked for Committee concurrence and said that the actual documents will be before the Board on June 12 for approval. Trustee Raymond asked what the rate of interest would be. David Williams stated somewhere between 5.40% and 5.50% in current market rates. Mr. Williams said they have also had preliminary conversations with bond insurers about insuring the issue and expected to obtain a commitment to make it a AAA issue. In answer to Chair Boey's question, Mr. Williams said that the purchasers of the certificates would most likely be bond fund institutions such as John Nuvene. 

To Trustee Grans' inquiry if the university had any other Certificates of Participation out at the present time, Dr. Williams said that Certificates were used for the Hoffman Estates building and Dr. La Tourette said the telecommunications system was financed with Certificates in 1992 and should be completed in 1998. Chair Boey entertained a motion to approve the Certificates of Participation. Trustee Raymond so moved, seconded by Trustee Grans. The motion was approved. 

Agenda Item 8.e. – Printing Services Printing Equipment Contract (Renewal) 
Agenda Item 8.f. – Printing Services Copier Equipment Contract (Renewal) 
These are multiyear contracts, usually negotiated for five, six or seven years, and then followed up each year with approval by the Board. In regard to these two items, Dr. Williams said the university is looking at the whole area of Printing Services to try to identify the most cost-effective way of providing these services, including outsourcing or some type of semi-private services. President La Tourette has asked Mr. Michael Malone, who is the acting vice president for that area, to conduct some evaluations and comparisons. The university asked Committee approval of Agenda Items 8.e. and 8.f. for renewals of these ongoing Printing Services contracts. Chair Boey asked for a motion. Trustee Raymond so moved, seconded by Trustee Grans. The motion was approved. 

Agenda Item 8.g. – International Programs Contract (Renewal) 
The International Programs contract is also up for renewal. This contract gives NIU's International Programs Division the authorization to make arrangements with students from, not only NIU, but from all over the country, to study abroad in foreign study programs. Students involved in those programs make payments to the International Program Division. This authorization is developed in such a way that expenditures of more than $250,000 would be brought to the Board for subsequent approval. Chair Boey called for a motion to approve the International Programs contract renewal. Trustee Grans so moved, seconded by Trustee Raymond. The motion was approved. 

Agenda Item 8.h. – NIU Foundation Professional Services Contract 
Dr. Williams stated that the financial guidelines which govern NIU and all the other public universities, require a separate contract with the Foundation for specific services. The contract amount is $332,000, which is the FY97 amount incremented for salary increases in FY98. The university has a contract with the Foundation to provide fund raising services on behalf of the university. Dr. Williams said Trustee Raymond was correct in stating that this is an authorization to pay for the services the university provides, which will then be reimbursed by the Foundation. Chair Boey called for a motion to approve the Foundation contract renewal. Trustee Raymond so moved, seconded by Trustee Grans. The motion was approved. 

Agenda Item 8.i. – FY98 Increment Guidelines 
Each year, through the appropriations process and through internal campus processes, an average salary increment is arrived at to be given in the coming fiscal year. Dr. Williams said that at this time, the amount now before the legislature that would be available for distribution is three percent. The university, given the amount, works out a distribution plan that shows how the university would allocate the increment money. There would be three basic pools, which include the instructional faculty, the supportive professional staff and exempt employees, and the regularly appointed hourly Civil Service employees. The increments are based upon a merit system as internally discussed and established by the President. The President recommended that the Board adopt these guidelines for the distribution of increments in FY98. 

In answer to a question from Trustee Raymond, Dr. Williams said that these monies do not come from State appropriations only, because some employees are paid from other monies such as local funds, bond revenue-generated operations, auxiliary enterprises, etc. The guidelines will be applied to all employees regardless of source of funds. Chair Boey called for a motion to approve the salary increment guidelines. Trustee Grans so moved, seconded by Trustee Raymond. The motion was approved. 

OTHER MATTERS 
Chair Boey asked Steve Cunningham to introduce the Operating Staff Outstanding Service Award Winners. Mr. Cunningham asked the four recipients to come forward. He explained that each year the Operating Staff Council and the university establish an awards committee to select four recipients of the outstanding service awards. They each receive a check for $1,000 and the awards are announced at the university's annual Outstanding Service Awards banquet.  The recipients were Victor Bakanas, a Building Services Foreman who has been with the university for 16 years. He has established a file system for set-up procedures as well as a color-coded status report system of all events occurring in the Holmes Student Center. Andy Small is a Laboratory Manager in the Chemistry Department and has been with the university for eight years. He is responsible for the handling of chemicals, dry ice, liquid nitrogen, all sorts of hazardous materials and the comprehensive safety program for the Chemistry Department. He is also in charge of compliance with various regulations regarding chemical acquisition and handling. Mary Crumbacher is the Staff Secretary in the Physical Plant. Mary has a total of 22 years of service in the Physical Plant and three academic departments. She has participated on the Operating Staff Council for nearly a decade, serving as president, vice president and secretary of the council. Mary's nominators emphasized her resourcefulness, problem solving focus and customer service orientation. She has also been appointed to the newly created Service Enhancement Committee in the Division of Finance and Facilities. Amy Townsend has been with the university approximately four years. During that time she has distinguished herself by having a very positive, self-motivated, enthusiastic and productive approach to her work. Amy works the 4 p.m. to midnight shift in the Physical Plant and assists in refurbishing the Fieldhouse following athletic events. 

Mr. Cunningham said that the university, in coordination with the Supportive Professional Staff Council also conducts a similar award program and recognized Nick Noe, as one of those award recipients. Mr. Noe is Assistant Provost for Resource Planning in the Provost's Office. Also receiving Supportive Professional Staff Council awards this year were Tim Griffin, the University Ombudsman; Carol Zar, Research Associate in the Center for Governmental Studies; and Lucy Robinson, Coordinator of Dietetics Practices in the School of Family and Consumer Nutrition Sciences. Mr. Cunningham expressed the university's appreciation for the Board's interest in these awards which represent excellence among university employees. 

Chair Boey thanked Mr. Cunningham and congratulated the Operating Staff Outstanding Service Award winners. He said the biggest asset any corporation can have is its employees and was delighted that they had seen fit to exercise that kind of leadership in their service to the university. Dr. Williams said he was pleased to note that three of the award recipients were from his Division and appreciated the work being done by Dr. Anne Kaplan and Steve Cunningham in the Human Resources area. He also expressed his thanks to Chair Boey and the FFO Committee for encouraging staff to come and have an opportunity to meet the Board of Trustees so that the Board members have some idea of the work these people do and the kind of quality service received. 

Next Meeting Date 
Committee members will be notified of the next meeting date.  Chair Boey entertained a motion to adjourn. Trustee Raymond so moved, seconded by Trustee Grans. The motion was approved. 

The meeting was adjourned at 11:51 a.m. 
 

Respectfully Submitted, 

Sharon M. mimms 
Recording Secretary