University Council Minutes

03/26/2014 03:30 PM - Tate Theater, Tate Student Center
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The University Council met on March 26, 2014 in the Tate Theater. President Jere Morehead called the meeting to order at 3:30 p.m.

The minutes of the February 19, 2014 meeting were approved as distributed.

President Morehead's report to the Council included the following remarks:

  • President Morehead opened his remarks by informing the Council that two UGA Honors Students, Tuan Nguyen and Amy Webster, have been named 2014 Barry M. Goldwater Scholars. UGA students have now received Goldwater scholarships in almost every year since the mid-1990s which brings the total number of UGA students who have received this scholarship to 46.
  • On April 2, a portion of the announcement for the 2014 Peabody Award winners will be broadcast on "CBS This Morning." This is the first time in the history of the Peabody Awards that a selection of the winners will be announced live on television. The President acknowledged the work of Peabody Awards director Jeffrey Jones and Dean Charles Davis of the Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication for their efforts to elevate the profile of these prestigious awards.
  • The President took a moment to congratulate several faculty members who have received major awards. Rick Watson of the Terry College of Business has been named a Regents Professor effective July 1. Russell Malmberg, associate dean of the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences and professor of plant biology, has been named a University Professor. This honor was first awarded in 1974, and only one individual can be selected for this each year. Three faculty members have been named Josiah Meigs Distinguished Teaching Professors: James Hamilton of the Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication, Audrey Haynes of the School of Public and International Affairs, and David Mustard of the Terry College of Business. Three faculty members have also been named recipients of Richard B. Russell Awards for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching. They are: Anthony Madonna of the School of Public and International Affairs, Maria Navarro of the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, and John Schramski of the College of Engineering.
  • The President also recognized faculty and staff awards in Public Service and Outreach. Jeff Sanford will receive the Walter Barnard Hill Distinguished Achievement in Public Service Award. Sue Chapman, Wes Clarke, Stanley Culpepper, and Robert Kemerait will receive the Hill Award for Distinguished Achievement. Public Service and Outreach Staff Awards for Excellence are going to Karen Duncan, Melanie Hardman, and Lindsey Parker.
  • The President asked the Council to join him in congratulating Ryan Nesbit on his selection as the new Vice President for Finance and Administration. The President stated he is very confident in his selection and in the direction and leadership he will offer in the role.
  • One senior level position remains to be filled on campus: the Vice President for Development and Alumni Relations. Finalists for this position will be visiting the campus soon to make public presentations. The President encouraged Council members to attend these presentations.
  • Provost Whitten has decided after careful consideration to extend the search for a new dean for the Terry College of Business.
  • Thirty-seven members (95%) of the Georgia Regents/UGA Medical Partnership's inaugural class were matched with residency programs to continue their graduate medical education. One student chose to wait until next year to seek residency placement. These students were placed at such hospitals as Johns Hopkins and Duke, while some will complete their residencies in Georgia. The President stated that this shows the Partnership is clearly thriving.
  • The President offered a brief legislative update to the Council. Overall, the USG's entire budget has been increased by about 3% for next year. The USG did receive some funding for merit-based pay increases. While these increases may not be large, the President believes they are steps in the right direction, especially in light of the economic conditions of the last five years. After the April meeting of the Board of Regents, the President stated more will be known with regards to salaries. One point that the President did want to emphasize was that raises will be merit-based and informed by employee performance.
  • The General Assembly has also provided $2 million in funding to continue to advance graduate medical education. The President stated that on the capital front from the General Assembly, UGA may have had its best year in history. The General Assembly approved $44.7 million for the design and construction of a new science learning center. The President hopes that construction on this center can begin in late summer with a projected opening in Fall 2016. This was the President's top capital priority, and he is very grateful that it has been funded. The General Assembly also approved $7.7 million for both a phase I and II project for Baldwin Hall to add an annex and to renovate the building. The General Assembly as well approved $11.5 million for design and construction for agricultural facilities at the Athens, Griffin, and Tifton campuses. The MMR system funding allocation for addressing renovations and repairs of buildings and structures on campuses for this year is less than previous years; the President expects that UGA's portion of this funding will be less as well. This may slow down funding for some maintenance projects on campus. But, overall, the President is pleased with the progress that was made this year in terms of funding.
  • The Board of Regents passed a policy for all schools within the USG to become tobacco and smoke-free. The deadline to implement the policy is October 1. Part of the implementation will include smoking cessation programs.
  • The end of the Spring semester is a very busy time on campus. On March 31, Charlyne Hunter-Gault will be delivering a Charter lecture entitled "Reflections on Nelson Mandela." On April 3, political strategist Donna Brazile will deliver the 2014 Mary Frances Early Lecture. Honors week will be held the week of April 7. On April 14, James Clapper will deliver a Charter lecture that was postponed in the Fall semester.
  • Spring commencement will be held on May 9. The Board of Regents has approved the request to grant federal judge Horace Ward an honorary doctor of laws degree during the graduate commencement ceremony on May 9.
  • This concluded the President's report to the Council.

The floor was then opened for the following reports:

  • Executive Committee, presented by chair Silvia Giraudo
  • Staff Council, presented by chair Jerry Daniel
  • Student Government Association, presented by president Austin Laufersweiler. Following the report, the President asked the Council to join him in congratulating Austin on an excellent year as president of SGA.

The following Action Item was presented to the Council for approval:

There was no old business to come before the Council.

New Business: Vice President for Information Technology Tim Chester and Vice President for Instruction Laura Jolly provided the Council with a presentation updating them on the ConnectUGA project.

There being no further new business, the Council adjourned at 4:15 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,

Dr. Jan Hathcote, Registrar
Secretary to University Council



University Council Roster

Allen, Sheila

Glass, Anne

McNulty, Tom

Alworth, Leanne

Goodhue, Dale

Meller, Abbey

Anderson, Mark

Gordon, Robert

Moore, Mary

Arabnia, Hamid

Graff, Jennifer

Morehead, Jere

Ashley, Louise

Grasso, Maureen

Nadenicek, Daniel

Atkinson, Eric

Griffin, Michele

Nairn, Joe

Ayers, Ben

Grossman, Barbara

Nesbit, Ryan

Bayer, Lisa

Gutierrez Sanchez, Gerardo

Norman, Naomi

Becker, Lee

Hall, Jori

Oie, Svein

Bierema, Laura

Harrell, Elizabeth

Orpinas, Pamela

Biesecker, Barbara

Harrison, Mark

Owsiak, Andy

Bliss, Thomas

Harshman, Melissa

Pendergrass, Jan

Boyhand, George

Hathcote, Jan

Peterson, Thomas

Burd, Adrian

Hazinski, David

Potter, William

Cahoon, Lynn

Heiss, Christian

Riley, David

Caille, Alex

Holmes, Shannon

Roman, Paul

Carswell, Andy

Hughes, Linda

Rosemond, Amy

Chapman, Sue

James, Jennifer

Rossbacher, Brigitte

Chepyator-Thomson, Rose

Jolly, Laura

Sarasvati, Bala

Colquitt, Jason

Jones, Betty

Sarmiento, Fausto

Daniel, Jerry

Kalivoda, Karen

Schuster, Barbara

Darbisi, Carolina

Kaplan, Betina

Shipley, David

Dluhy, Richard

Keadle, Tim

Spooner, David

Dorfman, Jeff

Keen, Brenda

Stabb, Eric

Dotts, Brian

Kirin, Asen

Starai, Vincent

Dove, Robert

Lamb, Taylor

Stephens, Amanda

Dreibelbis, Hadley

Laufersweiler, Austin

Stooksbury, David

Eberle, Roxanne

Lee, David

Tollner, Bill

Ellis, Angela

Lee, Jung Sun

Trap, Diane

Farmer, Mark

Lee, Kyunghwa

Tschepikow, Kyle

Freeman-Lynde, Ray

Leonard, Elizabeth Weeks

Walker, Virginia

Foretschel, Mark

Lewis, Michael

Weber, Brett

Frum, Jennifer

Lockhart, Lettie

Wesolowski, Brian

Gallagher, Megan

Luken, Emily

Whitten, Pamela

Garfinkel, David

Makanani, Kyley

Williams, Phillip

Giraudo, Silvia

McDonald, William

Williams-Woodward, Jean

 

McDuff, Nancy

Wilson, Victor


Zhao, Yiping




Represented by Proxy

Angle, J. Scott

Azadi, Parastoo

Bivins, Danny

Cramond, Bonnie

Daniels, Maurice

Davis, Charles

Dorsey, Alan

Dove, David

Gandhi, Kamal

Gittleman, John

Infante, Carlos

Kennedy, Craig

Knapp, Charles

Leo, Donald

Lindstrom, Jennifer

Madden, Marguerite

Mativo, John

Naeher, Luke

Pagnattaro, Marisa

Roberts, Andrew

Taha, Thiab

Tessman, Brock

Wilson, Jim

Zomlefer, Wendy